Fresh Food Diet?

[tskoffina]

Is there a way to give a healthy, balanced, diet without hard or canned food? Like to cook, give fresh stuff? My Lily isn't wanting to eat cat food anymore. She'll eat fresh food, mealie, egg, chicken, but I tried waiting her out, and no go, and same with hand feeding. Her weigh is good, but I don't want her to start to drop weight. Vet said she's fine, just being stubborn.

 

[nikki]

How old is Lily? I had a rescue girl that had almost starved to death because she wouldn't eat kibble. The vet the owners had been taking her too just said she was "picky" and not to worry. She actually had no teeth left and couldn't chew the kibble. If your hedgie is older she may be having trouble with the hard kibble. She may not have this problem but I thought I would mention it just in case

 

[pinkdaisy]

As nikki said, she might just be having problems with the hard kibble. Did the vet palpitate her jaw? If so, and there were no issues, she might just be having some problem with chewing hard kibble. Make sure there are no tumors or other problems with your hedgie's jaw/teeth, and otherwise try grinding up the kibble into smaller pieces and adding a bit of water to make a porridge--that way it would be much easier for Lily to eat

 

[tskoffina]

She can chew hard kibbles. If I change her food, she's good for a few days, then slowly she cuts back. She's about a year and a half. She has all her teeth, and she doesn't care if you poke at them. I think it's a matter of fresh. she's fine from a new bag, and I go through food pretty quick, but she doesn't like older food, I think.

 

[tskoffina]

Sorry, last post was quick while I had a sec. I've tried grinding food into a powder in a coffee grinder, and mixed with water. I tried hand feeding through a syringe that, but she refuses that too. Her teeth seem good, and she's active, runs all night now on her new wheel. I don't know if I should try feeding her something else, maybe she just doesn't need a lot of food.

 

[pinkdaisy]

Try freezing the bags of kibble? Maybe she just doesnt like stale food, how long do you usually keep around a bag? Sometimes you can get smaller bags too from certain stores

 

[tskoffina]

I feed mostly the CSFTCLS and Royal Canin. I usually get a 3lb bag of each and mix them. The cat's feeder takes about 2lbs, and I fill it about two times, and the rest goes to the hedgies. i think this usually is about a week or so... Can't leave food sitting around, the dog is amazing at getting to it, and no matter how much food she has, one of m cats chews into bags, so I only buy smallish amounts i can fit into plastic containers. I haven't seen anything smaller than 3lbs, and it shouldn't get stale that quickly should it?

 

[pinkdaisy]

I would still freeze it, i buy i think 1 lb bags and i freeze mine, mind you my hedgie is the only one eating it

 

[tskoffina]

Yeah, got 2 1/2 cats and 3 hedgies, plus bf takes some sometimes. I guess I'll try freezing.

 

[Melissa]

Yeah, got 2 1/2 cats and 3 hedgies, plus bf takes some sometimes. I guess I'll try freezing.

Your bf takes some? :wacko: lol sorry I just had an image in my head of a man sneaking kibble from the bag!

Try the freezing if that doesn't work.. From what I understand there is a way to feed only human food and buggies but you have to keep up with it and make sure your hedgie is getting all their nutrients they need.

 

[tskoffina]

Yeah, he just can't help himself, lol. No, he has a hedgie, too, so when he's low he filches from me. How do you know for sure that they're getting the right nutrients?

 

[nikki]

ok..I just have to ask...LOL...how do you get 2 1/2 cats????....I have a picture of a cat that is sliced perfectly in half head to toe...>LOL< i wasn't going to ask but I just have to...

 

[tskoffina]

Lol. I have two piggy cats, but my horrible neighboor has an unfixed siamese, so sweet, and she couldn't care less about him. She's not home most of the time, days on end, and she locks the cat outside when she's not home, with no food or water. I feel so bad for him, I put out food when I see he's out, and she's not there. So 1/2 a cat, because I feed him half the time. If I thought I wouldn't get caught I would fix him and rehome him, but I'm sure he's microchiped or at least tatooed. It's sad.

 

[nikki]

ohhh that's so sweet....he's a lucky cat to have you to look out for him