Hedgehog refuses to eat cat food

[Shana DC]

By hedgehog Bender is about 4 years old. Last week he stopped eating his Science Diet dry cat food, which has consistantly been his main food source since we got him. he went 3 days without eating anything at all and hardly pooping, though his drinking seemed normal. I tried mixing it in with various fruits and veggies, which he usually likes very much, but he still wouldn't touch it and ate almost none of the fruits and veggies mixed in either.

On the fourth day I was about to bring him to the vet but decided to try giving him a hard boiled egg, and he started eating it voraciously as soon as I gave it to him. I then started giving him egg mixed with fruits and veggies, and each time he eats everything in his dish, and his pooping returned to normal. However, when I try again giving him cat food, he refuses to touch it, even if there is no other food for him to choose from. He will go a whole day without eating a bite until I cave in and go back to the egg salad.

His coloration is unchanged, and when I looked in his mouth, I couldn't see any obvious signs of tooth problems. His gait was very wobbly, he didn't move much, and he kept licking his lips and coughing when he hadn't eaten for a few days, but as soon as I started feeding him the egg mixture he started acting normally again. When I let him out to run around his energy level is normal.

Any ideas on why he stopped eating his cat food? This wasn't a gradual change either. He went from eating all his food every day with no problem to not touching it. Is this something I should be concerned about and would warrant a vet visit?

Although he doesn't have any visible teeth problems, I was wondering if maybe it was getting harder for him to eat the dry food as he ages, and if I could/should switch to wet cat food.

I also was wondering if hedgehogs get more finicky as they age about what they eat, and if so, if it's possible for me to feed him just human food rather than cat food. I am concerned about him not getting proper nutrition if I do that.

 

[Kalandra]

Have you tried softening his kibble? If he has a tooth that is causing him pain, softening the kibble may help under you can get into the vet's office.

How old is the food? Sometimes when food is starting to reach its best by date it will start to taste off and cause the hedgehog to not want to eat it any longer. You may try purchasing a new bag to see if it is an odor/taste issue.

Otherwise, a veterinary visit is a great idea.

 

[Shana DC]

Hi Kalandra,
Thanks, I have not tried softening his kibble. The food is a fairly new bag so I don't think that's the problem, but I will try softening his kibble and report back.

-Shana

 

[Kalandra]

Has he eaten any of the new bag? Occasionally these manufacturers change the formulation just enough that our little ones notice, and stop eating it.

 

[Shana DC]

You know, I think this may have been the first serving from a new bag when he stopped eating, though it is his usual brand. I'll try getting him another version of science diet kibble and see if that works first, so that way I can see if it's the food rather than a tooth issue.

or is there another brand you'd recommend? Thanks again for your help!

 

[Kalandra]

Some are just so picky about their foods. I have one that refused to eat Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck when I purchased a new bag. Found out later that other hedgehogs were refusing to eat the new as well. NB apparently changed the formulation a little.

Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken, Innova Lite, chicken soup for the cat lovers soul, natural balance peas & duck and royal canin are all brands/foods that are readily found in Petco/Petsmart that are pretty well respected amount hedgehogs. Of those, I've had the best of luck with the Katz-n-Flocken.

 

[Shana DC]

Hello again,
I tried getting another type of the Science Diet food and Bender ate it no problem. I guess you were right that there must have been some slight change in the previous brand that made him turn his nose up at it! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Kalandra]

At least it was an easily resolved problem.

I would recommend adding another food to his diet. This is one example of why we recommend 2 different brands of foods mixed. That way if one company should change the formulation, or if you should run out and not be able to find it, you will have a 2nd food to fall back on that the hedgehog is already eating and familiar with.