The BIG kibble list

The BIG kibble list

Each of these kibbles has been used successfully with hedgehogs.

 This is a reference list only and I'm not responsible for brand recalls and changes. Only you and your vet can make the best choices for your animals

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Key symbols:

* Most likely needs to be partially ground/crushed

- may or may not need to be ground/crushed depending on Hedgehog, these kibbles are smaller

+ Contains grains

# legume/ pea free

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Nature's logic feline chicken meal feast, all life stages dry cat food +#

Nature's logic feline rabbit meal feast, all life stages dry cat food +#

Nature's logic feline turkey meal feast, all life stages +#

Nature's logic canine beef meal feast grain free dry dog food -#

Nature's logic canine duck and salmon meal feast grain free dry dog food -#

Nature's logic canine chicken meal feast grain free dry dog food -#

Nature's logic canine beef meal feast all life stages dry dog food +-#

Nature's logic canine chicken meal feast all life stages dry dog food +-#

Zignature kangaroo formula small bites dry dog food

Zignature turkey formula small bites dry dog food

Zignature multiprotein formula small bites grain free dry dog food

Zignature lamb formula small bites dry dog food

Zignature select cuts lamb & lamb meal formula dry dog food +*#

Zignature select cuts turkey formula dry dog food +*#

Solid Gold indigo moon with chicken and eggs grain free cat food

Solid Gold winged tiger with quail and pumpkin grain free cat food

Solid Gold katz n flocken lamb and brown rice recipe +

Solid Gold mighty mini gut health small and toy breed puppy grainger chicken, chickpea and pumpkin dry dog food

Solid Gold mighty mini small and toy breed grain free lamb, sweet potato and carrot dry dog food

Solid Gold mighty mini small and toy breed grain free bred, sweet potato and apple dry dog food

Solid Gold mighty mini grain free turkey and hearty vegetable dry dog food

Chicken soup for the soul kitten chicken, brown rice and pea +

American Journey turkey and chicken recipe grain free dry cat food

American Journey chicken recipe grain free cat food

American Journey duck recipe grain free dry cat food

American Journey chicken and sweet potato recipe grain free dry dog food *

American Journey beef and sweet potato recipe grain free dry dog food*

American journey lamb and sweet potato recipe grain free dry dog food *

American Journey puppy lamb and sweet potato recipe grain free dry dog food *-

American Journey puppy chicken and sweet potato gratin free dry dog food*-

American journey landmark with angus beef and pork grain free dry dog food *

American Journey small breed adult chicken and sweet potato recipe grain free dry dog food 

American journey landmark puppy with cage free chicken and turkey, grain free dry dog food *

Wellness core grain free chicken, turkey meal indoor formula dry cat food 

Wellness core grain free kitten formula dry cat food

Wellness core grain free original formula dry cat food

Wellness complete health natural grain free defined chicken and chicken meal dry cat food

Wellness core grain free turkey, turkey meal and duck formula dry cat food

Wellness complete health chicken indoor dry cat food +

Wellness complete health chicken and rice indoor dry cat food +

Wellness complete health adult defined chicken and oatmeal recipe dry dog food +*

Wellness complete health adult lamb and barely recipe dry dog food+*

Wellness small breed complete health turkey and oatmeal recipe dry dog food+

Wellness complete health puppy deboned chicken, oatmeal and salmon recipe dry dog food +

Wellness core grain free small breed turkey and chicken recipe dry dog food

Wellness core grain free wild game duck, turkey boar and rabbit recipe dry dog food*

Wellness small breed complete health puppy turkey, oatmeal and salmon meal recipe dry dog food +

Wellness core grain free puppy chicken and turkey recipe dry dog food -

Wellness toy breed complete health adult deboned chicken, brown rice and peas dry dog food.

Blue buffalo wilderness chicken recipe grain free cat food

Blue buffalo wilderness kitten chicken recipe grain free cat food

Blue buffalo wilderness duck recipe grain free dry cat food

Blue buffalo indoor adult chicken recipe grain free dry cat food

Blue buffalo wilderness small breed chicken recipe grain free dry dog food

Blue buffalo wilderness rocky mountain recipe with red meat. Small breed grain free dry dog food

Blue buffalo wilderness adult small bite chicken recipe grain free dry dog food

Blue buffalo wilderness nature's evolutionary diet plus wholesome grains chicken small breed adult dry dog food +

Blue buffalo wilderness chicken recipe grain free dry dog food

Blue buffalo wilderness puppy chicken recipe grain free dry dog food -

Blue buffalo indoor health chicken and brown rice recipe adult dry cat food +

Blue buffalo healthy growth kitten chicken brown rice recipe dry cat food +

Canidae grain free pure limited ingredient chicken recipe dry cat food

Canidae grain free pure ancestral freeze dried raw coated indoor health formula with chicken dry cat food

Canidae all life stages chicken, turkey, lamb and fish formula dry cat food +

Canidae all life stages chicken meal and rice formula dry cat food+

Canidae grain free pure petite chicken formula small breed limited ingredient freeze dried raw coated dry dog food

Canidae grain free pure petite lamb formula small breed limited ingredient freeze dried raw coated dry dog food

Canidae grain free pure small breed limited ingredient chicken, potato and whole egg recipe dry dog food

Canidae grain free pure limited ingredient lamb, goat and venison meals recipe dry dog food *

Canidae grain free pure limited ingredient bison, lentil and carrot recipe dry dog food*

Taste of the wild rocky mountain gran free dry cat food

Taste of the wild canyon river grain free cat food

Taste of the wild lowland creek premium real meat recipe with roasted quail and duck grain free dry cat food

Taste of the wild prey turkey formula limited ingredient recipe dry cat food

Taste of the wild prey angus beef formula limited ingredient dry cat food

Taste of the wild appalachian valley small breed grain free dry dog food

Taste of the wild high prairie grain free dry dog food *

Taste of the wild high prairie puppy formula grain free dry dog food -

Taste of the wild ancient prairie with ancient grains dry dog food +*

Taste of the wild southwest canyon grain free dry dog food *

Nurto wholesome essentials indoor chicken and brown rice adult dry cat food+

Nutro wholesome essentials chicken and brown rice recipe kitten dry cat food +

Nutro natural choice small breed adult chicken and brown rice recipe dry dog food -+

Nutro ultra small breed adult dry dog food -+

Nutro natural choice small bites adult chicken and brown rice recipe dry dog food +

Nutro ultra toy breed adult dry dog food+

Wysong Epigen 90 starch free formula grain free dog & cat food ( this is one formula used for both cats and dogs)+

Wysong vitality dry cat food +

Wysong nurture kitten formula dry cat food +

Merrick real texas beef and sweet potato recipe grain free adult dry dog food *

Merrick real chicken and sweet potato recipe grain free adult dry dog food*

Merrick backcountry raw infused grain free dry dog food great plains red recipe*

Merrick classic healthy grains real beef and brown rice recipe with ancient grains adult dry dog food +

Merrick classic healthy grains real chicken and brown rice recipe with ancient grains adult dry dog food+

Merrick backcountry raw infused grain free dry dog food hero's banquet *

Merrick grain free dry poppy good real beef and sweet potato recipe -

Merrick healthy grains small breed recipe adult dry dog food +

Merrick purrfect bistro grain free real chicken and sweet potato recipe adult dry cat food

Merrick purrfect bistro grain free real salmon and sweet potato recipe adult dry cat food

Merrick purrfect bistro grain free healthy kitten recipe dry cat food

Merrick lil' plates grain free small breed dry dog food real texas beef sweet potato and peas with raw bites recipe

Orijen cat and kitten grain free dry cat food 

Orijen six fish grain free dry cat food

Orijen cat and kitten grain free dry cat food

Orijen Original grain free dry dog food*

Orijen puppy grain free dry puppy food-

Orijen small breed grain free food

Crave with protein from chicken and salmon indoor adult grain free cat food

Crave with protein from chicken adult grain free dry cat food

Instinct raw boost grain free recipe with real chicken and freeze dried raw coated pieces dry cat food

Instinct limited diet grain free recipe with real rabbit freeze dried raw coated dry cat food

Instinct ultimate protein grain free cage free chicken recipe freeze dried raw coated dry cat food

Farmina natural and delicious chicken grain free formula dry cat food

Farmina natural and delicious wild boar grain free formula dry cat food

Farmina natural and delicious chicken and pomegranate recipe adult dry cat food+

Whole earth farms grain free real salmon recipe dry cat food

Whole earth farms grain free real turkey and duck recipe dry cat food

Whole earth farms grain free healthy kitten recipe dry cat food

Fussie cat market fresh chicken and turkey recipe grain free dry cat food

Fussie cat market fresh salmon and chicken recipe grain free dry cat food

Fussie cat market fresh quail and duck meal recipe grain free dry cat food

I and love and you naked essentials salmon and trout recipe grain free dry cat food

I and love and you naked essentials chicken and duck recipe dry cat food

I and love and you naked essentials chicken and duck recipe grain free dry cat food

Tiki cat born carnivore chicken and herring grain free dry cat food

Tiki cat born carnivore chicken and egg grain free dry cat food

Tiki dog aloha petites lamb luau grain free dry dog food -

Tiki dog aloha petites chicken luau grain free dry dog food -

Go! Solutions carnivore grain free chicken turkey and duck recipe dry cat food

Castor and pollux organic grain free organic chicken and sweet potato recipe dry cat food

Acana indoor entree adult dry cat food

Acana first feast dry kitten food

Acana free run poultry recipe dry dog food *

Acana wholesome grains red meat recipe dry dog food*

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Lower cost, but still okay foods:

Rachel Ray nutrish natural chicken and brown rice recipe dry cat food + 

Rachel Ray nutrish inner health turkey with chickpeas and salmon dry cat food

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Brands to avoid when feeding hedgehogs:

Meow mix,  friskies, whiskas, science diet, cat chow, 9 lives, kit and kaboodle, diamond, victor, iams, kitten chow, hills, royal canin

PURINA brand foods can be fed to picky eaters. These brands tend to be high in corn, however they are nutritionally complete, and some picky hedgehogs will eat it without fuss.

Any vegan varieties of dog or cat food

DO NOT FEED HEDGEHOGS ANY VEGAN FOODS

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Tips for picking dry kibble

1) Use more than one and mix them together. 

2) select one that is grain free and one that contains grains (see dcm blog post for more info as to why I do this) 

3) partially grinding or crushing foods help preserve your Hedgehog's oral health (less tooth damage) and will make your hoggo more likely to recieve more variety and nutrition to it's diet. 

Notes:

Dog foods are fine for hedgehogs too. Dog foods often have a larger kibble size and will need to be partially ground or crushed. 

You can grind a few cups at a time in a small food processor. 

 It is okay to switch one of the foods in your mix every so often. I change mine every few weeks. This helps prevent pickiness.

 Partially Grinding kibble also helps prevent pickiness. I am a big advocate of kibble grinding for hedgehogs.  

  You do not grind the kibble into complete dust. Instead you grind it until it both has powder AND broken pieces.

Foods that contain fish will make your hoggo more smelly. The more fish they eat, the more their feces and urine will sneak like cat feces and urine. 

. 

    The story of a common hoggo diet myth:    As pets we typically offer our little prickle babies a diet of high quality cat food. It is thought that cat good best mimics their natural diet in comparison to commercially available hedgehog diet.    

        I was once fully opposed to a readily available diet called "Mazuri insectivore diet" as well as commercially available hedgehog food. However after meeting with a professional zoologist, my views on the mazuri insectivore diet have slightly changed.    

     It was once common knowledge (or more like a common rumor ) that the ground aspen in the insectivore diet is nothing but a filler. Lots of folks were spreading this rumor, but none of them called the manufacturer to ask what the science backing up the addition of aspen was. So I called. I wanted to know why the premier diet used in zoos and conservation programs was being discouraged online.        After talking to a professional zoologist who holds no stakes in the companies who produce or the sales of these foods, I was enlightened to discover that the aspen is actually an important ingredient.     In the wild hedgehogs eat lots of insects. Their digestive systems have evolved to digest and require large amounts of chitin ( insect fiber). Aspen tricks the hedgehogs digestive system into thinking it's just eaten a bunch of chitin. It's the closest commercially available food that helps the hoggo's digestive system fiction the way it's evolved to.   

      Now I'm not exactly fond of feeding my hedgehogs aspen over insects. I will always recommend offering insects first.  But at least We now know the rumors floating all over the internet just aren't true. Insectivore diet isn't the filler-filled-evil it's made out to be. We also now know that insectivore diet may be a beneficial part of our hedgehog's diet, especially for owners who do not have access to the large amount of insects a hedgehog would need to fulfill it's high chitin need.   

    If we were to attempt to feed our hedgehogs the amount of insects they actually consume in the wild, we may need dozens of insects PER DAY. Plus we would need a variety of insects to keep nutritional balance. It's seemingly impossible. I breed my own colonies of insects and I still cannot produce the sheer amount of insects my hedgehogs need.     

    It is always best to offer your hoggo a varied diet. Lots of insects in a variety of available species and whole prey items in addition to a nutritionally complete staple.  

Mazuri Insectivore diet. It is a scientifically backed up formula that makes a decent replacement of the naturally high chitin food hedgehogs need. 

     I have begun offering it to my own animals and have noticed more predictable and healthy looking bowel movements. I feed Mazuri Insectivore diet in addition to quality cat foods. Cat foods are higher in protein and other nutrition that the Mazuri is not, I can also source Cat kibbles with more pure ingredients, hence why I choose not to feed insectivore diet exclusively. 

      The kibble size of Mazuri insectivore diet is AMAZING! It's super tiny and perfect for little hedgehog mouths. Some hedgehogs do not like the taste very much though. It is possible to feed insectivore diet with ground kibble coated onto it to enhance it's flavor. Insectivore diet isn't horrible for hedgehogs, I firmly believe we will begin seeing a shift in how we care for our hedgehogs due to research that is in progress by a few dedicated individuals across the country.    

    Variety is the key to life. Insectivore diet offered in addition to a good cat food is helpful to hedgehogs as it provides the chitin like fiber their digestive systems need.    The lesson I have thankfully learned from this "hedgehog diet dilemma" is: Just because people are commenting about it online, doesn't mean it's true. Stay open minded my friends!