Vitakraft Hedgie Food

neuroleptical · 05-26-2004, 04:25 PM

I saw this last night & it looked fairly natural: no ethoxyquin, by-products, artificial colours, BHA/BHT, etc.
I know it does not make a safe *exclusive* diet for a hedgie, but I have started adding it as a supplement to Haley's Felidae/Hill's cat food mix & beetles.
It contains pork meal (not by-product meal), honey, shrimp, peanuts, several cereals, raisins & cod liver oil.

snr-j · 05-27-2004, 08:08 AM

We read several articles regarding Vitakraft, some by DVM's as well ... sorry I can't provide a link at the moment ... but they all indicated that Vitakraft will cause liver diseases to your hog ... we have it at our store as well but we persuay Hedgehog owners to get the untra-blend 8-in-1 as a supplement or staple rather then Vitakraft.

I'll try to find a link or some reference. Maybe they came out with a new formulae ... not too sure ...

neuroleptical · 05-27-2004, 01:05 PM

I read on CnQ that fed as an exclusive diet it is bad, but it seemed like a fairly natural treat to sprinkle on top of her food.

snr-j · 05-27-2004, 01:57 PM

Maybe ... the ingredient list seems to be alright ... in my regards anyways ... but I don't have much of a background as a dietician for myself let alone animals.

Thats the worse thing about online ... people's experience are thrown in way to much ... way to many "my friend said that they read that this person had this and that happened to there animal ... so now were not buying it anymore" ... we had one little hedgehog that we were nursering from a family who fed him very poorly ... we kept the same cage set-up as well ... which included corn bedding ... and the little guy passed away by chocking on the corn bedding rather then eating his staple food ... but I won't go around condemning the use of corn bedding for small animals ...

neuroleptical · 05-27-2004, 02:05 PM

Thta's very Sad.

I think if someone has a bad/good experience w/ a product it's good to share reviews, but every animal is a bit different.

michelle · 05-29-2004, 08:43 AM

I have heard several accounts of hedgehogs getting sick from Vitacraft, but I don't know what ingredient in it would be the problem. Maybe cause it's porkmeal? I read somewhere the other day that you should never feed pork to any animal, but I don't know if it's true.

neuroleptical · 05-29-2004, 09:02 AM

I have heard for hedgies getting sick when it's their exclusive diet but it seemed like a good treat, as I know feeding unlimited amounts of bugs makes hedgies fat.

michelle · 05-29-2004, 11:50 AM

I guess you're right, cause there really isn't any one ingredient in vitacraft that is unhealthy. I guess my problem is that Vitacraft would market the stuff as if it were a staple food, without putting a warning on the box that it wasn't a complete diet.

neuroleptical · 05-29-2004, 12:11 PM

Yes that is true, I think it would make a poor staple as the protein is too high & it's too sweet.

weesiepoo · 06-20-2004, 06:28 PM

we affectionately call vitakraft vitacrap.

you're right, it is a basic natural foods,but it does nto have all the nutrients that a poggie needs. vitakraft's main ingredients are 1. Puffed Wheat 2. Rolled Oats 3. Raisins 4. Crushed Peanuts 5. Cod Liver Oil . these are not appropriate for a hedgehog and potentially dangerous. they are mostly fillers with little protein.

hedgies need high protein...the higher the better...preferrably 30% or higher, and certainly no higher than 20% fat- we prefer 15 to 12 percent-but no lower. you're first ingredient should be meat if at all posible-atleast certtainly in the top 4 or 5. also, small amoutns of chicken, tuna, or salmon with no spices or seasonings are wonderful treats and diet supplements. they also like some fruits and vegetables and even a hardboiled agg mashed up, but do not feed corn. and no daiy. let me also suggest silkworms if you have never fed them. i know of someone who ships them out for very very reasonable prices and they ahve the highest protein/lowest fat content of any of the bugs and hedgies devour them!!!!

just because something says it is for hedhgies does nto always mean it is the best for them, the same for guinea pigs, rtas, hamsters, etc...the best thing we have found to meet all dietary recommendations for the hedgehog is a mix of two or three cat foods or cat foods and hedgie foods together. and you usually get a lot more for your money with better dietary benefit to your quilly babies.