# Peeing in water dish/other issues



## ilovemater101 (Sep 6, 2012)

Loki is a 6 months old (as of today) and I have had him for roughly 4 of those months. Recently he has started peeing in his water dish, and I have to wake up 3 or 4 times a night to clean it out so he has fresh water. 
He also hates baths, and also will not let me clip his nails. This has caused problems several times when he runs because his nails seem very brittle and have broken. I managed to clip his nail 3 times but now he just bites me. 
I just want to know if other people have had this problem and what they did for it.

I am going to a vet who takes care of hedgehogs this Saturday, so I will have a professional opinion soon.


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

Taking him to a vet is the best option most likely. They can give you a professional opinion. As for the water issue, I would say that maybe you could try a hanging bottle? I'm not sure what everyone's opinion on them on this forum are but if you hung it low enough where he wouldn't have to crane his neck up, it could work. With nail trimming, I've heard of people giving treats before and after to help make it a positive experience, as well as make a routine out of it. 

I'm not sure about the biting though. When socializing and playing with him, start holding his feet and touching his legs so he gets used to you touching them, and he doesn't think you're trying to cut his little legs off :lol: 

When trying to cut them, just try to get a few at a time. You don't have to get them all in one sitting. And some hedgies don't like baths, but they get used to them if used in routine. Hope this helps


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## GailC (Aug 20, 2011)

Maybe try moving the water dish to a different spot in the cage.


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## ilovemater101 (Sep 6, 2012)

How often should I bath him? I wash his feet once a week and a full bath once a month. Should I do this more often?


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

You don't want to bathe them too much as it dries out their skin and could cause problems. And a foot bath should be done whenever their feet are dirty with anything, so just let them walk in about an inch of warm water and towel dry afterwards. It keeps their feet from harboring bacteria and keeps them healthier overall.


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## Alex (Dec 7, 2012)

I've never heard of a hedgie peeing in their water dish...that's odd, I'll leave addressing that to someone else who might have more experience, ha.

I know some people have tried hanging water bottles, as Amy suggested. However, I need to advise you to be very careful if you're going to do this. Hedgies have been known to bite and chew at the metal water dispenser part, and they've broken teeth or cut themselves on it. I know some people do use them, but I wouldn't recommend it. Do you have a picture of the water dish? How low or high is it? It seems like it might be a little bit of effort for your hedgie to actively pee in it, I wonder what would cause that..if it's a very low one you could always try a slightly taller dish to discourage the behavior.

Amy's suggestion about giving him treats before and after nail clippings are great, I think that'd be a good way to help him associate nail clipping with something better.

As far as how often you should bathe your hedgie, it sounds like you're doing it just fine. Hedgies are kind of as-needed bathers. Unless they've got poop or something in their quills or on their feet or unless they're otherwise dirty, there's no real need to bathe them.  Foot baths once a week are just fine. As long as he's clean, that's all that matters.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Water bottles and bowls both have pros and cons. Clean water is needed, and yes, some hedgehogs constantly get poop/pee in their bowls. In that situation a bottle is a better option. The risk of broken teeth is very low - kind of like breaking your ankle going down a flight of stairs, it can happen, but it's very unlikely. That's coming from my personal experience using bottles for my 30+ hedgehogs, and my mentor's almost 10 years using them. I did originally use bowls, but between poop/pee ending up in them and sleeping bags getting dragged into the water and soaked, I decided bottles were the better option for my herd. Bottle vs. bowl is about what works best for the individual hedgehog, and in this situation a bottle would probably be the best solution. Just make sure to refill the water daily and wash it with mild soap every 2 days or so, or bacteria will build up, which is just as bad as the hedgehog drinking from a poopy bowl.


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## momIImany (Oct 14, 2012)

I know this isn't for the peeing in the dish but I just had to comment.
moxieberry,
I just went onto your website and the store site. I wish you lived in NC instead of across the country. I like that you even supply C&C cage setups! Your herd looks healthy and your past baby pictures are adorable. Can you recommend any breeders in my area? (Not that I'm in the market just yet. One is fine with me.)


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

momIImany - thank you so much, that's so sweet! I do know of an excellent breeder in your area. Dreamflower Meadows is located in Shelby, NC and two of our hedgehogs (Chernobyl and Grimm) were shipped from there. While I didn't have the opportunity to meet her in person, Shannon was great to work with - quick response time, very knowledgable and friendly. She has excellent, healthy, gorgeous lines. Chernobyl and Grimm have such sweet personalities too. I would highly highly recommend DFM. This is the website: http://www.zippityzoo.com/


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## alexvdl (Dec 19, 2012)

Reginald prefers to drink out of a bowl, but we still keep a bottle on his cage and keep the water in their as a back up. 

Also, we've found the best way to cut Reginald's nails is when we first get him out as he is still sleepy and super calm. After he wakes up, and especially after his ball time or bath, he's either full of energy or super cranky and done. She's been able to knock off all of his nails at one time while he's like that.


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