# do hedgehogs bite themselves?



## Kyle Hogg (May 24, 2013)

i came home from work today, and found blood in my hedgehogs cage, all through her wheel and some on the fleece
after bathing her and close inspection, i found her front foot had some small cut lines on it, across the underside, just under the toes.
this has never happened before, and there is nothing in the cage for her to cut herself on
i plan on taking her to the vet tomorrow, but is there a reason she might do this to herself? and perhaps a way to prevent it?
she is approx. 3 months old
on a side note, she also seems to poop way more than my 4 year old, almost to an excessive amount. about half the time it seems to be diarrhea. 
is this just a food issue, or normal for a young hedgie, or maybe something else is going on?
thanks for the help


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Babies do poop a ton, but I'm not sure about the diarrhea. What food is she on?

What kind of wheel do you use? If it's wire or has any ridges on the running surface, that could easily cause little cuts on her feet.


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## Kyle Hogg (May 24, 2013)

she eats purina one smart blend for kittens
both my hedgies eat it and seem to like it
the wheel is solid plastic, with little lines for traction. neither have seem to hurt themselves on their wheels before


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Feet injury, even on smooth wheel surfaces, is quite common. I would imagine she managed to scrape her foot on her wheel somehow, perhaps slipping while running. It's hard to say, but I would doubt it's self-inflicted.

Loose stools is common for a young hog, they will be loose and green due to the stress of home transition, quilling, and food transition. If it is actual diarrhea (where it looks like the poop is liquid and pooling in their cage) you will need to see a vet. If they are just a little loose and squishy that is normal and will go away with time.


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