# Litter box training



## Mikayla (Mar 11, 2011)

IS there a way to litter box train a hedgehog? He's really a messy boy...I know why they call them HOGS.


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## Judi (Jul 9, 2009)

You can put a litter box in the cage and put some of his droppings into it. He may use it or he may not. I have a really messy boy and he didn't start using the litter box until he was 8 or 9 months old. Now he loves it...he'll spend 30 minutes in there at a time. I keep feeling like I should give him a magazine to read :lol: 

He still poops on the wheel though, I think they all do that.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Judi said:


> Now he loves it...he'll spend 30 minutes in there at a time. I keep feeling like I should give him a magazine to read :lol:


 :lol:

Yes, they tend to poop on wheels, even if litter-trained. Snarf is kind of a neat freak and only ever goes in his litterpan or on the wheel. He's so cute - if he's hweeling and has 'the urge' he stays in the wheel and just hangs his butt off the edge and 'goes'. :lol: 'Course, like <ahem> the other male in the house, sometimes his aim ain't so great... :roll: ...and he 'misses'.


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## randi.bowman (Mar 15, 2011)

Great question! Especially with me a new comer! 
thanks <3


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

I am new to hedgie ownership too but Truffle (10 weeks old) seems to really only GO in his wheel. The litter pan underneath is a godsend as it catches the extra. Makes for a little longer wheel clean up in the morning and poopie feet but the rest of the cage stays very clean.

Does he go on his wheel but other places as well?


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Col. Mustard only goes on the wheel too, even if she doesn't feel like running she will climb on the wheel to pee and poop and then gets down.  

Pete never had a little box before and when she came to us at 2 1/2 years I switched her to liners and added a little box to the cage. She caught on it very easily, and now she does all her pee and poop in the litter box or on the wheel. Even when she is out walking in our bedroom floor, I take the litter box out of the cage and put it on the floor, and she goes to it when she needs to use the bathroom. 

As CritterHeaven said, having a litter box under the wheel is very good to catch poop.


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## wivio (Mar 4, 2011)

What do you put inside the litter box? That sand for cat's litter?


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

wivio said:


> What do you put inside the litter box? That sand for cat's litter?


Don't use sand, clay or clumping litter...newspaper...nothing that may stick to sensitive places and nothing with dyes.

Best bets: paper towels or something like Yesterday's News.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Sand Is bad because it can get stuck in private parts. I don't know what you will be able to find where you're located, but if you do a search on Yesterdays News (it's a recycled newspaper pellet) and Carefresh (it's like little bits of paper) you will see what products are recommended and get the idea. Even shavings can be used just be sure not to use cedar because it's toxic.


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## Kourt101606 (Apr 6, 2011)

I haven't had my hedgies long. Is it best to get a ferret litter box? What's the best thing to use for litter?


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## JackOnTheMap (Apr 1, 2011)

Will they eat the pellets? I bought some Yesterday's News and put some in a pan under her wheel but it looked one day like she was eating them.

This little girl is a messy one. Every morning I have a huge mess on her wheel to clean up (and of course her feet also since she was wheeling in her poo). I'd LOVE to have her go in a box at some point. Even a little bit.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I've heard of hedgies eating it before, some people have luck with it and others don't. If you think she's eating it you can always switch to papertowel. Some people will put them in little kitty litter boxes, for me I have plastic place mats I put under the wheel and then I put a double layer of papertowel over it. It extends out on each side of the wheel because they will get off and go in the corner (Even my younger hedgie Sandra has stopped going on the wheel and going in one spot now that makes me so happy  If they try dragging them off you can try to get good size rocks or nice acrylic paperweights to hold it in place.


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## simply_claire (Apr 28, 2011)

susanaproenca said:


> Col. Mustard only goes on the wheel too, even if she doesn't feel like running she will climb on the wheel to pee and poop and then gets down.


Hahaha, My Damien does the same! :lol:


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