# Help! Is my hedgehog BLEEDING?



## mrjeffrivera (Nov 21, 2012)

Last night I let my hedgehog Johnny roll around in his hamster ball because he loves it so much. I mean, he'll do that for hour around the house. But when I woke up it was full of red. It looked like a mass murder had happened and he was covered in it.

But when I gave him a bath, I didn't see any cuts or injuries and he seemed to be acting normal, not freaking out at all. Was it blood in his poop? I've never seen it red before.

I haven't changed his diet at all. I did give him a tiny piece of fruit the other day (a piece of Papaya) but I don't think he even at much of it. 

Should I be worried? Is this normal?


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Blood in the poop wouldn't be that much. Probably a small foot injury; they can get that from excessive running on wheels, so if he uses the ball a lot it's likely the same thing. Hedgehogs will run until their feet are raw sometimes.

In the future I suggest only letting him use a run-about ball under supervision; they have some risk of foot injuries (depending on the kind, and the way the slits are positioned) and the more immediate problem is that they give no ventilation, so if you're not there to quickly clean out poop and pee, they're breathing in those fumes. If you're not there to supervise, your hedgehog should be in its cage with a wheel available to run on. You should keep the wheel out and not use the ball for a day or two to make sure the foot is healed all the way.

Also, hopefully you just mean a large run-about ball, and not one that's actually hamster sized.


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## diesel123 (May 29, 2014)

any advice? I just got my hedgie a couple of days ago and everything has been going great I took him out to play like I have been and he stopped like he was going to the bathroom and then when he moved there was 2 spots of blood?!? why ?!!? is he okay?!?!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

This thread is from two years ago, it's best if you start your own thread to ask your question on. 

Was he trying to poop or pee?


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