# What does blood in hedgie stool look like?



## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

Hello everyone, I'm genuinely confused, and a little worried.

Now I know what blood in human and animal (dog, cat) stool looks like, but I have no clue if it presents itself in a hedgie's stool the same way (meaning does it look the same? Can it give the stool a rusted color? Can it be only on the outside of the stool, as though it was introduced only during excretion, etc?). Can a hedgie have a color other than green poo for a reaction to or presence of a food or treat?

I ask because I saw some odd looking poops in my lap this morning when I had Charley out for his AM play time. He acted as he normally does, but then I found these little bitty leftovers (as though he'd already done is bussiness in his cage before I got him out). A few of them had some strange coloration (ie they were the same rust color you find in some cat foods) and I wanted to chalk it up to me giving him a few pieces of his favorite junk food (Friskies Signature Blend -I know it's bad, that's why he's getting transitioned over to Innova and Chicken Soup from the Roayl Cannin I've had him eating-) last night, which does have some pieces that are the same rusted color. Since I know the things humans and some animals (cats, dogs) eat can affect stool coloration, this was my first thought.

These stool bits were fresh when I found them, and after I gathered them up in a tissue and set them aside, I decided to go back to Charley's cage and see what I could see. I found one more largish bit that also had the same rust color, though parts were the normal hedgie brown. Last night I changed out his liners and had him on a blanket in his playpen, where he peed twice and left me a lovely poo present, and all of this was normal.

I took a picture of the bits that looked funny to me as well as those I thought were normal for him, if anyone thinks seeing it could help me find an answer to this puzzling question:

Does this sound like bloody stool, or just a strange color brought on by a treat and a transition to a new food?

~Katie

EDIT: Charley just left me another present, and it was in keeping with his norm...am I just paranoid?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Depending on where in the digestive tract the blood is coming from, the stool can be a black tar-ish color, to fresh, bright red.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Chances are it is the colouring from the Friskies. What I usually do is squish it around in a paper towel. If it's blood, usually it will look more red once spread out. Blood can be through the stool or there can be a smear along the outside of it. Keep watch over the next few days and don't give him any more Friskies.


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