# Stinky Room!



## HaileyD (Jan 22, 2014)

So I've had my hedgehog for about 3 weeks now and her cage starts stinking real quick. I deep clean it every Saturday. I wash her wheel every night when I get home from work. I clean her poop up every morning and every night before bed. I have a small room so I'm sure that is what makes the smell so strong. It just keeps stinking every time I open my door! I've done some reading on here and have seen lots of people recommend baking soda and air purifiers. I'm looking into getting those tomorrow but while I'm at the store is there anything else I could try to help with the stink? I've gotten in the habit of spraying febreze or Lysol when something stinks or lighting a candle. But since I got her I try to avoid doing that around her cause I didn't know if it was safe. Are there any odor eliminating sprays that are safe for hedgehogs I can use?


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## phoenix1964 (Jan 23, 2014)

What are you using for her bedding? Fleece is best but must be changed almost every day from what I understand. I am not sure about the baking soda either as their noses are so sensitive, they might be able to sniff it up and then you risk URI. I don't think there is anything safe you can spray around a hedgie at all. I am hoping someone with more experience can help you more. The air purifier sounds like a great idea.


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## hlsiefken (Jan 23, 2014)

What are you using to clean with? And what kind of bedding are you using? I don't have my hedgie yet.. We are picking him up this weekend, but, we already have rats and had a short tail opossum until recently and they both stink! (As well as some reptiles that can get smelly)

I find cleaning with a vinegar solution really helps eliminate odors, even in washing bedding with a little bit if you use fleece. Are you leaving anything like the papertowels you used to clean in a trash can in your room? The last time I cleaned my rats I left the trash bag that was full of all their dirty bedding in the room and the next morning it still stunk in the room even though I had closed up the trash bag. It went away after I removed it.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Baby poops tend to have different textures, odors, and sometimes colors. It will likely get better as she gets older.

Also check her food. Food with fish as main ingredients can sometimes make their poop smellier.

Fleece doesn't have to be cleaned every day, but it should be spot cleaned (pick up the pieces of poo on it). I set out a paper towel in the area Pig goes potty the most and in the morning I just toss it out. That takes care of most of it.

Definitely don't use Lysol or Febreeze. They contain dangerous chemicals as it is, but especially worse for hedgies sine they're so sensitive to smells.

I recently got this air purifier mainly for Pig's allergies, but it helps a bit with odor as well. The only thing is that the clean air it puts out is actually very cold so you want to keep it away from the cage. Amazon.com - Hamilton Beach 04383 True Air Allergen-Reducing Air Cleaner, White


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

There are available air purifiers that are safe for most pets forgot the name but it has austin in it. Works wonders. I had one shipped for my owl room since it is getting smelly


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## HaileyD (Jan 22, 2014)

For her bedding I use a loose bedding although I'm considering switching fleece. I read to use vinegar to clean with so I put some in a spray bottle and spot cleaned the corner she poops in with it and tonight it smelled a lot better after that. So what about candles? Are those bad for them too? Because I'm a bit of a candle freak and it has been difficult not to use them because I know they are so sensitive to smell. and no I don't leave anything in the trash. I usually have little bags you use to pick up dog poop with I just scoop it up and put the poop in the bag along with paper towels. Then I tie it up and put it in the kitchen trash.


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## HaileyD (Jan 22, 2014)

Also I'm in the process of switching her to blue buffalo! So I think that may be a cause of her poop smelling so bad. And does anyone know how much to feed her of blue buffalo? It's a whole new food so I want to make sure I give her enough.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I wouldn't use candles either. They're usually scented, and the smoke isn't great for small animals either (candles are a big no-no with birds because of their sensitive respiratory systems, probably not great for other small animals either).

Are you certain the smell is poop? If you're using a loose bedding, the urine is likely hanging around in there all week until you clean the cage on Saturdays. Urine tends to smell much stronger when they're young as well. 

Depending on what time you get home from work, it may be a better idea to clean the wheel before you go to work, in the morning, so the poop isn't hanging around all day to smell up the room.

Most people free-feed, so they leave out enough food overnight that there'll be a little food left over in the morning. This is also nice because you can weigh/count/measure the food at night, then again in the morning to keep track of exactly how much she's eating. You could start out with 2-3 tablespoons and work your way up until there's a bit left over.


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## HaileyD (Jan 22, 2014)

I'm not sure if it's the pee. Because I watch closely and can tell if trees soiled bedding. Also I try and keep most of it on the left side of the cage because she Potts in the same corner every time and she's a messy girl. She will drag her bedding into her water bowl (I have tried countless time to get her to use a water bottle but she refuses) So I just put a little in that corner some under the wheel and replace it every morning and night.


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

I also use loose bedding material (wood shavings) and never seemed to encounter any stink problems since the poop dries quickly before it could cause any smell issues. I usually change every 3-4 days depending on the smell and visibility/frequency of the poop. I sometimes put a wedge of lime or lemon beside a lump of coal on top of my bins to freshen up a little.


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