# Baby Not Eating/Drinking, Green/White Poop, Normal Otherwise



## CawingKro (Sep 11, 2012)

Hedgehog age: 8 weeks
I've had hedgehog for: 7 days
Any changes 2/3 weeks prior: No, I haven't owned her that long. However, 2 or so days I ago I started mixing Innova into her Blue Buffalo+Mix the breeder gave me, and she stopped eating. Was eating heartily and normally before.
Temperature of hedgehogs cage: Fluctuates between 72 and 76, as the weather outside has been changing quite often lately and I've had to adjust her CHE almost daily to keep it in that range.
Lighting schedule: With daylight, as of right now (Sunrise about 7AM, sunset about 7PM), will hook up a lamp with a Christmas light timer as the days shorten.

9/27 or 9/28: stopped eating. Similar time, poop became green and runny, now slimy and with white attachment. Not eating or drinking. Was drinking out of water bottle on the first few days. Theorized that she may have chipped a tooth, which may have led to damage (she won't let me open her mouth, so I can't check), so I have started offering a water dish and have put a little bit of water in her food to soften it. She eats mealworms like nobody's business.

Weight: Don't own a scale (don't have the money for it right now).

Poop: Started out normal, brown, consistency of marshmallow. Is now green, runny, with white attachment. Doesn't smell unless you get it right up in your face. Only poops in her wheel and on her littler box..

Urine: Seems normal, haven't seen her pee much, but she normally only does it on ME when she just wakes up, otherwise she just pees on her wheel or in her litter box (I THINK--I haven't seen her pee except once, though there's evidence of it in her litter box in the morning).

Nose: Licks nose. She sleeps in her litter box under her wheel, and when I wake her up there's bits of dust and clay stuck to it, so she licks it off. May need to switch litter brands (this is what I'm using: http://answers.walmart.com/answers/1336 ... stions.htm ).

Breathing: Seems normal, though this is my first hedgehog and I've only had her for a week, so I'm not sure.

Eating: I offer her mealworms when I wake her up at 5 or 6, and she gobbles them up. But she will not eat her Blue Buffalo cat food (Which I have been mixing in with what the breeder gave me) after I started mixing in the Innova (for the higher fat content, because she's a baby and it was advised to me in the Nutrition forum that she needs a little more fat because she's a baby). Food dish has not been disturbed. Will start counting kibble if necessary. I tried offering her blueberries and apples (cut up into tiny bits, no seeds, no core) yesterday, and the day before, but she refused both. Water intake: almost nonexistent. She was drinking from a bottle at the breeder, and was drinking from it the first few nights when I brought her home, but then stopped. Offered a bowl of water, not sure if she's drinking any of it.

Skin: A little dry, with small flakes, but no redness (this seems normal, because she's at the quilling age, right?)

Meds: No Meds

Vomiting: No vomit.

Activity: Runs on her wheel for extended periods, is extremely social when I take her out (doesn't ball up, sniffs around, loves to be held).

Other notes: There have been a few changes to her cage since I got her: there was a crinkle-ferret tube that I took out, because it didn't leave her with much open room; She had one of these houses ( http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... d=10868055 ) stuffed with fleece bits that she slept in when she wasn't sleeping in her litter box, but I had to take it out because there was poop in it and I need to clean it--she has an igloo with fleece bits to snuggle into right now). I'm using a fleece liner right now, and there haven't been any instances of liner-diving, or even pooping on the liner--she's a really clean hedgehog, even though she's a baby. Since it's still early in my owning her, and there have been changes in her cage/diet, could the poops/not eating just be stress at the changes? Or does she need to go to the vet? I just wanted a preliminary opinion. I'm willing to take her if something is wrong, but as a college student I don't want to rush her over there and pay $70 just to find out I'm paranoid and she just needs a little water in her food, or something like that. Please let me know! I just want the best for my little Quillvia Plath.

NOTE: I've attached a picture of her cage. Is there anything obvious that I'm doing wrong? (That's her sleeping under her wheel in the top right of the picture). PS: That toilet paper tube is slit down the side, so her head doesn't get stuck


----------



## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

I was just wondering how your hedgehog is doing now? When I first got Daisy it took her a while before she started to eat and drink normally. I would not worry too much about it because you said your hedgie is eating mealworms. I would continue feeding whatever she was eating before. they are very picky and it might take some time for her to begin eating the new foods.
As for the white poo though, I would be a bit concerned by that. My Daisy was just barely pooing at all at first. Now she is pooping so much I started to call her "Daisy Doo" or Daisy doo too. lol.
Everything else you said sounds normal to me, she is very young though and might need water added to the dry food? I read somewhere that they do not get adult teeth until around that time? (don't know for sure if that is true)....but as long as she's eating (something) I'd try not to worry about it too much just yet.
It is a good idea to have a vet lined up for when that time comes you will need them, and you can go ahead and take her in for a checkup when you have the money to do so, but I don't think there is a great rush unless things have gone downhill since you posted.
Sorry no one responded to you sooner,
I hope I helped!
Susan H.


----------

