# Diarrhea!



## Galvon

Okay so I'm pretty sure now that Sandslash has mites, because his adult quills have started to fall out with this white sort of gunk on the ends, but that's okay because I ordered Revolution as a precaution a while ago and it should be here soon. I'm going to administer it asap. 

Anyway, I also recently switched Sandy's food, as I found out what I was feeding him wasn't very good for him. I tried to do it gradually but silly hedgie would only eat his new food bits out of the mix. I switched him to royal canin 27. Anyway, he is now eating WAY more than he used to (I was previously worried that he wasn't eating enough), but he's pooping A LOT. In the mornings, some of the poops in his wheel are formed and dark and normal, but some are really soft and mushy and the exact light brown color of his food. Kind of a diarrhea but a little more solid.

Anyway, I just woke him up to play and he started farting so I set him in his litterbox and it was like an apocalypse of poop. All the mushy diarrhea-esque sort. 

Anyways, I was just wondering how much most peoples hedgies poop, (it's 5pm here so was a big poop normal for this time?) and if the diarrhea is just to do with the new diet or if it could be to do with the mites or what. I think if it's not looking better by tmrw I'll get him to the vet, but any input would be great! Thanks!

Edit: he also pooped in his house today, which he has never ever ever done.


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## Nancy

If he is having frequent watery poops the concern is that he could become dehydrated. If he is pooping a normal amount and the difference is that it is mushy is not quite as serious. 

To check to see if he is dehydrated, pinch some skin, let go, and see how fast it goes back to normal. It should go back immediately. If it stays pinched once you let go then he is dehydrated and needs fluids. 

How many days ago did you change his food. Often when switching from a crap food they will totally quit eating the old one. A sudden food change is not ideal but often they have a different plan. :lol: 

Are his poops improving at all or getting worse? It is quite common for them to have some fairly normal poops in with the mush. The normal poops should increase and the mushy ones decrease. The main thing is that he doesn't get dehydrated.

Edited to add: The poop change is most likely all food related. Pooping in his house could be because he didn't have time to get out or because he is not feeling good. 

Babies are poop machines so he may be pooping a normal baby amount but it's mushy. A bit of canned, unseasoned, unspiced pumpkin will help firm up his poop. Just make sure it is just pumpkin.


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## Galvon

*Phew*, thanks so much for the reply Nancy you put me at ease. 

The poops aren't really watery. Kind of the consistency of...wet sand? Like the kind that is good for making sand castles? But he's not like pooping constantly or anything, just at night in his wheel and when I wake him up. 

The first time he had completely his new food was I think two days ago. I tried so hard to just give him a few kibbles of the new food but he turned his nose up at his old food as soon as he tasted the Royal Canin and I didn't want him to starve to death so I had to give him a bit more :shock: 

At first the poops were all mushy but I'm finding more and more normal ones in his wheel as days go by. I did the skin test to see if he's dehydrated and he seems okay. I'll definitely keep an eye though. 

Poor baby  hopefully his tummy adjusts soon. I'll definitely try the pumpkin asap. Thanks a lot!


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## Nancy

Sounds like he will be fine. It's great that his poops are improving. You are doing a great job with him.


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## Galvon

Thanks! I'm just lucky I have HHC to help me out. I'd be lost without you guys for sure. I'll post pics soon!


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## Kalandra

Diet changes can cause quite a bit of havoc on our hedgehog's GI. Even when we try very hard to make slow changes, they do like to take matters into their own paws. I somethings think they just like to see if they can make us worry.

Some are also more sensitive than others too. My Cooper requires soft food. I accomplish this by moistening his kibble. In the beginning he kept getting that "wet sand" consistency you described. I found the cause to be water! Something as simple as adding too much water to his kibble did it. I now carefully measure out the amount of water to add by using a measuring spoon.

He certainly seems to have you already well trained to worry over him.


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## Galvon

Okay so I just had him out of his cage and set him back in after a minute so he could go and he had a huge mushy poop but also soaked half the paper towel in some kind of liquid. I don't know if these is part of the poops or if he's peeing. I assume it's pee and I hope I'm correct because there is a LOT. The poops themselves will be watery if it's true diarrhea, yes?

And yes haha he has me on quite a leash. I'm always fussing over him :lol:


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## PJM

Galvon said:


> Okay so I just had him out of his cage and set him back in after a minute so he could go and he had a huge mushy poop but also soaked half the paper towel in some kind of liquid. I don't know if these is part of the poops or if he's peeing. I assume it's pee and I hope I'm correct because there is a LOT. The poops themselves will be watery if it's true diarrhea, yes?
> 
> And yes haha he has me on quite a leash. I'm always fussing over him :lol:


Yup, he pee'd at the same time. Don't know if all hedgies do it, but mine sure do! & yes, if it's diarrhea, it will all be really mushy or watery, not separated, like you mentioned.

They sure can go alot! :lol:


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## Nancy

Yes true diarrhea will be unformed and watery. They can pee a lot. It's unbelievable how much they can pee. :lol:


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## Galvon

Thank goodness! The whole paper towel in his litterbox was soaked and I was like aaaah all his insides are coming out! :shock: 

I guess he's just a little peepants. Thanks for all the help everyone


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## Nancy

Heehee, sounds about right. I used to fold up two paper towels and put in Smokey's litter pan and he would soak them both to the point of dripping when I picked it up. :lol:


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## Krejda

My hedgehog was born in Aug. and I got her in Oct. We have been doing just fine. Then Sunday, my cousin came to visit and I woke her up and gave her a quick bath as her feet were dirty. My cousin held her and everything seems fine. Later that night I took her out and she pooped and pee'd a lot and it looked like a little bit of it was bloody and then it had a green section. Monday night I took her out and put her in her dry swimming pool and she wouldn't eat but smelled her food and I didn't see her drink either. She did end up pooping quite a bit and it was very watery. She did poop several times more and it was what I would describe as diarrhea. She did run a lot in her wheel last night while in her pool. Tueday, today, I checked and she hasn't eating anything over night. Should I be concerned?


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## alisa

subscribed, this seems like a very interesting thread


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## nikki

Please start a new thread with your question. This thread is from 2013.


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