# Pooping in his food



## schwester (Jan 2, 2014)

My sister's hedgehog, Stza, has never used his litter pan apparently. I tried putting some of his poo in it and I've tried moving it to different places, but he seems to just want to go next to his water and food dish.

I've been taking care of him for a while and lately he's actually climbing into his food dish and pooping on his food as he eats. The dish has a high edge so I tried switching to a really low dish and that was worse. I've even tried filling the dish higher but he just digs out the food and then climbs in it again. He poops in his food more often then in his wheel. And he does use his wheel. 

Any ideas for inspiring Stza to not poop in his food? Or even an idea to get him to use a litter pan/area?


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Hm, that is weird...What kind of food are you feeding him? What do you use in his litter box? What are you using for a little box? Have you tried moving his food & water dish to a different location, or perhaps switching locations with the wheel & litter box?

Not sure if this would work, but have you tried just moving the food & water closer to his wheel & pan? Maybe he just doesn't feel like moving very far when he has to go. How old is he? Sometimes with babies, they'll start to eat and that moves things along so that they end up pooping as they eat. :lol: They DO poop a lot, so it might just be a baby thing if he's younger and he'll grow out of it.


----------



## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

Hedgies outgrow some of these habits don't worry. I still have a 2 year female who poops and pees at the food bowl after eating though. Must be her way of saying thanks lol.

I agree with switching the food bowl and litter pan. Try that, might do the trick.


----------



## sweetergrrrl (May 5, 2009)

I know I find poops in Link's food bowl regularly, but I think it is more because it sticks to his feet. He also likes to dig in his kibble... even though it is a single layer of food in a wide dish...


----------



## phoenix1964 (Jan 23, 2014)

Ours likes to poop in her pigloo and then lies next to it to sleep! Who does that!


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Have you tried giving her another covered place to sleep in, Phoenix? Some hedgehogs like a bit more privacy when they potty. Sometimes babies will also poop in their sleeping area for a while, but usually grow out of it. It's not very common for adult hedgehogs to potty where they sleep unless they're sick, as far as I know.


----------



## phoenix1964 (Jan 23, 2014)

She poops everywhere! She is still a baby though and I understand she will get better as she gets older. I am happy to see her poop as she was quite sick for a while. Good poop=good hedgie health! Thank you for your reply, I will keep an eye on things and see how she does as she gets older. I am trying to get pictures of her but my daughter keeps calling me a "weirdo" as Penelope is actually her hedgie. I am turning into a bit of a freak about her!


----------



## soile6661 (Aug 2, 2013)

don't you have the food dish too close to her wheel? because my hedgehog only poops next to or behind his wheel so maybe if it's too close to the wheel that's why she poops in it..(i can imagine mine pooping in it too if it was in his "area"


----------

