# Possible Hedgie Poop Allergy?



## direwolf (Oct 11, 2012)

So today I was giving Pepi's bin a thorough cleaning for when she comes back home tomorrow (yay!). I had a lot of poop to clean since she is one of those hedgies that poops everywhere she can then walks in it and drags it around, despite my efforts of litter training her. I noticed that right after I cleaned everything that a couple of weird spots appeared on the sides of one of my fingers. The spots are red, itchy, sore/burning (when I touch them or if it rubs against my other finger) and kind of look like pimples. I've put Neosporin on my finger with a band-aid over it to see if it will go away. I've never had this happen before, is it an allergic reaction to Pepi's yucky poop? Any ideas what this could be, or has anyone experienced this after cleaning a hedgie cage?

Funny side story, I was trying to describe it to a friend and the way I said it was "So I was cleaning some poop yesterday and got these weird spots..." and she looked at me like I was thoroughly insane until I clarified that it's my hedgehog's poop. :lol:


----------



## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Could be an allergy. Sort of sounds like hives. I get chronic hives which are just small itchy red spots, I get them randomly and also as a result of pressure on my skin. The Doctor had a big fancy word that basically meant my skin overreacts to pressure, so for instance if I let my pets' claws or spikes get on my bare skin anywhere other than my hands I get little red itchy bumps and swollen scratches. To demonstrate this the doctor dragged a tongue depressor down my back only putting a little pressure on it and after I had big red swollen scratches like I had been seriously scratched. 

It could also just be a coincidence, maybe the spots were from something else. If it was from the cleaning maybe you injured your finger while you were cleaning, enough for the allergen to get under your skin and cause irritation. If it happens again after cleaning you probably just have to make sure that you wear gloves while you are cleaning. Also sometimes allergies to small pets are actually because of the bedding. I react to all those wood chip beddings so I use fleece washed in unscented detergent. 

If the bumps don't go away soon or happen again it could be a good idea for you to go to a doctor to find out if and what you are allergic to or find another reason for the bumps.


----------

