# Runny Poops..... What can i do?



## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

My little girl has runny poops? if anyone has any suggestions on what to feed her to help harden them up it would be much appreciated.


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## MissCarlyRenee (Jun 11, 2012)

How old is and how long have you had your hedgie? Have you fed her anything different lately or changed foo brands?


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

we've had her since april she is around 7 to 8 months old, we haven't changed any food or given her new food. Her poops just started getting runny


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

You can try giving a bit of unseasoned canned pumpkin and make sure you watch her water intake, you don't want her getting dehydrated.


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

Desperodo said:


> You can try giving a bit of unseasoned canned pumpkin and make sure you watch her water intake, you don't want her getting dehydrated.


thank you for the tips i'm a first time owner so any tip is appreciated


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

What foods are you feeding?


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

We've been feeding her Browns hedgehog food (ive heard mixed things about it) but she seems to like it. Also plain scrambled eggs and cooked beans once in a while. We've tried various fruits and veggies but she is extremely picky about them.


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

That is probably the worst thing you could be feeding, honestly... It's just fillers, fillers and more fillers... The protein is to low for a hedgehog and the fat is to low. Given the chance most hedgehogs will eat something else. Just because she eats it right now doesn't mean she likes it she just doesn't have anything else to eat. Even if she does like it it's far from healthy and nutritious. These are the ingredients,

Corn, Wheat, Wheat Flour, Soybean Meal, Soy Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Meal, Soybean Oil, Alfalfa Leaf Meal, Steamed Flake Corn, Green Split Peas, Lentils, Bananas, Carrots, Raisins, Cheese Meal, Propylene Glycol, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Brewers Yeast Fermentation Product, Vitamin A Palmitate, Cholecalciferol (Source of Vitamin D-3), Alpha Tocopherol (Source of Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Thiamin Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate (Source of Vitamin K), Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Niacin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Chloride, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Iron Methionine, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Product, Dried Lactobacillus Bulgaricus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Lactis Fermentation Product, Lecithin, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Carmel Color.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min.) 15.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 4.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 6.0%
Moisture (max.) 12.0%

Raisins are *toxic* to hedgehogs. You need to switch foods asap. Hedgehogs are also lactose intolerant and that food contains 'cheese meal'. What the heck is cheese meal anyways... :|

Most people feed a high quality dry cat food. There is a list in the diet section with MUCH better foods . For a food you want the first two ingredients to be meat (not by-products), you don't want corn in at least the top 5 ingredients (better if none at all) and you don't want artificial colours or raisins (which that food has).


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## 95Hedgie (Jun 6, 2012)

> I know lot of people use blue buffalo , that's the best food IMO as its got the healthiest ingredients, also popular are chicken soup for the catlover soul light, natural balance green peas and duck and wellness indoor health. If a kitten food is needed most people use royal canin baby cat or kitten 36
> 
> Innova Low Fat Adult (Turkey) OR Authority Sensitive Solutions (Turkey) OR BBB Turkey & Potato (Turkey)
> Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck (Pea)
> ...


These are some of the ideas I was given to feed my Hedgie


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

How runny are the poops? Are they just a bit soft, or are they liquid? Has the color changed at all? If this is a sudden change, I would think about a vet visit, especially if they're more liquid than not. She could have an infection or something going on that requires more attention than a food change.

However, I would also suggest changing her food to a good quality cat food. The little list 95Hedgie posted are great foods and they'd be much better for her than hedgehog food.


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

Okay we'll get her off the food asap, her poops have already gotten better but i'm gonna try switching her to Blue Buffalo cat food.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Yayy! I love receptive hedgie owners. Thank you for listening & taking advice. *Hugs*


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

What flavor/type of Blue buffalo would be the best? (sorry to be a pain i just don't want to buy the wrong flavor)


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You're not a pain at all!  Choice would depend on her activity level (if she's a big runner or not) and her body shape (a lot of high activity hedgies will be more stick shaped, like | | rather than rounded like ( ) ). If she's a big runner and has a more slender figure, you could go with one of the higher fat ones, like sensitive stomach (16%) or healthy living (18%). Healthy aging and indoor health both have 15% fat, which could go either way, but would be more for a runner. If she's more of a round shape and likes her wheel, but doesn't run for hours, you could go with the weight control, which is 9% fat. Whichever way you go, just keep an eye on her weight and body shape for any indications that she needs a higher/lower fat. Flavor isn't a huge factor, but most people would go with chicken or chicken/turkey. Sometimes fish can make stinky poop, but there's a few people that have fish-based foods and haven't noticed any difference, so you could give it a try if you wanted.


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

thank you so much for all the help  it's nice to get some input from experienced hedgie owners


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

No problem!  I also wanted to mention, when you start changing over her food (which should be done slowly - 1/4 new to 3/4 old for a week, then 1/2 and 1/2 for a week, and so on), she may have some green poops, due to the food change. That's normal, and shouldn't last very long, once she gets used to the new food. If she decides she wants to do a straight change, and eats only the new food rather than the old, that's fine, but let her make the choice. That will probably also cause a bit of green poop, but it shouldn't last long. If her poop returns to being runny/liquidy after a food change, though, I'd definitely check into a vet visit, just in case.


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

would Hills Science Diet cat food be a good option for Snow instead of Blue Buffalo?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I would personally go with Blue Buffalo over Science Diet. Science Diet's kind of a middle-of-the-line food as far as ingredients and last I knew, the kibbles were kind of big and triangular-shaped, which would be hard for a hedgehog to eat, I think.


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## stacigendron (Jun 5, 2012)

Thank you i had just remembered reading on a post that it was one you could give to hedgies and i wanted some input on it before i bought it.


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