# My hedgie is a pooping machine



## emilycdimartino (Jul 2, 2013)

I recently got my almost 3 month old grumpy hedgie, Samson. Before getting him I knew that they would poop a lot, but I feel like my hedgehog is out to get me with his poop. For one, he does not poop on his fleece liner or in his litter pan. He will only poop on his wheel, which I know is normal, and on me. Every time I pick him up to hang out with him, he will poop within the first 5 minutes. And this is not just one poop, it is endless amounts of poop coming from his butt. And he is perfectly calm while doing it. No quills up, no huffing, nothing. Sometimes he is waking up, but sometimes he has been awake for a while and he still poops nevertheless. I didn't know that much poop could come out of such a little creature. 
I am in the process of litter training him. I will take his poop, when he poops on me, and place it in the pan along with some of the poop from his wheel. I also put him in his pan every time I put him away. He just sits there for a minute and then leaves. I really am getting frustrated with it because I can't play with him, try bonding with him or place him in my lap without him pooping everywhere.
Please help!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Litter training is really hit & miss with hedgehogs - most won't do it, as far as I know. Like you said, the wheel is normal and won't change. For when you take him out, try putting him in an inch or so of warm water first. Warm water usually stimulates hedgehogs to poop, so he may get it all out then. Keep some tissues or paper towel nearby when you have him out - they usually assume a "stance" when they're about to poop, so if you have time to react, you can try and get tissues or paper towels under his butt before he starts, or at least clean it up easier afterwards. You can also keep a light towel or blanket over your lap when you have him out for cuddles.


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## Katydid0389 (May 31, 2013)

My hedge is definitely not as poopy as yours, however she does poop a ton. I have a carrier I got from Petsmart I put her in or the sink and she uses the bathroom. Its almost like I have to make her go. I have also noticed she will always poop in "new" places like a blanket, towel, or my hoodie pocket. She always goes on her wheel but never does she just use the bathroom in her cage. It's very strange.


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## emilycdimartino (Jul 2, 2013)

I just don't understand how that much poop can come out of such a little creature. I feel like half of his body weight is just poop that he is storing to release on me or in his wheel. 
I do have a towel for him and I have been using paper towel on the towel. Its just every time he poops i want to change the paper towel because I don't want him stepping in it or laying in it. The whole thing is just a giant process. Oh well. At least he is starting to get used to me. He is so friendly. Poops a lot, but friendly.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

AHAHAHAHA!
Oh, I remember those days of abject confusion over how much poop one tiny hedgehog could store. A single poop thicker than his leg and half the length of his body, then, without consuming any food, another one of equal proportions fifteen minutes later...

The up side? They poop less as they get older.

My tiny friend does not believe in the bathtub-trick of prompting poops, keeping his bathwater tidy no matter how long I leave him in. No, he reserves his first dump of the evening for his drying-off towel. Thankfully, now he's an almost-adult, that's pretty much the extent of his messiness until later in the night when he's out for his run. Even so, I finally sewed some cuddle-sacks for him that are that waterproof-baby-sheet material lined with flanel -- cuddles for him, while keeping me from getting hedgehog-pee on yet another pair of pants.


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## wyldfaux (Jun 19, 2013)

I'm having the same poop problems. My hoglet is just 7 weeks old and my lawrd can she poop. Not only is it STANKY, it's not hard (more like soft serve ice cream). On a good note it's not green which as I understand means they are super stressed out. Regardless I would like to see her tinkle and turn in a spot other than her sleeping area because I feel like when I play with her all I do is smell her poop all over her. Who does this - what animal feces in their bed - this is I presume the growing pains to a first time hedgehog owner!


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## definitelydeven (Jul 8, 2013)

They poop less when they get older?! That is a relief! Princess peaches is 2months old and I think that's all she does! But we've gotten into a routine! I hold in the morning for an hour and get a few poops and one good pee. THEN at lunch time I hold her for about two hours and TON AND TONS AND TONS of poop and another pee. And finally when I hold her again around 7/8 - 9/10 she doesn't poop  that's when I let others hold her so they don't get grossed out because I never expected the poops to be so big! 
Anyway I think holding her throughout the day helps her get them out. She never poops in the bath.


But its easy to tell when they are about to poop and its not a messy clean up


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## definitelydeven (Jul 8, 2013)

emilycdimartino said:


> I just don't understand how that much poop can come out of such a little creature. I feel like half of his body weight is just poop that he is storing to release on me or in his wheel.
> I do have a towel for him and I have been using paper towel on the towel. Its just every time he poops i want to change the paper towel because I don't want him stepping in it or laying in it. The whole thing is just a giant process. Oh well. At least he is starting to get used to me. He is so friendly. Poops a lot, but friendly.


I also hold my hedgie with "her" towel and when she poops i pick it up with a napkin and put it in a baggy i have near me a to clean up messes! I found being gentle when you pick up the poops helps with the clean up (no left over mess!)


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## emilycdimartino (Jul 2, 2013)

wyldfaux said:


> I'm having the same poop problems. My hoglet is just 7 weeks old and my lawrd can she poop. Not only is it STANKY, it's not hard (more like soft serve ice cream). On a good note it's not green which as I understand means they are super stressed out. Regardless I would like to see her tinkle and turn in a spot other than her sleeping area because I feel like when I play with her all I do is smell her poop all over her. Who does this - what animal feces in their bed - this is I presume the growing pains to a first time hedgehog owner!


Oh my god. Samson started pooping in his bed too. I feel like he is just too lazy to get out. When I first got him his poop was hard and manageable, but now its soft. not only is that harder to pick up, but it gets everywhere on him! I just had to give him a foot bath to get the poop not only off his feet, but also off his face! He already is not happy because he is quilling and now he is mad because I had to wrestle with him to get the poop off his face. 
However I have learned that when he is drying off from a bath, he does not poop. He just hangs out with me or takes a nap. I usually wrap him in a towel, same towel I have to wash a lot because of the poop, and call him mister burrito man and he is fine!


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## sarahspins (Jun 25, 2013)

Mine has a clear pattern: Wake up = time to poop! Run on wheel = time to poop! 

I pretty much expect that if I wake him up to handle him, as soon as he's fully awake he's gonna go... I keep paper towels handy. Most of the time I catch his "poop stance" and can get him to poop on the paper towels and not on me 

Wheel cleaning is just a normal morning chore now.


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