# Litter Problems



## shaylynk (Dec 4, 2011)

Hello! 

I adopted my little Gesso from an ad on classifieds in September. He has recently just ran out of his "Zorb Plus" litter and the closest pet store recommended "Feline Fresh" to me which helps him not make a mess so much (due to digging) and apparently is fantastic for odour. However, the little grump refuses to use it and now consistently uses the bathroom by his food and water area. Before that it was under his wheel. He won't even dig in his litter box anymore, it's just taking up space. 

I've read that the clumping litter (which is what it seems zorb plus was) is bad for hedgehogs, but at least he used it. Is there any way to get him used to this litter? is there a litter I can buy that will fix this problem? I really don't want to order online but if I must than I will.

Thanks,
Gesso's smelly kitchen.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Clumping litter is bad, and really, it's not a good idea to use any litter with small particles when you have a male hedgie - pieces can easily get stuck in the penile sheath and cause problems. There's even been a case of a poor boy completely mutilating himself down there by frantically chewing because he got something stuck in there. He may not like the smell of the Feline Fresh, which might be why he's avoiding it. You could try using Yesterday's News, which is a pellet litter made out of paper, not pine. A lot of people also use just plain paper towel, which is safest, but doesn't help much with smell. Is he still young, or an older hedgie? Babies often have stronger smelling pee/poop, which usually (but not always) goes away when they're older. What are you feeding him? Food can affect the smell of the poop as well, and fish-based foods cause very stinky poop. If it turns out he just has smelly poop/pee, and it's not age or food-related, you might just have to deal with it as best you can. If you clean the wheel and litter box daily, perhaps in the morning (so it's not sitting around all day), that will probably help the most. Just one of those things to deal with with hedgehogs. :roll: :lol:


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## shaylynk (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks for the response 

I've done so much research I know. I'm cleaning his cage daily and have paper towel put down where he is now using the bathroom. The previous owner said he was a year when I bought him back in September, he's fully grown into my little sweety pie  I'm glad I didn't go by more clumping litter. I noticed it was clumping, but I bathe him once every few weeks and let him swim around and clean it off. but I'm glad the new litter has it no longer there. The smell is the least of my worries at the moment, I just want a healthy hedgie. He is on the chicken soup for the soul, light, mixed with some of his previous food given to me by the last owner (to help the transition) and some sunflower hedgehog food. I might not have the names completely correct but you probably know what I'm talking about. Aside from what was given to me, both brands I've heard of often on here.

I think I might try emptying his litter and just lining it with paper towel for a while to see if he takes back to his pan while I order the newspaper one. I've read about that one too but I cannot buy it anywhere around here :/


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yup, I know both of those foods! I wouldn't think Chicken Soup would provoke stinky poops, but I'm not sure about Sunseed hedgie food. He might just be one of those ones who happens to be stinky, unfortunately. Another suggestion for helping with the smell is keeping an open box of baking soda next to his cage, which might help absorb some of the smell. Glad you're giving the paper towel a try! I was at work today (I work at a pet store) and a customer was buying Feline Pine and I noticed on the box that that's clumping litter as well. I hope the paper towel works and he starts using his litter box again, good luck!


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## shaylynk (Dec 4, 2011)

Lilysmommy said:


> Yup, I know both of those foods! I wouldn't think Chicken Soup would provoke stinky poops, but I'm not sure about Sunseed hedgie food. He might just be one of those ones who happens to be stinky, unfortunately. Another suggestion for helping with the smell is keeping an open box of baking soda next to his cage, which might help absorb some of the smell. Glad you're giving the paper towel a try! I was at work today (I work at a pet store) and a customer was buying Feline Pine and I noticed on the box that that's clumping litter as well. I hope the paper towel works and he starts using his litter box again, good luck!


He's not that bad it's just I live in a very small room on campus. So my bed is right next to it :/ No big deal tho 
Im going to try the baking soda! Never thought of that. And the Feline Fresh that was sold to me was non clumping. it dissolves when peed on. 
It's the green one in this image.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Ahh, I see! That's different from the product we sell, lol. But yeah, I can understand that...My Lily used to wake me up in the mornings as a baby with how badly her wheel smelled. :lol: I had her in my room as well.


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## shaylynk (Dec 4, 2011)

Hahaha sin. Yeah, between that and Gesso's water drinking it can sometimes be hard to sleep. 

But he's completely worth it


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## shaylynk (Dec 4, 2011)

Update: He refuses to use the litter box now, even with just paper towel lining it. Somehow I've managed to un-litter train my hedgie D:


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