# Pooping in his food bowl



## SilverChaos (Apr 21, 2010)

Every once in a while, my hedgehog will decide to use how food bowl as a bathroom. I don't have an actual litter box for him, he's too much of a wanderer to go in the same spot every time. But every few days I'll find that he pooped in his food bowl. This usually happens when it's empty, as if to say REFILL PLEASE (Happened with his empty water bowl once too). It happened yesterday with a nearly full bowl though, meaning I had to throw away all the food in it. Quite a waste.

How can I get him to stop this? I guess I could try to litter train him again, but I really don't think it's going to work for him.


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## nessariel (Mar 3, 2010)

How big is the bowl? How high are the sides?
I ask because Winston used to have a large-ish bowl, and, in order to reach the food in the back, he would have to climb up into the bowl, and that would sometimes result in poop or pee in the bowl, as he tends to poop while he eats.
I bought an "ergonomic bowl" that has one side lower, and is a little smaller, so now he can reach the whole thing without having to stand right in it. This is the bowl: http://www.hagen.com/canada/english/small/product.cfm?CAT=6&SUBCAT=605&PROD_ID=06616820010101
If that's the problem, then something like this should help. Of course, it may just be that he doesn't like your cooking. :lol:


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

The food bowl may be large and he sits in it. He may sit in the food bowl while he drinks from the water dish. Or it may be payback for something. Those little dishes with the hood on them are a good idea. 

The food should be replaced either daily or at least every second day. At this time of year, replacing every day is best. Only put in a slight bit more than he will eat per day and then you won't be wasting it.


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## SilverChaos (Apr 21, 2010)

He used to have a deep bowl that he had to climb in, but I replaced it with a very shallow one. It is kind of wide though, so maybe he has to climb in to get too the edge. I will try putting less food and trying to keep it to the side.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

You can also try spacing the bowls farther apart. Whyte will climb on one dish then crawl over to the other dish, so once I moved them too far apart for him to do this he stopped leaving his butt in one of the bowls.


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