# poop & urinating



## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

A little concerned about Clark.

This seems to be a thing:
when he is first woken up for handling time, he passes a large, formed but soft stool of brown color.
Within ten minutes he additionally passes a few small gooey stools, which lead to mucusy green stool in tiny amounts.

And now:
when he urinates, it seems he might be struggling? I'm not really sure how to tell if its painful, but he urinates drop by drop and he looks like he is humping the air as he pees. (the fluid is definitely urine, so I know this motion isn't boy time)

He's eating normal, sleeping normally, and wheels like crazy.

Should I take him to the vet? Is it possible he has an infection?


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## AlexONeil (Nov 14, 2012)

That sounds like what Houdini did when we got him. So unless there was something wrong with him that has since gone away, I think that sounds normal.


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

I'm really hoping it's just his nerves and his diet change. Although I'm unsure about the urinating behavior.

I've had the pleasure of viewing endoscopy procedures and the contents of human bowels seems to have a bright greenish tint similar to what Clark is excreting. Haha. It's icky.

How long did it take for Houdini to get past the slimy poop?


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

any more thoughts on this from anyone? I'm still not entirely sure this is normal stuff.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

The droplets of pee does sound concerning, sort of like a partial blockage of some sort. It should come out as a stream, not small droplets.


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## AlexONeil (Nov 14, 2012)

SouthernSweet said:


> I'm really hoping it's just his nerves and his diet change. Although I'm unsure about the urinating behavior.
> 
> I've had the pleasure of viewing endoscopy procedures and the contents of human bowels seems to have a bright greenish tint similar to what Clark is excreting. Haha. It's icky.
> 
> How long did it take for Houdini to get past the slimy poop?


Once he adjusted to the food he was on fully, it went away. I don't remember how long that took, since it was back in May, but it wasn't more than a few months. The droplets of urine was caused by lack of water I think. We used to have him with a bottle, but he was so tiny that he couldn't reach it until was he 6 months old. So we took him out several times a day to give him water. But that may not be Clark's issue.

It couldn't hurt to get him checked out, right?


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## Avarris (Dec 3, 2012)

I wish I had an answer for you. All I can do is tell you that you and Clark are in my thoughts. I hope it's just a little stress from moving and he starts "going" normally. it can't hurt to have it checked out. Sending healing light and prayers from Pip and I. Hugs


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

thanks you all  I believe I will be taking him to the vet on Monday if they're open.


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## danilious (Dec 14, 2010)

okay so mine does the same tonight i had bonding time i went to put him back in his cage and he ate and drank a bunch.this when to his box and did his business only this time when he went he made a squeak noise and then peed and pooped but i scared him when i went to check after i heard him squeak and stopped but when he started again he didn't squeak. should i be concerned and he peed a lot and pooped normal size. maybe he just wanted to squeak am i being a worrier. oh.. and no green or gooey poop just normal color


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

My hedgehog's been home just over a week, and the last two days, although all his wheel poops and many of the poops that he has let go on me are normal brown and the usual texture, towards the end of our handling sessions at night he has a few bright green mucusy ones. I have started transitioning him to his new food mix, but he's not having consistent green poops. Is it stress?


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

it may just be stress poops  eventually clark's mucusy poops stopped when he got used to me. Try sprinkling some probiotics on food, it may help, too.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Today he had one that was covered in clear mucus and then just passed some clear goo on its own. ?!?!?!!?


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## AlexONeil (Nov 14, 2012)

That is definitely not good. Try the probiotic powder, then see if you can take him into the vet. Some times babies get really awful poo. Cinder had it before he came home, so we had to wait until that cleared up before he was allowed to come home. :/ Fingers crossed that it's easily treated though.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Okay. I'll call my petstore and see if they have Benebac, if not I'll get acidophilus from the grocery store. He's supposed to have a well-pet visit on Monday, I'll see if I can move it up. He's still eating plenty, wheeling and peeing. I did the pinch test, he doesn't seem dehyrdrated. His poop on the wheel this morning was brown and a little less trampled than usual. Not in the usual toothpaste shape, but not mooshy cowpies. In his footbath he only passed a tiny little hamster-sized poop. I did just start to switch him over to my food mix (1/4 my mix, 3/4 WCH's). How will I know when it's emergency vet visit time?


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

food switches always effect poop. Vet visit... if he's not eating/drinking at all, bloody poops, or poops that do not improve within a week of making the full transition to new food, I would think.

If your wellness visit is with a vet experienced with hedgehogs, then you're good  If you're worried, try moving up the date of your wellness visit.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Thanks - the vet was able to fit us in for a visit tomorrow. If he's totally fine, then he's had a wellness visit! And if something's wrong, best intervene early. I emailed LizardGirl as well, as I got him from her, and she thinks it's probably just the adjustment, so I feel calmer. Still, my workplace is pretty supportive of pet parents, so I'm leaving early to take him to the vet. If he's fine, then he had a wellness visit! Yay! If he's not fine, he'll be treated! Yay!


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Argh. The vet didn't seem all that concerned and recommended waiting to see if it clears up on its own before stressing his system with antibiotics. I agreed. He wanted to me to switch to Pretty Pets hedgehog food and/or Hill's w/d, bleh.

Of course the day after the vet visit, Ambrose ate less than usual, and ate less than usual again tonight. I weigh his food and he's eating about two-thirds of what he was eating before. Decrease in poop volume as well. No green jelly smears on the wheel this morning, which is good, he passed a bunch of green jello last night during playtime. He still is alert and active, used his wheel last night, although my bike computer hasn't arrived yet so I can't track how much. He let me watch him for a little while and he had a good speed. During playtime, but not during daytime nap-bonding, he's also been scratching a lot. His pan liners are white fleece, and this morning rather than a round urine stain, I found bright yellow dried-in droplets that look powdery/cloudy. No off smells on poop or urine.

I put a pinch of benebac on his food last night = how often can I do that? Should I do it every night? Every other night?

I'm so worried that he's not getting better, argh!


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

it may take some time  mix the powder in the food daily, I always just dust mine lightly and stir it to coat the kibble.

Yeh, def don't switch to Pretty Pets or Hills haha.

If it continues for a while, even after antibiotics, consider trying cat foods that eliminate particular food items that your current food has. I know in humans, switching to gluten-free foods, for example, can vastly improve digestive problems. You can eliminate gluten, or particular kinds of meats.

Has your vet taken any stool cultures to be examined?

Hugs for being such an attentive hoggie parent!


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

The vet did a fecal to check for parasites and found nothing. He gave me a long lecture about food - mostly about how Ambrose is destined to be fat, and he did say something about sugars? making it worse? Maybe? I was tuning out in self-defense. I've taken the Wellness out of my planned mix, as I've seen here people reporting digestive issues, and our Executive Director at work said when she gave it to her cats they also had upset intestines. I believe two out of the three foods that are left are actually ones that were part of the breeder's mix. I found a bunch of grainy brown mucusy poop in his bed this afternoon when I woke him up to check on him, which is a larger volume than yesterday. I'm concerned that he might not have peed last night, although the pinch test looks normal and I've been syringing him a mL of water or so when he'll let me just to make sure he gets some. I've switched his cage liner over to a white one, as well as his litter pan liner, so hopefully I'll be able to see if he pees tonight. My mom works in a neonatal ICU for humans and she always says "where there's pee, there's hope!" So I'm waiting on tenterhooks for a urine stain. The bright yellow spots on his white liner worried me. 

It's been hot the past two days from midmorning until late evening. His cage temp has gotten up to 87 and my housemates don't want to use the air conditioning until the hot weather is consistent. Bleh. Also humid. 

Since he's having such awful poop anyway, LizardGirl (the breeder from whom I got him) suggested I just switch him over completely, give him benebac, and ride it out if possible. It makes me so nervous, but I'm giving it a try.

I wish there was a "scoop on urine" sticky, even though it doesn't rhyme.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Also, at this point, I think if and when he has a normal poop again, I will probably cry.


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

I like LizardGirl's idea.

I'm loving Blue Buffalo the most of all the brands I have tried. Clark's poo still reeks, even with probiotics and good food. But Quinnlee's solid.

Consider putting the AC on 80 and Automatic? Auto setting is for those days when the weather can't make up its mind. Temperature doesn't just affect living things, it affects furniture, food and electronics as well. 87 is very hot.

The white liners is a good idea to check for urine output. I always use white towels under my wheels to check for urine. Also, try giving footbaths to see if he'll pee, they stimulate elimination - many hedgehogs will poo/pee in the bath.

Urine is pretty basic stuff, and I'm sure your mom has told you all about it. Dark yellow = dehydration, blood = bad, no urine = bad.
I'm a nursing student, and it never fails to amuse me how much poo, pee and blood can tell you about a person.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Actually one of the things that is most concerning me is that he isn't pooping in his footbaths. Almost nothing! Argh. I haven't seen him pee in the bath yet, although it may have just been so diluted I couldn't tell. I'm concerned that he might be having trouble peeing, because he'll bend to tuck his head under himself a couple of times during playtime, and I don't know if it's a boy thing or "argh why can't I pee?!" I guess the liner might be able to answer that question tomorrow.

And for the past few days the pattern has been: brown grainy sticky poop on wheel at night, brown mucusy sticky poop in sleeping place during day, poop green goo on human during playtime.


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

well, not all of them go in the bath  Quinnlee almost never does (v. Clark always does)

head tucking is usually boy time


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

He pooped like a demon in his baths before his tummy issues started. Also pooped on me a lot. I think I prefer that to gi upset and pooping in his bed. He peed last night in his litter pan, so I suppose my 8 week old is just precocious!


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