# Pooping in his Pouch/Nest??!?



## jlining (Dec 6, 2011)

I just got my new heggie about 2-3 weeks ago from a well known and respected breeder.. His name is Ollie and he is the cutest thing I've ever seen  , unfortunately, I've been having problems with his fecal habits. You see, when I first got him, I thought I was making great progress with him.. He warmed up to me quickly and lets me hold him and rub his ears (of course he either wants to crawl all over the place or wedge his nose between my hand and lap to sleep), the only time his hisses and twitches is when I reach in his cage to take him out, but once he's out he is fine.. I spend about an hour in the day holding him and an hour at night holding him.. After 3 days of having him, he was even potty trained to use his litter box (with nonclumping/nondusty unscented cat litter), he would poop in it at least 2 times a day.. When he sleeps, he sleeps in his fleece pouch and for the first 12 days or so, he didn't leave a single drop of poop in it, I felt very relieved that I didn't have to clean his aspin shavings or pouch for poop, just the poop left in his wheel from running and what was in the litter box.. Now all of the sudden for the last few days, he has been pooping in his fleece pouch (I MEAN A LOT!!) at least 4 times a day! and he sleeps in it and I have to pull him out and pick the pieces of poop out of his quills and nails regularly, I will usually take his pouch and wash it with no detergent and then give him a bath and use a tooth brush to get the dried poop out. I would also like to add that now if I take out his pouch, he will go and sleep in the litter box!! I just tried putting his pouch where his litter box was and putting the litter box in the igloo where his pouch was, but that probably won't make a difference.. Also, he eats spikes delight, carrots (steamed and dried) and mealworms (only out of my hand) and when I looked closely at his poop, I can see the heads of meal worms still in it... and his poop looks healthy if it is his first few poops after like 6 hours, but after he goes and goes and goes in a 30min span of waking him up, it starts to turn green and slimy (like diareah) but only from when he rapidly poops from holding him.. I don't think he is sick because he eats, runs, drinks, sleeps, poops and receives love (which is all a heggie needs).. I just want to know why he is doing this because I don't want to have to give him baths every day and wash his pouch all the time.. Also, this is another random question, but why is it that Ollie will only run on his wheel if it is in his play pin out of his cage or if I take his pouch out of his cage and leave just the wheel in it? Anyways please get back to me.. anybody.. because I worry and the person I bought him from is also puzzled by this behavior.. 

P.S. Sorry for writing so much!

Thank you and have a great day!

~Jamie Lining (Not a girl Jamie!)


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## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

From what I've read on the forums here, pooping in bed could be a sign of illness. However, if it's still a baby, they just poop a lot. You may want to get him checked out by a vet, just to be safe.

Congrats on becoming a hedgie owner!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

it could be illness, but it could also be that he's a baby. some babies will have accidents in their bed. how old is he? 

and he is probably using his wheel late at night when they are most active and you are sleeping. i would make sure to put the wheel back in his cage and leave it in there at all times he's not using it in the play pen. if i don't wake the boys up they don't get up on their own until 2:30am-3am so he may just be one that wakes up late and uses his wheel then. i wouldn't take out either the wheel or the pouch.


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Babies poop everywhere...


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## jlining (Dec 6, 2011)

Hes about 2 months old, and I do leave the wheel in at night and when I put him in the playpin it is at night, I function between the hours of 4pm to 8am so I'm always awake in the dark so I can see his behaviors regularly, thats why a heggie is a perfect pet for me , see I know that they poop a lot when they are little, but the fact that he did it one way (in the litter box) and then all the sudden the other (in his pouch) is what concerns me.. I also tried removing the pouch and then he just burrows into the aspin shavings where he also poops and sleeps in!! I figured with the pouch at least he is warmer with the poop  and yes, I would like to take him to a vet but I used all my money on getting little ollie so I am strapped for cash  how much does a vet visit for a hedgehog cost?? I worry a lot and i'm sure a visit would calm my nerves down a bit.. Also, my dad said that he probably sleeps in his poop because he knows he will get a nice warm bath and he does it for the baths.. I know it may sound farfetched but it could be true.. The only problem is that I can't just sit there and look at the poop in his feet and quills and just say no to the little fella..

Thank you to everyone who has responded...

Jamie Lining


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Vets can cost about $45 for the appointment and about $30-40 for various tests. You should always have money available for an emergency vet visit just in case.

You could bring him to a vet to get checked out, however, I don't think it's anything to worry about. Hedgehogs change constantly.


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## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

You may want to inquire about costs before you take hedgie to the vet. I failed to do so, and unexpectedly paid over $150 on my first visit. This was for the exam, sedation, and X-rays.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I agree about calling the vet first to ask about costs. Every vet is different and has different prices on things, and it can vary greatly by where you live. $45 for a basic exam is actually quite cheap, so it could be much more than that.

Personally, I think you may want to take him in to get checked out. If nothing else, it can be a wellness exam, which is good to do so the vet can get to know your hedgehog when he's healthy. This is also so you can check out your vet and make sure he/she knows their stuff before you actually have an emergency and then find out that your vet doesn't have a clue about hedgehogs. The pooping in his bag could be cause for concern though...While it's normal for babies to have accidents sometimes, I don't think pooping in his bag that much would be an accident. You also said it's a sudden change from what he used to do, and changes in behavior should always be noted as they can indicate illness. For babies, new behaviors can be just quirks, but they can also be signs that something is wrong.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

tell your dad nice thought, but most hedgies are terrified of baths which is why they scramble trying to get out...it stresses them out and drys out their skin really bad which can cause further problems including him possibly becoming a grumpy hedgie because he hurts from the dry skin pulling. it is not good to give a hedgie a bath every day. they shouldn't be given more than one, maybe two, baths a month if even that. is it seriously that bad that he has to have a bath? try using a damp, but not soaking wet washcloth or baby wipe to wipe him off instead so there's no causing him to be stressed in the bath or possibly him getting a chill which can cause more serious problems that you then will HAVE to take him to a vet.


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## jlining (Dec 6, 2011)

Thank you everybody for the advice.. and it's not that I'm broke all the time, I just don't have the money at this current moment until next friday because I just spent my last paycheck buying little ollie and buying his cage/ supplies.. after next week I will have cash at hand for emergencies for him... Also, I really appreciate the bath comment because I didn't know that it stressed them out and cause skin dryness.. Although he never tries to escape though which is weird because it's in a plastic tub that he could easily walk out of if he wanted to.. Which brings me to another question, is it okay if I just fill up the tub to where just his feet get wet? so at least I can get out the poop in his claws, the person I bought him from said that would be okay, but I wanted a second opinion.. As for the vet visits, I am calling around to find a small animals doctor that sees hedgies, and will make an apointment next friday  I love him a lot and like my grandmother, it causes me to worry! For all I know, he's just a baby being silly and I'm over reacting but you just never know for sure..

Thank you everybody! 

~ Jamie Lining


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

jlining said:


> Which brings me to another question, is it okay if I just fill up the tub to where just his feet get wet? so at least I can get out the poop in his claws, the person I bought him from said that would be okay, but I wanted a second opinion.


Yes, giving foot baths like that is a great way to keep them clean without giving a full bath. Most people just fill the bathtub (or whatever container you're using) with an inch of so of lukewarm water. Then just let your hedgie walk around for a bit - usually the movement helps get off a good bit of the poo/dirt. You can use a toothbrush or something similar to scrub any trouble spots. Some people put a facecloth or a piece of fleece on the bottom of the tub so the hedgie has a more comfortable surface to walk on (this also calms some hedgies).

It's great that Ollie likes the bath - a lot of hedgies (mine included) hate the water!


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## jlining (Dec 6, 2011)

Another question for those of you out there is, how do you know he is sick? and is it bad if their poop is starting to turn more slime green and light see through amberish brown goo around the edges and on his butt? From what I've read, it could mean that he is just adapting to new foods.. I switched him from spikes delight to IMO cat food.. I mean, as long as he eats, drinks, runs on his wheels, sleeps, poops and gets attention, he should be fine for the most part right? Unless he is like my girlfriend who doesn't let me know when something is bothering her.. If that is the case then I'm screwed because I am horrible at reading minds... 

Thanks for everyones help and listening! 

~ Jamie Lining


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

lol love the gf comment just don't let her see it :lol: 

lime green is typically stress related or a change in food so yeah that could definitely be it. dark green is generally when you need to worry (i say generally because even lime green can indicate problems at times). 

are you counting or weighing food? if not its a good idea because that generally is the first indication of a problem (if they are eating or drinking less or none or sometimes even drinking more with water can be cause for concern). 

once again...generally lol....yes as long as they are eating, drinking, normal bowel movements and urination, exercising all normal and are acting "normal" (whats normal for that specific hedgie) and aren't lethargic then you're usually good.


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## jlining (Dec 6, 2011)

Ollie seems to be doing better with his pooping now, he has been sleeping under his pouch mixed in with the aspin shavings and with minimal poop! I think that he is letting me know that he is very happy with the new food formula I invented for him! I mixed peas/carrots baby food with oats, blueberry, blackberry, steamed carrot, spikes delight & chicken soup for the cat lovers soul, it looks gross and smells like ass soup, but he loves it SO MUCH. It was cute because he had green gunk on his faces and I had to pick him up and whip it off with a napkin, afterwards he was nibbling on my shirt and started to suck on it 

Thank you for your comments 

~ Jamie Lining


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Maybe someone else can get back to you, but I was always told don't feed them peas or carrots.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Christemo said:


> Maybe someone else can get back to you, but I was always told don't feed them peas or carrots.


Who told you that and what reason did they give? I've never heard that before and peas baby food is the only veggie one Lily will eat plain.


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