Why Does My Hedgehog Poop So Much? (Owners Guide)

It is an inescapable truth that being a pet parent means dealing with pee, poop, and other types of natural messes. There is no space for squeamishness. What if your Hedgehog poops a lot? But how often is normal? How often do Hedgehogs pee and poop? Let’s find out!

Hedgehogs poop a lot because they have a unique digestive system. A Hedgehog’s health relies on the continuous movement of their digestive tract to quickly extract energy Hedgehog’s diet. This means that a Hedgehog must continue eating and subsequently pooping a lot to maintain a healthy and steadily moving digestive system.

A Hedgehog’s digestive track can easily get imbalanced. If your Hedgehog does not eat enough or gets too stressed out, its digestive tract will slow down or even stop.

In such cases, your Hedgehog’s life is at risk. Let’s dive a little deeper into the causes of excessive pooping in Hedgehogs, and what you can do to correct the problem and get your Hedgehog back to normal bathroom habits.

What Makes My Hedgehog Poop So Much?

There are several factors that could determine your Hedgehog’s health and result in them pooping more often.

Overeating

If your Hedgehog is eating more than usual, then there are chances that it will poop more than usual.

Considering the volume of your Hedgehog’s poop should more or less match the volume they eat, the math on this one is simple.

Sometimes, many pet parents even overfeed their pet from a place of love. However, this, in turn, becomes a problem for them.

You must know how to manage what and how much they are eating; you should also be able to control how much they are eliminating.

Diet

A sudden change in your Hedgehog’s diet can result in a big problem.

Your Hedgehog’s digestive system accustoms to certain kinds of foods, and when you completely change what they are getting in their bowl, it can be difficult for the bowels to adjust.

You need to be extremely careful with the kind of food you choose for your Hedgehog. The wrong type of food can not only lead to unusual bowel movements but can be detrimental to their overall health.

Changes In Environment

Once your Hedgehog has settled in their cage, they become accustomed to a certain kind of surroundings and lifestyle.

Any change in your Hedghog’s lifestyle, such as introducing a new member, changes in the way the home smells, and introducing new noises, can all unsettle your Hedgehog, leading to changes in their pooping routine.

If this is the cause of your Hedgehog’s pooping, it is probably just a matter of waiting it out. Then, when they become accustomed to the changes, they will fall back into a normal habit.

If this takes more than a few weeks, it might be worth considering if there are other underlying causes for the problem. The best option is to take your Hedgehog to a vet in such cases.

Stress Or Depression

You might not believe it, but the truth is, one of the first signs of stress and aggression in Hedgehog is irregular bowel movement.

If your Hedgehog has been excessively pooping due to stress, then there are chances that you will probably notice other symptoms as well.

A stressed or depressed Hedgehog sometimes chooses to isolate themselves, showing aggression toward people.

If your Hedgehog seems like they are suffering from stress, the first thing to address is their diet and routine.

Just like us, a lack of good nutrition and appropriate living habits can wreak havoc with their emotional health as well as their physical health.

If you still have suspicions about your Hedgehog’s health or well-being, then the best option would be to take them to a vet as soon as possible.

How Do I Get My Hedgehog To Stop Pooping So Much?

It is quite unpleasant to find your Hedgehogs pooping all the time.

Although a Hedgehog’s poop is not very smelly or even gross, it can still find its way to unwanted places.

Even though we cannot make our Hedgehogs poop less, luckily there are some easy steps you can take to keep the poop problem under control.

The most effective thing you can do to keep your Hedgehog’s poop in check is to litter train them. This keeps all their poop in one place.

Another way to keep poop from getting everywhere is by cleaning your Hedgehog’s enclosure more often.

This can be a pain with some cages. In addition, specific cages need disassembling in order to get them properly cleaned.

Besides this, a spayed Hedgehog is less likely to spray urine around the house.

Also, they are less likely to scatter their urine around to claim their territory.

How Often Do Hedgehogs Poop And Pee?

You can expect your Hedgehog to poop more than 100 times in a day. Also, they can pee every few minutes.

It would be best if you kept in mind that the frequency of the excretion also depends upon their age, health, and diet.

It is essential to keep your Hedgehogs happy and stress-free as they can stop excreting when they are stressed or sick. Therefore, you must build a habit to check if your Hedgehog eliminates daily or not.

Also, you must check your little one’s litter box once in a while. Regular observations will help you track any changes in your Hedgehog’s excreting behavior.

What Does A Healthy Hedgehog Poop Look Like?

The shape of a healthy Hedgehog poop is like little sausages.

The texture of the droppings is quite firm and slimy.

The size of the poop varies. Not all Hedgehog poops are the same. Extremely tiny droppings may be a sign of some infection.

The standard color of normal healthy Hedgehog poop is black or dark brown. Although color variations do exist, any color that strays too much from standard might cause concern.

Sometimes, Hedgehog poop does smell.

It is also common for the Hedgehog itself to start smelling like poop, which results from it often pooping while it is walking around or playing on its wheel.

There can be changes in your Hedgehog’s poop smell based on their health conditions and diet.

Runny Hedgehog Poop

In general, Hedgehog poop is not runny.

If your Hedgehog is passing loose stools, then it could potentially be a sign of illness in Hedgehogs.

Although an occasional runny stool most likely isn’t a cause for concern, significantly if you have recently changed their food or given out a new treat.

However, if the runny droppings persist, it is probably time for a trip to the vet.

Both internal and external, Parasites can cause diarrhea, and your Hedgehog will need a fecal exam done by a doctor.

Also, keep in mind that persistent diarrhea can cause dehydration in Hedgehogs, which is another reason to keep yourself updated on the consistency of the Hedgehog’s droppings.

Why Does My Hedgehog Poop On Me?

A Hedgehog that poops on you marks its territory, and that is not something you will want to deal with.

By establishing their scent in the area, it is a clear sign that the spot is for them and can include humans.

Several Hedgehogs tend to do this when they start to bond with an owner, which can be a sign of respect, but it can also be a sign of them to assert dominance over you.

You have to stop this problem immediately whenever a Hedgehog wants to mark its territory or assert dominance.

Letting this continue for too long is dangerous and the last thing you want to do as a Hedgehog owner.

Set up extra litter boxes around the house, the time when you handle the Hedgehog, and make sure to act right away.

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How Do You Litter Train A Hedgehog?

In general, Hedgehogs are clean animals. However, most Hedgehogs pick a corner of their cage and use it as their bathroom.

If you wish to litter train your Hedgehog, start placing the litter box in the chosen corner.

Move your Hedgehog’s some of the poop into the box. This behavior will encourage your pet to excrete in that area in the future.

Now, if your Hedgehogs urinate outside the tray, then remove a portion of the bedding immediately. The urine of your Hedgehog holds a decent smell.

If you do not clean, they might get encouraged and urinate in the same area again.

Next is to move the poop into the litter tray if your Hedgehogs continue to excrete outside the tray.

On the other hand, if your Hedgehogs urinate in the tray, do not clean it up immediately. Instead, leave it there for 24 hours. This way, your little pet will learn that a tray is a perfect place for them to urinate.

Do Hedgehogs Poop When Scared?

Some Hedgehogs when scared because of their fight or flight response.

In a stressful situation, your Hedgehog’s body reacts in preparation for his response to the problem.

Studies suggest that an animal or person relieves himself in a stress-inducing situation because the body needs to eliminate unnecessary stuff, including poop and piss, before actually responding to the problem.

In short, eliminating waste can give your Hedgehog a unique advantage. For example, defecating or urinating allows an animal to lose extra weight, translating to faster running speed.

Why Does My Hedgehog Poop In His Food?

There are several reasons due to which your Hedgehog might be pooping in his food:

  • Hedgehogs often excrete in their food bowls due to territorial instincts.
  • Hedgehogs sometimes even poop in their food when they are happy.
  • Sometimes,changing your Hedgehog’s food may make him pee in his food bowl if he isn’t happy with the new food.
  • If the food bowl smells similar to your Hedgehog’s litter box, he may get confused and think that his food bowl is its litter box.

How Do I Stop My Hedgehog From Pooping On The Wheel?

First, finding your Hedgehog pooping on their wheel can be extremely annoying.

In such cases, try removing the wheel from your Hedgehog’s cage for a couple of days. Give the wheel a good wash in the meantime.

The absence of the wheel will encourage your Hedgehog to find a new place to poop. This time, it can break their habit of using the wheel as its go-to spot.

Mohini

Hello, I am Mohini, the founder of this blog. I am a qualified Animal Nutrition. I am here to help everyone understand their pets better.

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