Understanding a Hedgehog’s poop is an important skill all owners should have. The state of their poop can be a great indicator of their overall health and help you catch any health issues before they become too serious.
A healthy Hedgehog’s poop color tends to usually be somewhere between brown and black. A normal Hedgehog poop should be uniform in consistency and oval-shaped. They shouldn’t break into pieces when a Hedgehog steps on them but at the same time shouldn’t be dry.
But it’s not as simple as it seems. Hedgehog poop can come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. You’ll need to have a rough idea of how often they poop so you can quickly notice any irregularities.
Fortunately, this guide makes that whole process quite simple. You’ll learn what things should look like when they’re healthy and how to diagnose a problem if they’re not.
What Does Healthy Hedgehog Poop Look Like?
The poop of a healthy Hedgehog is small and pellet-shaped. It has a quite firm texture. In most cases, the poop of a Hedgehog is not smelly.
In general, Hedgehog poop is black or brown. However, there may be some changes due to certain kinds of food consumption.
Also, extremely tiny droppings are an underlying health problem in our Hedgehog. The poop can vary based on your Hedgehog’s health conditions and diet.
What Color Should Hedgehog Poop Be?
The color of your Hedgehog’s poop depends on a lot of factors.
In general, a healthy Hedgehogs poop is blackish-brown in color. However, many Hedgehogs can even have light brown-colored poop as well.
If your pet is healthy, he will regularly produce a similar colored pellet. However, any abrupt change in their diet can vary their poop color.
Any unusual change in your Hedgehog’s poop color can be a matter of concern. It indicated that our little one’s internal gut is upset.
If you provide your Hedgehog with excess protein, they will pass unusually dark-colored poop.
Like, consumption of certain food can change your Hedgehog’s poop color. For example, consumption of beetroot can lead your pet to pass reddish-colored urine.
Does Hedgehog Poop Smell?
A healthy Hedgehog’s poop does not smell, making them easy to handle. On the other hand, a Hedgehog’s urine can be quite smelly.
If your Hedgehog is sick or suffering from some kind of health problem, it can produce bad-smelling droppings.
Also, do not get confused between your Hedgehog’s regular droppings and coprophagy. A Hedgehog’s coprophagy can have a strong smell. However, they are usually good for our Hedgehogs.
Normal Hedgehog Poop Size?
The size of a Hedgehog’s dropping is very small in comparison to the size of their body.
In addition, elderly Hedgehogs tend to pass small-sized droppings. On the other hand, young Hedgehogs produce massive droppings.
Besides this, if your pet is sick, they will surely pass tiny or odd-shaped droppings.
Odd droppings even indicate health problems such as loss of appetite, digestive complications, or gastrointestinal issues.
If your Hedgehog passes the same-sized droppings throughout, they are perfectly fine. However, if you ever have suspicions about our little one’s health, take them to a vet.
Unhealthy Hedgehog Poop!
Abnormal poop is a matter of concern for all Hedgehog owners. It often indicates that there is something wrong with your pet.
Hedgehogs are quite sensitive and have a weak digestive system.
Hedgehogs can hide their pain till it gets deadly. However, they cannot hide their droppings. Therefore, it is essential to observe your pet intently to understand more about them.
Why Is My Hedgehog’s Poop Green?
There are several reasons why your Hedgehog might poop green. The most common among all is the consumption of excess amounts of green vegetables.
In some cases, diarrhea in Hedgehogs also leads to green poop. Other reasons are food poisoning, lack of nutrition in their diet, improper hygiene, cold weather, and consumption of antibiotics.
If your pet does not stop pooping green in a day or two, you need to contact a veterinary surgeon immediately.
Why Is My Hedgehog’s Poop White?
If your Hedgehog is passing white-colored urine, then it might be due to consuming a certain kind of food.
However, if your pet has not eaten anything new, the white poop might be due to an underlying health problem.
White or grayish poop often indicates improper digestion in Hedgehogs. It might also be due to some kind of bacterial imbalance or severe infection in their bowel.
If your Hedgehog has been passing white poop for a while now, you must immediately take him to the veterinary surgeon.
Hedgehog Poop Bigger Than Normal
An abrupt change in your Hedgehog’s diet or consumption of certain food might result in your pet passing out larger droppings.
Keep a check on your Hedgehog’s diet. Sometimes, your pet might eat too much or too little due to some health complications.
However, if your Hedgehog ontinues to pass unusually sized droppings, they may suffer from some chronic disease or intestinal problems.
If your Hedgehog has no such problem, then probably the size of their poop will normalize with their improving eating habits.
Diarrhea In Hedgehogs
Diarrhea in Hedgehogs can be a nightmare for any Hedgehog owner. If your pet has diarrhea, it must be treated quickly and promptly.
Diarrhea is mostly a sign of some underlying health complications in Hedgehogs. Unlike other pets, diarrhea in Hedgehogs is not caused by improper diet only.
If you suspect that your Hedgehog has diarrhea, you must immediately take him to a vet.
Dry Hedgehog Poop
Hedgehogs producing dry and crumbly droppings can be a sign of dehydration or an underlying health problem.
Sometimes, if you have not cleaned your pet’s cage in a while, you might find some dry poop there.
It is important to keep track of your pet’s water intake. If your Hedgehog is not drinking enough water, it might pass out dry droppings.
Other reasons for dry Hedgehog droppings are loss of appetite, lack of fiber in your pet’s diet, or stomach upsets.
Is It Normal For A Hedgehog To Eat Its Poop?
It is common among Hedgehogs to eat their poop.
The droppings of Hedgehogs hold tones of nutrients in them, which is essential for them.
When your Hedgehog eats it again, the food breaks down completely, extracting all the nutrients left unextracted the first time.
The entire process of producing the nutrition-filled droppings and eating them is referred to as Hedgehog coprophagy.
How To Tell If Your Hedgehog Is Constipated?
Several things can cause constipation in your Hedgehogs. Listed below are some of the common signs and symptoms that will tell you if your pet is constipated:
- Unwillingness to eat
- Sudden weight loss
- Lethargy
- They make weird noises while defecating
- They have been pooping very little than usual
- Excessive hard droppings
- Difficult and painful defecation
- Traces of blood with the stool
If your little pet is suffering from any of the symptoms listed below, you need immediate action.
How To Treat A Constipated Hedgehog?
A constipated Hedgehog can be a nightmare. Listed below are some of the basic measures that you can take to treat your constipated pet:
- You should never make an abrupt change in your Hedgehog’s diet. If you have recently introduced any new food in their diet, then you need to remove that food immediately.
- It is important to track your Hedgehog’s water intake. Make sure that they are drinking plenty of water each day. Provide them with fresh water every 24 hours.
- However, if the problem persists, contact a veterinary surgeon. Do not try to medicate your Hedgehog on your own. Certain antibiotics available on the market might make constipation terrible. It could even be life-threatening for your pet.
Is Hedgehog Poop Harmful To Humans?
A Hedgehog’s poop can never kill a human being. However, there are chances that certain germs, bacteria, or parasites may be transferred to you from your pet’s poop.
Therefore, I would advise you to not handle your Hedgehog’s droppings with bare hands. In such cases, a pair of gloves or a pan works best.
Also, make sure that the children and the elderly of the house handle the poop with utmost care and properly dispose of them.
Related Queries:
How Often Do Hedgehogs Poop?
A healthy Hedgehog poops several times a day. The frequency of their poop depends upon many factors such as age, gender, weather, diet, and living conditions.
Furthermore, Hedgehogs can even poop too much or too little when stressed or sick. Therefore, you need to check your pet regularly to ensure that they are pooping correctly.
Is It Normal For Hedgehogs To Poop A Lot?
If you have made any changes in your Hedgehog’s diet or eating patterns, your pet might show an increase in poop.
You must not be worried if your pet tends to poop more someday. However, producing the wrong kind of poop can be a concern.
Weird colored poop, super tiny droppings, or watery poop can indicate that your little one is suffering from underlying health problems.
Why Does My Hedgehog Poop On Me?
If you are a new Hedgehog owner, there are high chances that your Hedgehog might poop on you out of fear or stress.
Studies suggest that Hedgehogs do not have control over their system, they can poop anywhere and anytime.
On the other hand, some researchers even claim that Hedgehogs often poop on their owners as a mark of territory. This is their way of showing affection towards their owner.
Sometimes Hedgehogs may even poop on you if they are just happy or are relaxing.
Do Hedgehogs Poop When They Are Scared?
It is pretty common for Hedgehogs to poop when they are scared.
Many a time, the fright and the nervousness can lead to Hedgehogs losing control over their bowel moments and eliminating right where they are.
Hedgehogs can get scared pretty easily. Therefore, it is important to handle them with care and give them all their love.
