[dribean]

I just bought my hedgie a solid plastic wheel (really don't want wire/mesh ones due to horror scenes I've witnessed at my job @ Petsmart). My hedgie LOVES it and runs on it pretty much all night long =P But for some reason, I've noticed in her ball, also, running makes her poo. Even if she just pooed in her tank, she'll still poo while running.

Well, because of this, my hedgie's wheel is COVERED in poo by the time I wake up in the morning. Not only just the part she runs on, though. It's all over the entire inside of the wheel; the sides, the track, the whoooole thing.

Is this normal; is there a way to prevent this or make it better/easier; isn't it unhealthy that she's breathing in her poo for the entire time that she's running; any advice at all is reaaally needed. Thank you!!!!

- Adriana & Buns<3

 

[Valley]

poop on the wheel is just one of the joys of having a hedgie.. it's normal

 

[drpepperheather]

I think a poopy wheel is inevitable. My Ziggy has a flying saucer and the thing is always covered when I come downstairs in the morning. Now, it does fling a little bit of poo into the coroplast wall (luckily the wall is nice and high, and wipes clean really easily). But, I personally think this is better than the poop raining down on him as he runs, which seems likely to me with a normal wheel since the poop would be going directly over his head.

Anyways, I'm not sure if it's cause he is a baby (he's 9 weeks old now) or because he pees on it too, but every morning when I get up his wheel STINKS! So, it's now part of my morning ritual to soak the wheel while we eat breakfast, and then scrub it clean as soon as we're done eating. This way my livingroom doesn't stink all day, and it's all ready for him to dirty up that night.

 

[Lilysmommy]

Yes, most hedgehogs poop while they're running. It's what they do in the wild, and when they're on their wheel, for all they know, they're leaving it all behind. Unfortunately, it doesn't disppear on the wheel, lol. But yeah, it's normal, and you'll just have to get used to cleaning it, maybe even every day. Sometimes a hedgie will be finicky and poop off the side of their wheel, or at least get off the wheel to pee, but some just don't care.

 

[dribean]

Do any of you have any idea how often is too often for bathing? I think I'm just going to buy the Flying Saucer from my job because the thought of all the poop falling all over her head and body every day is really bugging me. But until then, would it be okay for me to give her a bath every night just for the next three or four nights? Or should I just wait to give her a bath when I buy the saucer and have that be that?

Also, by the way, I don't know if this is cause for concern. I know I did explain that she poops ALL over the wheel, but.. well, is it normal that her poop isn't solid? But only the wheel! It looks like her bowels exploded because of how much is covered, and it all seems to be liquid. Which I'm wondering if maybe she's peeing, too, and the running is making a bigger mess of all her bowel movements? The color itself, though, is the same color her poop was when she was having diarrhea when I first brought her home. I'm really concerned that something is wrong right now- I think I might just ask the vet that I work with about it =P

 

[dorasdaddy]

Bathe once a week at the very most...hedgies are prone to dry skin and bathing dries it out even more. the popy wheel thing is normal....the worse of the two evils is the ball you mentioned...not nearly enough ventalation AND the slits that are there can catch toes and nails and rip them off.

 

[Immortalia]

I think I'm just going to buy the Flying Saucer from my job because the thought of all the poop falling all over her head and body every day is really bugging me.

*grins* This was why I bought the flying saucer to begin with, because I shuddered at the thought of all the poop and pee getting dropped onto their backs. And like dorasdaddy mentioned, bathing daily is not good, because it dries out their skin too much. It's ok to give foot baths/foot wipes, but not daily full bodied baths.

 

[dribean]

Thank you everybody for all your help!!

As for the ball, I got one large enough for her and slits are too thin for her feet to get through. Also, I clip her nails and keep them short and not like talons so she doesn't get caught on anything or in anything


Thank you all again, everybody!!!!

 

[Zalea]

Thank you everybody for all your help!!

As for the ball, I got one large enough for her and slits are too thin for her feet to get through. Also, I clip her nails and keep them short and not like talons so she doesn't get caught on anything or in anything

Thank you all again, everybody!!!!

The bigger issue there is ventilation. If the slits are too thin for feet and nails to go through, how much air is escaping when it gets really stinky in there from the poopy problem? I wouldn't want to be in there, that's for sure. My little guy's fresh presents smell bad enough on the other side of the room from his well ventilated cage. I would hate to think what it would smell like if there was little or no ventilation in an enclosed area. Those balls can be used occasionally for short periods of time under close supervision, but most people recommend against them. Wheels and exploring usually suffice at playtime. If you do choose to keep using it, try to let her use the bathroom before putting her in (like wake her up, then put her back in the cage without any hiding places in there and let her walk around to go to the bathroom before putting her in the wheel). At the very least, take her out and clean it with water (nothing strong scented soap-wise) before letting her back in, and only let her in there for 15-20 minutes at a time with close supervision.

 

[dribean]

She doesn't poop in her ball really at all like she did in the wheel. That's another reason why I was so concerned. She'll poop two or three poops in her ball and that's it. And the moment I spot them I always clean them out for her =)

She's very healthy, too, and the vets that I work with will do annual check ups on her for me for practically nothing =)

 

[HixVAC]

Mine used to be really bad too.

He never had poop ON him but there was always poop ALL over the wheel and ALL over his feet...but lately, theres been more poop off the wheel on than on, and ZERO poop on his feet even!

So I guess its good that theres no poop on the lil guy, but the wheel still has to be cleaned daily.