Raising a hamster can be fun and rewarding in many ways but it is not always glamorous. You’ll have to deal with a lot of poop as these pocket-sized rodents ease themselves several times a day.
Sure, every other pet poops too but hamsters may take it to a whole new level. Getting used to seeing poop in your hamster’s cage or tank almost every time you pop in to check him out may be a good idea.
Why does my hamster poop so much? Hamsters poop a lot because they eat several times daily. Their digestive systems quickly process ingested food to churn out the waste via poop
Now that you’re well-informed, no need to freak out over your hamster’s constant pooping habits. Well, unless you have reason to believe that he may be distressed or suffering from some sort of illness or infection.
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Why Does My Hamster Poop So Much?
The average hamster poops a lot which can be hard to get used to if you’ve never raised one. This is why researching these creature thoroughly before buying or adopting your first can be apt. Here are a couple of reasons behind hamsters incessant need to ease themselves.
Hamsters Eat Throughout the Day
Domesticated hamsters always have food in their cages meaning they’re able to eat several times during the day. Even hamster parents who spend a lot of time outside their homes ensure that their beloved pocket rodents have enough to eat and drink throughout the day.
Also, a typical hamster sleeps several times throughout a 24-hour period, waking up to eat, drink water, poop, and go back to sleep. This means a constant supply of food and water is necessary for their wellbeing.
Besides, setting a dedicated feeding time for these little guys is almost impossible because you can’t be too sure when next your hamster will be hungry.
Many hamster parents get around this by leaving enough food in the cage or tank to prevent hunger. The constant access to food means hamsters are able to eat whenever they’r’e hungry especially at nighttime when they’re most active.
Quick-Fire Digestive Systems
Hamsters and other small-sized rodents are noted for their quick-fire digestive systems. It can take less than an hour for chewed food to be processed, and ingested. Since any non-ingested food comes out as waste, this is the reason why your hammy may keep pooping all day.
As long as he has continuous access to food, It is not uncommon for a healthy hamster to poop every hour.
The Type of Feed
The consumption of fruits and vegetables often frees up bowel movements in animals including tiny rodents such as hamsters. These foods contain lots of fiber and water which can stimulate your hamster to poop more often.
Hammies love green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cucumber. Apples, bananas, and strawberries are also firm favorites among these lovely little creatures. Just expect them to poop more once you feed them any of these.
It is advisable to ease up on the quantity of fruits and veggies supplied to hamsters. The diet should be balanced with grains and nuts for efficient growth and health in your hamster.
How Does Normal Hamster Poop Look Like?
Your hamster’s health should always be a priority. That can only be possible when every aspect of his life is monitored. One of the best ways to detect signs of illness is to pay attention to his poop. Healthy hamster poop should be small, solid, and black or brown colored.
Feeding your hamster considerable amounts of fruits and green leafy veggies can change the texture and color of his poop. However, If it seems watery, larger than normal, or pale-colored while your hammy is being fed a grain or nut-based diet, an infection or disease could be present.
Further observation or even a visit to your vet should be considered especially if the hamster is showing additional signs of illness such as loss of appetite, weight loss, and grumpiness.
Do Hamsters Poop When They’re Scared?
Hamsters poop more when they are scared and this is one of the reasons why you should always shield them from stressful situations. Pooping as a response to stress or fear happens even in larger pets and humans.
So don’t be surprised when your terrified hamster poops reflexively when he’s scared or agitated.
An unexpected loud bark from a dog or other loud noises from another animal and even humans can spook hamsters into a poopfest. Even the mere sight of strangers can trigger so much fear in hamsters that they feel the need to ease themselves.
If you live close to a major highway or the city center, consider placing your hamster’s cage in a location where it is exposed to minimum noise. The sound of cars, construction work, and other elements of normal human life can scare your hamster into pooping more than usual.
Hamsters may also ease themselves a lot when introduced into a new environment. This is because they often wake up in constant fear not knowing what to expect. The pooping levels may drop as your hamster gets used to the new environment but it could take some time.
Do Hamsters Poop More When You Change Their Diets?
A new diet can cause your hamster to poop even more than usual. Hamsters are known for the large amounts of poop they produce. As a first-time hamster parent, the quantity of poop these little creatures produce within short periods can be shocking.
Many of us rely on commercial hamster feeds and sometimes, we may opt for a brand new feed for one reason or another. If the new feed contains higher than normal amounts of fiber or some other foreign nutrient, your hamster’s digestive system may struggle to adapt.
This can result in significantly higher than normal levels of poop. In most cases, your hamster’s poop levels should go back to normal after a couple of days when they get used to the new feed. However, if this does not occur, consider switching the feed again to a vet recommended brand.
Why Does My Hamster Poop So Much When I Hold Him?
Your hamster poops so much when you hold him because he’s terrified of you. As previously stated, stress can trigger a lot of pooping in these small creatures. The fact that your little hammy poops a lot whenever you try to make physical contact is proof that he’s scared of you.
Humans naturally instill fear in hamsters due to our comparatively giant sizes. It takes a lot of time and effort for your hamster to get used to the idea that you mean no harm.
When that time comes, you won’t even have to pick them up because they’ll happily run into your palms when you approach and dip your hands into their cages.
Do Hamsters Poop In Their Beds?
Hamsters poop wherever they may be when nature calls. It is not uncommon for these lovely little creatures to poop and pee in their beds or anywhere else in the cage as they can be quite lazy in that regard. While this may seem gross, it is perfectly normal hammy behavior.
If your hamster poops in their bed, remove the poop and change the sheets immediately to ensure restful nights again.
Why do Hamsters Poop Everywhere?
Hamsters are famous for their indiscriminate pooping, especially during the first few weeks after birth. They poop everywhere including their beds, nests, and other parts of the cage. If your hammy is allowed to spend time out of the cage, do not be surprised when he poops on your couch or even in your palms.
As they grow older, the indiscriminate pooping reduces a bit but these creatures will still poop across different areas of their cages or tanks.
How do I Stop My Hamster from Pooping Everywhere?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to stop a hamster from pooping everywhere. Many hamster parents report that attempts at potty training often yield no positive results. These pocket-sized rodents poop everywhere naturally so there’s nothing you can do to change the habit.
There are instances where hamsters have been successfully potty trained to pee in specific areas of their cages. However, those hamsters continue to poop wherever nature calls without much regard to the location.
How to Reduce How Much Your Hamster Poops
Hamsters poop a lot and it doesn’t take long to recognize that as a novice hamster parent. It is normal for your hammy to ease himself all over his cage and it can be as frequent as every hour.
However, the pooping can get excessive even for these tiny creatures and when that happens, you may want to get your hammy to slow it down a bit for his own good. How can you stop your hamster from pooping more than usual?
Create a Stress-Free Environment
The first step to reduce the quantity and frequency your hamster poops is to eliminate fear and stress from their lives. If your hamster enjoys solitude in a big cage free from loud noises and other stress triggers, he may not be forced to engage in fear-induced pooping.
Cut Back on the Fruits and Veggies
If your hamster is offered excessive amounts of fruits and veggies, you may want to cut back on how much you’re feeding him. This is especially true if you notice that his pooping levels have gone up a notch from the current diet.
Cut Back on the Fiber
Commercial diets with high fiber content can induce excessive pooping in hamsters. You may want to switch to a diet that contains these essential nutrients in moderate amounts to ensure your hamster’s overall comfort and well-being.
Veterinary Visit
Sometimes, the excessive pooping may be random and difficult to explain. A visit to the vet can help you uncover underlying health conditions that may be triggering the mountains of poop the hamster is producing.
Your Veterinarian will be able to prescribe the right treatment to ensure the pooping levels can go back to normal.
Conclusion
You must be relieved to know that your hamster’s constant pooping is probably normal. These pocket rodents poop a lot more than expected. If you’re serious about raising a hammy, you have to get used to this fact.
However, there are instances when the pooping may be just too much. In such scenarios, you should monitor the poop to look out for signs of abnormalities. Be sure to take the hamster to a vet for further investigation after noticing abnormal poop signs as this could be evidence of an illness.
However, if you’ve just changed your hamster’s diet or supplied him with lots of fruits and vegetables, higher amounts of poop should be expected. You may want to cut back on these feeds to see if there’s any decline in the hamster poop quantity.