Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Woody Pet
Just like every other animal, hamsters also poop. These tiny animals also leave behind small droppings which are completely natural.
You may be wondering what hamster poop looks like. Well, the poop is a hamster that is healthy and is made up of small pellet-like droppings that are dark in color.
Have you just brought your new hamster home but you do not know what normal poop should look like? Has the poop color for your hamster changed and you are worried? Better yet, did you just see your hamster eat its own poop and you panicked? This is the article for you.
Read more to find out all you need to know about hamster poop.
What does hamster poop look like? Hamster poop color?
The color of a hamsters poop may vary depending on what you are feeding your pet. In most cases, the poop will simply be dark brown in color.
When the diet of your hamster changes, the poop color may also change depending on what you fed it. You should however lay attention to the behavior of your hamster. A change in the color of poop could be a sign of illness.
If your hamster is experiencing other symptoms such as weakness, change in eye color, a running nose or behavior that is different from how it normally behaves, visit a vet for a checkup.
“Why does my hamster poop so much?”
Understanding how the body of your hamster is important when you get one as a pet for the first time. When a young hamster is new as a pet, they tend to get frightened a lot which is why it might pee or poop a lot.
The positive side to this is that when hamsters poop, they poop in form of pellets which are not difficult to clean. On the downside, pee from a hamster can easily stain your clothes if it is not washed out immediately.
As your hamster gets older, it will be able to hold its bowels longer. For the initial few weeks after you get yourself a hamster as a pet, expect to have it poop more than usual until it adjusts to its environment.
“Why does my hamster eat its poop?”
You may have just brought home your pet hamster but you notice something gross that gets you confused. You see your hamster eating its own poop and as expected, you wondered why your hamster does that.
Well, there is no reason to worry because many hamsters do this. A hamster produces two types of poop, softer poop that is dropped mostly during the night and dry poop that is more regular.
When you see that your hamster is eating poop, it is the night poop that he is eating. These droppings are referred to as caecotrophia and they contain vitamin B12. For your hamster, this is the only way that it can obtain vitamin B12.
It should therefore not be alarming when you see your hamster eating poop, because it is actually nutritious for them. Vitamin B12 can only be absorbed in the hamster’s stomach, so by eating its poop the hamster is bringing the droppings back to its stomach.
Watery hamster poop? Diarrhea in Hamsters
The poop for a healthy hamster should be firm and dark. However, if the poop is watery and pale, then these are signs that your hamster is suffering from diarrhea.
If this continues for a while, then it could come with other symptoms such as anorexia and weight loss. There are several reasons why your hamster may be having an episode of diarrhea:
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Change in diet
The most common cause of diarrhea may be dietary changes. When the diet of a hamster is drastically changed over a short period of time, it may cause diarrhea.
Other dietary reasons would be feeding your hamster too much of vegetables and fruits that have a large water content. Some examples of these would be oranges, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber.
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Infections and diseases
Another reason that your hamster may be having diarrhea is that they have an underlying illness. The hamster could be suffering from salmonella or influenza.
For a hamster that has the flu virus, it will show other symptoms too like a runny nose and sneezing. For cases that are more severe, there will be symptoms such as refusing to eat and drink, loss of weight, lethargy, and runny eyes.
Though salmonella is rare in hamsters, it may be a reason why your hamster is experiencing diarrhea. Other symptoms of salmonella will be poor body coat, vomiting, loss of appetite, and fever.
A hamster may also have a wet tail, which is when its tail has poop on it and is wet. This would be a severe case, and this condition is usually accompanied by a bad odor.
Other symptoms would be sleeping excessively, not having energy, not wanting to eat and your hamster may be hunched. Consult your vet immediately if you see any of these symptoms.
Conclusion
Hamsters will poop in their cage and that is completely normal. These small animals are clean critters and they will keep their pooping area and the rest of the area where they play and sleep separate.
This is a good thing, since it means that their cages stay clean for longer periods. However, this does not mean that you should not clean out your hamster’s cage.
It is important that you scoop out and wash away poop from the cage of your hamster so as to keep it from getting ill and it will also prevent the cage from developing a bad odor.
If you notice any diarrhea or peculiar changes in the poop of your hamster, then you should consult your vet immediately as it may be a sign that your hamster is suffering from a health problem.
Clean your hamster’s cage at least once each week and use vinegar to wipe down the inside of the cage if there is any foul odor coming from it. This will keep your hamster healthy, happy, and free from stress.
