The privilege of a direct encounter with the hedgehog is reserved for night owls. Anyone who works as a gardener during the day to ensure a hedgehog-friendly garden has to look out for their excrement as proof of the longed-for guests in their spiked coat. Read in this guide how you can reliably recognize hedgehog droppings and distinguish them from other solutions.
How do I recognize hedgehog droppings?
Hedgehog droppings are shiny black-brown, 3-6 cm long and have a cylindrical shape with tapered ends. He althy hedgehog poop does not smell unpleasant, while sick hedgehog poop can be greenish, slimy and foul-smelling.
What does hedgehog poop look like?
The Eye Hedgehog's appearance is familiar to everyone. From childhood on, the cute spiny animals arouse great feelings that even hardened adults cannot ignore. Direct encounters with the shy, nocturnal animals are rare. An important indication of the presence of hedgehogs in the garden is their droppings. The question arises about the appearance of hedgehog droppings in order to rule out disappointing misjudgments. This is what hedgehog solution looks like:
- Length: 3 to 6 cm
- Thickness: 8 to 12 mm
- Color: shiny black to dark brown
- Shape: rolled with tapered ends
If you look closely, you can sometimes see the remains of destroyed insects in the feces. In particular, indigestible chitin segments from beetles can be contained in the solution. Fruit seeds only end up in the excrement when the insect eaters have rummaged through ripe fruit for juicy maggots. As a rule, hedgehogs disdain vegetarian food.
You can watch the hedgehog defecate here:
What should hedgehog poop look like?
Excrements are, on the one hand, a meaningful indication of the respective animal species. On the other hand, animal remains serve as an important indication of the animal's he alth, especially if you cannot see the animal. Have you identified hedgehog poop by its appearance and want to make sure it is a he althy animal? The following table compares the properties of he althy and sick hedgehog solution:
| Hedgehog poop comparison | he althy | sick |
|---|---|---|
| color | glossy black to dark brown | green to light green |
| Shape | roll-shaped | misshapen, undefined |
| Consistency | mostly solid | soft, slimy |
| Smell | noticeable, but not unpleasant | smells bad |
If the appearance of hedgehog droppings indicates a sick animal, please contact a hedgehog rescue center or a veterinarian. The experienced experts are grateful for any information about a hedgehog in need of help and will advise you on how to proceed. Please do not catch a hedgehog if you suspect it. All hedgehogs are protected and may not be disturbed or removed from their living environment without good reason.
Excursus
Milk causes diarrhea
There are numerous myths and legends surrounding the diet of hedgehogs. It belongs in the land of fables that hedgehogs carry fruit on their spiny backs. The animals are neither vegetarian nor do they engage in food storage. A common misconception leads animal lovers to put out bowls of milk. However, this well-intentioned gesture results in massive torment for thirsty prickly balls, because hedgehogs are lactose intolerant. If the animals drink milk, they suffer from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The better thirst quencher is fresh water, which is served to the cute garden creatures in shallow bowls.
Distinguishing hedgehog poop
In the natural garden, small wild animals give each other a hand. Rigorous avoidance of pesticides, varied garden design with mixed hedges, piles of leaves, wild shrubs and dry stone walls magically attract wild animals. To distinguish welcome hedgehogs from unwanted guests such as martens and rats, their excrement provides important information. The following table lists typical distinguishing features:
| Distinguishing features | Hedgehog poop | Rat poop | Marten droppings | dormouse droppings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 3-6 cm long | 1-2 cm long | 8-10 cm long | 1-2 cm long |
| Shape | cylindrical, tapering | tapering spindle shape | pencil-thick, twisted tip | bean-shaped |
| color | black to dark brown, shiny | dark brown | black to gray | dark brown |
| Smell | hardly noticeable, no smell | after ammonia | unpleasant smell | weak, not penetrating |
| Consistency | fest | soft, sticky | visible food residue | wet from urine |
The above-mentioned distinguishing features apply to excrement from he althy animals. If the feces are slimy, soft, light green to green and smelly, all attempts at identification based on visual clues will be futile. If appearance doesn't provide any information, microbiologists shed light on the matter. Special laboratories for feces analyzes determine which animal it is based on samples sent in.
Tip
The last doubts about the accurate identification of hedgehog droppings are removed from the world by images. The online editorial team of the Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management in Freiburg publishes detailed photos at “wildlife.uni-freiburg.de”. On the website of the Austrian hedgehog rescue center “igelinnot.at” you can see meaningful pictures about the appearance of hedgehog droppings from sick animals.
Is hedgehog solution dangerous?
Hedgehogs and their droppings can transmit parasites
As wild animals, hedgehogs naturally carry parasites and bacteria with them, without necessarily being sick themselves. This includes external parasites, such as fleas, and internal parasites alike. These pathogens can also be passed on to people and pets through feces. Salmonella or leptospires, for example, make no difference which organism they are infecting. Furthermore, unpleasant fungal skin infections lurk if you come into direct contact with the excrement.
When dealing with hedgehogs and their droppings, careful hygiene is the top priority. Always wear gloves, wash your hands with soap and disinfect any equipment that has come into contact with hedgehog feces. Do not dispose of the excrement in the compost as pathogens could spread in the garden this way.
Removing hedgehog droppings
Wherever hedgehogs do the honors, excrement bears witness to their presence. The prickly visitors are warmly welcomed, but their remains are not. For hygienic and aesthetic reasons, hedgehog droppings should be removed promptly. First and foremost, there is a risk that it contains germs, parasites and other he alth-threatening contaminants. After all, hedgehogs are wild animals that do not receive any medical care. You can read how to remove hedgehog solution from paved and unpaved surfaces here:
Cleaning paved surfaces
Hedgehogs often do their business on terraces, garden paths and paved areas if there is a feeding station there. Meticulous cleanliness is all the more important because there are sometimes several hedgehogs there. How to remove hedgehog droppings from solid surfaces:
- Pick up the cat litter scoop
- place at the front of the excrement
- slide under the solution and lift
- If necessary, press the shovel with a wooden board or brush
- Pour feces into an organic or paper bag and dispose of with household waste
As an alternative to the cat litter scoop (€9.00 on Amazon), remove hedgehog solution using poop tongs. The special pliers consist of two gripping arms with which you can remove all types of animal excrement from paved surfaces. The collected poop sausages from a hedgehog can be thrown directly from the pick-up device into a bag and disposed of in the trash.
Remove from unpaved areas
Hedgehogs enthusiastically scurry across green spaces and beds at night in search of delicious prey. The prickly hunters not only leave small holes in the lawn, but also their droppings. What can be easily done on firm ground with a shovel or barf tongs requires a modified approach on lawns, meadows or dirt. This is how it works:
- Put on disposable gloves
- Pick up excrement
- Take off the glove and tie the feces in a knot
- dispose of in household waste
Finally, pour water over the cleaned area and clean your hands with disinfectant.
Frequently asked questions
Our dog eats hedgehog poop – what to do?
Hedgehog droppings pose a he alth risk to dogs because they can contain parasites and pathogens. Furthermore, it indicates a profound behavioral disorder if a dog eats hedgehog litter or other excrement. The first step is to consistently remove the hedgehogs' droppings before letting your dog into the garden. In the second step, please consult a veterinarian you trust to get to the bottom of the unnatural behavior and, if necessary, carry out behavioral therapy or anti-stool-eating training.
How do I recognize hedgehog droppings straight away?
Two visual characteristics leave no doubt that it is hedgehog droppings in the garden, lawn or terrace. Excrement from a he althy hedgehog is deep brown to black. Furthermore, the remains are in the form of small sausages with a maximum length of 6 centimeters. To compare, just hold a match next to it.
How can I tell if it is hedgehog droppings or rat droppings?
The shape and size of excrement provides important clues as to whether you are dealing with hedgehog droppings or rat droppings. Hedgehogs leave behind sausages that are 3 to 6 centimeters long, usually cylindrical and tapered. Rat solution, on the other hand, is round to oval and significantly smaller at 1 to 2 centimeters. Another indicator is the location where it was found. Rat droppings are usually spread along a wall or wall. Hedgehogs prefer green areas, beds, paved paths or terraces to go to the toilet.
Should I add dewormer to hedgehog food to reduce the risk of fecal infection for my family?
An amateur parasite treatment on he althy, free-living hedgehogs can have fatal consequences for the animals. In fact, most hedgehogs with internal parasites live in natural balance. However, if he alth problems occur in combination with slimy, green excrement, veterinarians first carry out a stool analysis and only then decide whether to deworm. Giving a drug to wild hedgehogs on suspicion often causes more harm than good. Furthermore, hedgehogs in the wild will quickly catch new parasites anyway.
We actually like hedgehogs. However, a brash, prickly guy defiles our seat every night. Can we drive away the hedgehog?
Hedgehogs are protected wild animals. Among other things, it is forbidden to capture a hedgehog for the purpose of relocation. Please make sure in advance that the “culprit” is actually a hedgehog. Hedgehog droppings are 3-5 centimeters long, shaped like a sausage and dark brown to black. To keep the uninvited guest away from your seat, you should feed your dog or cat indoors from now on, because the food bowls magically attract hungry hedgehogs. A 50 centimeter high fence is also helpful to keep out nocturnal visitors.
Tip
Fresh hedgehog droppings in the winter garden indicate an animal in distress. Hedgehogs that are taken out of hibernation or woken up too early are at risk of starvation. In this exceptional case, feeding is not only permitted, but essential for survival. Set up a cat-safe feeding area until it stops freezing and natural food sources open up.