The Neater Sex? - 2005/10/11 00:35Recently someone told me that female guinea pigs and hamsters seem to be slightly cleaner then males. So I was pondering this as I was cleaning my hedgehog cages tonight and paying particular attention to who had the messier cage and who's cage seemed to be fairly clean.
Well, my males seem to have won the contest, hands down. They seemed to have the least poop smudged on their quills and stuck to their feet. There seemed to be less poop in their cages when compared to my unbred females.
Am I just nuts (that's rhetorical) or has anyone else noticed the same thing. I'd like to hear other opinions, both from other breeders and from owners (even if you only have one hedgehog).Kelly Sosik-Hamor Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. | Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. | Hedgehog World - A Community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders
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dzmeadows
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/10/11 08:54I don't know, honestly.... my females typically live in at least pairs, so it would be understandable that they would get slightly grubbier. I think a lot of it depends on the individual hedgehog... I have some males that I would swear tend to wear the nastiest contents of their cages as badges of honor, while others that are horribly offended if they even have a dirty toe nail. Ditto for the girls. Becca
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nannyogg
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/10/12 22:22My observations have been similar to yours, Kelly I have more neatnik boys than girls. But, I have definitely had some grubby boys and neat girls over the years, too.
Tig
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robosonic
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/10/14 17:26All my boy Aragorn needs is the occasional foot washing.Pets: Timmy (M, neutered) and Smokey (F, spayed) the maine coon and something else rescue cats. Aureus (Unknown) the goldfish. Pepper (F) and Briar (M) the hissing cockroaches.
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Tavimh
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/11/08 16:03I'd have to say the cages are about equally dirty come cleaning time, but I know that Gilligan will sit and groom his fur to keep it all clean and neat. I've never seen Gidgit do that...then again maybe he just wants to avoid *dundunduuuun* the bath!
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illinidairychic
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/11/08 16:22I've got one male and one female that will actually groom themselves. I've got a pic of the female cleaning her toes which is below I have noticed in general my males are a bit cleaner except for my bandit who is an inspiring poop artist and adores smearing it all over the walls. I'm going to go with males in general but there is always that odd ball out there.
Post edited by: illinidairychic, at: 2005/11/08 16:22
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Stasi
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2005/11/08 21:42With the occasional exception; I've definitely noted more neatnik males than females. Also, I've had more comments by new owners that their boy was easy to litter train. It's an interesting observation really -- if you think about it, in the wild both sexes are going to be travelling great distances -- but one would think that the males are more likely to travel outside of known territory in search of females - who might be a bit more likely to stay close to known territory where they have nest sites and know food sources. Of course, these are hedgehogs, so them being the opposite of what makes sense (at least to me) is just standard behavior. Stasi Terrapin Hedgehogs Joppa, MD www.terrapinhedgehogs.com
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aislinsadia
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/05/29 10:38My girl Cotton is definitely messy... Crap is all over the wheel in the morning, so much so that I had to switch wheels because it was so hard to scrub off every day without ruining the running surface! I am trying to litter train her, but it seems she doesn't like getting off the wheel to go to the bathroom >.<*~*Steph*~* Cotton, Noodles & Cocoa (hedgehogs), Kuruku & Kimiko (kittens), Sushi & Lily (Ryukin Goldfish), Rosy & Ruby (beagle sisters), Aries & Artemis (fancy guppies), Archie & Rocky (African Dwarf Frogs), and Squiggles (Blue Mystery Snail)
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zorra578
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/05/29 12:15I got my little Quentin from illinidairychic and he seems to be very neat too. I wonder if he ever grooms his little feets too, because he rarely ever needs a footie bath. hehe But usually very neat, no poop anywhere but around the wheel and very easily litter trained though he doesn't have his litter box in his cage at the time being.Jessica Des Plaines, IL
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ME_me_ya
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/05/29 18:21My little coco seems pretty neat but she is really messy...well on on side of her cage. She has a perfectly clean cage but in one quarter of her cage is just plain nasty.( thats where her wheel is so...)
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Julie Pierce
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/05/29 18:52My females are far messier than my boys. Poop everywhere and lots of it in the girls cages.Julie Pierce Pierce's Pogs http://www.piercespogs.com
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hedgieparadise
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/05/29 21:46I've got 2 boys, and my bigger one Maddox is definitely much neater. My smaller one Zephyr is a total MESS...his home looks HORRIBLE the day after I deep clean it. And he seems to have perpetual POOPIE BOOTS, whereas Maddox is much more fastidious. Maybe Zephyr thinks he's a girl.....Proud mommie to Zephyr!!
myspace.com/ladyjaect
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jick
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/01 15:27Oh man, this thread just completely swayed my preference. I was originally planning on getting a girl buy now... I'm seriously reconsidering. Since we're on the boys vs. girls topic maybe some of you would care to comment further?
I've started a post... Boys or Girls? And I'd love to hear what everyone has to say.Check out Ham's Blog !
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clutterbuster
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/01 17:10I've had two boys and two girls and it's an even split. Rambo was messy, Max is very neat and poops on the papertowel at the base of his wheel. Pippi was pretty neat and easy to clean up where Paprika requires a footy soak and a wheel scrubbing every morning... not to mention a total bin cleaning and wipe out from wherever she has poop mashed about.
so, don't pick your hedgie based on which sex is neater, Ann is right - it depends on the individual hedgie.
if you are making a choice and already have a hedgie - I would recommend getting the same sex. I have found their dispositions are not determined by their sex. But same sex just uncomplicates things. Don't house them together, but it will make it easier if you have to put them on the same surface for a minute - you can't do that with different sexes for you will be tempting a quickie!
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voodewlady
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/01 17:21I have a female hedgie and she is never really dirty. She poops in the same area and her feet are not dirty very often. I am wanting to get another female in the next few months. I am hedgie addicted!!! ~Erin~ ~Lives in the land of OZ~ Ms. Pickles the hedgehog Mischa the ferret Sydney the dapple dachshund
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CandJ327
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/01 18:20Ava is a poop monster! I've only ever had her.
On the good side of things, she poops and pees only on her wheel and in her litter pan... HOWEVER, it is everywhere in that corner of the cage.
And grand master puffly poop paws comes by her nick name honestly. But we give her a foot soak and occasionally let her swim in the bath tub which she seems to enjoy (even though she doesn't like it if we actually give her a bath when soap is involved )
Wait a minute!... I just had an epiphony. I believe both of Ava's parents came from Hamor Hollow originally. MAYBE HH females just naturally have a messy gene!
Post edited by: CandJ327, at: 2007/10/01 18:23Ava's mom!
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hookedonhogs
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/01 23:27Hagrid took to his litterbox almost immediately. I rarely find a stray poo outside the litter area, but he always goes dashing to the left side of his wheel when he needs to go. He sometimes stops wheeling to go in the litter, but not often enough that I don't have a poopy wheel to clean every day! He seems to be very clean, but I've never had a female to compare...Abbey, Lafayette, Indiana. http://www.myspace.com/thehogspot -Hagrid's Myspace Page! Mom to 1 hedgie (Hagrid) and 1 mini schnauzer (Rudy)
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luvshedgies
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/02 18:58Yeah my girls are messy little piggies, messier than most of my boys with the exception of EggNoodle who needs a bath weekly to clean the poop off of his head and all i have to do is look at his wheel to know how it gets there..dirty little hog!~Blessed Be~ Alison and a house full of hogs. Love my hoggies: Clementine, Supernova, Ravina, Bathsheba, Gideon, Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Ziggy Stardust, Monochrome, iPod, EggNoodle, A-La-Mode,Pixel,Chloris,Gadget, Caviar Dreams,Pepper, Barbie, & Ansii. Bodha Lei the pooch and cats: Persephone & Seuss http://www.myspace.com/vlinderbug
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Kristyn
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/04 01:04Tessie keeps everything contained to her wheel and the surrounding area. I have caught her cleaning from time to time. Not sure how she is in comparison, but she seems to do a decent job on her own.Kristyn (Tessie and Tabatha (a.k.a. Tabby)) Medford, MA
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pricklesnquills
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/07 12:40I have had 2 girls & 2 boys. Millie is a very clean little hedgie, she ALWAYS uses her litter box & she doesn't normally poop on her wheel. Teddie is fairly clean, but his wheel is a wreck every morning. Tiggie is a messy little girl. Ollie was fairly clean, but Millie wins hands down!Emily Prickles N' Quills Hedgehogs Breeding for Excellent Health, Personality & Color Charlotte, NC www.pricklesnquills.webs.com
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Luvin_Hedgies
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/07 13:32When we had a male and a female, our female was BY FAR the cleaner one lol. Roxy would 100% use her litter box and needed a liner change only once a week, even as an 8 week old baby.
Marty, he needs his liner changed every 2 days or so. He's hit or miss with his litter box. He also makes a HUGE mess when he eats, crumbs everywhere.~LiSa~
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baaaad_kitty
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Re:The Neater Sex? - 2007/10/11 01:52Penelope.... it depends on her mood, i think. there are some days when i find poop anywhere, and some days, the poop is only in one corner of her cage. but one time, she slept on a poop. gross! had to scrub it off her quillsKatherine Y shoe obsessed philophy major who loooooves her birdies! and Penelope the hedgie!
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Hedgehog Forums 
I have noticed in general my males are a bit cleaner except for my bandit who is an inspiring poop artist and adores smearing it all over the walls. I'm going to go with males in general but there is always that odd ball out there. 
He seems to be very clean, but I've never had a female to compare...
