Hi, me and my sister have noticed that our Hamster is constantly eating his poop. We change the cages regularly and we do have food for him. Should i leave him alone? Or is this some sign that he is getting sick?
2007-02-28 08:29:33 · 3 answers · asked by ? 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Coprophagy is the term used to when a hamster eats its own feces. In hamsters, this is completely normal and necessary. Believe it or not, vitamin deficiencies or digestive problems can actually be caused when a hamster can't eat its own feces.
A portion of the hamster's large intestine is responsible for digesting cellulose from plant fibers and producing vitamins B and K. Unlike the small intestine though, this portion of the large intestine does not absorb the vitamins and nutrients it produces. Instead, the nutrients are formed into small, soft pellets/feces. The passing/excreting of these pellets triggers an immediate response in the hamster's brain and it will hunch over and eat these pellets as they are passed. When the ingested pellets/feces pass through the small intestine for the second time, the nutrients and vitamins are finally able to be absorbed.
-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com
2007-02-28 23:54:27 · answer #1 · answered by radiocricket 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hamsters are rodents so they have a different digestive system from ours. They make two different types of poops, one of which they are supposed to eat. While gross, it's actually healthy for them so don't worry about him. Rabbits do it too.
2007-02-28 17:40:24 · answer #2 · answered by Pea 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he may not be getting enough nutrition from his food. give him a diet of straight lab blocks for a couple of days and see if it stops.
2007-03-01 01:19:54 · answer #3 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋