Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Limited availability due to high demand. Please see our Stock Availability page for more information. Different types of poop Rabbits produce two types of droppings: Fecal pellets.
This is what most people think of when you say rabbit poop. They are small, round balls made up of mainly undigested hay. There will be lots of these to clean up in the hutch, so take the opportunity to see if they look normal. These are not actually poop, but little balls of nutrition that the rabbits will pick from their bottoms and eat again. Similarly, a rabbit who is suffering from degenerative joint problems in the spine, hips, or other areas, may not be able to reach cecotropes easily.
He ends up sitting on some of them, and squashing them into his fur. Arthritis can be treated by your veterinarian. Rabbits, like horses and cattle, are strict herbivores. The rabbit intestine—and its normal bacterial flora—has evolved to feed almost exclusively on grass and herbs. Some rabbits with very sensitive intestines can suffer from runny cecotropes even from commercial pellets.
Fruit, as healthy as it is for humans, can be too much of a good thing for rabbits. The high level of sugar and starch in table fruit makes them too rich for a bunny except as a very small, occasional treat. A diet too rich in digestible starch is one of the most common causes of runny cecotropes in companion rabbits. A rabbit should be fed unlimited grass hay, such as timothy, brome, wheat or oat.
Alfalfa hay is too rich in calories and protein for daily feeding. A rabbit who cannot nibble constantly on high-fiber grass or hay may suffer from a lack of tonus in the gut muscles. Normal peristalsis muscular movements that push food through the gut may become sluggish. A complete and healthy diet is truly key to preventing intestinal problems such as cecal dysbiosis and its associated mushy stool.
When a rabbit is ill, in pain, or is suffering from emotional stress, a typical physiological response is slowing of the normal peristaltic movements of the intestine. This results in cecal dysbiosis, with all the accompanying problems of runny stool, and possible inflammation of the intestinal lining enteritis. Any of these conditions must be diagnosed and treated by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian familiar with such problems and their appropriate treatment.
Until a cryptic health disorder is diagnosed and treated, chronic runny stool will likely persist. But if the condition is not treated, it can progress and eventually result in a potentially life-threatening condition, ileus , or GI stasis, in which peristalsis stops completely. Dried cecotropes stuck to the rear end are not only smelly and uncomfortable, they also attract flies, and can result in life-threatening fly strike.
They are dark brown, almost black, in colour and a coating of mucus gives them a glossy appearance. Rabbits usually produce cecotropes at the same time each day, often at night hence they are sometimes called "night droppings", but in pet rabbits, it is dependent on their daily routine and feeding times.
The rabbit eats them straight from the anus so in a normal situation you will not see them. The only clue that your rabbit is producing them is seeing your rabbit duck its head down under its body and then sit up chewing. A diet too high in carbohydrates, protein, or sugar can upset the balance of bacteria in the caecum causing the production of too many cecotropes. The rabbit ignores these extra dropping as they contain unneeded nutrients and they become stuck in the fur or squished on the floor instead.
This is most commonly a result of too much dry food or too many processed treats. Common antibiotics used to treat coccidia include Albon sulfadimethoxine and the potentiated sulfas, such as Trimethoprim Sulfa TMZ or Bactrim.
However, we have found a more recently developed drug, ponazuril to be far superior to the aforementioned sulfa antibiotics. It eliminates the parasites in a matter of days, rather than weeks. Weight reduction is the answer here, and this is as difficult for rabbits as it is for humans. Eliminating commercial pellets, or at least switching to a high-fiber, low-calorie timothy-based pellet can make a great difference.
Replace any starchy treats with fresh herb treats. And, painful as it may be, exercise is one of the best ways to burn more calories than bunny takes in. As we all should know, that's the bottom line when it comes to slimming down. Arthritis or other Skeletal Disorders Similarly, a rabbit who is suffering from degenerative joint problems in the spine, hips, or other areas, may not be able to reach cecotropes easily. He ends up sitting on some of them, and squashing them into his fur. Arthritis can be treated by your veterinarian.
Dietary Problems Incorrect Diet Rabbits, like horses and cattle, are strict herbivores. The rabbit intestine--and its normal bacterial flora--has evolved to feed almost exclusively on grass and herbs. Some rabbits with very sensitive intestines can suffer from runny cecotropes even from commercial pellets. Fruit, as healthy as it is for humans, can be too much of a good thing for rabbits.
The high level of sugar and starch in table fruit makes them too rich for a bunny except as a very small, occasional treat. A diet too rich in digestible starch is one of the most common causes of runny cecotropes in companion rabbits.
Insufficient Indigestible Fiber A rabbit should be fed unlimited grass hay, such as timothy, brome, wheat or oat.
Alfalfa hay is too rich in calories and protein for daily feeding. A rabbit who cannot nibble constantly on high-fiber grass or hay may suffer from a lack of tonus in the gut muscles. Normal peristalsis muscular movements that push food through the gut may become sluggish.
This causes the passage of food through the cecum to slow down, and the normal rate of bacterial "flushing" from the cecum is disrupted, promoting cecal dysbiosis. The high fiber content of grass hay also helps to "dilute" the starch of other dietary items, and helps to provide a healthy intestinal environment. A complete and healthy diet is truly key to preventing intestinal problems such as cecal dysbiosis and its associated mushy stool.
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