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Forum DIET & CARE Poop/Cecotropes

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    • daisy
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        Is it possible for a rabbit to produce too many cecal pellets? I think Daisy is or she isn’t eating all of them is this bad? Will she be missing nutrients because of this? I saw her actually eating them yesterday and then she spit a decent amount back out of her mouth and then she just smelled it. She never did eat them again. I left them on the floor for a while to see if she would come back and she didn’t . I think this is what is wrong with her poop. Any ideas?

         


      • osprey
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          Bunnies can produce excess cecals if they are fed a diet that is too rich in calories or if their diet does not have enough fiber.  They also sometimes produce cecals and then do not eat them if they are stressed in some way.  What kind of diet is this bunny eating?  Have there been any upsetting changes lately in her environment?

           


        • skunklionshow
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            I adjusted Jessica’s diet b/c she was producing too many cecotropes.  I tend to follow alot of the Binky’s dietary recommendations:

            small bowl of pellets in the morning/day

            access to hay all the time…but she’s not a big hay eater.

            fresh veggies in the evening and during the overnight (Kale, Swiss Chard, Asst. Greens, carrot, radishes). 

            She also gets occasional treats…no more than 1 tbps/day.  Sometimes a little more, b/c its the only time I get Jessica love!  She likes dried cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and some tree nuts.

            Since I’ve gotten less lazy w/ her veggies and decreased her pellets…her cecals have gotten to be somewhat normal.


          • Deleted User
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              Oh glad to hear Jessica is doing much better.

              I had a similar situation with my bunny Sprinkles … she was doing so many her pen floor was covered in cecotropes. I would see her eat half of one and then the other bit would drop on the floor and she would not bother with it.

              I have ceased all treats (not that she was getting many before), including apple, carrot and now she just has unlimited hay (which she enjoys), small amount of pellets and a few selected greens in the evening. To start off with I had to eliminate all greens and pellets, until I saw an improvement and then I slowly introduced a few greens.

              Her cecals are now so much better and her pen is much easier to clean up!


            • daisy
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                Daisy is only 10 weeks old so I have been giving unlimited timothy hay based pellets and unlimited timothy hay. I had changed her pellets because I thought since they were alfalfa based they may be too much for her. At this point she doesn’t get any veggies and I will cut out all treats but she may get one a day and its small, I would put one in the litterbox in the living room for her. Maybe I will try no pellets and just hay and see if she gets better. How long do I need to eliminate pellets to see a change in her poop? Thanks for all the help.


              • daisy
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                  And she hasn’t had any change lately, her poop has been this way since I got her though. And the weird thing is she has normal fecal pellets and produces a good bit of these and then she may have a fecal pellet and then mushy poop.


                • Deleted User
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                    Daisy must be a twin to Sprinkles … as I have the same problem … that is why I have had to drop all treats. Sprinkles did not have any pellets for 3 days, just a hay diet and she hated me for it. All my others were being fed their greens and she was missing out … I felt terrible, but it was the only way it was going to work.

                    I slowly introduced a tablespoon of pellets after the third day (she was starved) and of course they were scoffed down. She was doing ok so after a few days I offered her one green .. things were still ok, but she does have her odd days even now. I basically give her unlimited hay, a few tablespoons of pellets in the morning and a few greens for the evening … I generally stick to the same greens as I have found they have not caused too much trouble. I give Sprinkles a chinese brocolli type green (the green leafier the better I’ve been advised by binkybunny), which I always look for now. Bok Choy upsets her tummy so I have eliminated that green out of her diet. NO TREATS whatsoever … even the smallest piece of apple was causing problems … so better to be save than sorry in my case …

                    I know its very frustrating … but we do it for our furry faces’ own good (even though they don’t know that!).

                    Check out this website (if you haven’t already). Its great reading and has some interesting and knowledgeable facts.

                    http://www.rabbit.org/care/index.html

                    I will post to the forum leaders about your issue and they will be able to advise you with their expertise.

                    Dawn
                    xx


                  • Gravehearted
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                      I’d be a bit hesitant to cut out the pellets entirely – since it can be a shock to her system and she’s also very young and needs the nutrients. i would cut out all the treats and see if that helps. maybe just try limited her pellets to see if that helps. i just want to ensure that she’s taking in enough food to grow and be healthy.

                      Also, your pellets don’t have any fruit or colored bits at all do they?

                      If the cecotropes she’s leaving are well-formed and not mushy, then I would not worry too much. As Osprey mentioned, buns getting a diet very rich in protein and/or digestible carbohydrates may leave cecotropes. But if she’s acting fine, is eating well, and producing large, normal fecal and cecal pellets, then I wouldn’t be too concerned.


                    • daisy
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                        She acts fine all the time, always happy. Her pellets do not have any colored bits and the treats I was using were from the food I used to use that had the color pieces in them. right now she is eating unlimited pellets waht do you suggest I cut down to for now and should I increase it back up? Also I cut out alfalfa hay because I thought this might be the problem, should I try to slowly incorporate it back in or just leave it out totally? Also she has normal fecal pellets and then the cecal type pellets right after the normal fecal and she just doesnt eat them. She does eat some because I see her eat them and drop some. Sometimes it is droppings that look more like little doggie poop, it varies. I thought about taking pictures of it. I just want her to be healthy and I have researched and researched and this is the best place for more specific info. Thanks


                      • skunklionshow
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                          You may want to speak w/ your vet….

                          Many vets recommend no fresh veggies for baby buns b/c of food sensitivities & uncleanliness of fresh veggies.  Jess still has the occasional cecal drama…w/ the big doggie/kittie looking poops.  But I would say I saw a change after the first week w/ consistency of her new diet.

                          Good Luck!


                        • Deleted User
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                            I should have mentioned that Sprinkles is 4 years old … I probably confused you … Apologies.

                            You Daisy is only a bub so limiting/omitting pellets from her diet is not a good thing. You are doing a good job with Daisy …

                            Dawn
                            xx


                          • Gravehearted
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                              Daisy, cecal pellets look a bit like a cluster of grapes. Hay doesn’t cause diarrhea, so i would make sure to keep offering hay. it’s the single most important thing in a bunny’s diet, so i would make sure she always has it.. Any idea how many pellets she’s eating daily? maybe switch to a bowl that’s a lil smaller to encourage her to eat the hay.


                            • daisy
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                                She seems to be eating hay, maybe she should eat more. She eats probably half a cup of pellets a day, maybe 3/4 on an unusual day. Do you have any idea when a mini lop will weigh 2 pounds. Thats how much she has to weigh before they will spay her.


                              • BinkyBunny
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                                  The House Rabbit Diet Guidelines is a good place to start as far as what should be fed. Adjustments can be made according to what’s going on with your bunny, but at least the link  is a good place to start

                                  http://rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

                                  and here are the trial and errors I went through with my own bunnies: https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=60

                                   

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                              Forum DIET & CARE Poop/Cecotropes