Possibly it could be – what types of greens are you feeding him? It could most likely be the beginning of a problem. My rabbits who have had sludge rarely urinate like this though but I do think it is something to be concerned about.

Hi Kittsbuns, can you list the diet of your rabbit for us?  This is something that should be treated by a qualified rabbit veterinarian so you might want to call the vet and let them know what is happening.  It is cause for concern and should be looked at right away.  Like Osprey said, it is something to be concerned about and I want to add that often it is from too much calcium in the diet. Here are a few things about it:

Bladder Stones and Bladder Sludge in Rabbits

Bladder Stones and Bladder Disease in the Rabbit

Please let us know what the vet says!

Hi,

I wouldn’t worry too much. Sludge is not always a major health ailment. It’s primarily a build up of calcium and if left untreated and undetected for too long it can cause stones, but if this is just happening occasionally and the rabbit is not straining to urinate it should be fine although I would still have your rabbit checked out. I know a lot of people will think what I am saying is totally incorrect since the vet is always the first port of call when it comes to bladder sludge, but my vet has done extensive research into sludge and I have to risk it with one of mine because he has to be on a high calcium diet due to bone abnormalities. Of course there is a big difference between true bladder sludge and passing thick urine which is what I think you are describing.

Do the pellets you feed him say how much calcium is in them?  Are they alfalfa based or timothy based pellets?

Charlie, I agree that bladder sludge is not always a major health ailment however it can be and it is best to be safe and have a vet check it out first and then you know and if it has been diagnosed as too much calcium, one knows what to do to prevent it. I do appreciate your input and thanks for being there to give others such helpful information!

I would also always take my bunny to the vet if I thought they had true sludge… I think the way I wrote my post came out all wrong! I have had rabbits with sludge so can tell the difference between sludge and the calcium that is deposited when my rabbits have eaten too many calcium enriched foods. I always find calcium deposits in the corners of my trays but again that is due to the diet I have to feed. I just didn’t want Kittsbuns to worry too much…but I would always see the vet first

Charlie, Is that sludge you are talking about looks like white wee dried up on the bottome of a litter tray?

I have seen that on mine but didn’t think anything of it.

Hi,

Yes that is what I was refering too 🙂 That is just the excess calcium that is excreted because the body can’t absorb it. Sludge is a very thick substance that has a grainy texture and isn’t at all like the stuff you find in your tray, it doesn’t look like urine either. If you start to see a lot of the chalky white stuff then you need to assess your rabbits diet. A lot of greens such as Kale, Parsley, brocolli have a very high calcium content so should be fed sparingly.  Alfalfa  and alfalfa based pellets are also high in calcium so they should also be given carefully  to bunnies.  What you are talking about is nothing to worry about though!

Yeah, the bladder sludge buns I’ve had have not had this type of urine. Alot of it has to do with lack of exercise too. Sludge can be the cause of so many things – most people don’t really understand sludge.

I agree….

I think mine is down to the fact that I have to give high calcium enriched foods for two of my bunnies..they aren’t caged and have a lot of space to run and binky….not that they do very often because they are two very lazy boys!! prefer to go and stalk the other rabbits out in their pens. Teddy is prone to true sludge but thankfully it doesn’t happen too often.

I currently have a rabbit with sludge problems – we are just doing sub-q’s right now.   He’s not very active either. 

This is a very interesting comment from Dana Krempel’s on bladder sludge rabbits:

en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/BLADDER-PROBLEM.htm

I’ve always been meaning to ask my vet about this too.  I’ve also heard from another vet that Californian rabbits are prone to Bladder Sludge – maybe that’s what she see’s alot in her practice but I wonder since my current bladder sludge bun is some type of Californian mix and my Brando who has gone to the bridge and had horrible bladder problems was a Californian.

That’s really interesting….. my vet has never made the connection between bone abnormalities and bladder sludge. Teddy who has had bouts of  real sludge does require regular dentals for spurs, but we always put his sludge down to his lack of water intake (he rarely if ever drinks water).

Thumper who uses the same litter tray and excretes quite a lot of calcium has a very poor jaw bone. It’s meant he has had to have molars removed because the bone surrounding the teeth is damaged. I don’t know what his prognosis is since they are virtually crumbling away but for the moment he is a very happy bunny and has never had a problem eating. I wonder if this also is related?