small poops won't go away! no other symptoms

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 7sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 3 months ago by RoyalElvira.

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- 01/08/2013 at 9:44 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Hi all! I’m writing to ask for help with a puzzling issue of small poops, interspersed with normal ones, lasting for weeks with no other symptoms.
  
  Our two four-year-old bunnies, Athena and Teddy, have been sometimes having small poops, mixed in with normal ones, for many weeks now. Generally the small ones have been just maybe 2/3 the normal diameter, but this morning I found two dozen even smaller poops (1/2 diameter) in one litterbox (with normal to smallish ones in the other litterbox next to it), making me worry that right now one bunny is worse off (I don’t know which, but will be keeping an eye out!). We were on vacation for three days last week and our rabbit-savvy petsitter (she works at a bunny shelter) wasn’t concerned, but I am getting worried now.
  
  The good news is that both bunnies have seemed normal throughout this time. They have a great appetite, eating lots of both greens and hay, drinking water, and also eating their pellets. They also get plenty of exercise, and almost every night they choose to race around our living room exploring and doing binkies. I haven’t seen any hunching behavior; they both seem like their normal selves, and I can’t feel any abdominal tightness although maybe I’m missing it.
  
  I have seen just one or two very stringy poops. I put down an indoor/outdoor carpet in their room to protect the very expensive carpet below (we’re renting), but now they are eating that. How can I prevent this? I just don’t want it to make them sick.
  
  I’m thinking I should try decreasing pellets and offering more greens and pushing more hay. Does that sound right? Should I try simethicone? Any other suggestions? They do get Oxbow papaya tablets once a day.
  
  Also, I’m way overdue to clip their nails! Could that be a factor? Now I’m too scared to since I don’t want to stress them out while their health is iffy.
  
  Thank you so much!!!!
  
  p.s. I should note that both bunnies saw the dentist a few months ago, and I’d be surprised if this were a dental problem. They should be set right now. And they also eat the yummy willow wreaths with foliage, so they eat those twigs a lot.
- 01/08/2013 at 10:33 AM
  peppypoo
  Participant
  1945 posts
  Do you know if both bunnies are producing the small poops? Do they happen to be shedding right now?
- 01/08/2013 at 10:51 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  I don’t know for sure, but I think that it’s been both of them a little bit, but right now I’m guessing one is worse (since I saw all those very small poops all together). They’re not really shedding (Athena was a little but is done now), but they are tearing up the carpet. I don’t care about the carpet but don’t want them to get sick!!
  
  Thanks!
- 01/08/2013 at 1:21 PM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  Stringy poos are an indicator that a bunny could be shedding. They are ingesting their fur when they clean themselves and thus may need to be groomed
- 01/08/2013 at 2:29 PM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Thanks all! Update: I think it’s Teddy who isn’t feeling well! He did eat a little hay this morning, but he didn’t show any interest in pellets at lunchtime. At one point I thought he was sitting in a hunched position :/ but I may have been mistaken, and I feel like he’s been hiding a little more than usual. (Sometimes he sits like that right after he’s been up on his back legs.) My boyfriend saw him all stretched out on his tummy (back feet stretched out), so that’s good. In the last hour he’s mostly been in a “bunny boat” position.
  
  What can I do? Is there any way to entice a bunny to take simethicone, without forcefeeding? Teddy is a very independent-minded young man and rarely lets me pet him, and I don’t want to stress him out by having to catch him.
  
  Thanks again!
- 01/09/2013 at 10:59 PM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Great news! Teddy and Athena both seem healthy again!! They’ve both been playing and lounging comfortably today, and eating with gusto, and there are the most beautiful big poops in the litterbox!!! Along with a couple 3/4 size, but I’ll take it.
  
  Thank you all so much!!! If you have healthy, happy bunnies, what more could you ask for in life? (:
- 01/13/2013 at 8:35 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Oops, I spoke too soon! The bunnies still seem happy, but the on-again-off-again small poops have continued. A few days ago the normal poops were just mixed with 3/4-sized ones. Last night after I changed their litterboxes their poops were all nice and big, but this morning there were more of those *plus* some tiny (1/2-sized) ones, some of which were weird shapes (but not quite small enough to be cecotropes). No pearl poops.
  
  It really has been at least a month now, if not more, that they’ve had these inconsistent poops. What can I do??
  
  Thank you so much!
- 01/13/2013 at 9:41 AM
  RoyalElvira
  Participant
  86 posts
  I just had the same problem. I noticed the small poops and some strung together with hair. Yesterday, Elvira was very uncomfortable, not eating or drinking, and I ended up having to take her to the vet.
  
  Here is what I read that might help:
  
  If you notice that your rabbit’s feces are strung with hair, smaller than usual or not uniform in shape and size there are several things you can do before getting extra-concerned and calling your vet:
  INCREASE rabbit’s fiber intake: offer her a variety of fresh hays. Change or add hay frequently throughout the day to encourage bunny to investigate and munch.
  DECREASE pellets for a day or two to encourage a hungry bunny to eat more hay (fiber).
  INCREASE produce. Rinse it and offer bunny wetter veggies to encourage water consumption..
  INCREASE water consumption to help hydrate impacted gut:
  offer your rabbit water in a crock as well as water bottle; crocks offer rabbits a more natural way of consuming water, which may encourage them to drink more;
  add a small amount of sugar free fruit juice, such as apple, grape or (our choice) Gerber’s baby “Apple Carrot” juice to the water for a day or two (change water frequently to avoid spoilage) and make sure to ask your vet about the use of fruit juice for each rabbit/case;
  some rabbits will even drink a V-8/water mixture!
  INCREASE your rabbit’s exercise routine. If this is a “caged” rabbit, get her out to run around your house (supervised) for several hours a day. Often just getting the body going will motivate the gut to function better.
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