The excessive cecotropes issue

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This topic has 3sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 5 months ago by LBJ10.

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- 10/01/2018 at 2:09 PM
  Danbao
  Participant
  8 posts
  Hey Everyone!
  
  My bunny Dumbo is three months old, and I’ve had him for a few weeks now. One issue he’s been having is excessive cecotropes. I read that bunnies have that problem because they eat too many pellets, so I tried to control his pellet for a few days. He still had some extra ones but not a big issue. Then we went to the vet for annual check and I asked the vet about this problem. She didn’t seem to think this is a big issue. She said baby bunnies like Dumbo should be given unlimited pellets, and the excessive cecotropes might be because he’s still learning how to be a bunny. So I started to give him more pellets, about 1/2 cup per day. It was fine for a couple days, but now he starts to have more excessive cecotropes. I’ve seen him eating them, but he’s just always producing more than he’s willing to eat. Sometimes these stick to Dumbo’s feet and stomach (not too bad though, he cleans himself pretty quick). Also, this only occurs during day time. Every time I check his cage in the morning there’s very few cecotropes.
  
  So I’m just wondering, should I control his pellet again, or is there anything else I should try? Everyday he’s having a bit less than 1/2 cup alfalfa based young rabbit pellets, timothy hay with some Oxbow’s botanic garden hay and orchard hay, and about one piece of romaine lettuce.
  
  Thank you!
- 10/01/2018 at 5:12 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5834 posts
  For pellets, it’s more so making sure hay is being eaten and not having a too pellet-focused diet. Early on, it’s important to start instilling good eating habits. Baby rabbits can eat too many pellets because they’re scrumptious and from that get excess cecotropes, get overweight, and learn to NOT eat hay, which can be detrimental to gut, teeth, and general health.
  
  You could potentially switch to Timothy based pellets. Wick was on them quite early on because he was getting too much calcium from the alfalfa.
  
  That being said, if hay diet is good and such, I’m unsure if excess cecotropes is necessarily bad for health. It is more an indication of an off balance diet. But again, if you’re concerned and your rabbit’s body is showing signs that alfalfa is giving excessive nutrients, then maybe switching to Timothy pellets may help!
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 10/03/2018 at 10:44 AM
  Danbao
  Participant
  8 posts
  Thank you, Wick! Now that you mentioned, I realized that the issue probably occurred right after we completely switched him from his old pellets from the breeder to the new Oxbow young rabbit pellets. I don’t know if the breeder’s pellets are timothy based, cause she told me these are not retail pellets and don’t have a brand, but it’s true that things were better during the transition, so maybe he’s just getting more alfalfa than before. I’ll definitely try to make a slow transition to Timothy based pellets and see if that helps.
  
  Thanks again!!
- 10/04/2018 at 6:01 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17228 posts
  Excess cecotropes in young rabbits is quite common. It’s caused by their rich diet (alfalfa). Generally, it isn’t anything to worry about as long as they are eating everything they should and they are not getting poopy butt issues. The problem usually resolves itself when they are transitioned to an adult diet. You can give Timothy pellets at this age and just supplement with alfalfa hay if you would like.
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