bunny not eating cecals!

[Jamm]

hello all i am new here. my bunny is almost 9 weeks old and his name is Donut. i’ve seen him leave so many cecals around. not only that, but also flat dark-coloured poo! do you know what it is and why he poops all this? i’ve come home and seen at least 3 cecals lying around and 4 flat shaped poop!

i’ve been feeding him pellets, hay and some mix (i bought it from the store,a nd there is no food colouring etc). i need some advice. is it bad to see all this kind of poops?

oh, he also poops normally.

help! 

[jerseygirl]

Welcome! Donut is a cute name!!

By “mix” are you meaning a feed with grains, seeds and maybe corn etc? Or a hay mix? If you are feeding him a grain/seed mix, start by removing that from his diet. Their digestive systems are delicate and these foods are to rich in carbohydrates. He may be eating his cecals but over producing them and you’re seeing the excess. Young rabbit should be on a unlimited pellet diet (alfalfa based) that is quite rich but it’s important to choose a good quality pellet. Under 3% fat and a good fibre content (over 20%?).

It would be a good idea to get him seen by the vet and have his poop tested for parasites. Coccodia is a common one in young rabbits. Diet changes alone won’t help if he’s harbouring a nasty bug.

[RachelB]

Babies (up to 7 months) diet should consist of unlimited pellets (alfalfa based), unlimited alfalfa hay, and water…. thats it! Their tummies are very sensitive so no treats, no veggies, no extras. When he gets to be about 5-7 months you can start the transition to timothy based pellets and hay, and then begin to introduce veggies (do it slowly just one new veggie per week- to see how he reacts).

What is in the “mix” that you are feeding him? My guess is that there is something too rich in it that is causing his tummy to be upset. A agree with jerseygirl also to get him to the vet and have his poo tested. Parasites are hard to get rid of if you let them go too long (and they can in extreme circumstances be deadly).

I have seen a stray cecal or two from my bunnies every once in a while (maybe once every other week). But the stray ones might be because they got startled or interupted when they were eating them. Because you are seeing them so often I would think that there is a diet or medical issue.

I hope donut feels better soon!!! Welcome to the forum!

[Sarita]

Yes, I would just keep him on the pellets (a good quality timothy pellet is fine) and hay – you absolutely can use a grass hay like timothy but if your pellet is timothy based give them some fresh alfalfa.

You will probably want to wait at least 12 weeks to start on any vegetables (under 1/2 oz).

I would nix the mix too.

Keep their diet simple.

[Sarita]

Also as Jersey stated it would be wise to get a fecal test from the vet to check for any parasites.

[Jamm]

thanks for all the replies!
i’ve changed donut’s diet to just pellets and hay. will be visiting the vet soon to check if he is sick!

[Beka27]

Once his poops become more normal, you can start to introduce veggies. Sarita said 12 weeks, and that’s a good guideline. I would NOT wait several months to introduce veggies because that can make the bun more picky later on, and veggies are an important part of their diet, more so than pellets. After the basic diet gets on track, begin by introducing very “easy” veggies, like romaine lettuce or parsley. Just a small amount at a time. We can help you further if you have more concerns about the right way to do that.

[Jamm]

thanks a lot everyone, i’ve been seeing less cecals lying around here and there as time passes
so far only once since i’ve changed his diet!

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