Bun’s New Diet Is Working !

[Dee]

Thank you to all of you who gave me advice on solutions for Bun’s poopy butt problem. After BunBun’s fecal test came back clear, I finally got tough and really stuck to a strict diet for BunBun. I stopped giving him all greens/fruits for a day or two (can’t remember) and his PB cleared right up. I have been able to add VERY small amounts of parsley and green Swiss Chard back to his menu. He even gets 4 little pieces of apple and 2 pieces of banana at bedtime- we’re talking pieces about half the size of a marble. He gets a few springs of parsley and a small piece of a Swiss Chard leaf twice daily, and 2 tsp of pellets daily. In a few days I will try adding cilantro or maybe dandelion greens (such a small amount probably won’t contribute too much calcium I hope?).

  The key seems to be moderation for BunBun. Before this, I had a bowl for the greens that was 12″ across and 3″ deep which I FILLED to the brim at least twice every day, giving refills in between. Since BunBun is only about 4 lbs and Nelli 5 lbs, that was a LOT of greens! Because of this, neither bunny drank water because they got all their fluid from greens. I’m thinking this could have brought on Bun’s bladder sludge. Rather than getting the fluid he needed to keep his urine diluted and his body hydrated from pure water, he got his fluid from greens- very calcium rich greens, before his UTI.  Now he drinks water quite often- and I saw Nelli drink water for the 1st time EVER last week!  They are also eating tons of hay now, and Bun’s poops are way bigger than before, which is great since they used to get alarmingly small. And there has been no stinky bunny bum or poop smeared on furniture or floors- woohoo! Finally this problem has been solved  

[Sarita]

That’s great! Sometimes it’s a matter of trial and error. What works for one rabbit may not be the solution for another rabbit.

[jerseygirl]

You must be so relieved! It may have felt like tough love but the result (PB Free!) is so worth it.

[Dee]

Yes, I am SO relieved. You’re right, Jerseygirl, I felt like the meanest bunny mummy ever when BunBun would sit staring pathetically and racing at me every time I opened a bag of anything in the kitchen, but I’m glad I didn’t give in. I felt awful for poor Nelli though- she never gets PB but she had to suffer right alongside BunBun. He’s way too alert to not notice me sneaking Nelli treats!

Sarita, that’s very true… the menu I listed for BunBun might be completely useless for another bunny, just like somebunnies can eat anything and be fine (like my Nelli). I also think that a very important step in solving a poopy butt problem is getting the fecal test at the vet’s. I put it off for a long time (I have no idea why) but then I realized that I had to find out if anything was wrong- all the diet changes in the world probably wouldn’t help if BunBun had a parasite or other issue.

[Tate]

Yay! It’s all about moderation. My Fievel’s PB came back this morning… amazing what a few extra leave of spinach/maybe 10 extra pellets a day will do to him.
Good job being a great bunny momma!

[Author]

Messages