Can’t find rabbit poop?

[Winterbunnies]

I took my new buns to the vet yesterday, they received their vaccinations (behaving very well!) and checked out to be all fine (except a little overweight) But one thing I’ve noticed is that I can’t seem to spot any rabbit poop! They’re eating the veggies I gave them, though they don’t seem to be interested in hay at all (the previous owner didn’t gave them any, I started giving them hay today), drinking, and their pee seemed normal. They also seem pretty happy as they’re always hopping around or cuddling up with one another!

I’ve thoroughly searched their hutch & bedding (an x pen is on it’s way~), but can’t see anything that resembles bunny poop. I have a suspicion that they might have done their business in some spot in the yard (I let them roam free for most of the day in good weather), or buried it somewhere that’s impossible to find. 

How can I tell them to poo in a particular spot? Is it even possible? I read that many people litter train their bunnies by putting some of their poop in the litter so the bunny gets the idea, but what if I can’t find any poop in the first place? ^^”

I’d also like to check their poop to see if the change in diet is okay (they stopped getting horse food and started receiving bunny food from me). From what I saw in the box that I found them in, they were being fed only horse food and carrots! Lots of whole carrots! No wonder they are overweight! Now I’ve cut back on the carrots, but how can I make them try hay?

 

[Hazel]

Cutting back on carrots and other “treat” items will get them to eat hay. It’s like a child getting to choose between ice cream and veggies When they are hungry enough they’ll give the hay a try. How much rabbit pellets are you feeding them now? What kind? (You don’t want rabbit food that has all kinds of seeds and colorful stuff in it, that’s junk food. You want pellets only) Rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pellets for 6 lbs of body weight. Since you said they are a little overweight I would go for the lesser amount. If you feed them together make sure that one doesn’t pig out and eats most of it himself.

I wouldn’t recommend letting them free roam in the yard all day, it’s not safe. And as you saw for yourself, there’s no way for you to check on their poops, which is MAJORLY important since poop is often the first indicator of illness. They will never be successfully littertrained that way either. The only way to do it is to get them inside and THEN littertrain.

 

Good luck

[Elrohwen]

If they are free range in a grassy yard, it could be hard to find poo, but I’m sure you’ll see some eventually if they are pooping. This is one important reason why having rabbits indoors for most of the time is good – you can spot issues like not pooping that you may miss if they are outside.

I’d bring them inside for a couple days and keep an eye on them that way to make sure they’re healthy.

[Author]

Messages