Can’t tell if this is actual sludge or product of absorptions/evaporation?

[Brea+Bax]

Hey all…

Baxter recently showed an interest in digging in the cat’s litter boxes, so I experimented with making a box of Carefresh for him. He loves it, but naturally he is now using it as his litter box. Other than this new addition to his existing boxes, he has always used a layered litter box (bottom = newspaper, middle = feline pine, top = hay).

In the box of Carefresh, I noticed what looks like bladder sludge (and a big ol poo!). I am wondering if this is possibly just one of his normal pee’s with the main liquids being absorbed by the Carefresh, leaving behind the normal sediment. Up until this point, I’ve never noticed anything concerning in his regular litterboxes. Once in a while, when he pees on the floor and it dries before I find it, there will be a bit of unconcerning sediment + dried pee.

Other observations:

• His behavior seems normal (although I know it’s near impossible to tell based on behavior with rabbits).
• He doesn’t seem to strain in the litter box.
• He is eating/pooping/drinking normally.
• No major dietary changes – a bit less lettuce over the weekend due to a grocery fail on my part.

So I guess I’m wondering… is this possibly just a weird side effect of Carefresh’s absorbency? Does it look concerning? We moved to a new city in November and I’ve yet to find a vet I trust, so I just wanted to check the experienced folk of BinkyBunny first.

[jerseygirl]

It does look sort of paste like. From what I know of bladder sludge, it often a dark yellow colour. It’s good your rabbit was able to get this sediment out, at any rate. Is he eating some of the carefresh? I just wonder if that could make his urine less dilute??
His poos look pretty dark also. Is he a good hay eater or does he eat mostly greens?

[Brea+Bax]

That is an interesting theory about eating the Carefresh… I will pay attention.

He peed this morning a big healthy looking puddle (on the floor because I moved the Carefresh for now… lol), so thats good!

I’ve been noticing that he probably isn’t eating enough hay… He gets about 1/2 cup pellets per day, and a few leaves of red romaine lettuce… sometimes a leaf or two of basil. And hay is always available. 

[Brea+Bax]

Here’s a pee.

[Wick & Fable]

Nothin’ like eating dinner while perusing through a forum post with a picture of pee, haha.

Wick has had many-a-pee’s like this in the past. For him, I believe it was a combination of too much calcium and too much vegetables for what his body was ready for (which would perpetuate excess calcium). Once we got his medication regimen steady and his diet became more stable, it went away. My vet always received updates though.

I use the identical Carefresh bedding and I’ve never seen a pee do that with Wick. His pees are orange to clear, but when they were thicker and more sludge-like, they did not dry up to such bright white, solid substance. Perhaps encouraging more fiber to try and clean up the gut track a bit (more hay, perhaps strategize when to give veggies so Baxter is more inclined to eat the hay) may help. Also keeping fresh water about is always good.

I’d take note of whether these unusual (lighter, cloudy, thicker) urines take place 1) every time and 2) before or after veggie/pellet meals. For Wick, he seemed to only get those pees after eating pellets (which at the time were high in calcium, so he was switched to the adult-version of Oxbow pellets very early) or a few hours following a larger veggie meal than he was used to. After switching the pellets and limiting veggies until his body was a bit more ready to take in all that extra goodness, his pees returned to normal/orange (which is his bladder responding to some plant dyes; nothing serious).

Now he gets usual full meals and more veggies and his pees are normal.

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.

[Azerane]

It’s hard to tell, but to me, the one in the box looks pasty, but the one on the floor judge looks like normal pee.

[jerseygirl]

I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing to see the amount of sediment in pee fluctuate a bit. It just means their body is getting rid of what it didn’t utilise the way it is meant too.
I just watched the video thats on this page. I didn’t actually think the sample she showed was abnormal – so I may have to adjust my thinking!! I had thought sludge was just the dark yellow colour sediment. I think it is supposed to smell also.
http://rabbit.org/is-your-rabbits-pee-and-poop-normal/

Do be careful with access to paper products. If a rabbit starts eating that instead of hay, it can lead to problems. Rabbits that have teeth problems sometimes go for cardboard and paper as “easy” fibre.

[Brea+Bax]

Thank you for sharing that link! I watched it when I originally adopted him last summer, but forgot about it. It’s good to know that abnormal sediment will be tinted. His was almost totally white, so I think I can rest assured for now.

It makes me feel so comforted to read responses. Thank you again!

[Brea+Bax]

Thank you for your wisdom! I am definitely going to start setting up hay stations for him around the apartment and keep track of his pee/poop a little more closely. I’ve also been getting pellets from the bulk rabbit food bin at Pet Supplies Plus, so maybe the next batch I’ll try the Oxbow Adult as well.

This week we also switched his meal timing and I’m hoping that encourages more hay eating, too.

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