cecal question

[mrs. coach]

 So, Mrs. Coach seems to be healthy and happy.  We’ve had her a few months now so I’ve had the um, pleasure, of watching her get cecals.  She doesn’t tend to get them directly.  They go on the floor, and then she eats them.  She’s not overweight (in fact, she was a tiny bit underweight when we took her to her first vet’s visit); this just seems to be a preference.  The problem is that sometimes the cecals leave behind marks.

My question is – does this indicate unhealthy cecals or poor diet?  When I’ve seen the cecals in tact they look like they are supposed to look.  The “smears” only occur when we’re not present — generally when I wake up in the morning I find one or two spots.  This didn’t happen when we first adopted her a few months ago, but I also think she was spending more time in her condo then.  She has free range of our den 24/7.  

Thanks in advance!

[Roberta]

Does she have a nice big kitty litter tray full of hay ? A bunny does love to chew and poo… f there are any extra cecals that’s usually where I find the these days.

[Sarita]

As long as the cecals are look like they should, it is not a problem. Some rabbits do produce more cecals than they can eat even with a correct diet. It is messy for owners but it does not mean your rabbit is not healthy.

[mrs. coach]

 Thanks.  She does have a litter tray full of hay & she’s a good hay eater, I just think lately she’s been more interested in being out and about than in the condo.  Sorry this is gross – can spots occur just from the cecals sitting for a bit before she eats them, or do you think she is stepping in them somehow?  I don’t know if the answer would even help me.  She doesn’t have poo butt or anything like that.  

[Sarita]

Probably from sitting for a bit before she eats them.

Probably any rug cleaner will get those spots out too.

[mrs. coach]

 That makes sense.  Thank you!  It’s a laminate floor so it’s been an easy clean up apart from her white pet bed (apparently her favorite spot to eat cecals).  I just invested in a dark grey bed.  Oh well.  

[jerseygirl]

Do you have an idea of her age?

We’ve had her a few months now so I’ve had the um, pleasure, of watching her get cecals. She doesn’t tend to get them directly. They go on the floor, and then she eats them.

You don’t see her get them direct much at all?

ETA: Just reading in your last thread you had concerns about her teeth. Were you able to find out if she had anything going on there?

[mrs. coach]

The best guess for her age was around 2 years. 

She eats them as soon as they come out, when I’ve seen her, but she does a thing where she spins around and then gets them from the floor, not directly, if that makes sense. 

The vet said her teeth were okay, but that she had slight extra growth on her back molars.  She said it was nothing to worry about at this point (no spurs or anything), just to keep up with lots of hay.  We’ve also been giving her willow which she loves now, and have reduced her pellets to less than 1/4 cup to encourage more hay eating, so I’m hoping the next time we see the vet her teeth are all good.

With the opening and closing her mouth, sometimes I think it’s just a weird communication behavior.  Sometimes when I open & close my mouth she will do it back, and we can go like that back & forth for a bit.  I know I sound crazy saying that, though!

ETA – our floor is laminate, which she can run on just fine, but it may impact the gymnastics required to get the cecals directly?

[jerseygirl]

Yes, I suppose the floor could effect that. Though, you’d probably see her get “cecals direct” (lol) when elsewhere, like sitting in her litterbox.
Some buns might just prefer doing it this way. I’m trying to think if I’ve ever seen my foster get them direct…He’s a guy bun who doesn’t seem to have any mobility issues.
That was why I was asking – if Mrs Coach was having trouble bending that way. If you see her grooming her hind end without trouble then you can be assured she not struggling. : )

The vet said her teeth were okay, but that she had slight extra growth on her back molars.

I think I know what you mean here. My 5yr old girl bun had an overgrowth on top surface of her back molar. Not spur but more like and over hang.

Possible she gets food caught on it or fur? Maybe she’s using her tongue to free something when she does the mouth motion you describe.

[mrs. coach]

Thanks, jerseygirl. I think I have seen her getting them directly (is Cecals Direct kind of like FedEx? when she is on the carpet, but I’m not sure. I don’t watch her too much in the litterbox…she’s a nosy bun so usually if I come in the room she runs to hang out/ask for treats, and when we’re in the den with her she’s typically out with us… I think I’ve seen her grooming her hindquarters but I will pay more attention & ask the vet to check for any mobility issues.

I do think she uses her tongue to free certain items — I notice it with treat foods that are stickier, like banana or craisins.

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