Cecotropes like droppings

[Vicky]

Hi, as some of you may remember, i wrote about my bunny gaining weight even the diet was still same.

We have lowered the amount of pellets per day to probably 12grams of pellets, 100 grams of leafy greens per day and unlimited hay.

My bunny started to lose a bit of weight which is perfect. But I have problem with the droppings.

She has normal beautiful droppings all day. Just every afternoon around same time she goes on toilet and leaves cecotrope like droppings along with few smaller normal droppings. This is happening already for like second week. I have even lowered the amount of pellets and still get the same droppings.

I don’t know what else I can do. She is happy, running and no other problems with her. Should I be concerned or..? I really don’t know what else to do. She is literally eating the best she ever did. No treats and small amount of pellets.

I would be glad if someone here had ever experienced this and could help :/

 

 

[DanaNM]

Sometimes bunnies poops will vary in size throughout the day. My rabbits tend to sleep most of the day, so they will have smaller poops in the afternoon because they haven’t been eating as much. Does that seem like what you’re seeing?

For the cecals, do you notice that she eats some but then leaves a few of the little pieces? Or does she leave a whole cluster of them? If she’s just leaving a few little pieces I wouldn’t worry.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Yep okay the smaller afternoon ones can be what you are describing.

But for the cecotropes no. I see when she eats her cecotropes throughout the day and it’s quite a lot haha. She doesnt eat them in toilet. She just eats hay and leaves one bigger pile of cecotrope like dropping and one smaller. It’s like you know small, moist poops clumped together. Sometimes it’s just one by one. It’s exactly like cecotrope.

But she eats ton of hay through day so I really don’t understand.

[DanaNM]

Personally, this falls under the “keep an eye on it” category for me, given her diet has gone through some changes lately, as long as her appetite for hay is good, she’s eating and producing normal cecals, and the cecals she’s leaving look healthy in general.

Sometimes overweight buns or buns with arthritis have trouble reaching their cecals so they leave some behind, but since you are seeing her eat them most of the time I don’t think that sounds like what’s going on.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Yes exactly everything what you have said. She eats her cecotropes a lot as I can see. And I’m with her almost whole day.

I mean she weights 2 kilograms, i can feel her ribs, legs everything.

Hmm but do you think I should do anything if it continues for a week or more? If nothing is wrong with the behavior. I went to GI stasis with her once so I know when to be concerned but this is different :/

[DanaNM]

I pinged the other moderators on this, but my feeling is that as long as her poops overall look good and her other cecals are good (and she’s eating them) it probably isn’t a cause for concern.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Thank you very much

[Wick & Fable]

I agree with Dana. It is ultimately impossible for us to diagnose anything online with a degree of certainty, but based on what you’re describing I’m reading about a rabbit who is having slightly smaller poops at regular times (which can be very normal, especially if they are getting reduced veggies/pellets in their schedule; less input = less output).

For the cecotropes, it does not sound excessive and there’s evidence of eating them too. That is not super common, and can also be perfectly fine. Also, if she’s not eating the ones she produces while in the litterbox, it could just be a “her” thing. Maybe bending over to eat it while in the litterbox is for some reason or another not to her liking, so she just leaves them. It’s not an issue to miss one or two per day– sounds like she’s eating a good number regularly

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.

[Vicky]

Oh yay, thank you very much for your reply. You really reassured me it doesn’t have to be something bad immediately.

You gave me a lot of useful information. Thank you! I love this page, always get some amazing help and info ❤️

[Vicky]

Just one more question. I have read that these normal sized moist poops could be from too much protein or sugar in the diet? But she doesn’t get any sugar treats, has Timothy hay, everyday leafy greens and low amount of pellets.

Could this also be just normal now?

[DanaNM]

Can you post some pictures of the poops you’re concerned about? Maybe a few intact and a few broken open?

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

For some reason I cannot upload a photo right now here. It just disappears when I try to or deletes by itself. I tried on computer too. I will try it later again.

 

I can just describe, now I have found normal droppings which she has always. And darker ones, which are unusual. It’s dark, moist and when I break it there is also hay but it’s more wet you know what I mean? More dense.

 

[DanaNM]

For photos, we are still having some issues with the site, but if you add it to your profile (as though you are going to change your profile pic), it should show up in your library, and then you should be able to add it to the post.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Ugh I tried and it’s still not working. It’s okay tho I will try it later sometime. Thank you!

[Vicky]

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Omg I managed to make it. Here are pictures of the droppings. First are like cecotropes, she just was in the toilet and it happened again. Smaller normal droppings and one pile of cecotrope like.

Second is normal plus darker moist one. Hope you can see something on the photos.

[Wick & Fable]

Darker moist poos aren’t the golden standard, but aren’t necessarily bad either. Do the poops tend to have a sheen or smell like onion? Territorial poos can be darker, shinier, and smell.

Personally, my Fable always has dark, less dry poop, but she is healthy and fine and eats hay like a monster.

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.

[Vicky]

No no they don’t really smell.

Haha okay because mine is eating hay all day too. Thank you ❤️

[Vicky]

She just hopped from toilet now so I managed to take the picture. This is what it is like. It was almost all together but I took it apart to see.

 

 

[DanaNM]

Those all look normal and healthy to me!

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Ahhh really? I thought they just all should be dry and bigger. I’m glad 😌

[LBJ10]

I agree. They look perfectly normal.

[Vicky]

Thank you very much too ❤️❤️❤️

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Seen them in many shapes, colours and sizes, all from the same healthy rabbit 🙂

[Vicky]

Thank you very much ❤️

[Author]

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