Diluted juice to increase liquids

[NatalyNapaea]

I’ve noticed that my new bunny is peeing white a lot and sometimes it is thick like paste. I also noticed that he doesn’t drink his water! So I started giving him about one teaspoon of orange juice diluted with about 10 teaspoons of water. He loves it. I only give juices that are 100%juice, healthy, etc (that’s also the only kind I consume as well).

My question: is it ok to give this every day even twice a day some days? Also is Tropicana orange juice fortified with calcium or anything like that!?! Because I’m trying to dilute the calcium!

I figure only a teaspoon of juice has a lot less sugar than a piece of banana I was giving him before! I also give Greens once a day and cucumber cus it has a lot of liquid. I try to give more of the low calcium Greens but they say that the liquid in the Greens dilutes the calcium anyways…

Share any experiences you guys have!
Thanks!

[Wick & Fable]

White/paste-y urine is most likely having an excess of calcium. Does it dry, leaving a white powder behind? I’m guessing yes? White urine is caused by excess calcium being exited through the rabbit because it’s not needed. The occasional white pee is not bad, but high frequency is a bad sign, as it means your rabbit is getting too much calcium and it could be building up in your rabbit’s digestive system, in addition to some exiting. The calcium can build up and literally form a calcium stone that can be as big as a quarter, which blocks everything in your rabbit, causing drastic consequences. Rather than combating this by increasing liquid intake, it should be by lowering calcium intake, which you have already mentioned.

A review of his entire diet would be helpful to everyone!
1) How old is he?
2) How big are his pellet portions, per day?
3) What type of pellets?
4) What type of hay?

— Veggies can be a source of high calcium, but alfalfa is a large calcium contributor and usually the biggest culprit when rabbits are younger because it’s so dense in nutrients!

Also as a general note, has your new bunny seen a rabbit-experienced vet yet to make sure he’s healthy and doesn’t have any pre-existing conditions?

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.

[sarahthegemini]

One teaspoon of juice in 10 teaspoons of water seems quite a high ratio. If he’s getting plenty of veggies, he won’t need to drink much anyway.

[Bam]

If you cut out banana and replace it with a teaspoon if orange juice, I think it’s fine. He can’t have both fruit and juice though. And imo it’s more important to try and eliminate excess calcium from his diet. Don’t give kale or black kale or spinach. Give less pellets. Serve the greens he gets dripping wet. Romaine lettuce and fennel are low in calcium.

A detailed description of his diet would indeed be very helpful!

[NatalyNapaea]

Yes yes yes guys I’m already doing all that! I decreased his pellets to the point that I’m so scared I don’t want to starve him!!! My other rabbit is getting the same everything but more pellets, occasionally a little kale and other”high calcium” greens but she doesn’t pee white at all! I read up on this condition and it seems that some rabbits are just more prevalent to calcium deposits, so it’s not the diet but the system of the bunny! That’s why I just give the water/juice to flush it out…. Nothing more I can do. He was from the humane society rescued from a hoarding environment so they aren’t sure how old he is but approximating 1 year. I feed them the oxbow Western Timothy hay, mixture of oxbow pellets, Martin little friends Timothy adult rabbit food and ofcourse the wet Greens: lettuce, coriander, cucumber. Since I started the juice/water thing, his toilet is all wet and no white! So I hope it’s a success! Thanks so much guys! I love the community here!

[Wick & Fable]

His age can affect how he absorbs calcium, and each rabbit has a differently developed stomach, so he just may be more prone to calcium excess than your other rabbit. Try not to compare. Wick for example needed to switch to adult pellets before he was 3mo because of calcium overload!

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.

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