Gus has poopy butt, and it’s bad – advice please?

[Rae]

Maintenance and Housing
Is your bunny housed indoors or outdoors?: Indoors.
Does your bunny live with other bunnies?: No.
How much exercise does your bunny get per day?: Freeroam!
How often do you clean the litter box?: About once a week if we’re being completely honest.
How often do you groom your bunny?: He doesn’t let me brush him so I typically just pluck his excess fur gently and he allows me to do that, probably every two days?

Spay/Neuter
Is your bunny spayed/neutered?: Yes
If so, for how long?: Since age 1, he is now 5.

Pooping and Diet – Very Important
What does your bunny eat normally: Big handful of organic spring mix and small handful of Science Selective Adult Rabbit pellets once daily.
How much hay and what type?: Unlimited orchard grass. I did notice a decline in his hay appetite about two weeks ago, but it hasn’t declined to the point of me being seriously concerned. He has always been a picky hay eater and goes through phases, I just started to make sure to provide fresh hay more frequently.
How much pellets and what type?: Small handful, enough to cover the bottom of a small bowl, Science Selective Adult Rabbit.
How much veggies and what types?: Large handful, organic spring mix.
How many treats and what types?: Rare, banana chips. Maybe a few times a month, and only a chip or two.
When was the last time your bunny ate?: Eating now.
What was the last thing your bunny ate?: Hay.
When was the last time your bunny pooped?: Within the past hour or two.
How did your bunny’s most recent poops look (round and firm, misshapen, small and hard, soft/mushy, runny, etc.): Firm, round, cocoa puff looking. Typical Gus poops.

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this bunny?: Five years.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?: Minor to medium poopy butt that resolved and has come back with vengeance.
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?: First started about a week ago, cleared up for a few days, just noticed it was back now.
Have you consulted a vet?: Calling on Monday (typing this on Saturday night). Otherwise, no, not yet.
Have you started any treatment for the symptoms?: Cut back on his portion of pellets, seemed to work, now it is back and I am unsure of why – I’m thinking it is due to his decrease in hay at this point.
Was your bunny physically ill or injured when you got them?: No. One historical instance of stasis that he pulled through at least two or three years ago. No other minor or major issues since.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?: No changes in behavior or appearance whatsoever.

Explain your situation in detail. (Please explain what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)

• First Noticed (One Week Ago): I noticed he had poopy butt – large wet chunks stuck to the fur of his behind.
  • Actions Taken: I was able to pull majority of the chunks with wet paper towels, and while still dirty, it seemed much better. I did some minor research and decided to cut back his pellet portion, from an entire handful to a small handful. As noted above, he has been experiencing a decreased hay appetite but is still eating it regularly (aka best guess, hourly). He has no issue with his mouth being gently touched/pet in the cheek area, and still devours his breakfast as per usual. I decided to not consult a vet due to being able to adequately clean him and his behavior/diet/bathroom habits remaining the same.
• Second Noticed (Today, Saturday): This time it is way, way worse. It is like one major hard chunk, about the circumference of a baseball or maybe even larger. He will not allow me to touch it whatsoever, but normally hates his butt being touched so this is nothing new.
  • Actions Taken: I have no idea where to go from here other than to call the vet on Monday and get him checked out.

I’m looking for advice on two things:

1. How can I get him to start eating more hay? Any tips for encouraging hay consumption?
2. How can I best clean his behind, taking into account that he will not allow me to pick him up and the cecotropes are hard? I tried doing a butt bath last time and he jumped out of the bucket and ran across the counter soaking wet, it was a total mess. Is it generally okay to just leave him as is until I can get to a vet in a few days, or is that a major no-no?

[BrunosMama]

Oh no, I’m sorry to hear Gus is having problems!

Have you made your long drive yet? I’m wondering if some of his change in hay consumption and bouts of poopy butt could have something to do with the changes that are happening around him. From your previous post about preparing for a long trip, it sounds like maybe there has been some significant changes in the home that might have him feeling a little off, but I don’t know.

As for encouraging him to eat more hay, you could try giving him a small variety of hay to see if that piques his interest. I believe Oxbow and Small Pet Select (and some others) sell variety blends/mixes. I have also seen “hay toppers” which is usually a blend of dried herbs and bunny safe flowers to sprinkle on top of hay. My buns have liked those in the past. 🙂 There are also hay toys, like cubes and wafers that are basically just compressed hay into shapes, but maybe it would add some variety to how he eats his hay.

The problem, I think, with leaving his butt the way it is right now is that if more poops accumlate, it will just continue to get worse and could make it more difficult for him to get to what he needs to eat. It may also start to pull on his fur and get uncomfortable.

Dried poop clumps can be softened with a warm wet wash cloth and by letting the bunny’s butt sit in warm water for a minute or two. I’ve always had luck doing butt baths in the bathroom sink, because I can hold the bunny with one arm resting on the counter and wash/adjust water with the other hand.

Since Gus doesn’t like being picked up, you could potentially sit on the floor with a small dish tub of warm water and do the butt bath that way. You would still have to pick him up, but it would be brief and close to the ground in case he squirms loose. And if you do this in a corner or enclosed space, he can’t get away quite as far.

You may also consider giving a treat when you’re done! This can help make amends and lessen the chances of the dreaded Bunny Grudge! Lol<!–/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/clipdata/clipdata_bodytext_250622_100938_217.sdocx–>

[LBJ10]

I would remove everything except for the hay. Sometimes it’s pellets, and sometimes it’s greens/veggies. Get a variety of hay, and yes, a dried hay topper is good. See how he does for at least a few days, then try adding either the pellets or veggies to see how that goes. Poopy butt can be caused by a lot of things. It could be stress-induced or diet related. Sometimes they eat something that doesn’t agree with them. You said he gets spring mix. Maybe there’s something in there that disagreed with him. Or it was simply a “bad batch”. You never know.

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