Improving Rabbit Gut Health

[Sagicory]

Hi!

My rabbit Sage has been having some bloat related issues in the past few months. They usually start in the morning and then they resolve by afternoon the day after. We haven’t had to intervene before, but we have baby gas drops on hand if it lasts too long. She has timothy hay available to her at all times, water, and pellets in the mornings. We give them one type of vegetable a day, which is usually bok choy or bell peppers. Her sister (who is living in an identical pen next door) has the same diet. However, she doesn’t seem to have similar issues. We are taking the two of them in for a check up in about 2 weeks. Is there any way (more of specific types of foods maybe) we can work to improve Sage’s gut health in general? It doesn’t seem like it would be a bad thing either way.

Thanks

[DanaNM]

I wonder if she could be sensitive to an ingredient in her pellets, since you mentioned she gets pellets in the morning and has gas sometimes during the day.

Have you tried putting her on a hay-only diet temporarily to see if that improves things?

For veggies, bell pepper is not really unhealthy, but it also shouldn’t be a staple veggie, if that makes sense? Ideally buns should get around 3 different leafy green veggies per day (things like escarole, romaine, herbs, kale, chard, bok choy). Dandelion can be really good for buns with tummy troubles. Mint and fennel can also be good for gassy buns.

. . . 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.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

It really varies per bunny how sensitive their tummies are. My boyfriend’s first bunny Waffie was very robust, and his second bunny Breintje had a very fussy digestive system. There’s not one perfect solution, it’s going to take some experimenting to see what helps.

I like the tips about the vegetables and fennel, fennel is indeed a wonderful remedy for upset stomachs.

In Breintjes case we stopped giving any vegetables which are gas-prone, and when that wasn’t enough we drastically lowered his starch intake by switching to grain-free pellets. That ended most of his bloat problems, although he still had small ones at least twice a year.

Many rabbits react poorly to cabbage-type vegetables such as broccoli and sprouts. Bell pepper is a notorious gassy vegetable for humans, and I expect that it’s the same for rabbits.

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