Is her diet okay?

[sgregory]

My 2 and a half month old rabbit has been having black, slightly mooshy turds.. When i got her they were the normal brown, hard ball. It’s been like that for about 4 days now, hasnt gotten worse. Before I bought er her diet was all pellets and some nuts, almost a pellet mix. When  I got her about a month ago, I started introducing greens (romaine lettuce and carrot tops) as well as the occassional carrot and banana piece. She also has timothy hay, but thats only been the past 2 weeks or so.

I’ve heard that rabbits are not supposed to eat anything but pellets until they’re about 4 months, is this true? She just seems to like it so much, I hate not giving her any. Plus I dont want to deny her those things if she needs them..

Coud her poop be like this because of her diet, or shoudl I be worried?

 

[Sarita]

No, that’s not true. I think I would cut out the carrot and banana pieces for now. Maybe also just give her a limited amount of one green at a time too.

It sounds like she is adjusting to her new diet.

Are you still continuing the pellets? Without the nuts of course. What kind of pellets are giving her?

How is she with eating her timothy hay? Are you giving her unlimited of this?

[sgregory]

I am continuing the pellets, the same kind she had at the pet store. Its a mix with fruit, nut, and vegetable chips. But theres such a small amount, its mostly pellets.
She has timothy hay cubes, i havent been able to find regular hay, so i wanted her to have some in the meantime, and she doesnt eat it much. i think the cubes are too hard for her. but she has eaten a small amount.
She has been acting fine, she seems healthy in every other aspect.

[Sarita]

Well, the cubes aren’t going to give her the fiber she needs. She definitely needs to get unlimited grass hay and it could be that is what is perhaps causing some extra cecals.

I think you should slowly try to get all the extra’s in the pellets out too so that she doesn’t expect those in the future – sometimes rabbits will pick out the “good” stuff first.

[KatnipCrzy]

You should have a stool sample checked by your vet for intestinal parasites.

Your bunny should have unlimted access to hay 24/7.

Once you get your bun past this GI episode- you should look for a better quality pellet to slowly switch the bunny over to.

[sgregory]

thank you both, i appreciate the help. ill definitely ween her to only regular pellets starting today.

[RabbitPam]

Unlimited Timothy will help to regulate her digestion once she is well and adjusted to the change over in pellets. A simple pellet, and some are made only from ground Timothy Hay, will be easier for her and more healthy. You can find a bag of the loose Timothy Hay on line, if you can’t get it in a local pet shop. It’s a good idea to take her to your vet, and while there ask the vet to recommend a good place to buy local supplies. My vets often sold the healthier brands of pellets and hays right in their offices. Most of the major pet store chains have sections devoted to small animals, and you just want to read the labels carefully to see what’s in them. But even if you order on line, you’ll be stocked up within a couple of days, maybe a week, and have a good supply for a while.

[jerseygirl]

It’s hard not to give them special treats, especially when they’re young and so cute! Just a simple sprig of parsley or even variety of hay can be a treat for a rabbit. Yours might have a sensitive gut and need a simple diet. So introducing veggies may need to be done really slowly. The sugary things like carrot and banana may have caused a gut imbalance that is just showing itself. So it can be various things but as Katnip said, if it doesn’t start to clear, get it checked by a vet.
Meantime, mostly hay diet would help. Also, a small amount (1/2 tablespoon) of whole rolled oats could help dry things up too.
What general area are you located? Some other members nearby may be able to suggest a good hay supplier for you.

[sgregory]

i live in rhode island. i found her some timothy hay! didnt think walmart had a small pet section so never thought to look there, but they had it.
ive stopped feeding her fruits and carrots. ive been sticking to romaine lettuce and carrot tops, and im feeding her plain pellets. i just gave her the hay a few minutes ago, she loves it. ^.^
oh, good news is she started trying to grab and toss things for the first time. she’s fallen in love with my quilt, i might need to buy myself a new one.

[RabbitPam]

Ooo, RI – I used to live in MA and bought Big Red Rabbit Food which was a very healthy brand of pellets that was only sold up north.
If you can’t get that, then Oxbow Bunny Basics T is good – the T stands for Timothy.

[sgregory]

hey, thanks! ill definitely look into the big red rabbit food.

[MooBunnay]

I’m glad you were able to find some timothy hay, it is a critical part of a healthy bunny diet.

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