Poop size fluctuating?

[Sidthebunny]

Hi, my bun is around 6 months old now, and maturing!
He has hay all day every day, along with greens around 3 times a day and pellets once a day. He has no issue eating the hay and poops quite a bit, but his poops have always been smaller than an average rabbits (around 5mm?). His poops have recently started to get bigger, then go back to his normal small size again. It’s so random, considering I haven’t changed his diet and he is eating and acting the exact same as always! He still loves his food, pellets and hay! Just for my piece of mind, I was just wondering if this has any correlation to him growing and becoming an adult? I have read that when a rabbit becomes an adult, their poops get bigger, and with my Sid his poops have gotten bigger then went back to being his normal size. So could him growing be the answer? Thanks!

[Sidthebunny]

Update: Throughout the day (within 8 hours ?) he threw his head back whilst eating 3 times – once when eating green leaves and twice whilst eating hay- but then started eating normally again. Now I’m wondering whether he has a minor problem with molar Spurs, since he is still eating everything… either that or he has an inner ear infection (he is currently recovering from ear mites). I am now really confused :(((

[Bam]

I cant quite picture the head movement. He could perhaps still feel some discomfort from the ear mites?

An ear infection could be a possibility. I mean  rabbits can get them as you know, and shaking the head and scratching the ears (or one ear, more commonly) could be symptoms. Dental problems seem less likely due to his young age.

Did he seem uncomfortable or confused when he threw his head back? Do you see him sit with his chin held high? Any sneezing? Any signs of unsteadiness or loss of balance?

I dont think the poop irregularities sound worrisome. It is dependent on the diet, but since hay isn’t a uniform type of food, poop looks different with different batches of hay. All rabbits, both neutered and intact, can produce bigger marking poops that often are slightly glossy and have an oniony smell. The stomach works faster when the bun is active, and buns tend to be active during the morning and evenings. My bun has bigger poop in the mornings and evening and smaller during the day. Some buns barely poop at all during the day.

 

 

[Sidthebunny]

@Bam hi there! I’m not too worried about the poops either tbh, I was just curious as to why it was happening haha! It’s good to know Sid isn’t the only bun that has a poop schedule!

I saw him throw his head back whilst eating around 4 times in the past 12 or so hours. He usually looks up whilst eating anyway to look around, but today he aggressively threw his head back (to the point where I could see his front teeth) and kept it there for a couple seconds, before returning to normal. He wasn’t making any sounds whilst doing it. The only explanation I can think of is that he is so used to whipping his head back to pull out his hay from the hay rack that he whipped his head back as an instinct, but that explanation might be a stretch 🙁

Sid is naturally clumsy sometimes, but he only loses his balance when he is in his carrier. Other than that he can stand on his hind legs without falling. Sid has never sneezed to my knowledge. Whilst he threw his head back his chin was held up high. he was never sitting with his chin like that, just those few times whilst eating.

he could have an inner ear infection (possibly because of his ear mites and how he occasionally scratches his forehead) and is experiencing very early signs of head tilt, but I haven’t seen any other signs other than the ones I mentioned. Another idea could be a respiratory problem, but I really don’t know …

Sid is my first ever pet so I don’t know what I’m looking for. when his ear mites were more serious, he never let me touch his ears. And now he does! So I thought he must be getting better? Im really not sure :/

[Author]

Messages