Poop Talk

[Manda]

How can I tell if my bunny is constipated? She is eating and drinking but I am not seeing as much poop as I should be- she has been very good at peeing in her litterbox but has not grasped the concept of pooping in the box yet- she will do it while munching on hay in the box but usually I have to tidy her area with a sweeper. She is almost 12 weeks now. I have been watching her all day(like a stalker) on the nanny cam and she is acting completely normal- eating, drinking and trying her best to escape from her enclosure and binkying and flopping. Last night she got a hold of Mr Buns’ carrot he had stashed in his hidey box (I did a swap) and i m not sure how much she got but i think it would quite a bit- I was trying to wait to introduce veggies but she ate some parsley and dill and his carrot which I didn’t know he had stashed in there. I am seeing some poop on the ground now but not as much as I should be. HELP!

[Muchelle]

How is her belly? Does it feel normal or is it hard? Do you hear noises coming from her guts? Is the poop normal?

If she’s behaving normally, it can be she’s just adjusting to the new foods and will soon poop out plenty, but do keep a close eye on her food/water intake and on her output.

[Manda]

Okay so the belly was squishy and I did not hear any noises. I brought her on the bed where she seems to love marking  and she let out about 5 big poo balls looked all normal and great. What had concerned me was when I was tidying her area there were like micro poops- they were SO tiny, but I guess the gut got moving again because she pooped normally all night. She’s eating and drinking and definitely acting like a normal 11 week old bun binkying and flopping all over the place. I think I would like to see a bit more output but I’m not sure anymore what is the norm for a young bun- she’s certainly nuts about the pellets, She is not as crazy about the hay as I would like her to be. she must be eating it though because I usually make a little mountain of it in the corners of her box and they are not there anymore- I’ve started to give her 1/4 cup pellets in the morning which will be gone by the time I come home. I am going to introduce a leaf of romaine and a baby carrot(she is coo coo for carrots- during playtime I have to hide Mr Buns left over carrot and she finds it and practically begs for it) on Monday as she will officially be 12 weeks! Is that okay?

[Muchelle]

I would prioritize the introduction of greens she will be consuming on a daily basis (salad, fennel, chicory, etc, whatever you plan on feeding) rather than focusing her on carrot. Carrot is very high in sugars and has to be regarded as a treat. Moreover, in situations of GI stasis or suspected upset tummy is better not to give sugars (so, carrot as well as fruit).

Keep an eye on her for the following days and write down her water/food intake enough must go in & what goes in has to come out

[Manda]

Okay so do you think I should wait a few days to introduce any new foods and just keep her restricted to hay and pellets and water for now? I still don’t feel like she is pooping enough. When a buns has something that backs them up I have heard that pineapple is very good for their digestion but that is a fruit and loaded with sugar. Is there like a bunny cleanse??

[Manda]

Okay so do you think I should wait a few days to introduce any new foods and just keep her restricted to hay and pellets and water for now? I still don’t feel like she is pooping enough. When a buns has something that backs them up I have heard that pineapple is very good for their digestion but that is a fruit and loaded with sugar. Is there like a bunny cleanse??

[Muchelle]

Since we’re talking about a young one that hasn’t had vegetables consistently yet, probably it would be better to let her be on her dry diet for a bit more until her guts stabilize. When a bun has some poop problems, the solution is good diet, plenty of water and belly rubs

I personally don’t, but others use papaya tablets and such to help moving things around, but since she hasn’t been transitioned to greens yet, I don’t think it would be beneficial. Maybe other members that use them can elaborate more on this matter.

[Manda]

I agree Muchelle- thank you so much for the advice. I can certainly say that nothing seems to be bothering her- I just watched her on the nanny go from one litterbox on one end the room to the other and then run around and try to figure out to escape her enclosure(which I thankfully super secured this morning) shred some of her phone book, eat some hay, eat some pellets and then do a big dramatic bunny flop to top it off(was quite entertaining to watch!
HOWEVER to be safe dry diet until 13 or 14 weeks I think will be a safe bet. She won’t be happy about it- she already understands the words treats from watching me give Mr Buns his and she’s like what about me! What about me! #youngbunproblemz
I found a video on how to do tummy rubs so I will continue to give her those although she doesn’t seem to fancy them- she’s either on the move or trying to snooze!

[Manda]

I agree Muchelle- thank you so much for the advice. I can certainly say that nothing seems to be bothering her- I just watched her on the nanny go from one litterbox on one end the room to the other and then run around and try to figure out to escape her enclosure(which I thankfully super secured this morning) shred some of her phone book, eat some hay, eat some pellets and then do a big dramatic bunny flop to top it off(was quite entertaining to watch!
HOWEVER to be safe dry diet until 13 or 14 weeks I think will be a safe bet. She won’t be happy about it- she already understands the words treats from watching me give Mr Buns his and she’s like what about me! What about me! #youngbunproblemz
I found a video on how to do tummy rubs so I will continue to give her those although she doesn’t seem to fancy them- she’s either on the move or trying to snooze!

[Muchelle]

You can take advantage of when she’s relaxing. Get close, pet her as she likes, then when she’s relaxed enough gently massage her sides in an alternative motion (the aim is to move air around inside her to let it find the exit). When she’s REALLY comfortable with it she should let you slide your fingers lower on her tummy and let you give her a better massage. Don’t push it, be patient and she’ll let you eventually She might even like it right away, who knows

[Wick & Fable]

It’s always good to monitor your rabbit’s poop, so you’re being very attentive. I always inspect each of Wick’s poops before trashing them, and I frequently break some open with a toothpick if it looks suspicious (i.e. fur). Poop is a pretty reliable health indicator for rabbits, and it gives you a good idea of hay consumption, water consumption, and general comfort level.

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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