Should I be worried about poop size?

[Megan]

I’ve had Molly for about a month now and have noticed that over the course of these 4 weeks her poops have gone from the typical, small and round, size to somewhat larger and more oval shaped. They are still hard and she seems to be eating normally and acting normal. She gets unlimited timothy hay, plenty of water, and 1/4 cups of pellets (She is 6 pounds). She ate her whole breakfast this morning and had her usual run around. 

I wasn’t worried about it until tonight as she didn’t finish her whole salad (but maybe she just got full as I gave her a little snack earlier) and now she is laying in the loaf position with her ears pulled back (she’s got lop ears which I’ve rarely seen her pull back) in her pen when she usually would be out cuddling with me or running around. I think she is sleeping but I’m worried that she might be in pain and I’m mistaking it for sleep. 

I know that the typical signs of GI stasis are smaller/less poop but could larger poops be a sign as well? I called the vet and they told me to keep an eye on her but now I’m just getting super nervous as I know they have very sensitive digestive systems. 

Please help calm my mind or give me advice! I’m a very worried new rabbit mom. Keeping a very close eye on her! Hopefully she is just full and sleepy and not feelin as playful right now. 

[joea64]

For what it’s worth, Fernando, one of my buns (I have two Polish rabbits, a bonded mother-son pair), often likes to sit in a “default” pose with his ears laid back, but he’s not experiencing discomfort, he’s just feeling laid-back (in fact, this seems to be one of his favorite postures, and he’s sitting like that in the X-pen this very moment next to his mother Panda, who is bunloafing with her ears erect…as a matter of fact, Fernando just got up and came over to me and his ears are now more or less erect. Go figure. ) Last Friday, Panda didn’t seem to be very interested in the shared evening salad, but I think she was just in a mood rather than not feeling well, since she ate her hay and treats with undiminished enthusiasm; in fact, she readily ate the veggies when served to her separately, and since then she’s been sharing the greens as usual with Fernando.

All I can really advise right now is to keep an eye on Molly and see if anything changes with her poops, whether they get (more) abnormal or return to normal, and whether her eating habits keep changing or return to normal.

[Wick & Fable]

Typically we like to see larger poops. The oval shape however could in some cases be an issue. Some ovals are just the result of you know, lots of stuff trying to get through. Other abnormal shapes, like really consistent ovals, non spherical shapes could be a sign that something’s happening preventing the healthy sphere shape, whether it be lack of fiber from hay to make a solid shape, or something with the piping.

Wick’s poo fluctuates, typically largest in the morning and smaller as the day progresses, as a reflection of his hay consumption timeline. Oval poos do come sometimes.

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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