Stinky cecotropes

[pinkiemarie]

I’ve noticed today and yesterday while chaperoning bunny dates that Wally’s cecotropes smell kind of like cat poo. I haven’t noticed an odor when Ben and Clover eat them. A quick Google search said cecotropes smell but he had stasis in September and since I haven’t noticed a smell with the other rabbits I can’t help but wonder if he didn’t fully recover. His diet is greens and oxbow essential pellets twice daily plus hay and occasional oxbow flavored hay treats. Anybody else have healthy buns with stinky cecotropes? Does his diet sound ok?

[Wick & Fable]

Cecotropes by nature I thought were stinky. I used to always be able to smell when Wick would be eating his cecotropes. Both Wick and Fable, if I get close enough, will have stinky breath after eating cecotropes! Admittedly, I don’t know what cat poo smells like, but cecotropes don’t smell good.

The diet sounds fine, as long as hay is making up the large majority. Are you smelling it because cecotropes are going uneaten, or simply getting whiffs?

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.

[pinkiemarie]

Well, this is happening on dates. I’m bonding him and his bonded mate with a 3rd rabbit. I’m in the pen with them and I’m just getting whiffs while he’s eating them, but the other rabbits have eaten them while I’m here and I wasn’t getting the smell. It’s possible his just smell more strongly or he doesn’t eat as fast or something. Hay does make up a large part of his diet. He’s eating out of his hay trough now. I feel better hearing that your buns have stinky cecotropes too! It’s so hard not to worry with rabbits 😀

[Bam]

I agree, cecotropes do have a strong smell! I smell my bun’s cecos when he’s eating them. Its an unmistakeable, pungent and “green”  smell.

 

[DanaNM]

He could also be exposing his scent glands more because he’s on a date. My new boy Cooper is REALLY stinky when he’s showing off for Bun Jovi, but then it goes away when he’s just relaxing.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Yeah, I’ve never thought they weren’t stinky. LOL  Perhaps Dana is on to something. It could be scent gland odor filling the room if he’s on a date when it happens.

[pinkiemarie]

I’m leaning towards that too. I actually didn’t know that rabbits had scent glands until now 😀 but that makes sense because he’s my most prolific territorial pooper too!

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