Urine color

[Cookierabbit]

Hello, i have a pet bunny and i am worried about her..

During the past couple of days when changing her tray i have noticed that there have been White stains on her tray, i have read online that this could mean she is eating too much calcium? though i am not sure if that is the cause, but i presume it is a diet problem. 

I feed her sparingly some carrots and sugar peas, but for night/morning i give her spinach / kale /rocket in a bowl. I was told that the darker the greens the generally better they are for rabbits. If i am overfeeding/giving her something bad i would like to be told because i do not wish to be harming my rabbit through the foods i am giving her, i love her like a child.  

Also i give her some “special grass”

https://www.binkytreats.com/product/natures-salad/

 https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Simply-Nibbles-Dande-Salad/214936011?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiu-WnvP03QIVTuR3Ch2rdgSHEAQYASABEgIwSPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CMGxzJ_z9N0CFQ7X3godz_IFTQ

I give her a handful when i’m about to leave my house and it will generally distract her and prevent her from trying to exit the house with me (she is a house rabbit), i give her quite a lot of this throughout a entire course of a day since im always popping in and out. Im wondering if these salads could be the cause also. 

Any help or advice would be appreciated. 

[Wick & Fable]

I noticed you did not mention hay. Does your rabbit have hay? Also, any pellets, and if so, what kind?

Based on what you’ve described, high calcium is a likely culprit. Kale and spinach are both high calcium vegetables and for rabbits who are showing signs of excess calcium, they should not be fed every day. You are correct that dark green is a good color. I suggest replacing one with green lettuce instead. Bok choy is another example of a dark green vegetable that’s not high in calcium.

The occasional calcium pee is not concerning, but if it’s happening more, cut down on calcium. The sediment can build up and create a literal calcium stone in the rabbit’s tract, blocking the entire process. Calcium stones need to be removed via surgery and can get quite large.

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.

[Cookierabbit]

Hello thank you for your help,  i do provide her with timothy hay and change the tray twice a day, for pellets i give her a egg cupful, she is 3lbs but i believe her ideal weight should be around 2 i’m not too sure about that she is a dwarf rabbit. I will keep a lookout for Bok choy, im confused about your lettuce statement though i have bee told that lettuce is bad for rabbits since it contains such high quantities of water that it can cause diarrhea. 

[Wick & Fable]

That’s a good question to ask. There are multiple varieties of lettuces, and they’re called different things depending on where you live. I am northeast US, so if you’re not, it may be different.

Red lettuce
Green lettuce
Romaine lettuce

…. Are all fine to feed.

In contrast, iceberg lettuce is not okay because of the water content and little nutritional content.

We have a comprehensive list from the house rabbit society here: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/VeggieList/tabid/144/Default.aspx

Due to rabbit breeding, there are many instances where dwarves are a bit bigger than expected because “dwarf rabbits” are more popular. Ideal weight is a good guide, but also just take a look at your rabbit and see how they look. A rabbit vet is always a great route for the best assessment of weight.

You can probably cut down on pellets a bit if you’re concerned about weight. At least thinking about the eggs I have in my fridge, that is a pretty solid amount. My Wick is 2lbs and he gets half an egg I’d say.

To better encourage hay diet, I would suggest less frequent veggie feedings because it sounds like you do it often (morning, night, every time you leave the house). If they’re not all bowl quantities, that’s fine, but hay is most important for a rabbit! It also helps keep your rabbit happy and healthy.

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.

[Cookierabbit]

Okay thank you very much for helping me, i will try and reduce the quantity of pellets i give her, probably slowly at first she really seems to like them haha. Also thank you for explaining the lettuce, i appreciate your time and advice .

[Author]

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