Cecotrope substitutes

[Elise Harper]

Can LA200 from fox valley be used as a substitute for cecotropes. I have no way of getting cecotropes. I have also read that bene bac can be used. Is bene bac better than LA 200 ?

 

[Popsicles]

Why do you need a substitute, I assume your bunny isn’t producing any? Ive only ever used benebac so can’t comment on the other brand. It’s not exactly a cecoptrope substitute, but does help the good bacteria to thrive.

 

[Blue eyes]

I was also curious as to why a substitute would be needed.

 

[Elise Harper]

I received a baby cottontail tail with eyes still closed on 7/5. Based on everything I 've read, since the baby didn't have mom's milk or cecotropes her digestive system wouldn't be able to properly digest solid foods when it was time to wean and she could develop several problems such as diarrhea. I started her on la200 as soon as I received it to help prevent digestive problems and she was getting it every feeding. Saturday night she developed runny stools and gave her diastat to help replenish her lost fluids .Sunday morning she passed out in my hands. It broke my heart and I just cannot rehabilitate baby rabbits anymore until I find out what I could have done differently.

 

[Blue eyes]

Don't feel bad. The survival rate for orphaned, hand-reared wild rabbits is incredibly low. Even wildlife rehabbers have extremely low survival rates for such rabbits.

 

[Elise Harper]

I am a wildlife rehabilitator. I've talked with several others as well and I've heard how difficult it is to keep babies alive

 

[Sarahlyn]

I have kept my cottontails alive since day 4... they’re day 20 and thriving. However, I’m terrified to make the switch to solids as I absolutely cannot get them to eat cecotropes. Mind you, I can’t get them instant fresh. Usually several hours old being I get them from someone out of town. I can’t find anyone closer.

So my question is exactly that of the OP. What is the best substitute??? They’ve been getting probiotics and bovine colostrum since day 4 (day 1 with me).

I can’t lose them now!!!
Please give me ALL the information you can on transitioning cottontails without cecotropes. Best started feed, amounts, how they’re introduced...

I’m going to put cecotropes into the cage and hope they merely eat it. They FIGHT me when I try to put it in their mouths. They mush it and spit it out if I succeed in getting it in. I can’t separate a piece from the cluster without squishing it. Would it be better than nothing if I simply squished it into the formula???

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

 

[Cloverhouse]

They don't have to have ceocotropes, you can use regular bunny poops too. I've done that with orphaned litters and they got the bacteria they needed. hope that helps