clear mucus in bunny poop

[melissalee]

Hi I just got my first rabbits less than a week ago. Three of them have normal poop but the fourth one has been having very soft misshapen droppings since I got her. I also noticed a pile of clear jelly like mucus in her cage several days ago. Today her poops seemed to be more solid and i could see some hay in them, but there was also another small pile next to them that looked like mucus(now a light brown color) mixed with some very wet poop. Her bottom is a bit messy looking, and I'm not entirely sure, but she seems a little bonier than my other bunnies. At first I thought that her stomach issues could just be from the stress of changing homes but its been almost a week and I'm really worried about her.

 

[Blue eyes]

How old are they? It is pretty common for young bunnies to leave cecotropes uneaten. Here are a couple articles that shows different poos. You can use those pics for comparing with what you are seeing...
MediRabbit

Guide to Bunny Poops

 

[JBun]

Mucous/jelly in the poop is a sign of mucoid enteritis. Stress can be a cause of it starting, as can sudden diet changes(suddenly changing pellet types and brands, or suddenly adding sugary/high carb foods to the diet). It's when it's not a minor case, and doesn't improve and go away within a day or two but worsens, that it becomes a serious concern. There's also the possibility that it could be caused by coccidiosis, and that requires immediate vet treatment.

If the mucoid enteritis hasn't advanced too far and is just minor, sometimes restricting to a grass hay only diet(ensuring the rabbit is consuming the hay really well) for a few days can help clear it up, then gradually reintroduce pellets into the diet. But if it has advanced too far or is being caused by coccidiosis, then getting to an experienced rabbit vet right away is needed.

Coccidiosis can be fatal, and mucoid enteritis can further develop into diarrhea or something called epizootic rabbit enteropathy, which can also be fatal if not treated immediately and correctly. But even then sometimes it's advanced too far and treatment can't turn it around.
Medirabbit (mucoid enteritis in rabbits)
MediRabbit (coccidiosis in rabbits, page contains medical related photos)

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

 

[melissalee]

she's almost 6 months.they almost look like cecotropes, but they aren't as shiny and aren't really in a clump.the wet shavings have mucus on them. .

 

[melissalee]

Mucous/jelly in the poop is a sign of mucoid enteritis. Stress can be a cause of it starting, as can sudden diet changes(suddenly changing pellet types and brands, or suddenly adding sugary/high carb foods to the diet). It's when it's not a minor case, and doesn't improve and go away within a day or two but worsens, that it becomes a serious concern. There's also the possibility that it could be caused by coccidiosis, and that requires immediate vet treatment.

If the mucoid enteritis hasn't advanced too far and is just minor, sometimes restricting to a grass hay only diet(ensuring the rabbit is consuming the hay really well) for a few days can help clear it up, then gradually reintroduce pellets into the diet. But if it has advanced too far or is being caused by coccidiosis, then getting to an experienced rabbit vet right away is needed.

Coccidiosis can be fatal, and mucoid enteritis can further develop into diarrhea or something called epizootic rabbit enteropathy, which can also be fatal if not treated immediately and correctly. But even then sometimes it's advanced too far and treatment can't turn it around.
Medirabbit (mucoid enteritis in rabbits)
MediRabbit (coccidiosis in rabbits, page contains medical related photos)

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

Can I give her something in case it is muciod enteritus? Ive heard of Oxbow Critical Care supplement being used for it. Or should I just stick to hay and grass with no pellets?

 

[JBun]

All of that misshapen and moist poorly absorbed fecal droppings, indicates to me that this could very likely be coccidiosis. With mucoid enteritis it's usually more normal fecal droppings mixed in with the mucous. Also, tear drop shaped fecal poop can be a sign of coccidiosis. I would suggest taking a fecal sample to the vet to get a fecal float test done to find out if your rabbit has coccidiosis.

 

[melissalee]

All of that misshapen and moist poorly absorbed fecal droppings, indicates to me that this could very likely be coccidiosis. With mucoid enteritis it's usually more normal fecal droppings mixed in with the mucous. Also, tear drop shaped fecal poop can be a sign of coccidiosis. I would suggest taking a fecal sample to the vet to get a fecal float test done to find out if your rabbit has coccidiosis.

Alright thank you, are my other rabbits in danger of getting it if she does have coccidiosis? they each have separate pens, but are close to each other.

 

[JBun]

If she does in fact have it, your other rabbits could possibly be at risk, but less at risk since they are separate. The only way to know would be if they start showing signs or if they get their fecal poop tested too. If she does have it, after her treatment has started, everything will need disinfecting as well, using the correct disinfectant.

And not saying this is definitely it. There are just a lot of signs that point to coccidiosis as a strong possibility. Mucoid enteritis is still a possibility, and there's also a chronic digestive disorder called megacolon that can cause similar symptoms. If she had these poop issues before you got her, and especially if she's a charlie rabbit(mostly white with some spots of color), then this could be a possibility. But this is a worse scenario as it's not curable.

 

[melissalee]

If she does in fact have it, your other rabbits could possibly be at risk, but less at risk since they are separate. The only way to know would be if they start showing signs or if they get their fecal poop tested too. If she does have it, after her treatment has started, everything will need disinfecting as well, using the correct disinfectant.

And not saying this is definitely it. There are just a lot of signs that point to coccidiosis as a strong possibility. Mucoid enteritis is still a possibility, and there's also a chronic digestive disorder called megacolon that can cause similar symptoms. If she had these poop issues before you got her, and especially if she's a charlie rabbit(mostly white with some spots of color), then this could be a possibility. But this is a worse scenario as it's not curable.

I'm going to see if my vet can run a fecal, thank you for your help!

 

[Aspen’sbuns]

Hi there!!! Definitely take the advice of the other responses over mine, but when I got two of my mini lops at the start of the year, one of them was having poops like this, she didn’t really have the mucous though. She and her sister were just started on a supermarket bought rabbit food. The problems went on for a while, until I switched them both onto oxbow pellets, what my other bun was having. After that the problems almost immediately stopped. She will get the odd stickier poop if she gets fed too many fruits or treats, but when that happens I go back to just hay and pellets. I figure she is just a bit more sensitive with her tummy than my other two buns. I would possibly try switching food too

 

[Toffee and Valentina]

A little off topic, you seem to really care about your buns so you probably know that some wood shavings become toxic when mixed with urine. I'm sure you are using safe ones but I had to mention it for my own peace of mind.

 

[JBun]

What type and brand of pelleted food do you feed? Do you free feed a grass hay, and any other supplements, veggies or treats? It's possible one of them may be contributing to the problem as well.