Found weird sludge in bunny pen, what is it?

[Aspen’sbuns]

Hi guys! I found this weird pile of something on one of my bunnies beds. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what it may be??
One of them has occasional choking episodes, but this doesn’t look like the mucous from one of those. That same bunny has just finished 6 weeks of antibiotics

Thanks heaps!

 

[JBun]

It looks like excess calcium sediment in the urine. Has your rabbit ever had bladder sludge issues?

 

[Aspen’sbuns]

It looks like excess calcium sediment in the urine. Has your rabbit ever had bladder sludge issues?

Not that I’ve ever been aware of?? I gave them a different kind of treat the last few nights that they’re not used to; could that have caused it???

 

[Aspen’sbuns]

@JBun i should say aswell, the bunny that was on antibiotics had a urinalysis and blood tests done just two weeks ago, which all came back normal

 

[JBun]

What was the treat? Any other diet changes or new foods?

 

[Aspen’sbuns]

What was the treat? Any other diet changes or new foods?

The treats were peckish natural greens treats. They were having about 9 each, as they were tiny. They normal get science selective loops, but I ran out so I got those as I can get them locally. Otherwise no, no other treats or anything.

 

[JBun]

Does your rabbit seem to be drinking less than normal, as that can contribute to thickened urine? Excess calcium and not enough activity and fluids to keep the calcium sediment churned up and flushed out, is the issue. Some rabbits are more prone to this being a problem. Looking at the ingredients in those greens treats, they have kale, alfalfa, and parsley, which are all high in calcium. So that's likely the problem, and that your rabbit is sensitive to excess calcium. I would guess the selective loops are more grass based, so lower in calcium and so didn't cause this issue.

I would suggest discontinuing feeding the greens treats(or try only feeding a couple a day), and go back to feeding the selective loops as treats if they didn't cause the same problem. Or feed other low calcium treats like limited fruit or low calcium veg. I would also suggest making sure your rabbit is staying well hydrated and drinking well, and is staying active moving around and jumping up and down from things to help keep the bladder sediment churned up and more easily excreted during urination. If you don't change things and this continues, what happens is the sediment can build up in the bladder and create a medical emergency with your rabbit, where your rabbit needs to be sedated and the bladder flushed out.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/treats.html
https://rabbit.org/lowering-blood-calcium/
This does mean too, that your rabbit is going to be sensitive to other high calcium foods in the diet, so you'll want to be careful about that. Your rabbit does need some calcium in the diet, you just don't want to be feeding foods with an excess where you are seeing that thickened calcium sediment in the urine.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bladder_sludge_and_stones
https://rabbit.org/bladder-stones-and-bladder-sludge-in-rabbits/