My rabbits stomach

[h0llyharris]

Hey,
i got my rabbit about a month ago now and i’ve noticed that ever since i’ve had him, his stomach is always making loud gurgling noises. I’ve researched and read that it’s normal if your rabbit is flopped/stretched etc, but Auggie’s stomach seems to always be making them. He eats plenty of hay, drinks plenty of water and also gets an egg cup full of pellets for each 2kg of his weight (spread once in the morning once at night). Does anyone know what might be causing this, and is it something i should be worried about. any help would be really really appreciated

 

[Madelyn L.]

Does it sound gassy? If it sounds gassy there is a chance of it being stasis, and you need to get him checked by the vet fast. Stasis is when there is a blockage in the gut and he can’t pass the blockage. Is he over grooming? Over grooming can lead to stasis. I would take him to the vet if it persists for a few more hours, just to be safe. I hope he’ll be ok!!

 

[Preitler]

If he's eating and pooping normally it isn't gut stasis.

Some gurgling can be quite normal at times, that alone is not a reason for alarm. The problems start when the gas accumulates and doesn't move out. As a first remedy I would give some Simethicone (about 20mg, infant gas drops) to prevent bloat due to much gas, which can be painful and can lead to gut stasis. Also belly massages, or making the rabbit hop around to help to get things moving.
Typical sign for too much gas would be lethargy and a hunched up loaf position.
A starting stasis due to too much ingested hair imho looks different, rabbit seems rather normal, lounges around, but just doesn't want to eat anything, no treat etc.. (Had this this week, first aid in that case is 1ml of paraffin oil, if that, and belly massages doesn't do the job pretty quickly - off to the vet.)

If you hear that constantly, well, I would say that's not quite normal. I've read that some buns have problems with certain foods, or pellet brands, that they are just sensitive to it. So, you could try to reduce or change one thing or another of his diet to see if the gurgling gets less.
Simethicone and gently belly massages are the first thing to do if you suspect that there's trouble brewing.
One aspect about belly massages: If you notice that the rabbit actually likes it that might be a sign that he has noticeable discomfort due to too much gas.

 

[HalaBuns]

I’m not sure how old your bun is, or how much they weigh, but I followed the same guidance to give that amount of pellets per 2k of bunny. For my bunnies, who are around 3kg though, it actually meant they were getting waay too much and caused one of them problems.

Whilst I thought they were eating a lot of hay, they weren’t really. They were filling up on pellets and not eating enough hay to keep everything moving well, which made one of them really gassy and uncomfortable and eventually her poop was terrible.

How old is your bunny? If they are not a baby, perhaps try reducing their pellets to encourage more hay munching

 

[h0llyharris]

If he's eating and pooping normally it isn't gut stasis.

Some gurgling can be quite normal at times, that alone is not a reason for alarm. The problems start when the gas accumulates and doesn't move out. As a first remedy I would give some Simethicone (about 20mg, infant gas drops) to prevent bloat due to much gas, which can be painful and can lead to gut stasis. Also belly massages, or making the rabbit hop around to help to get things moving.
Typical sign for too much gas would be lethargy and a hunched up loaf position.
A starting stasis due to too much ingested hair imho looks different, rabbit seems rather normal, lounges around, but just doesn't want to eat anything, no treat etc.. (Had this this week, first aid in that case is 1ml of paraffin oil, if that, and belly massages doesn't do the job pretty quickly - off to the vet.)

If you hear that constantly, well, I would say that's not quite normal. I've read that some buns have problems with certain foods, or pellet brands, that they are just sensitive to it. So, you could try to reduce or change one thing or another of his diet to see if the gurgling gets less.
Simethicone and gently belly massages are the first thing to do if you suspect that there's trouble brewing.
One aspect about belly massages: If you notice that the rabbit actually likes it that might be a sign that he has noticeable discomfort due to too much gas.

He lets me feel his belly for about two minutes at most, he doesn’t really like it but when i do it isn’t hard or anything it feels like a normal doughy feel. When he’s really relaxed i’ll rub the sides and he doesn’t seem to mind that. Right now he’s only about 4 and a half months old but when he gets older, i’m thinking of putting him onto a pellet free diet, i’ve heard that it can cause a lot less troubles and perhaps it’ll be better for him. I’ve considered reducing his food, some have said to do it where as other day he’s still a baby and growing so i shouldn’t. His diet is pretty much only pellets and hay, occasionally he’ll get some greens but he hasn’t for weeks now and it’s still happening. Do you recommend i try Simethicone asap?

 

[h0llyharris]

I’m not sure how old your bun is, or how much they weigh, but I followed the same guidance to give that amount of pellets per 2k of bunny. For my bunnies, who are around 3kg though, it actually meant they were getting waay too much and caused one of them problems.

Whilst I thought they were eating a lot of hay, they weren’t really. They were filling up on pellets and not eating enough hay to keep everything moving well, which made one of them really gassy and uncomfortable and eventually her poop was terrible.

How old is your bunny? If they are not a baby, perhaps try reducing their pellets to encourage more hay munching

The only reason i’m scared to cut down is that he’s only 4 and a half months old which means he’s only really a baby and is still growing, so i’ve been advised against doing that. Like i mentioned though in a reply as he gets older i’m thinking of just slowly taking him off of pellets all together. As far as hay is concerned, i’d say i stack half of his litter tray up twice a day, maybe three times and i’m sure that’s over the size of him so i don’t think he’s not getting enough. I’ll definitely monitor it though.

 

[Diane R]

The only reason i’m scared to cut down is that he’s only 4 and a half months old which means he’s only really a baby and is still growing, so i’ve been advised against doing that. Like i mentioned though in a reply as he gets older i’m thinking of just slowly taking him off of pellets all together. As far as hay is concerned, i’d say i stack half of his litter tray up twice a day, maybe three times and i’m sure that’s over the size of him so i don’t think he’s not getting enough. I’ll definitely monitor it though.

Unlimited pellets for babies is outdated advice. They need to get into the habit of eating lots of hay (ideally a variety) right away. 1-2 tbsp pellets per day is plenty. You can introduce some fresh herbs, just one new food at a time and in very small quantities to begin with.

 

[Haru the Lionhead]

If he's eating and pooping normally it isn't gut stasis.

Some gurgling can be quite normal at times, that alone is not a reason for alarm. The problems start when the gas accumulates and doesn't move out. As a first remedy I would give some Simethicone (about 20mg, infant gas drops) to prevent bloat due to much gas, which can be painful and can lead to gut stasis. Also belly massages, or making the rabbit hop around to help to get things moving.
Typical sign for too much gas would be lethargy and a hunched up loaf position.
A starting stasis due to too much ingested hair imho looks different, rabbit seems rather normal, lounges around, but just doesn't want to eat anything, no treat etc.. (Had this this week, first aid in that case is 1ml of paraffin oil, if that, and belly massages doesn't do the job pretty quickly - off to the vet.)

If you hear that constantly, well, I would say that's not quite normal. I've read that some buns have problems with certain foods, or pellet brands, that they are just sensitive to it. So, you could try to reduce or change one thing or another of his diet to see if the gurgling gets less.
Simethicone and gently belly massages are the first thing to do if you suspect that there's trouble brewing.
One aspect about belly massages: If you notice that the rabbit actually likes it that might be a sign that he has noticeable discomfort due to too much gas.

Haru has been gassy for a few months now, I always hear her stomach gurgling and whenever I touch it I can feel bubbles..
But it doesn’t look like it’s bothering her, she doesn’t move much but she eats and poops well, she also flops all the time.. even when I give her gas drops it doesn’t help