Pee question.

[daisyandoliver]

My friend just got a rabbit, I transported it to her house for her. But the one thing that was worrying her and she doesn't know much about rabbits and I didn't know what to tell her, is the color of her pee. It's almost a yellow creamy color. I wasn't sure if this was normal because I've never really SEEN my rabbits pee because it soaks into their bedding and just goes away. I was just thinking id ask all of you to double check.

Anyway; her boyfriends mom was being mean and practically holding it by the neck then threw it in the cage, my friend was VERY mad and told her to get the 'f' out and never touch her rabbit again. Then it peed (probably out of fear, I sure would after being held and thrown by that CRAZY lady), but the pee was a yellow, cream like color, kind of thicker than say pee from a dog or cat. Like I said wasn't sure and wanted to ask!

 

[audrinasmommy88]

Sounds like too much calcium in the urine to me. Hopefully someone who knows better will come along and answer. I know when olivia had that problem, they tested her urine and it was high in calcium. We gave her these
http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=8432

 

[Imbrium]

poor bunny!

I'm not 100% sure on the pee... it sounds normal as long as it doesn't have any clumps in it. their pee can be thicker and have a little bit of sediment in it/appear "chalky" normally and yellow is one of the many "normal" colors. if it seems sludgy, that could be excess calcium and a reason to see a vet.

 

[agnesthelion]

I think that pee sounds normal. Rabbit urine can range in color from yellowish white all the way to oranges and reds. As long as there is no other concerning health issues that it is probably okay.

On another note I'd be more concerned about the boyfriend. That is horrible that he treated the rabbit that way (why?) and to me if he does that to an animal that type of behavior can manifest in other ways too. But I guess that's a whole other topic........

 

[Imbrium]

was the boyfriend's mom, not the boyfriend

 

[agnesthelion]

Aah yes, reread that, you are right.

Doesn't change my point of my post though, people who would do that to an animal i would steer clear of....

 

[JBun]

Pretty sure it's excess calcium. Only time when my rabbits had chalky colored pee was when they were getting too many pellets. I cut back on the pellets, so they ate more grass hay and their pee looked more normal. You're friend should cut back on the pellets some and make sure her rabbit is eating unlimited grass hay, and see if that fixes it. If the bun is on an alfalfa pellet, she could also transition her rabbit over to a timothy pellet and that will help as well.

 

[agnesthelion]

Healthy rabbits excrete excess calcium salts via the renal system, and this can give the urine a chalky or opaque appearance. The urine will often dry to a white, chalky residue. Unless the residue is thick, pasty, and the color of mustard powder, this is normal, and should not be considered "sludge."
Normal rabbit urine is usually pale yellow in color, but upon exposure to the atmosphere, compounds in the urine may oxidize to darker yellow, orange, red, or even dark brown. This isn't unusual, and--by itself--is not necessarily a sign of a health problem. Blood in the urine, unless it is from a hemorraghing uterus or very serious problem, is usually not readily visible to the naked eye. Test strips are available at most pharmacies that will tell you whether there is blood in the urine or not, but your vet is the best judge of whether your bunny's urine is normal.

Urine that is very dark immediately when it emerges may indicate that the bunny is dehydrated, and should receive more water, either by mouth or--in more serious cases--via administration of subcutaneous Lactated Ringer Solution.


^^^^from the university of Miami. Link:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/urinary.html

I do agree that too many pellets or alfalfa based pellets should be switched over to Timothy but the color of the pee couldn still remain the same and may not indicate a problem.

 

[daisyandoliver]

She eats timothy hay and eats purina show health food.

Yeah, her boyfriends mom is crazy... they are only staying there for the time being. My friend is pregnant and her own mother and her are staying there. So they are moving out (her boyfriend too) as soon as possible.. but my friends mom has a disease and has trouble with work right now.

But again, thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to tell her, and trust me the lady isn't aloud near that bunny anymore.

 

[Geoff]

The main ingredient of that Purina diet is Alfalfa, which is way too high in Calcium for all but breeding and growing rabbits (and even then likely far more than they need). BUT, it has been shown pretty conclusively that the amount of calcium in the diet does not directly correlate with excessive calcium in the urine, so changing the diet, which I personally think would be an excellent idea anyway, probably will not alter the urine much... not to mention that chalky urine in rabbits, as someone already mentioned above, is within normal limits for rabbit urine, though perhaps not all the time.