Pellet Question

[Mariah]

I currently feed Martins pellets to my bunnies. One is on the original (alpha based), as hes under 6 months, and the other is on the adult formula as she's over a year. They both absolutely LOVE this food.

My question is, I've noticed my bunny who's under 6 months has been drinking a lot and urinating a lot. Could this be due to the pellets? He has unlimited Timothy hay and gets 1/3 cup of pellets AM and PM.

Suggestions on a new food if the pellets could be why he's drinking and urinating a lot?

Thanks.

 

[majorv]

I don't think it's the pellets so much as it could be the hay. How much hay does he eat?

 

[Mariah]

Thanks for the quick response! I have a hay rack in his cage. I would say over a 24 hour period, he eats all or about 75% of the hay. I fill it in the morning before work and at night time when I'm cleaning his cage.

My doe eats about two full hay rakes a day and she also pees and drinks a lot.

I didn't think too much about it but this morning when I woke up he had drank his whole bowl of water. Usually he still has water come the morning.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Has it been happening lately, like the last couple weeks? It is hot out and rabbits do drink more when they are hot. This also means they can urinate more. This is normal. What would not be normal is if he is drinking several large bowls or bottles a day and peeing a lot as well. When it cools down, see if he drinks less and pees less than what he is doing now. If he is inside with air conditioning, then it could be more of an issue.
You may want to take him to a vet for a check up. There can be kidney problems that make him drink more.

 

[Mariah]

Both bunnies are in central air. I live in a basement apt... But yes, I've just noticed the drinking and peeing more. He's a fuzzy lop so I guess it's possible he's hot? I do brush him 2-3 times a week.

Suggestions?

 

[Mariah]

Can anyone comment on the martins brand of food that they are on vs the oxbow?

 

[majorv]

I'm not familiar with that brand of pellets. Can you provide the top 5 ingredients listed on the bag and what the %'s are for protein, fat, fiber, etc...?

As far as drinking more water, have you noticed any weight loss? If it continues thenyou might want toconsult a vet.

 

[Mariah]

I will post the ingredients in a bit. I have consulted my vet (I work at a vet clinic that deals with bunnies). I'm trying to get a urine sample to take in. If I can't get one, he will be going in next week for us to get urine. Other then the drinking a lot, he is acting completly normal. Running around, pooping and eating.

 

[Mariah]

And there has been no weight loss that I can visibly see. He's just a young growing boy!

 

[Mariah]

Ok these are the ingredients in the food:
Crude protein: 16%
Crude fat: 4%
Crude fibre(min): 15%
Crude fibre (max): 18%
Moisture: 10%
Calcium: 0.9%
Phosphorus: 0.5%
Sodium: 0.2%
Vitamin A: 17250 IU/kg
Vitamin D3: 2150 IU/kg
Vitamin E: 54 IU/kg

Calories per 8oz cup: 244

Is this good? Or not?

He's been drinking his whole bowl dry since Fri morning. His eating habits have my changed and he's still a very happy young boy.

 

[Mariah]

Oh, and the top 5 ingredients listed are: dehydrated alpha, wheat shorts, soybean hulls, barley and soybeans.

 

[Mariah]

??

 

[majorv]

I'm not an authority on pellets, but it appears okay with me. The protein level is about right and it uses alfalfa as a base. The fiber is a little lower than what I use and what I noticed that Oxbow uses. Someone else might have more input.

 

[wendymac]

It looks pretty good. I feed Manna Pro Gro formula. The min-max fiber is 16-21%. The ingredients are:

dehydrated alfalfa meal, wheat middlings, soybean hulls, soybean meal, feeding oatmeal, cane molasses, brewers dried yeast...

How much is "a lot"? A 16oz bottle, 32oz bottle, crock?

 

[Mariah]

Papaya drinks from a bowl. It's the type of bowl that comes in the big super pet cages. Do you know what I'm talking about? Is that too much water to be drinking?

 

[woahlookitsme]

I have heard of a high protein diet causing kidney issues or making them worse but how high is to high I am not sure of. You might want to also check his BUN levels and other kidney functions.

 

[Mariah]

But how much is too high for protein? I posted the protein for his food above.

 

[wendymac]

16% is good for young bunnies, that are still growing. Once they hit the 6 month mark, though, they should be dropped down to a 14%.

Are you sure he's drinking that much, or maybe getting ears wet, spilling some on the floor, etc?

 

[Mariah]

Well, he only drinks this much in the night when I'm sleeping. I haven't noticed him being wet, but what I have noticed, is that his towel (hand towel) that's in his cage, is damp in the morning. I don't know if he could possibly be playing in his water at night? I smelt the towel and it dosent smell like pee, however; his litter box always has a TON of urine in it come morning. I got a urine sample from him this morning, so I am taking it in this afternoon for a urinalysis and a culture....

Is it possible for a bunny this young (3.5 months) to be diabetic? Have kidney/ liver issues?

 

[wendymac]

As with any animal, anything is possible. It sounds, though, like he's just playing in it. And that would explain why the towel is damp in the mornings. Let us know what the vet finds out with the urine testing.