audrinasmommy88
Well-Known Member
I just took Olivia out of her hutch and she smelled AWFUL...and then I noticed her whole tail and butt is covered in poop. How do I clean this and what could be the cause?
Poopy and smelly
- Thread starter audrinasmommy88
- Start date
Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:
fantaysah
Well-Known Member
Is she stinks all over? Or just her butt? If it is just stink she may have diarrhea which is bad. Id its a really foul smell just on her but she probably has cecals stuck in her fur. They are wetter grape looking clumps that they usually eat so you probably haven't seen them before they smell really foul! Is her poop solid now if so then that's what it is. A bath will stress her out u can try scented baby wipes
audrinasmommy88
Well-Known Member
She doesnt stink all over. Its just her butt. Her poops are fine now. Im wondering if its the craisins I gave her. She has never had them before. Should I stop giving them?
ZRabbits
Well-Known Member
audrinasmommy88 wrote:
Poor Olivia. If it's the heat, maybe waiting until it's a bit cooler to give her anything new could help her belly settle better.
K
I would if it could affect her like that. But, How's is the weather? It could be the heat and not the craisins. But because they are new to her system, and with the heat, I think it would set off any bunny. I know that mine kind of got sluggish and their poo got a bit soft because of the heat.
Poor Olivia. If it's the heat, maybe waiting until it's a bit cooler to give her anything new could help her belly settle better.
K
fantaysah
Well-Known Member
I agree wait for the craisens.. did you find diarrhea in her cage or litter box? Still could be cecals not sure if the heat or citizens would make her not eat them though... but its best to rule out diarrhea...
fantaysah
Well-Known Member
Ha ha craisens... please don't give your bun citizens i bet they cause gas
audrinasmommy88
Well-Known Member
The weather here has been in the 100s and humidity is worse. I didn't find any diarrhea in her hutch at all. It looks like mud stuck to her butt. Is that cecals? I'll stop the craisins. She's acting normal and eating normal. I have noticed she is drinking ALOT. I've never seen her drink so much. But I guess that's the heat
ZRabbits
Well-Known Member
audrinasmommy88 wrote:
K
Definitely sounds like cecal. It is very sticky. And she will drink more because of the heat. So glad she is.
K
ZRabbits
Well-Known Member
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html
Here's part of the article:
Unformed Cecotropes: Mushy or Runny Stool Perhaps the most common complaint regarding rabbit health is the problem of mushy or runny stool sticking to the bunny's anal area and creating a nasty, stinky mess. In most cases (in adult rabbits, at least), this mass is made of poorly formed cecotropes that have the consistency of toothpaste, rather than the normal form of bunched, squishy pellets.
The cecum is a delicately balanced ecosystem. If the intestine is moving too slowly, or if the rabbit is getting a diet too rich in digestible carbohydrates and too low in crude fiber, the complex population of bacteria in the cecum can become "unbalanced." This condition is known as cecal dysbiosis. Cecal dysbiosis means that the beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides spp. and a variety of others, including archaeans) are outcompeted and outnumbered by less desirable inhabitants such as yeast (a fungus, usually Saccharomycopsis sp.) or even very harmful bacteria such as Clostridium spp., related to the ones that cause tetanus and botulism.
A rabbit suffering from cecal dysbiosis will produce cecotropes that are mushy, pasty or even liquid. They are usually quite foul-smelling, and often stick to the bunny's back end in great, nasty clumps. These unformed cecotropes are not a primary disease, however. They are a symptom of a disorder somewhere in the bunny's system. In order to solve the runny stool problem, the underlying cause must be addressed.
----------------------------------------------------------
Found another article (posted about cecal in another thread). I think Olivia might be suffering from this. The crasins could have done this. Has she been eating her hay? If she's hot, it might have put her off her hay and cause this.
Here's more of what the article said about dietary.
Dietary Problems
K
Here's part of the article:
Unformed Cecotropes: Mushy or Runny Stool Perhaps the most common complaint regarding rabbit health is the problem of mushy or runny stool sticking to the bunny's anal area and creating a nasty, stinky mess. In most cases (in adult rabbits, at least), this mass is made of poorly formed cecotropes that have the consistency of toothpaste, rather than the normal form of bunched, squishy pellets.
The cecum is a delicately balanced ecosystem. If the intestine is moving too slowly, or if the rabbit is getting a diet too rich in digestible carbohydrates and too low in crude fiber, the complex population of bacteria in the cecum can become "unbalanced." This condition is known as cecal dysbiosis. Cecal dysbiosis means that the beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides spp. and a variety of others, including archaeans) are outcompeted and outnumbered by less desirable inhabitants such as yeast (a fungus, usually Saccharomycopsis sp.) or even very harmful bacteria such as Clostridium spp., related to the ones that cause tetanus and botulism.
A rabbit suffering from cecal dysbiosis will produce cecotropes that are mushy, pasty or even liquid. They are usually quite foul-smelling, and often stick to the bunny's back end in great, nasty clumps. These unformed cecotropes are not a primary disease, however. They are a symptom of a disorder somewhere in the bunny's system. In order to solve the runny stool problem, the underlying cause must be addressed.
----------------------------------------------------------
Found another article (posted about cecal in another thread). I think Olivia might be suffering from this. The crasins could have done this. Has she been eating her hay? If she's hot, it might have put her off her hay and cause this.
Here's more of what the article said about dietary.
Dietary Problems
- Incorrect Diet
- Rabbits, like horses and cattle, are strict herbivores. The rabbit intestine--and its normal bacterial flora--has evolved to feed almost exclusively on grass and herbs. >br> Does your rabbit get starchy treats such as oatmeal, crackers, bread or sweets? Some rabbits with very sensitive intestines can suffer from runny cecotropes even from commercial pellets. Fruit, as healthy as it is for humans, can be too much of a good thing for rabbits. The high level of sugar and starch in table fruit makes them too rich for a bunny except as a very small, occasional treat. A diet too rich in digestible starch is one of the most common causes of runny cecotropes in companion rabbits.
- Insufficient Indigestible Fiber
- A rabbit should be fed unlimited grass hay, such as timothy, brome, wheat or oat. Alfalfa hay is too rich in calories and protein for daily feeding. A rabbit who cannot nibble constantly on high-fiber grass or hay may suffer from a lack of tonus in the gut muscles. Normal peristalsis (muscular movements that push food through the gut) may become sluggish. This causes the passage of food through the cecum to slow down, and the normal rate of bacterial "flushing" from the cecum is disrupted, promoting cecal dysbiosis. The high fiber content of grass hay also helps to "dilute" the starch of other dietary items, and helps to provide a healthy intestinal environment. A complete and healthy diet is truly key to preventing intestinal problems such as cecal dysbiosis (and its associated mushy stool).
K
fantaysah
Well-Known Member
That's a great article!
audrinasmommy88
Well-Known Member
Thank you Karen, thats very infromative. She is still eating her hay. But Im definitely taking her off the craisins. I dont want a smelly rabbit anymore 
