Question about bunny poop...

[Fergi]

Fergi has had semi-loose stool off and on herwhole life. It doesn't seem to affect her in any way, she always eats,drinks, and poops normally ones in addition to the soft ones. I do notthink that they are the cecotropes although they are quite pungent insmell and bunched up like grapes. I have not added anything new to herdiet and she gets very few treats now days, only her greens at bedtime.I give her endive, parsley, and red-leaf lettuce all mixed together.

I had to bathe her bottom half today because she had some of thesestools stuck in her fur, a couple I had to cut out. My question is,isthis is a harmful pattern for her? Could it be that herdiet is just to rich for her? She gets the Purina complete food, a halftablespoon of calf mana, and alfalfa hay (because she is being pickyabout her hay as of late). Once a week she gets a little canned pumpkinand some oats, and at night her greens as I stated above. Should I beconcerned? In the past I haven't been because she always exhibitsnormal behavior even when passing these stools but I am wondering if Ineed to bring her in to a vet to check on her digestive tract.

Thanks for any help,

Fergi's mom

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Have you tried eleminating one veggie at atime? Some bunnies don't do well with a certain type ofgreen. A friend of mine has a rabbit who cannot have romaineor he gets loose stools.

When my rabbit had a bit of the poos I gave him 1/2 tsp of rolled oatsevery day. It can help a lot, but don't over do that cause itcan cause them to get fat.

 

[Lissa]

Both Iszy and Lenci's poops very from day to daydepending on what mommy gives them for treats. Once in awhileI notice a string of pearls and soft stool, but I watch them verycarefully to make sure that it clears up, which it usuallydoes.

 

[Buck Jones]

Fergi wrote:

...Could it be that her diet is just to rich for her?....

Well, you certainly are commended for giving Fergi a varieddiet. My first reaction is, though, is it might be a bitrich. I like Bo B Bunny's idea of eliminating one item at atime. You might start with eliminating the alfalfa andsubstituting timothy or grass hay.

We have a doe, Mitzie, who tends to need less food than the other buns,and will exhibit symptoms similar to those you describe, if I feed heras much as the other buns. She, herself, tends to eat lessand is very picky about what she does eat. I tend to back off a bitwhen she gets loose stools.

Fergi is a Flemish, though, if I am not mistaken and their food needsapparently are greater than normal sized buns. Perhaps, otherFlemish owners here might have more experience and better suggestions.

Buck

 

[Stephanie]

I have the same problem with Chompers, but I know what it is...me giving him stuff he shouldn't have.

Raisins and apples are the worst, so I don't give him those very often.However, now and then I do, only because he loves them so much. Butthat is few and far between. He doesn't seem to be sick or anything,but the stinky poo is certainly nasty.

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Fergi,

Not sure you need to be giving her Calf Manna since she's not aFlemish. The extra protein is necessary for Flemish, but notfor other rabbits, I think. Purina's a good feed with a goodportion of protein, etc. Since she's a new mom, she maybehaving a reaction to that as well.

Not sure that it's necessary to get to a vet. Why don't youtry the extra fiber of the oats, continue with the pumpkin, and givetimothy hay. Would lighten a bit on the vegetables as othershave recommended and see if that will help dry her up a bit.

-Carolyn