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Uneaten Caecotrophs: Update

M

Morrigan1981

Mama Doe
Hi all

Frankie and Jen went for their VHD jabs a few weeks ago. The next day I noticed a few uneaten soft poos in their hutch (I normally don't see any). I put it down to a side effect of the jab and just cut down on pellets and upped their hay. Within a few days they were fine.

However, last Sunday I noticed that there were a lot of uneaten caecotrophs again - about 5 or 6 - so I immediately cut out all veg and reduced their SS pellets down to half a handful and left them with just hay. Both bunnies eat a lot of hay, so I wasn't worried. By yesterday, there wasn't a soft poo in sight. This morning, however, I spotted another one in the corner of the hutch :(

I don't know why they are not eating them all: both bunnies had their teeth checked at the same time as the VHD jab, and they were perfect. They both love hay too and eat plenty. I'm worrying that maybe one of them has hurt their back or something :? They were both binkying in the run earlier though...

Any ideas??
 
I really wouldnt worry about it, normally a rabbit will leave them when they are overfeeding on other foods. My boys always used to leave a couple a day, but since I have really cut their foods down (dry food in particular) there isnt a soft poo in sight.

But sometimes all bunnies may leave one or two, however i can guarantee they are eating some a day or they would be really poorly. I rang the Rabbit Welfare helpline once in a real panic about my first bunny as he was leaving some, but Anne Mitchell (i think thats her name?) said not to overly worry about it and that all bunnies are different.

Hope this is a bit helpful.;)
 
Hmmm it's a little odd as they've always eaten them fine before. I wonder if anything else in their environment has changed, although not sure what type of change could cause this :?

Are they at all sore down there? Have they had a thorough check over for any injuries like you say. I doubt if it was serious they would be binkying though :)

Hope you find a remedy and all the poops are gobbled up again!
 
Thanks guys. I'm at a bit of a loss really, the last time I saw an uneaten soft poo was just after Frankie had bloat last year, and I've not spotted one since then :? They really are very good.

Thea, I check their bums each day and they are both spotless and fluffy. There's no sore or broken skin as far as I can see.

I guess I'd better re-check backs and legs again and make sure that neither bun is habouring an injury.. I'd be amazed though if they have, the way that the pair of them charge about! :lol:

The only thing that's changed very recently is that I was on holiday last week, and both buns stayed with their Auntie Lynne at Holiday Hutches. Lynne is their second mum ( :lol: ) and feeds them exactly the same amounts and types of food and hay that I do so I'm not worried about that, but maybe they are still feeling a bit unsettled from being away from home? Again, it doesn't seem very likely as they were both eating normally at Lynnes, but I guess anythings possible!
 
Stella and Bud had their myxi jabs a few weeks ago and Bud was poorly afterwards. He ended up on antibiotics and had to have several jabs and he wasnt eating his poops. I cut down their food too and this wasnt working, but now, all of a sudden, he's eating them!!!:D Must be feeling better!;)

I'm not sure if the jab didnt make him feel poorly - perhaps this happened to your buns too?:? At least they dont sound too bad if they're eating ok - he wasnt eating at all at first.

I have heard that sometimes the jabs can make them ill? Don't know if this is right but maybe tyours felt a bit off colour afterwards - jabs make me feel poorly!!!:?
 
cheryl21 said:
I have heard that sometimes the jabs can make them ill? Don't know if this is right but maybe tyours felt a bit off colour afterwards - jabs make me feel poorly!!!:?
Click to expand...

Yes, they can make them feel a bit 'off colour' as my mum would say.

Smokey had her myxi jab on Saturday and she was a bit quiet on Sunday/Monday and did a few soft poos (even though nothing else had changed).
 
Thanks for the replies, and the ideas!

This morning I didn't spot a single uneaten caecotroph, so that's good :D I was a bit late this morning getting their breakfast though, which made me think: is it possible that I'm disturbing them in the morning whilst they're eating their poops and so they're then abandoning the caecotrophs in favour of getting their pellets?? They both go mental at breakfast time.
 
Well, a few more days have passed and I've not seen another uneaten caecotroph : phew! Still no idea what caused him/her (not sure who it is!) to stop eating them though :? I'm going to keep both bunnies on mostly hay for another few days, and then up the pellets again slowly if things seem ok :D
 
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