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Too many cecotropes, please help new bunny owner??

tabo333

tabo333

New Kit
I just got two new bunnies (Holland Lop) 2 weeks ago, one is a girl and boy (one is 1.5 months and the other is 2 months old) for the past week I have noticed a lot of cecotropes in the cage. They are always mashed up all over the cage (as the bunnies step all over them). Seems like they aren't eating them, but they are also pooing the regular hard poo pellets but are they sick, or how can I stop them from pooing so many cecotropes? They are eating pellets and timonthy hay and nothing else. I didn't see any cecotropes in the first week but now daily it is always so much and a mess in the cage. Please help, I'm a newbie and not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if they are sick. Any advice? :(
 
Bunnies not eating cecals can be for quite a number of reasons.

The first one to consider is what they are eating. If a bunny doesn't feel hungry enough, they won't bother to eat their cecals and this then becomes problematic as they don't get the protein from the recycled food.

How many pellets are you feeding and what type?

All of my bunnies get a mixture of meadow, timothy and rye hay daily (as much as they can eat) with a small amount of veg and an egg cup full of pellet per day.

Some bunnies are also prone to uneaten cecals if the food they are eating is too rich. Particular types of veg brings the problem out too - too much cabbage, broccoli, or similar.
 
It may not be that they aren't eaten them but are producing too many to eat.Too many pellets can produce too many cecotraphes,have you thought about gradually introducing veg and cutting down on pellets.If your buns are under 12months then dont reduce pellets yet but introducing veg may help.
 
Hmmm most commonly excess caeco-poopies is too much protein I think (as in pellets) thoug as they are young they will need more pellets as they are still growing. How much pellets do you give per day and what food do they have? Do they eat plenty of hay? What hay do they have? Have you introduced any veg yet? Are they having the same pellets as they were having in their previous home?
 
The excess cecotropes just started for the past week and a half. I noticed the cage was extremely dirty filled with the mushed up patches of poo. When the week before I would just see the pellet poo around, I still see that type of poo around but I have seen my bunnies poo the cecotropes and just leave them there, they don't eat it. Will keep pooing them quite frequently and when they get hyper they step all over them, thus the mess. I'm feeding them LIVING WORLD EXTRUSION brand for the pellets, High fibre level (21%) to help maintain a healthy digestive tract, I got it with a rabbit starter kit. I'm feeding them a big cup full once a day and unlimited timothy hay. Is there a problem with diet that is causing the excess poo? Should I cut down on the amount of pellets? I haven't given them any fresh veggies as they are still too young and I was told not to start until they are 3 months old. One is 1.5 month and other is 2 months old.
 
how big is the cup? my mini lop gets one egg cup full of pellets a day, they hardly need any at all, even as babies. If they are overfeed pellets (which are like our "junk food"), they will leave their cecals.
 
it is one of those ceramic bowls i got with the rabbit starter kit, i usually fill it up once a day. i would say it is about 2.5" wide and 1" deep, so i'm not really sure how much that is..but they always finish all the pellets like they want more. am i feeding them too much pellets?
 
yes, definitely less, they hardly need any pellets. They only need about half an eggcup for breakfast and another half for dinner. Too many pellets will make them tubby. They will act starved but pellets to them is like cake and sweets to us so they will beg and pretend they are starving but they're not! Hay is the most important part of the diet, pellets should only make up someting like 3% of their daily diet. :wave:
 
I was always led to believe that until 12months ad lib pellets should be fed but when they start eating veg they want less anyway.I think basically everyone has their own ideas and you just have to decide what root to take-thats what i did anyway,decided my own root!!:lol:
 
My 2 bunnys were the exact same as yours excess poos all over 2 weeks ago ive changed their pellets from oxbow 15/23 as the vet said they were gettin too much protein and put them on A/P grower/feeder pellets n they get 2 tablespoons morning n night and they are great now just a odd 1 now n then :)
 
i have this problem with my buns as well, however its only recently developed and they have been eating much more hay than they used to as well so i think theyre hungry as i always like them to have hay available. its got to a point where im filling up the hay rack 2-3 times a day/night is this normal?

i give them a handful of pellets each every 2 days or so and make them work for treats
 
:):)Just give them half a egg cup pellets mornin n night n the more hay they eat the better hay is more important to them than pellets n just gradually introduce veg 1 at a time in small quantities to see if it agrees with their tums IE if their poos start changing if they do i dont give it anymore of that certain veg, n also dont give too many of those awful treats they sell EG yoghurt drops honey bars etc they no good for them :) good luck with ya poos what pellets do they have :)
 
lilminxlou said:
i have this problem with my buns as well, however its only recently developed and they have been eating much more hay than they used to as well so i think theyre hungry as i always like them to have hay available. its got to a point where im filling up the hay rack 2-3 times a day/night is this normal?

i give them a handful of pellets each every 2 days or so and make them work for treats
Click to expand...

hay is the most important thing so it sounds fine that they are eating more, it's great for their teeth and is the very best thing for them. I give hay 2 or 3 times a day, I drown the poor boy in it! :lol:
 
wendle said:
:):)Just give them half a egg cup pellets mornin n night n the more hay they eat the better hay is more important to them than pellets n just gradually introduce veg 1 at a time in small quantities to see if it agrees with their tums IE if their poos start changing if they do i dont give it anymore of that certain veg, n also dont give too many of those awful treats they sell EG yoghurt drops honey bars etc they no good for them :) good luck with ya poos what pellets do they have :)
Click to expand...

Wagg bunny brunch its all theyll eat :oops: without throwing food bowls around

as for treats i generally give them nuts and coconut bits and things and maybe a piece of apple as the vet said that too much apple isnt good for them
 
lilminxlou said:
Wagg bunny brunch its all theyll eat :oops: without throwing food bowls around

as for treats i generally give them nuts and coconut bits and things and maybe a piece of apple as the vet said that too much apple isnt good for them
Click to expand...

have you tried things like herbs? my monster goes wild for coriander, basil, parsley, thyme, etc. I only allow a small amount of fruit at the weekend because it's bad for their teeth and not so good for their tummies.
 
Mine love parsley n coriander i just tried them this morning with a small bit of curly kale so ill be watching the pans :lol:
 
Lauralou said:
have you tried things like herbs? my monster goes wild for coriander, basil, parsley, thyme, etc. I only allow a small amount of fruit at the weekend because it's bad for their teeth and not so good for their tummies.
Click to expand...


are herbs good for them? i was a bit worried about if theres any herbs they shouldnt have, also living in aber its hard to get hold of herbs but will go to lidl as theyll probs have loads would mixed herbs be ok?

i try to let them have fruit once or twice a month and no more. am glad you drown yours in hay as well lol
 
My o/h has grown me the parsley n coriander in half a barrel outside i dont give em a lot just a few sprigs every couple a days , they also love dandelion leafs too :)
 
lilminxlou said:
are herbs good for them? i was a bit worried about if theres any herbs they shouldnt have, also living in aber its hard to get hold of herbs but will go to lidl as theyll probs have loads would mixed herbs be ok?

i try to let them have fruit once or twice a month and no more. am glad you drown yours in hay as well lol
Click to expand...

herbs are good for them, parsley is quite high in calcium so that shouldn't be given too often. I give herbs everyday, they are Carlton's most favourite thing, nummers!
 
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