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Sticky bottom which pellets? Or even none at all.

cookiebun

New Kit
We've gone all summer with no problems and now one of my bunnies is dirty, I'm guessing that although they're still on grass they're not grazing so much.

I've always fed excel but I'm looking for a higher fibre content, I'm thinking either ss or Oxbow bunny T. Does anyone have an opinion on which is best for bunnies who suffer with sticky bottom?

My bunnies are given plenty of hay but I can't force feed it but I'm thinking if they're hungry they'll eat more so my other question is do bunnies actually need pellets or can they get enough from hay and veggies alone.

I can't bear another winter of cleaning rabbits bottoms every other day when they don't like being held.
 
Excel is quite notorious for causing this in some rabbits. If it was me I'd get them gradually off Excel to SS (this is what we use, I've never tried any other pellet tbh) and check how much you give, if you give too much they eat pellets and not hay.

Also look at what veg you feed. Mini gets a sticky bottom if I feed any sweet veg such as baby corn, pea, mangetout or carrot (or fruit or too many treats). It's not that it stops her eating hay, she eats loads of hay, but the sugar upsets her stomach.
 
Having been involved with rescue in the past many rabbits get handed over due to sticky bottom problems. Most of these rabbits are on either excel or a low fibre mix and most are usually overfed with their dried food.

The best way to deal with this is to increase their daily intake of fibre. I defiantely agree that yiou need to consider changing the dried food that you give SS or Bunny basics T or Allen and Page are all good types of dried food which I can personally recommend.

Another key area to look at is the quantity of dried fod which is given. In theory rabbits dont really need pellets and can survive well on hay, grasses and some veg. However if pellets are fed they only need a tiny amount each day, this amount is usually far less than the amount suggested on the side of the packet.

As has been said fresh vegetables and fruit have been known to cause problems, however I would start first by slowly withdrawing the excel and simultaneously slowly weaning into the diet a small amount of a high fibre pellet.

Feeding a probiotic at the same time for a short time may also be beneficial.
 
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