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Eating poo

joey&boo

Wise Old Thumper
Once again I've caught Boo eating fully formed pellets (direct from source). They are definitely not cecos. I know some bunnies do this but I also know its a blockage risk. Does anyone have any insight as to why some bunnies do this?
 
No wise insight on why, I'm afraid, but if it's any reassurance, one of my little furry bundles does this on occasion, also -- and just for lols, quite often they're not even his own that he nibbles on...
Exactly the same, they're definitely not ceco. No clue. I give him a look to suggest he's being a weirdo, and he just nonchalently ignores me...
 
One of my girls does this I have no idea why :( she takes them out with her mouth and bites them in half and eats one half? When I change her litter tray there's lots of poops and then lots of half poops :S

Hopefully someone can explain why - oh also why's it a blockage risk? D: xx

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One of my girls does this I have no idea why :( she takes them out with her mouth and bites them in half and eats one half? When I change her litter tray there's lots of poops and then lots of half poops :S

Hopefully someone can explain why - oh also why's it a blockage risk? D: xx

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

Frances Harcort Brown covered it in her lectures. I've known it be identified as a cause of blockage on here too, Bunny Buddy's bunny was one
 
Frances Harcort Brown covered it in her lectures. I've known it be identified as a cause of blockage on here too, Bunny Buddy's bunny was one

Four in fact: Gracie x2; Elijah x 2; Barnaby x 2 and Olly a month ago. All identified as a 'big poop'. I wish I knew why. I did initially blame it on his past life for Elijah but I can't be the case for all of them. I told a vet recently, "I swear I feed them - they don't have to resort to eating poo." Heather did Olly's recent operation and I said I'd removed carpet, cardboard, vinyl .. anything I thought was a risk but as we both said you can't sit and watch them 24/7 to stop them eating poo ... and then of course they could take one straight from their bottom and you don't get there in time.
 
One of my girls does this I have no idea why :( she takes them out with her mouth and bites them in half and eats one half? When I change her litter tray there's lots of poops and then lots of half poops :S

Hopefully someone can explain why - oh also why's it a blockage risk? D: xx

For some reason the solid fibrous pellets don't break down in the digestive system so they can pass through the stomach without breaking down and the bigger poops are just the wrong size and get wedged. Both Olly and Barnaby have had them stuck in the valve just as it leaves the stomach which is the hardest place to reach to remove it. ... then they have the job of milking it right along the small intestine until it's no longer a blockage risk, so a lot of handling of the guts involved.. which then puts them at greater risk of adhesions.
 
For some reason the solid fibrous pellets don't break down in the digestive system so they can pass through the stomach without breaking down and the bigger poops are just the wrong size and get wedged. Both Olly and Barnaby have had them stuck in the valve just as it leaves the stomach which is the hardest place to reach to remove it. ... then they have the job of milking it right along the small intestine until it's no longer a blockage risk, so a lot of handling of the guts involved.. which then puts them at greater risk of adhesions.
Oh yikes - that sounds terrible.. Um what should I do? Take her to the vets? Can they do anything to stop her? Is something missing causing her to eat them?

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I don't think there is much to be done really, as bb said they've 24/7 access to it. FHB's own rabbit/s do it if thats any consolation. there must be a reason though & I'd love to know it
 
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