Bunny poo.. eeewwwwww!

Doing this diet change thing sure is tough. Binks now has the runs! They started around lunchtime with very wet poos and have progressed to merely being very soft and sticky now. I noticed the first gooey mess smeared on the wall - he'd stepped in it and then flicked his thumpers.. :shock: :shock: :shock:

I'm not sure what brought it on: whether it was because he tried some hay or because he managed in desperation to scrounge up some of Poppy's Science Selective. Whatever the cause the result can clearly be seen planted around the room. I've cleaned up 4 globs but the carpet and pillows are definitely going to need a wash.

If it continues he'll have to go into the vet ... but should I be concerned tonight? Should I move my bed into their hutch (the three of us might get a little crowded)?

hi

sounds a bit worrying - although if they're just the caecal poops, it may just be because he's too busy with Poppy to eat them.

If it's actual diahorrea (runny rather than sticky) then he should have no veg till it's cleared up, and make sure he's not dehydrated - which is where the vet could be useful as he can give fluids by injection.

Does he eat a lot of veg normally? Mine only get a small amount once a day - but people do things differently to me and their bunnies are fine with more.

Hi Elve,

Thanks for the speedy answer! His normal diet consisted of only Supa Rabbit Excel pellets and Spring Greens and since being with him 24/7 from June I've never seen a soft poop. As of last night both buns have only had hay available to them.

I've been picking up a lot of caecel poops since we got Poppy on Saturday but I think they're hers. He's very good at eating his own but I think he hassles Poppy too much for her to eat hers. They're also smaller bunches than his own.

Right now it's not full-blown diahorrea ... it was at lunchtime though - no form at all just a glob of sticky smelly poo. Now it's more solid but still not formed. I'm thinking that there could be two reasons for the upset tum:

1) he managed to find scraps of Poppy's SS pellet mix (there are a couple other bits that Jill mixed in with the food she gave us because she's had to ween Poppy off that really awful petshop stuff onto real food);

2) he's eaten some of Poppy's normal or caecel poop and the gut bacteria is different to his own flora.

Right now Podlet and I are ready to abandon the attempt to get Binks and Poppy onto a hay diet and just carry on with the tried and tested food they've been eating..

Its just such a tricky balance this..... :shock: :?

I have been reading old forum posts on sticky bums and the general view is that its too much veg, which is exactly the opposite to our situation! :?

what I don't understand, is how *no* veg and pellets is causing the sticky poo :?: :?: :?:

also, i think we are worried cos we have read all the advice that after coming back from an anaesthetic, its important that buns eat asap.... That not eating or pooing for 24 hours is a cause for concern....

Is this because they have come out from anaesthetic, or is it the length of time? reading on the forum, it seems that we could hold back on pellets and hay for up to two weeks :shock: and then they should be soooo hungry they would eat the hay........ wouldn't gut stasis set in?

we sooooo just want to do the best thing for our buns, but at this stage, i just want to give them their spring greens and pellets..... :roll:

any advice sooooooooooo appreciated!!!

podlet, xx

hi

hmmm :?

well - I put all my new rabbits straight onto science selective with no probs - no weaning period necessary and it contains probiotic, to balance the good bacteria in their tums...I might have just been lucky though!

I have heard many accounts of excel giving sticky bums to rabbits from excess caecal poop production - doesn't seem to have been the case with Binks though...

What is coming out of one end now is the result of what they ate a couple of days ago, which is why you have to wait a couple of days after introducing new foods - maybe something Binks ate a couple of days ago upset him - possibly one of Poppy's caecals...

with the hay - they need to have good hay available, rather than bagged up pet shop stuff, which varies a lot in quality - If Poppy eats it enthusiastically then that's probably a good guage of quality - Or is she not a hay eater either?

I give Tia (not a big hay eater when I got her) a scant amount of pellets (SS) in the morning - I can see the bottom of the bowl - and that's all she gets till bedtime, when she has about 6 more pellets for a treat - She has a small amount of veg at 5pm - chunk of carrot, leaf of spring greens and if she'd eat it, a small sprig of brocolli...She won't eat her hay unless I've just put it into her litter tray - she'll just sit there waiting for fresh stuff, which she gets 4 handfuls of a day - mostly wasted but it's there if she's hungry. Bear in mind that she is a tiny nethie though, and an indoor rabbit so not needing too many calories.

She doesn't eat any if I let her out of her crate though - all my rabbits forget about hay if there's something going on, so I give them fresh hay and shut them in for an hour, so I know they've spent an hour munching, before I let them out for a run - Maybe Binks is too busy to eat it?

Can't think what else to suggest except probiotics in his water
http://www.noahs-cupboard.co.uk/listing.asp?catno=4

Hope he's better soon - if it gets worse he needs a vet though as he'll get dehydrated.

Re: hi

elve said:

with the hay - they need to have good hay available, rather than bagged up pet shop stuff, which varies a lot in quality

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People keep saying this on here, that you must use none bagged up pet shop hay - we live in central london, there aren't any farms or farm suppliers here!

My two seem to be fine on pet shop hay, just choose carefully! You can tell how fresh/good it is from the smell. I tend to go for 'greener' looking hay, and preferably loose and not pressed in a block.

Cord/Lee - I've got a plan, lets go for pub lunch in the countryside one weekend and search out a farm with fresh hay - we'll get Steve to drive so I can drink. :wink:

I've been away all weekend so only just seen this, hows his bum now?

Given up...

BevBunny said:

Cord/Lee - I've got a plan, lets go for pub lunch in the countryside one weekend and search out a farm with fresh hay - we'll get Steve to drive so I can drink. :wink:

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We think that's a super idea!! Just let us know when and we'll pack a basket. We're also trying to source places that deliver fresh hay from the country. There are a couple places that supply hay for horses but we've still got to find about out quantities and the like.

BevBunny said:

I've been away all weekend so only just seen this, hows his bum now?

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We gave up Bev - it was much too stressful for us! Neither Binks nor Poppy had eaten anything for about 36 hours. They were both still drinking plenty water, and scrounging through the hay bedding to find the odd spilled pellet.. but otherwise nothing! Lee and I were getting really distressed that they were not making any attempt to eat any of the 4 different hays on offer - even after rubbing Spring Greens on the hay.

On Saturday morning they were very lethargic - not wanting to leave their hutch. We couldn't stand it anymore and switched back to their normal diet. The ate like gluttons.. no surprise! We're not going to try this again until we find something green and yummy that they enjoy.. Binks' tummy is of course perfectly fine again - now that he's eating properly. And his bum is clean again because he had a bath today! :lol: :lol:

Hard work!!