Messy Bunny!

I know I've posted about this problem before, but I'm at a loss, I must admit. Both my rabbits have a small amount of SS night and morning (and I do mean a very small handful). They get unlimited hay all day and night and just a small amount of veg in the evening. They also have a small bowl of dried grass available to them. Teddy is producing lots of excess caecotrophs! This morning the floor of his hutch was covered in squashed ones! Consequently, he whiffs quite a lot of the time and this is quite a regular occurrence. As I said, I don't think I'm overfeeding and he has regular vet checks (teeth, etc!). The vet just said to feed more hay, which I've always done anyway. Has anyone got any more ideas, please? Do you think the SS is not working for him, although I'm not sure what else to try? He started off on Excel Junior as he's a mini-lop, but I've fed SS for about a year now. I've now got some pro-biotic for his drinking water, but have only used this for a couple of days so far.

HELP, PLEASE! (Got the Rearguard ready to put on, but am worried about flystrike in the Summer!)

Hiya.
I would STOP ALL DRIED GRASS!! It is a VERY rich foodstuff high in protein.
I would also stop ONE of the SS portions. I'd feed the SS in the morning, Veggies in the evening and hay 24/7
As long as your Buns EAT all the hay you provide then the above should be more than adequate to maintain their weight/health.
Good Luck!!
Janex

Thanks, Jane. How's Uncle Albert, by the way? Thinking of you.

Uncle A is doing very well!!
He is eating lots (all food has to be made into a gooey paste!)
Off to get his weight checked later.
Thanks so much for thinking of the dear old man!!



Janex

Bless him! He's so cute and very lucky to have you looking after him.

Some rabbits carnt tolerate veg and it makes them loose, try cuting in out and see what happens. Also what hay are you feeding? val

Some rabbits carnt tolerate veg and it makes them loose, try cuting in out and see what happens. Also what hay are you feeding? val

Jane's said what I think

Instead of completely dropping an evening pellet meal, can you split what they get in the morning so they still get two 'meals' effectively?

Veg could also be a problem factor, go with cutting out the dried grass and maybe split the morning pellets, I'd say give it two weeks and see how you go

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Thanks, everyone! I've now cut out all readigrass, like you suggested giving a very small amount of SS and just one small portion of veg. in the evening. The pellets are eaten immediately and they both look at me as though I'm starving them! I'm putting fresh hay in three times a day and I've just bought a bag of the Oxbow Timothy. I must admit, though, so far they've not eaten this. Typical bunnies! As for cutting out the readigrass, what's the likel timescale for seeing an improvement, if this was the trouble in the first place? When I went to feed this morning, Teddy still had loads of squashed C poops, but it's only been just over a day since I cut out the readigrass?

PS. Any more tips for getting them to eat more hay would be great!

minilops said:

Thanks, everyone! I've now cut out all readigrass, like you suggested giving a very small amount of SS and just one small portion of veg. in the evening. The pellets are eaten immediately and they both look at me as though I'm starving them! I'm putting fresh hay in three times a day and I've just bought a bag of the Oxbow Timothy. I must admit, though, so far they've not eaten this. Typical bunnies! As for cutting out the readigrass, what's the likel timescale for seeing an improvement, if this was the trouble in the first place? When I went to feed this morning, Teddy still had loads of squashed C poops, but it's only been just over a day since I cut out the readigrass?

PS. Any more tips for getting them to eat more hay would be great!

Click to expand...

It will take a couple of days on the new feeding regime for you to see an improvement.
Have your Buns had their teeth checked? Cant remember if this has already been mentioned but if they have never been good hay eaters they might have molar spurs developing. That certainly causes buns to stop eating their caecotrophs. Sorry if their teeth have already been addressed!!
It is a bit of trial and error with hays. I find that obtained from an Equestrian feed supplier to be the most popular and certainly the most economical. Its lovely for Buns to be given the 'posh' hays (Timothy etc) put pointless if they wont eat it!!
Janex

JCO said:

Hiya.
I would STOP ALL DRIED GRASS!! It is a VERY rich foodstuff high in protein.
I would also stop ONE of the SS portions. I'd feed the SS in the morning, Veggies in the evening and hay 24/7
As long as your Buns EAT all the hay you provide then the above should be more than adequate to maintain their weight/health.
Good Luck!!
Janex

Click to expand...

Ditto! :wink: