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Bunny not eating all cecotropes

Leesa

Warren Scout
I've recently got back from working away and have got my 2 bunnies back, who have been living at my parents. One of them I have always had to watch out with his cecotropes - he has a tendency not to eat them all and gets messy. They have very healthy appetites (like always hungry) and eat a really good amount of hay and I have to monitor that he doesn't eat too much (often supplementing the others food because he would just wolf it all down). They are on Science Selective, they are coming up to 4 years old so not sure whether the senior version might work better for him. My mum has had issues with him being too poopy and I've told her she must have been feeding him too much and/or too much vegetables. When I got him back I had to tackle his dirty bum and have been encouraging hay and the pieces of branches they love. He's still been getting Science Selective and I've cut back on the vegetables he's had (no where near as much as I used to feed) to just herbs, broccoli only 1 day and some sweetheart cabbage (1 half piece each per day). I've been keeping an eye on him and found the problem seems to be that be will eat most of his cecotropes, there's not any in their housing area etc, but have found him asleep on them - like he's too lazy when he's sleepy to eat them. I'm at the point now where I'm debating changing their food to see if this assists as I don't feel he's getting many pellets at all. The other rabbit has absolutely no issues with this - she is always nice and clean.

Edited just to add he has had no fruit this week since I got home. I will be cutting down his food even more to just a tiny bit and hay. My mum has been giving them different hay as they usual farm I ordered from they don't seem as fussed with, so I just checked and the one they love at the moment is Timothy hay. They used to love the Inge's hay.

If I look to change over their pellet food do I need to decrease the protein? From what I've read it looks like I might need to increase the fibre. It's the standard Science Selective they are on now. Thanks
 
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I've recently got back from working away and have got my 2 bunnies back, who have been living at my parents. One of them I have always had to watch out with his cecotropes - he has a tendency not to eat them all and gets messy. They have very healthy appetites (like always hungry) and eat a really good amount of hay and I have to monitor that he doesn't eat too much (often supplementing the others food because he would just wolf it all down). They are on Science Selective, they are coming up to 4 years old so not sure whether the senior version might work better for him. My mum has had issues with him being too poopy and I've told her she must have been feeding him too much and/or too much vegetables. When I got him back I had to tackle his dirty bum and have been encouraging hay and the pieces of branches they love. He's still been getting Science Selective and I've cut back on the vegetables he's had (no where near as much as I used to feed) to just herbs, broccoli only 1 day and some sweetheart cabbage (1 half piece each per day). I've been keeping an eye on him and found the problem seems to be that be will eat most of his cecotropes, there's not any in their housing area etc, but have found him asleep on them - like he's too lazy when he's sleepy to eat them. I'm at the point now where I'm debating changing their food to see if this assists as I don't feel he's getting many pellets at all. The other rabbit has absolutely no issues with this - she is always nice and clean.

If I look to change over their food do I need to increase or decrease the protein and/or the fibre? It's the standard Science Selective they are on now. Thanks

How much SS are you feeding each day ? Too much pelleted feed is the most likely dietary cause for a Rabbit not to eat all their cecotrophs.

Has your Rabbit had a recent Vet check ? Some health problems can be another reason for a Rabbit getting a mucky bum. Eg Dental problems or mobility problems such as arthritis

Is your Rabbit at a healthy weight? Being overweight can make it difficult for a Rabbit to keep him/herself clean.

Some additional info here :

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/dirtysticky-bottom/

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-diet/

http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/ar...heets/recommended-diet-for-adult-rabbits/view
 
Thanks, not much at all, half an egg cup in the morning, half at night (I never changed to just 1 feed a day as they always seem hungry!). He's a good weight at the moment, he does have a tendancy to put on weight easily, but at the moment he's looking good. Last vet check I think was 6 months ago for vaccinations and was fine then (teeth etc). Seems in really good health wise otherwise, happily bouncing around, alert etc. My mum has been unsuccessful in finding the RHD2 vaccination, so I'd determined to find a vet with it the week so will go and get a check down at the same time. I've definitely seen him eating a load of them so is not having problems with reaching to that area. He's been racing around, jumping on things and doing binkies so doubt it is mobility. I'll cut down on food in the meantime until we get to the vets, he just constantly seems hungry so feel a bit mean. Thanks I will read those links.
 
Thanks, not much at all, half an egg cup in the morning, half at night (I never changed to just 1 feed a day as they always seem hungry!). He's a good weight at the moment, he does have a tendancy to put on weight easily, but at the moment he's looking good. Last vet check I think was 6 months ago for vaccinations and was fine then (teeth etc). Seems in really good health wise otherwise, happily bouncing around, alert etc. My mum has been unsuccessful in finding the RHD2 vaccination, so I'd determined to find a vet with it the week so will go and get a check down at the same time. I've definitely seen him eating a load of them so is not having problems with reaching to that area. He's been racing around, jumping on things and doing binkies so doubt it is mobility. I'll cut down on food in the meantime until we get to the vets, he just constantly seems hungry so feel a bit mean. Thanks I will read those links.

This link may help you locate a Vet stocking Filivac (RHD2 Vaccine).

http://rhd2map.buntools.org.uk/
 
Thanks, not much at all, half an egg cup in the morning, half at night (I never changed to just 1 feed a day as they always seem hungry!). He's a good weight at the moment, he does have a tendancy to put on weight easily, but at the moment he's looking good. Last vet check I think was 6 months ago for vaccinations and was fine then (teeth etc). Seems in really good health wise otherwise, happily bouncing around, alert etc. My mum has been unsuccessful in finding the RHD2 vaccination, so I'd determined to find a vet with it the week so will go and get a check down at the same time. I've definitely seen him eating a load of them so is not having problems with reaching to that area. He's been racing around, jumping on things and doing binkies so doubt it is mobility. I'll cut down on food in the meantime until we get to the vets, he just constantly seems hungry so feel a bit mean. Thanks I will read those links.


Yes, really advisable to get that done, as you know :)

I shopped around, as my regular vet was quite expensive. There can be a cost difference so worth asking.
 
Yes, I'm pretty worried about them getting it so on my to do list, I don't care about the cost, I just need a vet with it! I've gave details of the 3 ones near us from that website to my mum previously and none had it in stock. If I can't get it anywhere (some haven't even heard of it which is shocking!) then I will be asking them to order it in. I've missed them so much I couldn't bare it if they died!

Just a thought his normal poop is lighter than it used to be (noticeably lighter than hers), but still the same shape etc, if that is an indicator of anything?
 
Yes, I'm pretty worried about them getting it so on my to do list, I don't care about the cost, I just need a vet with it! I've gave details of the 3 ones near us from that website to my mum previously and none had it in stock. If I can't get it anywhere (some haven't even heard of it which is shocking!) then I will be asking them to order it in. I've missed them so much I couldn't bare it if they died!

Just a thought his normal poop is lighter than it used to be (noticeably lighter than hers), but still the same shape etc, if that is an indicator of anything?


If it's lighter is usually means more hay/fibre content in the poo, which is good.

Yes it's shocking that a vet hasn't heard of it, but unsurprising, as some vets are still maintaining that it's not really necessary :roll:
 
If it's lighter is usually means more hay/fibre content in the poo, which is good.

Yes it's shocking that a vet hasn't heard of it, but unsurprising, as some vets are still maintaining that it's not really necessary :roll:

Thanks. He's currently showing his disgust with only being allowed 2 pellets for dinner (with unlimited hay of course!) that he's trying to get into the plastic bins my mum keeps the food in! He can actually manage that if he hops on top of them so they might have to be put in a separate room!

I know, scary!
 
Thanks. He's currently showing his disgust with only being allowed 2 pellets for dinner (with unlimited hay of course!) that he's trying to get into the plastic bins my mum keeps the food in! He can actually manage that if he hops on top of them so they might have to be put in a separate room!

I know, scary!


Oh Bless :love: I think I might attempt to jump into a bin if you only gave me two pellets for dinner :lol:
 
All my rabbits are ravenous at the moment. It makes you wonder how much food they would eat if you kept feeding them!
 
He is having so few pellets, anyway, that I wouldn't cut them down as long as he's eating plenty of high quality hay. An eggcupful a day is absolutely fine. Obviously cut out treats.
 
Vaccinations all done - took a shower phone round 15 vets and a bit of a drive but happy that’s sorted. Vet check went fine except may have some spurs starting on the back cheeks, not too worried just st yet do want to check out in a few months. Going to try and encourage extra hay (bought the mixed Burgess dried herbs packet to add to it). After cleaning him up and barely get bing him food except hay it’s happened again - I think it is when he is sleeping, as twice again found it after he was just awake - just literally woke him up to take him to the vets today and there was a swished one which I had to clean up. I’m debating trying to ensure he gets his food a while before he sleeps to see if that helps as he is just following me around for food.
 
Vaccinations all done - took a shower phone round 15 vets and a bit of a drive but happy that’s sorted. Vet check went fine except may have some spurs starting on the back cheeks, not too worried just st yet do want to check out in a few months. Going to try and encourage extra hay (bought the mixed Burgess dried herbs packet to add to it). After cleaning him up and barely get bing him food except hay it’s happened again - I think it is when he is sleeping, as twice again found it after he was just awake - just literally woke him up to take him to the vets today and there was a swished one which I had to clean up. I’m debating trying to ensure he gets his food a while before he sleeps to see if that helps as he is just following me around for food.


So glad you got the vax done :D
 
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