• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Rabbit caecotroph? Brown drips on floor in the morning

Hi, I was hoping someone might be able to advise. We have a 4 yr old indoor rabbit who we adopted a few months ago. He can hop out of his hutch into the hall and this morning I noticed what looked like a single caecotroph dropping in the floor next to his hutch, round but darker and wet looking than a normal pellet, and nearby across the floor about 6 drips of brown sticky liquid, some had dried some were still wet and sticky. I had noticed about 3 near his cage yesterday morning but wasn’t sure they were form him until today. He is still eating plenty and his litter try is full again this morning with healthy looking poo. Just wondering if anybody had come across these ‘drips’ before and knew anything about them, I haven’t found anything online about them yet and want to act quickly. Thanks
 
Hi, I was hoping someone might be able to advise. We have a 4 yr old indoor rabbit who we adopted a few months ago. He can hop out of his hutch into the hall and this morning I noticed what looked like a single caecotroph dropping in the floor next to his hutch, round but darker and wet looking than a normal pellet, and nearby across the floor about 6 drips of brown sticky liquid, some had dried some were still wet and sticky. I had noticed about 3 near his cage yesterday morning but wasn’t sure they were form him until today. He is still eating plenty and his litter try is full again this morning with healthy looking poo. Just wondering if anybody had come across these ‘drips’ before and knew anything about them, I haven’t found anything online about them yet and want to act quickly. Thanks

Hello, yes the 'drips' can occur when the Rabbit is having problems regarding eating their cecotrophs and/or the motility of their cecum. These problems are often, although not always, dietary related.

What do you feed your Rabbit ?
 
Thank you for your response, daily he has lots of hey, some pellets (he can be greedy with these is he was allowed, will make sure he is only having the daily allowance and kids don’t overfeed) abit of grass now we have some growing, fresh veg daily, the odd dandelion. Nothing out of the ordinary. It just stayed happening these past few days...
 
Are you going off the recommended amount on the packet because if so it is usually too much. He should need around 1 -1.5 tbsps. of pellets, no more. Is he a good hay eater?
 
Yes the amount on the packet, he is definitely eating more than 1-1.5 tbsps, i will reduce as much as possible and give him even more hey. He eats quite a lot of hey, I put aleast 3 biig handfuls in a day, he doesn’t eat it all but quite a lot.
Would increasing the amount of grass he has help? He hasn’t had much to date, as not much growing in our shady garden yet, but could ask my mum to drop some on the door step from her garden daily?
I’m wary of changing his diet rapidly so would do gradually? Thank for your help :)
 
Yes the amount on the packet, he is definitely eating more than 1-1.5 tbsps, i will reduce as much as possible and give him even more hey. He eats quite a lot of hey, I put aleast 3 biig handfuls in a day, he doesn’t eat it all but quite a lot.
Would increasing the amount of grass he has help? He hasn’t had much to date, as not much growing in our shady garden yet, but could ask my mum to drop some on the door step from her garden daily?
I’m wary of changing his diet rapidly so would do gradually? Thank for your help :)

You can obtain some great information about the best diet for Pet Rabbits on the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund's website

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

I'd recommend having a good look around the website as the information provided on all aspects of Pet Rabbit care is really useful :)
 
Back
Top