Uneaten cecals

I adopted a 6 month old Netherland dwarf from a rescue a week ago. He seems super happy, running around and munching on hay.

There’s been quite a lot of uneaten cecals. He smushes them into the bottom of his cave mostly but I’ve also noticed some in his litter tray. He’s super good about using the litter tray, apart from the cecals in the cave, and does a fair amount of what I think are normal poops in the tray.

I’ve been feeding him about 2 tablespoons of Oxbow Young Rabbit pellets everyday and the bowl is not empty when it’s time to fill it up again. For veggies I’ve been feeding him bok choy and a dark leafy green lettuce of maybe a loosely packed cup a day. I did give him some banana yesterday, 3 thin rounds. And the amount of hay he’s eating has increased quite a bit in the past 2 or so days.

I wasn’t given any transition food from the rescue so is he just still getting used to his new home and the food I’m giving him? And I’m unnecessarily stressing or am I feeding him too much (or not enough) of anything? How long does it normally take for a rabbit and their toilet habits to settle down into normal once they’re in a new home?

There were a lot more uneaten smushed cecals this morning but I’m guessing the banana was possibly the culprit of those.

Thanks in advance for your help

Hi! I have never had this problem before with my rabbits, but even though your bunny is running around and active it is very stressful when a bunny goes to a new happy home! However the hay increase doesn’t really concern me. If he increases his water intake I think you should defiantly bring him to a vet! I think diet is the problem with the mushy poops. Try giving the veggies in limited amount. If this does not get better pls contact a rabbit savvy vet!

What type of hay?

Blue eyes said:

What type of hay?

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I’m relatively positive it’s oaten.

The hay choice is limited in my state. We can’t really get Timothy here in Australia as we don’t grow it here so what we do have is super expensive, imported and older.

I wasn’t worried about the increase in hay consumption but had just thought I’d mention it to give everyone a fuller picture

Lionheadloady said:

Hi! I have never had this problem before with my rabbits, but even though your bunny is running around and active it is very stressful when a bunny goes to a new happy home! However the hay increase doesn’t really concern me. If he increases his water intake I think you should defiantly bring him to a vet! I think diet is the problem with the mushy poops. Try giving the veggies in limited amount. If this does not get better pls contact a rabbit savvy vet!

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Yea, I think I’ll cut down on the veggies and see if that helps.

I’ve just woken up and gone to check on him and there were one smushes cecal and one whole uneaten one in a different part of his pen. They looked wet and new though so I’m gonna leave them be and see if he eats them.

Did I maybe startle him with my getting up and turning on the lights?

Oat hay is one of the cereal hays (still a grass hay, so better than legume hay like alfalfa). Cereal hays are grown mostly for their seeds. If the hay you are feeding has lots of seeds, it is best to shake off as many as you can. Those seeds are very starchy which is not good for a rabbit's intestinal tract. So if the hay you have has the seeds, that could be a source of those uneaten cecal pellets?

Unfortunately, shaken cereal hay is also lower in nutrients. Another cereal hay - wheat grass - can be harvested before it sets seed. Then it is nutritious. I mention this because wheat grass is often sold to be grown for cats so may be an option for you if other hay is difficult to come by.

If he wasn't getting those greens where he lived before, that can also cause issues with his digestion. New greens should be introduced slowly and in small amounts.

Best to completely avoid any fruits until a couple weeks have passed and he's had time to settle and to de-stress. Added sugar can only compound any digestive issues.

Blue eyes said:

Oat hay is one of the cereal hays (still a grass hay, so better than legume hay like alfalfa). Cereal hays are grown mostly for their seeds. If the hay you are feeding has lots of seeds, it is best to shake off as many as you can. Those seeds are very starchy which is not good for a rabbit's intestinal tract. So if the hay you have has the seeds, that could be a source of those uneaten cecal pellets?

Unfortunately, shaken cereal hay is also lower in nutrients. Another cereal hay - wheat grass - can be harvested before it sets seed. Then it is nutritious. I mention this because wheat grass is often sold to be grown for cats so may be an option for you if other hay is difficult to come by.

If he wasn't getting those greens where he lived before, that can also cause issues with his digestion. New greens should be introduced slowly and in small amounts.

Best to completely avoid any fruits until a couple weeks have passed and he's had time to settle and to de-stress. Added sugar can only compound any digestive issues.

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Ohh, I didn’t realise oaten hay wasn’t the best. I don’t think there are many (if any at all) seeds but I’ll have a better look at his hay after work. What about meadow hay? I’m pretty sure I can get that?

He was getting greens but I’m not sure exactly what type. I have cut down on the greens so I’ll just slowly reintroduce them

Thanks!

Hiya! A couple of suggestions:

My buns do not always eat all their cecatrophes and there are times when they too smash them onto the cage floor. I did take my buns to our vet (bunny expert) and they were fine. If your bun stops eating or starts to drink A LOT more water, take him to a vet. Stasis (basically an intestinal blockage) can be a serious problem for our buns.

Meadow hay is fine so is Oat hay but read up on it. Our bunny rescue organization uses a combination of Oat, wheat and meadow.

One more thing that really helps buns is giving them a probiotic. Our vet recommends "Probios Probiocin Oral Gel for Dog & Other Pets." You can get it at https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=DA4742A9-4C07-460F-B25F-96E0AA7A0496
but I'm not sure they'll ship to Australia. See what you can get there but make sure that the probiotic you choose is recommended by a bunny expert vet.

Best of luck!

laurajay said:

I adopted a 6 month old Netherland dwarf from a rescue a week ago. He seems super happy, running around and munching on hay.

There’s been quite a lot of uneaten cecals. He smushes them into the bottom of his cave mostly but I’ve also noticed some in his litter tray. He’s super good about using the litter tray, apart from the cecals in the cave, and does a fair amount of what I think are normal poops in the tray.

I’ve been feeding him about 2 tablespoons of Oxbow Young Rabbit pellets everyday and the bowl is not empty when it’s time to fill it up again. For veggies I’ve been feeding him bok choy and a dark leafy green lettuce of maybe a loosely packed cup a day. I did give him some banana yesterday, 3 thin rounds. And the amount of hay he’s eating has increased quite a bit in the past 2 or so days.

I wasn’t given any transition food from the rescue so is he just still getting used to his new home and the food I’m giving him? And I’m unnecessarily stressing or am I feeding him too much (or not enough) of anything? How long does it normally take for a rabbit and their toilet habits to settle down into normal once they’re in a new home?

There were a lot more uneaten smushed cecals this morning but I’m guessing the banana was possibly the culprit of those.

Thanks in advance for your help

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dear laurajay,greetings from across the pond,-uneaten cecals!-sometimes rabbits eat all or adjusting for just some,-are they well formed?-if not-- you could get-probotics and timothy/orchard grasses from oxbox/mail order..the gi tract requires 70% grasses daily{24x7}-think of the gut as a conveyor belt-if it stops {stasis}-no day time round poops,not good,must run unabated..the rest of the diet sounds good,-good healthy gut flora means more positive bacteria for digestion-of said grasses..the pellets are for vitamins-enhancing the flora...if your bun is out doors,-beware of myxi-it is a deadly disease,-enhanced by the Australian government..sincerely james waller in memory of the jojobeez

I think uneaten cecals are a sign of over eating or too much richness in the diet, too much protein. I would switch to a grass hay (which has more fiber and less protein) a grass hay like timothy or meadow hay would be good. And cut back the amount of pellets so that he actually runs out between feedings, some rabbits won't eat their hay unless the have run out of their pellets. And cut back a bit on the greens as well. I think when you get him to eat more grassy hay you will find he stops having excess cecotropes.

About the hay: if it is expensive you could contact a farm that specializes in making really good hay for horses, timothy or meadow hay, and ask them if you can buy a whole bail. Or make friends with someone who has horses and get a bail from them. A bale will cost around $12 last a whole year for one rabbit. A bale lasts more than a year if you store it right.

He's not hungry enough to eat them. They usually eat them right as they come out and sometimes they come back for them later. Just be careful that your bun doesnt get them stuck to his feet as they go rock hard and they have to be shaved off. I have had to take my bun in twice to have that done.

stephanie83 said:

He's not hungry enough to eat them. They usually eat them right as they come out and sometimes they come back for them later. Just be careful that your bun doesnt get them stuck to his feet as they go rock hard and they have to be shaved off. I have had to take my bun in twice to have that done.

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It is not usual or common for a rabbit to leave uneaten cecals or to come back for them later (unless they are a bitty baby). Unless this happens very, very rarely, it is a sign of something wrong. It wouldn't be because they aren't hungry. As squidpop mentioned, it is often a sign of too much protein or too rich a diet.