Bunny not eating cecotropes?

[bunnylovin1093]

I do not know why but recently my rabbit Bambi has not been eating his cecotropes. He just leaves them in his litterbox. Also he has been doing them in the late morning form 10.00am to 1.30pm. I'm a bit worried

 

[Azerane]

Sometimes they can produce excess ceacotrophs, but I'm not up on the reasons it occurs, a diet too rich perhaps? Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[JBun]

Have there been any changes in diet or environment? Has he been with you long? What is his diet(exact type of foods and amounts), age and weight, is he overweight, does he have mobility issues? Is he on any medications?

 

[bunnylovin1093]

Bambi is not overweight, he is 1 and a bit years old, he is very healthy with no health or movement issues, he is on no medications, I have had him for about 2 months and yes there has been some change. 2 months ago he moved homes from his previous owners home too mine. However he was not doing this when I first got him. I t has only been for the last 2 weeks or 1 week and a half. He gets 1 medium sized pile of grass and thistle once a day, a quarter of a cup of peters rabbit and guinea pig pellets split into two meals of an 1/8 of a cup morning and evening and unlimited meadow hay. Every few days he gets a little bit of carrot and maybe one small kos lettuce leaf. He gets one small bit of fruit apple or strawberry once a week or less. He is acting completely normally eating and drinking normally and is generally healthy. He comes out for playtime once a day for 3 hours or so and he eats a bit of safe garden plants then.

 

[bunnylovin1093]

Anyone?

 

[JBun]

Common causes of excess or uneaten cecotropes are a diet too rich in carbs or protein, dental issues, medications, arthritis or overweight and the rabbit has difficulty reaching down there, young rabbits with short attention spans, rabbit in a new area and or some sort of change causing a disruption to the rabbits life.

For your rabbit, if he is eating his hay and grass well I wouldn't think dental issues as likely. It may be possible he is getting too many carbs from treats and pellets. You can try cutting out fruit and carrot and see if that helps, but I would suspect that you will also need to reduce the pellet amount some. Another possibility may be if the grass is young growth and too high in protein, but this wouldn't seem as likely a cause as too many carbs.

 

[bunnylovin1093]

I will cut fruit and carrot from his diet, however I think even though he is full grown it probably is just that he has a short attention span and I also think he does not always notice when he does cecotropes. He seems to be eating them now and it was only 2/3 that he was not eating anyway.

 

[bunnymom1007]

My Beatrix was having the same issue. I started limiting her pellets and mostly the issue went away. She was at the vet, so there was no health issue. My other bun gets the exact same diet and never leaves a single one! I think some Buns just have other things on their mind lol!

 

[martini907]

My two buns are the same. I'm a little worried. My 10 week old leaves them every where but my 1 year doesn't. They both eat oxbow hay and pellets.