Diarrhea

[babydoshia]

I've noticed that every once in a while Murphyhas some soft poos. He doesn't eat them so it's not the "c"stuff. Most of his poos are normal but a few aresoft. Is he just not eating all the poos he's supposed to ordo you think he has diarrhea?

He never got hay before and now has a constant supply of it and eatsalot of it. Could it possibly be that his body just has toomuch fiber now and is not yet adjusted or something.

What do you think?

Thanks

-Madelon

 

[Buck Jones]

Might be, if you are feeding him alfalfa hay. in addition to alfalfapellets, leading to a rich diet and soft stool.Most rabbit fanciers feed timothy hay because it has less protein andmore fiber than alfalfa.

Buck

 

[babydoshia]

No, it's Timothy hay.



He wasn't given hay before.

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Madelon,

I wonder if it's cecotropes that he just isn't finishing. Does it lookdifferent from the other stools? Does it look like a little group ofgrapes? Is the color darker? It might be that Murphy's getting what heneeds and is leaving behind the rest. Sometimes there can be adisruption in the way cecotropes come out and it looks like a smallblob or thick dark pudding. If Murphy's still having regular normaldroppings, it's most likely not true diarrhea.

Is he getting any greens? Young rabbits can get soft stools if fedgreens the first few months. Diarrhea usually is very watery andthere's an abundance of it.

If a rabbit does have diarrhea, high fiber is what you want to helpmove things along and dry them up. Either way, I don't think theTimothy Hay would be causing such a problem, and you can give themunlimited amounts so that they always have their system moving.

You said that you're feeding him the same pellets the breeder was? Haveyou switched? Is he weak? Do you see any signs of blood? Is Murphyeating and drinking normally?

-Carolyn

 

[babydoshia]

Thanks

It seems to be the same color just a little longer than normal (oval)and soft. I haven't given him anything besides hay andpellets and water.

Right now I've gotten his pelletsdown to about 50% breedersfood and 50% my food. He doesn't seem weak at all and Ihaven't seen any blood. He does drink alot (a full bottle(15oz) in two day) but that is probably because it is so hot.(I've got a fan on him) Is that too much for him to bedrinking?

I wasn't sure if fiber worked the same in rabbits as it does in humans. I guess not.



It must just be cecotropes he's not finished with. If it wasdiarrhea it probably would all be like that, like you said.



Thanks for the help

-Madelon



If anyone thinks it's something else please share.