Hi Cristy
My little rabbits had caecotrophs they weren't eating, and I've been reading a vet book about rabbits which I quote from below
"
Excess caecotrophs ('sticky bottom syndrome')
Some diets, particularly those that are high in protein, low in fibreand high in carbohydrate or sugar will cause the rabbit to produce morecaecal faeces than it needs and hence develop a 'sticky bottom'. If therabbit is overfed, particularly if it is on a high protein diet, it maylose the urge to practice coprophagy...
Dietary reform means changing the rabbit over to a high fibre, lowprotein and low carbohydrate diet, which actually proves a more naturaldiet, and one closer to that of its relatives, the wild rabbit. Therabbit's digestive system works best when it has to break down plantfibres.
1) There should be unlimited access to good quality grass hay at all times, as the major fibre provider.
2) Dry or pelleted food (which is high in protein and carbohydrate) should be restricted.
3)Processed 'treats' full of carbohydrate and sugar) should be cut out and replaced with fruit treats.
4)Vegetables and fruit can be slowly introduced from the followinglist, one at a time. If any item upsets the rabbit it will showdiarrhea 24-48 hours after its introduction, and that fruit orvegetable should be removed from the diet. Once the new regime is fullyintroduced the rabbit should receive at least 1/2 cup of vegetables perkilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight daily.
Vegetables: broccoli, brussels sprouts and sprout tops, cabbage andcabbage types, spring greens etc., carrot and carrot tops, celery,clover, dandelion (leaves and flowers); - use sparingly, kale, mint,parsley, radish tops, spinach, watercress.
Fruit: small amounts of apple, pear, peach, melon, pineapple, plum, strawberry or tomato can be added or used as 'treats'.
5) Astringent plants such as blackberry or raspberry leaves can beintroduced immediately; they are a good source of fibre and will notcause diarrhea.
Hay alone should be fed first, provided the rabbit is used to eatinghay, otherwise it must learn to eat hay before everything else iswithdrawn. After the faeces have been normal for a week, the greens canbe introduced slowly. It may take a week, or up to several months onhay before the faeces are normal"
From
'Rabbits - Health Husbandry and Disease' by Virginia Richardson (Blackwell Science)
I read this and realised that I was probably just feeding my littleherd more pellets than they needed so they were producing a lot morecaecotrophs than they were eating. I cut pellets to minimal rations andincreased the hay, and within 48 hours the problem had almostdisappeared. Hope this helps you too
