Night Poops

[Kricket]

I've done several searches, forgive me because I know it is RIGHT under my nose. What are the bunch of grapes looking poops called? Are they cetroscopes? :?

Well, anyhoo, what does it mean when the buns are not eating them?

Thank you

Hugs!

 

[pamnock]

cecotropes

http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/diet/cecals.html

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

 

[naturestee]

Cecotropes or cecals. If your bun is not eating them, it could be because:

a. He's making too many. Usually because of too much protein.
b. He's having trouble reaching them due to arthritis, obesity, or something else that makes movement difficult.
c. He's lazy.

Mine sometimes skip a cecal snack. It's okay. If one of yours is leaving lots of cecals around, or doing it regularly, I would suspect a or b.

There is a really good article on rabbit poop in the Cheat Sheet. Have you read it yet?

Edit: Darn! Pam posted while I was typing!

 

[pamnock]

naturestee wrote:

Edit: Darn! Pam posted while I was typing!

Yes, but I was too lazy to type out the helpful info that you posted



Pam

 

[Kricket]

Thank you so much for your quick replies! My buns (both of them) don't eat their cecotropes. I wasn't sure which one it was, but I caught them both this morning. They don't stick to their butts, but after they pass them, they usually step on them, and end up with a foot bath.

I read those links and understand that my buns might be getting too much protein. What do I cut from their diet? They get loads of fresh veggies and less pellets due to a bit of a weight gain. Of course unlimited hay, which they don't care too much for. I've been trying for the last month to switch from alfalfa to timothy hay. They haven't been too happy about that. They no longer get treats such as oats, carrots, appleslices, etc....

Thanks again

P.S. They get several hours of out-of-the cage time each day.

 

[naturestee]

At this point, I would take away the alfalfahay. It's probably overloading them with protein since theirpellets are alfalfa, too.

 

[Kricket]

I have them on timothy hay based pellets from kaytee and they haven't had alfalfa for about two weeks or so. ???:?