Thumperina
Well-Known Member
- Stasis and poopy butt... what foods increase your rabbits risk?
Why do all of these foods increase the risk for stasis and other digestive problems like poopy butt?
1. The more of these foods that your rabbit eats the less hay they eat - hay prevents digestive problems.
2. These foods ferment way too fast and support the growth of bad bacteria.
Fermentation is the process by which bacteria (good and bad) break down food and fiber in the digestive tract.
slow fermentation of hay (cellulose) in the digestive tract is healthy
Fermentation mostly takes place in the ceacum near the end of the digestive tract.
Good bacteria ferment hay
Only good bacteria can break down the hay your rabbit eats.
Prebiotic: Hay is the food (prebiotic) that supports the slow growth of healthy bacteria. Fermenting hay requires special enzymes that only these types of bacteria can make. Bad bacteria do not grow well on a grass hay-only diet.
Cecotropes: The good bacteria have special digestive enzymes that slowly break down hay and release nutrients. Some of these nutrients are absorbed by your rabbit. The remaining 'product' (mixture of fermented hay and bacteria cells) is made into a cecotrope that your rabbit re-ingests (eats this special poop). The cecotrope is very rich in protein and other nutrients (from bacteria cells) that are easy for the rabbit to digest.
Too many of the wrong foods can cause problems with fermentation.
Feeding too many fruits, veggies, tender greens (including fresh green grass), or other farm grown foods support the growth of bad bacteria that grow much faster than the healthy bacteria.
Bad bacteria grow well on these food sources because they are rich in easily accessible protein, carbohydrates and short fibers that ferment too quickly (pectin, hemi-cellulose and other polysaccharides).
Gas and Bloating: The fast growth of bad bacteria produces large amounts of gas that cause bloating.
ps. Bad bacteria rob nutrients from healthy bacteria and suppress their growth.
Feeding foods that ferment too fast (such as grains, fruits, veggies, and even salads) increases the risk for digestive problems.
Note: Feeding less fast fermenting foods (grain, soy, fruits, veggies, and greens) that support the fast growth of bad bacteria will improve digestive health better than feeding more hay which supports the slow growth of good bacteria.
Un-eaten Cecotropes: The rapid growth of bad bacteria changes the pH and other growing conditions in the ceacum.
An early warning sign of stasis is the presence of uneaten cecotropes that often creates a mushy mess known as 'poopy butt'.
un-eaten cecotropes are an early warning sign of digestion problems that may lead to stasis!
Should you feed salads and other greens to your rabbit?
Farm grown salads are well watered and fertilized (even organic) and have been bred/selected for tenderness and sweetness.
Rabbits did not evolve eating these types of salads.
If you decide to feed salads feed them as a 'treat' and not a 'meal'. Grass hay is foundational to your rabbits diet.
Most rabbits tolerate lots of salads, greens, and even veggies, fruits, and grain-based treats. However, if one day they eat a little less hay than they normally do then they will be at a higher risk for stasis and bloat.
TRIVIA
What is more effective at improving fermentation (digestive health)?
Feeding more hay
1. increasing the amount of cellulose (hay) your rabbit eats? (supporting the growth of good bacteria)
OR
Feeding less other foods
2. decreasing the amount of fast-fermenting food your rabbit eats (like grains, fruits, veggies, & tender greens)?(supporting the growth of bad bacteria)
click a choice to find the answer
Summary
For better digestive health and to lower the risk of stasis encourage your rabbit to eat more hay by feeding less fruits, veggies, greens, and treats that are made with grain.