Poop Issues

[Alyssaur]

Noob is having a lot of excess cecals and they're really stinky and smushy. It's not even close to diariea, but I'm still pretty worried.

He's on oat hay and a mix of Oxbow 15/23 and the breeders feed (I'm still weening him off of it). The breeders feed is a mix of timothy pellets and what looks like oat seeds.

He doesn't mind the oxbow, but he loves the breeder's food. He'll eat every piece of it before even touching the oxbow. I can tell he doesn't much like the oat hay anymore, but alfalfa isn't easily available here and my husband is allerigc to timothy. (Just asked hubby again and he said we could get timothy if it would be best for the baby.)

Noob's fecal pellets are completely normal, but his cecals are just all over his potty anf sometimes on his butt. He's also been a little less active than usual.

Normally he binkys and runs all over for at least an hour before coming to lay on my lap, but lately he's been staying near his cage and plays for maybe 20 minutes.

He's been pretty naughty the last couple of nights too, but I think that is unrelated and just him being a baby. He rattles his base and flips bowls over and wants to come out at 2AM.

Anyway, I've been in contact with his breeder since before he was born and I'm fairly certain he wasn't weened from his mother too early, but that worries because I've read Dana Krempels' artical and I know it could be a parasite or some serious illness.

Should I stop his pellets completely and switch over to timothy hay? Should I take him to the vet, or what should I do?

Help, please!

 

[Alyssaur]

Well, I realise now that I posted this in the wrong section. So stupid. :/

Anyway, I stopped Noob's pellets right away and he's just been on oat hay and water all night.

The cecals are no longer smushy, but now they're a little dry. I'm thinking that's either because they've been sitting for a few hours and dried up, or maybe he's not drinking enough water.

Anyway, I'm going out in a bit to get him Timothy hay and maybe a new toy. (I suspect he's a little bored with cardboard city and toys now)

 

[Flash Gordon]

his cecals are suppose to be mushy ..well they start off as little blackberry looking clusters and then they get smushed..they are soft..but they arent suppose to be seen all over their cage and on them..norm they eat it right from the exit if u know what im saying.and u norm dont find them..but if ur seeing extra cecals then sometimes its from too many treats or too much protein in the diet...like alfalfa based pellets..im not sure how old ur bun is but if uve not fed too many pellets and too many treats then it could be something u gotta go to the vet for....
and i thought most breeders feed alfalfa based pellets..thats prob why hes picking thru the pellets and only eating the ones from the breeder...their yummier.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Alyssaur wrote:

Noob is having a lot of excess cecals and they're really stinky and smushy. It's not even close to diariea, but I'm still pretty worried.

He's on oat hay and a mix of Oxbow 15/23 and the breeders feed (I'm still weening him off of it). The breeders feed is a mix of timothy pellets and what looks like oat seeds.

He doesn't mind the oxbow, but he loves the breeder's food. He'll eat every piece of it before even touching the oxbow. I can tell he doesn't much like the oat hay anymore, but alfalfa isn't easily available here and my husband is allerigc to timothy. (Just asked hubby again and he said we could get timothy if it would be best for the baby.)

Noob's fecal pellets are completely normal, but his cecals are just all over his potty anf sometimes on his butt. He's also been a little less active than usual.

Normally he binkys and runs all over for at least an hour before coming to lay on my lap, but lately he's been staying near his cage and plays for maybe 20 minutes.

He's been pretty naughty the last couple of nights too, but I think that is unrelated and just him being a baby. He rattles his base and flips bowls over and wants to come out at 2AM.

Anyway, I've been in contact with his breeder since before he was born and I'm fairly certain he wasn't weened from his mother too early, but that worries because I've read Dana Krempels' artical and I know it could be a parasite or some serious illness.

Should I stop his pellets completely and switch over to timothy hay? Should I take him to the vet, or what should I do?

Help, please!

here is a link for rabbit healthcare http://www.medirabbit.com or http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html --the mystery of rabbit poop,,i refer you to these links because there are alot of issues related to the problem/diet/,etc.--sincerely james waller:big wink:

 

[Alyssaur]

I've read through both of those sites. I even mentioned reading The Mystery of Rabbit Poop -- that's the one by Dana Krempels, but thanks anyway.

I think I was just feeding him too many pellets, so he was getting too much extra nutrients and not eating enough hay.

Anyway, I'm still seeing cecals, but the amount has gone down greatly so I'm hoping everything will be fine.

He still seems a bit under the weather, but I think he's just mad at me for taking his pellets away.

He's on unlimited Timothy and Oat hay right now. I'm going to wait until monday to start giving pellets again and when I do, I'll give him 1dl at a time.

 

[Maureen Las]

Don't switch the food too quickly but I would stop the breeders diet all together( especially the seeds) and cut down on the oxbow. how old is he?
I had Oxbow oat hay for my rabbits and they all gained weight on it.I think that it is richer than grass hays . you might want to try a meadow grass hay or timothy( if your husband can standit)
Excess cecals is usally due to too much protein in the diet. depending on his age he may be ready to change to oxbow BBT
We need more info
Wouldn't hurt to give him a probiotic like benebac also.

 

[Alyssaur]

He's 12 weeks old. Again he's on both the oat and timothy hay right now. I'm not going to give him the breeder's pellets anymore (I have been mixing them both this past week so I'm hoping that's long enough) and I'll start giving the oxbow pellets back on Monday, since his cecal issue as cleared up completely.

I don't feel confortable self-medicating when he's this young. When he's older it won't be a problem since I've done it with my older buns, but the babies are so delicate I'm just too scared.

Also, I'd actualy prefer it if he would gain some more weight, so I'd like to keep him on the oat if that's the best way to do it.