Poopy bottoms

[rabb1tmad]

Hey everyone. I have seen a few posts about poopy bottoms but I can't seem to sort out my two. Lacey started overproducing caecels the other day, she was pooping and eating normally so I didn't worry too much, just decreased the pellets and increased the hay (they already get a huge amount).As the weather is warming up I have been checky Starsky & Laceys butts everyday,twice a day. Both were OK yesterday morning but I checked again last night and there was a bit of a poopy disaster on both of them!! So, out came the cornflour and lots of kicks and scratches later they were both clean.

I checked this morning before I put them outside in the run and they were both clean. I removed any weeds, etc that were in the run just in case. I came home tonight, quite a few crushed ceacels all over the floor and I checked their butts - they are inmore of a mess than before so I need to do a wet clean tonight.

My question is, what could it be. They have been on the same diet for the last 3 years, no changes and they have never done this before. They are in a new cage - bought a larger one at the weekend - but the litter tray is the same and in the same place, etc. The poops are smelly, but no more than usual. Can anyone help? Should I go to the vets?

 

[Flashy]

Bunnies tend to do their softer poo during the day, which is probably the poo that is stuck to them,whichmight explain why they are cleaner in the morning. They do this because in the wild they would go out and eat overnight, and then in the safety of their burrows during the day they would'make' and eat their caecals.

I wonder ifyour bunshave put on weight?

Bunnies are supposed to eat the softer ones straight out of themselves(nice, lol), but fat bunnies can't get there, and often try, and then lay back down on them, hence making a gross manky mess on themselves.

It might be worth trying something like thishttp://www.vetark.co.uk/news.htmlwhich you can get from places like pets at home.

We had a bunny that got fat, so we restricted her food, and gave herlots of exercise, and the probiotic stuff and it really helped her.

Edit: Don't know about the vets though, someone else might have something useful to say on that.

 

[rabb1tmad]

Thanks Flashy but neither of them have put on any weight - I restricted their food and treats because Lacey had put on a bit of weight a few months back. They are both at the correct weight now.

I watched them both last night and they can reach their poops - I know it's gross but I wanted to make sure they were eating their poos and that there wasn't something physically stopping them. It is odd how they both have the problem though.... more investigation required.

I have that vetark stuff, started them on it last night - could it have made them worse?

 

[Flashy]

What food do they have? Maybe the pellets/whatever food you buy from a pets store has changed the recipe or something and it might have upset their stomach?

It's good they are the correct weight and can reach and eat their poo.

With regards to the probiotic, I have used it with several bunnies and have never found it made anything worse, it has cleared up bloat anddiarrhea. Those are for definite, I suspect it has helped with other things with other buns too. Having said that, each bunny is different, but you are right, the fact that it has happened at the same time is probably significant, I'm just not sure how.

Do they feel safe in their new hutch? Have the explored the area? Maybe staying still and sitting on their poo implies they don't feel safe yet? I don't know, merely speculation though.

 

[rabb1tmad]

I have washed them a little tonight - I'm am terrified of them getting fly strike. They are relaxing in their cage after the ordeal - they really hate standing in water. I only had a small amount in there, just enough to wet their feet and splash up at their bottoms!

 

[Flashy]

I bought some fly strike protection stuff from pets at home for my bun that got messy, which, while safe for the bunny, repels flies, which might be worth investing in?

 

[rabb1tmad]

They have Science Selective and I have been using the same bag for about 2 months now so it shouldn't be that.

I thought about the comfort thing too but they are very relaxed in the cage and most of their mushy poos were in their run which they are used to.

It may be just a coincidence about the pro-biotic - it has worked for other things in the past, particularly when they have been on meds.

I would have thought it's diet related because their other poops are normal size, colour and consistency but the confusing thing is that I haven't changed anything.....

 

[Flashy]

I agree with you on that, it's rather perplexing.

Maybe they have both eaten something that you are not aware of?

And having said I have no vets advice, maybe it's worth taking them, even just to check that they have no bug or anything.

 

[rabb1tmad]

Mmm, my two are always odd! The stuff I used for their little wash was an insecticidal shampoo specially for rabbits -supposed to keep flies and insects off - fingers crossed! If they haven't improved in the next day or so I will take a trip to the vets.

Thanks for your help - in the meantime, if you come up with any more ideas, let me know!

 

[Pipp]

Are they outside eating spring grass? It's always richer.



sas :?

 

[naturestee]

:yeahthat

That's what I was thinking too.

 

[rabb1tmad]

No grass - the run is on paving stones. There were some weeds growing through but I pulled those out. One of them was dandelion which I believe can be a laxative so I didn't want to leave it there in case it made them worse.

I kept them indoors today, they have both pooped but a little less than normal -no sign of any poopy butt yet. I reduced their pellets even more and gave them a small amount of greens and loads and loads more hay than the loads they already get! Fingers crossed this will do the trick xx

 

[rabb1tmad]

No poopy butts last night or today - so it looks like whatever it was is clearing up. Must have been something they ate but there was nothing in the run when I put them in. Strange.

 

[Flashy]

It's good it's clearing up, assumably they are pooing normally now?

Maybe it might be a good idea torecord this episode, i.e.when it happened, things around at the time, etc, because then, if it happens again, you might be able to find some sort of trend, and maybe figure out what it was.

 

[rabb1tmad]

Yeah, good plan - I'll stick it all in my diary.When I got home tonight Lacey had a tiny bit of poop stuck but it came off really easily, Starksy was totally clear. Keep em crossed.