Small poop

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Maddie_20

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hey guys,

Just had a question... my little one is starting having smaller poop than his sister just wondering why that could be.. like they are really small not the normal size...

thanks
Maddie
 
Hi there, decreasing pellet sign is a very clear first indicator of GI slowdown. Has he always had smaller poop than sister? Or has his normal size been shrinking? How often does he get brushed?

I would be concerned, especially since the next thing you see might just be a decrease in food and water. When that happens, it is usually going to turn into an episode of GI stasis.
 
hey they both have a run of the appartment and they were just moved into a new place and they have hay all the time. They drink water and they eat all their pellets.... should i massage the tummy .. i started giving them veggies maybe that is what is causing it cause they were fine when they didn't have veggies. But they love when i give them veggie... so maybe i will restrict it to smaller amounts and keep it to their pellets and their hay for a little while and see how that goes and see how they fare...

but thanks guys

hopefully it will get better
 
I don't think veggies could cause stasis. I think I've heard not to give them to bunnies under 3 months, but I'm no expert on babies. I'm sure someone here knows what age you can start feeding veggies. However, giving them too soon would (I think) cause runny poop, diarrhea, etc--the opposite of stasis. However, any change in diet should be made gradually, even if your bunny is old enough to eat veggies. There is a wildlife rehabber on the forum (Randy) who knows a lot about the differences between the guts of baby and adult rabbits, and I hope he'll chime in.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself based on my knowledge of intestinal ailments:

Are you hearing any stomach gurgling, especially if you hold her belly up to your ear (my bf and I did this when his dwarf had gas, and we called it "bunny telephone")? If you hear gurgling, I'd suspect gas. You can give infant gas medicine--the active ingredient is simethicone and it is a liquid. Dosages vary depending on your bunny's weight and the concentration of the drug in the liquid you buy. A gassy bunny can be helped by tummy massages, which are just gentle massages of the tummy area. The tummy will also feel more "squishy" than normal.

If you don't hear gurgles, I'd expect the onset of stasis. Do they eat their hay regularly? Does their pellet have a lot of fiber (>20%)? Are they shedding or experiencing any other stress? When you feel the belly, is there a hard mass there? Is there a lot of fur in the poop? Do they drink water? For stasis, the best thing to do if your bunny is still pooping but has smaller poop is to push the hay and fluids, limit sugars (they cancause intestinal bacteria to get out of whack), and encourage exercise. Cutting back on pellets can increase hay consumption, and adding a little vanilla to the water, or offering Pedialyte can help with hydration. Go easy on pedialyte, since it has sugar in it. If your bunnies are old enough to be eating veggies, you can put more water on them to get more water in the bunnies.

If any of the following happens: stops eating/drinking entirely, stops moving around, stops pooping, go immediately to the vet.

Good luck and I hope you can get some help with this!:)

ETA: you said you just moved--that may have stressed her out. Keep an eye on her and treat with suspicion of stasis.

 
hey thanks!!! I will try to get him to let me hear his tummy he is a little skiddish with regards to carrying ... he drinks and eats normally so hopefully he will continue to eat... and i will try to get him to run around more even if it means i have to chase him around...

the pellets are the pellets that they have been having with their old owners so I think I will just use them until it is over and then make sure I get the (>20%) fiber ones, cause they lived on these ones for a really long time so i don't want to completely change everything.. but I will keep and eye out for him and watch and see how he does and if i think he stops eating then I will be sure to take him to the vet...


Thanks again and I will keep you posted on it
 

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