Smelly 'normal' poo

[mouse_chalk]

I've noticed lately that all of our bun's poos have become a lot more smelly. I'm talking about the regular 'droppings' rather than cecals. Mouse and Chalk in particular... I nearly never see any excess cecals from them, although I do quite a bit from Snowy as we're in the process of changing them over to a higher fibre diet, but it's the normal poo that is smelling. A lot more than normal.

Is this ok? Should they normally smell anyway, and we're just noticing it more? They haven't changed in consistency or size or frequency or anything, and we've not been feeding them anything different- just the normal small amount of pellets, large amount of veggies and tons of hay and fresh water...

Should I be worried? :?

Thanks!

Jen

 

[tonyshuman]

sometimes I've heard they give them extra scent to mark their territory--especially now that they're all getting used to living in the same house! this happened with BoBBunny's Tony (if I remember correctly).

 

[polly]

Yeah they have scent glands inside the anus too so they can make them extra smelly if they want Dougall does that they absolutely stink and i have a terrible sense of smell!!

 

[mouse_chalk]

That's a bit less worrying, thanks guys! I thought it might be something to do with the other team of buns living over the barrier...

I've also heard that smellier than normal poos can be a symptom of some illnesses though, so I'm going to keep a close eye on them all in the next few days... Like I don't anyway lol! :biggrin2:

 

[gentle giants]

If you have other rabbits in the house, that probably is why they are making them more stinky than usual. They are telling those bunnies, "This is OUR house, people!". It's a territory thing, it doesn't mean they are sick or anything.

 

[mouse_chalk]

LOL, so the 'Poo Wars' go on then.... or, as one of my mates put it the other day, the 'Great Poo Off' :rollseyes

There's an open window, and the litter training has just flown right out of it!

 

[BlueGiants]

Smellier poops are also a possible symptom of coccidiosis. The droppings (all of them, not just a few) are usually slightly darker than normal too. (Your vet can do a fecal float and check them.)

You just brought home your new bunnies, that kind of stress can set off a "bloom" in their gut. Mouse and Chalk are adapting to the new bunnies, and the Barney and Snowy are adjusting to a new home. It is stressful on all of them. It wouldn't hurt to have them checked by the vet. And treatment is pretty easy.

 

[Marietta]

Maybe the large amount of veggies could produce smelly poops? Anybody having any opinion on this?

Marietta

 

[mouse_chalk]

Thanks Blue Giants, I've not noticed them being any darker, but I'll keep an eye out. I will get them checked at the vet if it doesn't clear up in a couple of days, although saying that, I've not noticed it at allsince yesterday! :?Coccidiosis sounds quite scary, I'll go and have a read up about it...

Marietta, I don't know if the veggies could be causing it- but we're feeding the same amount we always have- a large handful each in the morning and evening. We've not introduced anything new recently, and everything they eat has been carefully 'tested' beforehand to make sure they don't get soft poo etc...

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

Couple of husbandry issues to look at. If your rabbits' diets are too high in protein....too many pellets for example....it can lead to smelly poop. As Blue Giants mentioned, coccidia is a possibility and ithas a "nice" odor to it also. Other intestinal parasites can also cause odor. We can't usually smell our rabbits, but one got so bad that I could smell her when I entered the house...and we were on opposite ends. She had hookworms..something we had not seen in a rabbit. Easily treated..problem resolved. Coccidia can sometimes be little more difficult to eradicate.

Randy

 

[mouse_chalk]

Thanks Randy!

The pelletsMouse and Chalkare on are the Junior kind, basically the same ingredients as Burgess Supa Rabbit Excel Junior/Dwarf, and the protein content is 16%, as they are only just over 5 months old. They get a 1/4 cup each a day, split into 2 servings... I had been wondering when we should change them over to an adult pellet though?

Like I said, I've not noticed the smell since yesterday afternoon/morning, and not at all today, somaybe it was just a territorial thing. But I think I'll call the vet tomorrow just to be on the safe side and see what he suggests. The smell is basically the smell of cecals, but obviously the poops are normal ones, and there are no cecals around for it to be them! :?

Thanks for all your help guys!