I've had my lionhead rabbit for a week now and have noticed over the last couple of days that he has been leaving mushy poo around his cage. We may even be providing them with inappropriate food. It’s a result of feces hardening inside a rabbit’s digestive tract. Rabbits Coprophagy credit:banningvet.com. They include: Below we show some images with the two main types of rabbit poop. For example, if we leave the rabbit's hutch somewhere loud or near another pet which intimidates them. Most rabbit owners don't see cecotropes, mostly because rabbits "eat them straight from the anus," Alvarado said. However, certain parasites can be passed on to dogs from rabbits. I'd assumed it happened by accident, maybe she was walking on them or we were walking on them but tonight she started eating her cecotrophes next to me and I saw regular poop dust all over her face and wiskers as well as crushed up poops around her. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain. A rabbit normally has a clean rear end because, even though cecotropes are soft and sticky, it is consuming these poops as they are exiting the body. These are small, dark brown clusters of fiber, protein and vitamins created in the rabbit’s gut. Where cecotropes contain valuable protein, feces contain only indigestible fiber and no water. Also, picking the rabbit up and trancing them is a common cause of stress many rabbit owners are unaware of. In doing so, they are able to fully digest their food and reduce waste. Rabbits get more nutrition from eating cecotropes than from the food they eat. Why Is My Rabbit Eating Poop (Not Cecotropes)? The vet says that he looks healthy, he is not overweight, his diet is excellent, plenty of hay, a measured amount of daily pellets, fresh veg and water always available. This can happen because the rabbit is too obese to reach around their folds of fat, but it can also happen with rabbits who are elderly and disabled with limited mobility. The feces your rabbit excretes during the day is usually the hard inedible droppings. Although it may imply disease, this seemingly strange habit is much more beneficial that would first appear. . If this is the case, we need to take the rabbit to the veterinarian for diagnosis. That makes me feel better! If they do, it is a clear sign they need to be taken to the veterinarian. Since the rabbit is a sensitive animal, we can cause them serious anxiety if we do not provide the right level of care. I’ll keep an eye on her :), New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. If the rabbit is not getting all of their nutrients, they not only eat the cecotropes, but the hard droppings as well. If you want to best avoid psychological and physical problems in rabbits, take a look at our rabbit care guide video: This article is purely informative. However, their diet is so rich in fiber and cellulose that it can be difficult to digest. Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. However, some of the common rabbit diseases affect their gastrointestinal system. Physiological problems can result in the rabbit eating their own poop out of stress. Since only cecotropes contain nutritional value for the rabbit, if they are eating their hard droppings, it implies there is an issue. OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS. The short-chain fatty acids in their cecals provide an additional source of energy, and the B vitamins provided can be in excess of the rabbit's needs. Cecotropes also aid in the replenishment … Although we may think of eating their own poop as being unpleasant it is purely practical. A rabbit produces two types of excrement: regular fecal pellets and cecotropes. Should I be concerned if my rabbit eats its poop? Rabbits eat their own poop to digest nutrients they were unable to process the first time round. MINI BELIEVE IT OR NOT – Roughly once a day, rabbits will eat their own poop in order to reabsorb nutrients. I'd assumed it happened by accident, maybe she was walking on them or we were walking on them but tonight she started eating her cecotrophes next to me and I saw regular poop dust all over her face and wiskers as well as crushed up poops around her. Sometimes it is referred to as the night droppings. The area around the tail is particularly susceptible. Rabbits will leave two types of poop: These two types of excrement are the most common and the ones that indicate that the animal is healthy. My Kitten Has Diarrhea But Acts Normal Otherwise, My Puppy Has Diarrhea - Causes And Treatment, Why is My Dog Throwing Up Yellow - Causes, Treatment & Home Remedies. However now it's getting so bad that it sticks to her bottom area and is then making the hay stick to it. The other type of dropping is known as a cecotrope. Is this normal? YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. Your veterinarian may prescribe a vitamin supplement during the initial treatment for ISC, particularly if this has been a long-standing problem. Rabbits are herbivorous animals. These are the hard round ones that are seen in the dropping trays. The rabbit cannot reach to eat their cecotropes. They are also considered hygienic as they devote a lot of time throughout the day to cleaning themselves. Once they gobble down the cecotropes, lagomorphs can … These special feces are called cecotropes, or “night feces.”. This can happen when your dog eats rabbit poop, as well as if your dog eats rabbit meat. Constipation in rabbits can be dangerous. Below we will take a closer look at each one of them. SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. Poop is at a core the perfect way of telling if your rabbit is not only healthy but if they have any internal issues. Rabbit poops are in the form of small balls that are uniform in appearance, dry, and hard to touch. Rabbits produce two types of droppings and they are very different. The fiber in hay for rabbits makes intestinal transit efficient, but in some ways, too inefficient. It is estimated that B12is synthesized 100x the daily requirement. Although technically a type of coprophagy, it is also known as cecophagy or cecotrophy. I've recently got back from working away and have got my 2 bunnies back, who have been living at my parents. . She seems to be fine I was just surprised and wondered if anyone else's rabbits do this? Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. While eating feces of animals of the same species is known as coprophagy, animals eating species of its own is known as autocoprophagy. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. They provide the rabbit with the necessary nutrients and vitamins to live. If a rabbit does not eliminate, she is at risk of developing an intestinal blockage. I know rabbits eat cecotropes but I've noticed (since having her) that sometimes her regular poops are broken up or crushed. By digesting their food twice rabbits can … Usually rabbits will eat their cecotropes right out of their anus, so you won’t see very many lying around. Rabbit eating videos, or rabbit eating ASMR videos are the indoor rabbit's favorite videos ... Rabbit eating poop! If you’re concerned about your rabbit’s poop or hanging their diet, you should always contact your local veterinarian first. This is why we should only give them the appropriate fruit and vegetables for rabbits. However, a rabbit cannot eat all of their poop. If a rabbit cannot eat the cecotropes, then she may be missing vital nutrients those special droppings provide. You may notice your rabbit cleans themselves more often when they have eaten their poop, but this is usually because the soft feces can more easily stick to their fur. You should not be worried if you see your rabbit eating their poop. Devoting such time to cleanliness may mean you get quite a shock when you see a rabbit eating their own poop. Here you will find information on coprophagy in rabbits. – This guide will tackle everything related to rabbit poop. Don’t freak out though — this behavior is pretty common, and it rarely leads to serious illness. Rabbit fecal pellets offer little in terms of nutrition. Not only does it seem contrary to good hygiene, but rabbits eating their own feces also implies they have a health problem, whether physical or psychological. Improper diets, digestive system problems (diseases and conditions) can cause diarrhea in bunnies. Pipkin rabbit, a free range rabbit eats poop! The other reason is a medical problem but in your case I would say it is due to the pellets and should resolve itself once you begin adding more vegetables to his diet and reducing the amount of pellets. The feces are eaten after deposition or directly from the anus. Cecotropes look like a bunch of small pieces of poop bunched together, like grapes. If you want to read similar articles to My Rabbit is Eating Their Own Poop, we recommend you visit our Intestinal problems category. Why Does My Dog Have a Lump on Their Neck? The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. The generally go from anus to mouth directly. They are high in nitrogen, short-chain fatty acids, microbial protein, B vitamins, sodium, potassium, water, lysine, the sulfur amino acids, and threonine. Not all types of rabbit poop are digestible, something we explain further below. Cecotrophy (eating cecotropes / healthy poop) is taught by the mother rabbit (dam) to her offsprings (kits/kittens) as soon as they open their eyes (about ten days). But that’s all for this article. Vets often consider testing rabbit poop as a part of their medical checkup, and this is also the same with humans. The rabbit will usually only eat cecotropes in their hutch or cage since these areas are quiet. Rabbits are sensitive, sweet and tender animals. A low body temp can indicate a rabbit in a low of pain and in danger of going into shock. In this case it is not uncommon to see small numbers of cecotropes on the floor of the cage. It may seem gross, but rabbits normally eat some of their feces once a day, either early in the morning or late at night. The term for eating feces is known as coprophagia or coprophagy. Normal Fecal Pellets. Thinkstock. I've found about 4 so far and I'm not sure why he's stopped eating them like he should. This could be due to us not providing the right kind of food for them. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. Why Is My Dog Bleeding From Its Anus? Although the food may have reached the end of the digestive tract, not all of the nutrients have been absorbed by the rabbit's body. Also, according to House Rabbit Society, “rabbit may not eat cecotropes due to dental or other oral pain as well as obesity or restricted movement (e.g., spondylosis) that prevents the bunny from physically reaching the anus to eat the cecotropes.” Not all soft feces are caecotrophs. Eating a small amount of rabbit poop is generally not harmful to dogs. In these cases, the rabbit may physically be unable to absorb the nutrients they require. What to Do if My Dog has Something Stuck in his Throat? I know that these are cecotropes rather than dihorrea, due to their appearance and the fact as he has been leaving his usual pelleted poo in normal amounts as well. It is not normal for them to be eaten by the rabbit. If there are small, soft, sticky poops stuck to your rabbit's fur, then your rabbit isn't eating its cecotropes. The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. There are more things that you should learn about why do rabbits eat their poop. It is no surprise they have become such beloved pets by people over the world. However, it can make your dog feel rotten in some cases, and you’ll want to do whatever you can to stop it, because, well, gross. So, why do rabbits eat their poop? Rabbits are prolific poopers. These pellets are small torpedo shaped droppings which are dark and about the size of a squashed pea. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. Please note we are a *pet rabbit* community that discourages breeding and encourages rescue.  my rabbit is not eating his cecotropes. Sometimes there are a lot of cecotropes scattered around because the rabbit is unable to reach their butt to eat their cecotropes. The soft cecotropes that are swallowed whole as soon as they are eliminated from the body are packed with key nutrients and help to keep the rabbit’s digestive tract functioning properly. You shouldn't be too concerned if your rabbit eats his poop. If you wonder why my rabbits eat their own poop, AnimalWised explains this behavior by revealing its purpose. - Causes, My Dog Keeps Licking Her Private Area - All Possible Reasons. Aside from little-to-no droppings being found in your pet’s hutch, symptoms can include: Refuses to eat. I know rabbits eat cecotropes but I've noticed (since having her) that sometimes her regular poops are broken up or crushed. In addition to the two aforementioned types of rabbit feces, we can also highlight other types of excrement in rabbits that can occur in certain situations. Although coprophagy is normal in rabbits, they are only supposed to consume cecotropes. One of the most common reasons for this is a nutritional deficiency. I've had Luci for 3 weeks now, shes a Netherland Dwarf rabbit, 11 weeks old. Here’s the important message, to summarize things: It’s pretty normal for your pet to eat its poop, the cecotropes, not the normal droppings. . I'm quite worried cause she should be eating them and not having things getting attached to her. cecotropes on the ground indicate a problem, and you would not want to eat them if you found them. 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