Know Your Bunny Poop
Rabbits produce two types of poop.
The first type are called caecotrophs and they are soft, sticky dark coloured poops (covered in mucus and sometimes with a greenish tinge). Rabbits actually eat their caecotrophs but this usually happens at night so often owners never witness this. They eat the caecotrophs straight from their anus. This type of poo is rich in nutrients and rabbits must consume them in order to remain healthy.
Too many uneaten caecotrophs (often caused by a starchy/carbohydrate based diet instead of a high fibre diet) can mean the rabbit does not eat them all or your rabbit is too obese to reach to eat them and it's often mistaken for diarrhea.
Real diarrhea is very rare in rabbits, but can be fatal.
The second type of rabbit poo is the type you see in their litter tray, around the garden.These harder droppings are larger, rounder and much drier. They have a fibrous quality and you should see fibre particles in them. Rabbits can produce over 300 of these droppings per day!
The size, shape and amount of poo your rabbits produce can be a very useful guide into understanding how healthy they are. Problems to watch out for include:
- Rabbit not producing enough poo (or suddenly pooping less than usual).
- Small or misshapen droppings.
- Not eating caecotrophs (finding them in the litter tray or stuck around the anus).
- ‘String of pearl’ droppings (where several poops are joined together with fur).
Plentiful, large, evenly shaped, round poops are what you should be aiming for. Any deviation from this should be considered as serious and a veterinary check-up sought as soon as possible. A reduction in number, size or a change in dropping shape could mean your rabbit is not eating or the digestive system has slowed down or stopped for some reason. This can indicate illness, stress, dehydration or blockages. In which case, act fast and head to the VET
