My bunny has diarrhea, help please?

[Momo]

Hello! I know that most bunnies eventually get diarrhea and I’ve read in many sites not to overreact because it’s a normal thing, and should go away soon with proper care. But, it also says if not treated soon it can be life threatening. 

When I first noticed the diarrhea, I tried to give my bunny some extra hay, small amounts of tea, and banana to help, but he is very stubborn and only ate the hay. It’s been happening for about a month so I took him to the vet to see what I could do.

My concern is, my vet did give us medicine for the diarrhea, but also said to ONLY feed my bunny hay and and some vegetables. Can bunnies only live off eating hay? I know outdoor rabbits can, but can indoor rabbits just live off hay as well? Sorry if that’s a silly question. I’m just not sure because whenever I don’t feed my rabbit pellets early enough in the morning, he gets very crazy and when I give him the pellets, he eats it very fast like he’s never eaten anything before. Plus, he also told me to give my rabbit veggies, but I’ve read online that rabbits shouldn’t eat a lot of veggies and that they should only eat a little amount once a week at most because that can cause diarrhea too. 

Sorry, I’m just worried. Any tips for getting rid of diarrhea for my bunny? 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Welcome! Sorry your going through this, glad you came here!

Actually rabbits rarely get diarrhea, but can get ‘poopy bum’ and it’s definitely something to react to as it can be very serious.

Your vet sounds right on the money. Rabbits should eat mostly hay, veggies; and pellets as a -hmm like a supplement. It should definitely not be a staple. Hay should be the mainstay-it not only promotes proper digestion but also keeps their teeth healthy. They are meant to forage, which is why the teeth continously grow. So hay helps keep that in check Treats should be small in amount -like 2-3 raisin sized treats-and speaking of raisins-treats should be fresh or dried fruit. Most treats in stores are junk and can cause tummy problems too

[Sarita]

Vegetables d onot cause diarrhea. KK is right – your vet sounds like he is on the right track and this is diet related.

Diarrhea is rare in rabbits and most likely what your rabbit has is unformed cecals and usually that is due to not getting enough fiber which the hay will help with.

[RabbitPam]

Hay is best, and also unlimited water which they drink more of as they eat more hay. Timothy hay is a staple, but if your bunny resists that, switch to Orchard Grass or Oat Hay, so know that there’s an assortment that will please your bunny’s taste.

It’s switching veggies that can give a bunny tummy trouble, so you want to select one or two basic greens and stick with those as a daily diet. I always like romaine and green leaf lettuces best since they are nutritious and one is more flavorful than the other. It’s only iceberg lettuce that you need to avoid. Often a little garnish green like mint, dill, or parsley is a nice addition to the staple green.

After that, 1/4 cup maximum daily of pellets can be added after your bunny’s poops return to normal. Fruits are treats because they are sugary like dessert, so only a small slice of banana, or a cube of apple. Raisins and craisins are good as K&K said, since they’re small. But until the diarrhea is gone follow your vet’s instructions exactly. If you continue with the mostly-hay diet your bunny will get regular and be healthier soon. (And bunnies do not really get bored with a daily diet that they like. They are creatures of habit, so what looks like a treat to a human may be eaten – and not digested well – by a bunny. It isn’t a treat at all.)

[BinkyBunny]

How old is your bunny?

[Beka27]

Here is the BB diet page… https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/2/PID/940/Default.aspx

Your can also read quite a few articles on rabbit.org about proper diet.

Hay is definitely the most important thing, followed by veggies. Pellets are not absolutely necessary, but most people give a tiny amount because they are nutrient dense and buns like them. Your vet does sound like he/she knows what he/she is talking about.

[Momo]

Thank you guys very much! This site has really told me correct information versus the others I have visited. But really, thank you! (:
My bunny thanks you too! haha

[RabbitPam]

I’m really glad to hear if he’s better and eating well now.

[Momo]

Yes! He is doing good. c:

No more diarrhea and now I’m only giving him timothy hay, some veggies, and barely any pellets. (:

[bunnyluvr]

I wanted to say thanks to you all. I even had a diarea problem with my bunny. and since I started giving him lots of grass again it left the next day or so. thanks everyone your the best.

now how much level of vegetables should they have. and pellets as well

[BABYBUNNY]

good evening,can i ask some help with my bunny. Its suffering diarrhea right now and dont want to eat. This is 3rd day since we adopt our bunnies and i didnt know any Vet here in our place. Please can you help us what to do,what should i do,whats the first aid or how can i lessen its diarrhea till i find a Vet. please help us thank you

[Bam]

Hi Babybunny! Keep the bunny warm. Is the diarrhea runny or “just” sticky and smeary? Do you see any normal poop as well as the diarrhea? How old is the bunny (approx)?

[jerseygirl]

Posted By BABYBUNNY on 8/24/2017 11:47 AM
please can any one help us. my bunny is suffering diarrhea and it didnt want to it. this is the third day since we adopt this young bunny and i didnt know any Vet here in our place. please can any one help me,can i perform any first aid or anything to lessen its diarrhea till i find a vet. please help me. thank you

Watery diarrhoea in baby or young rabbits is a medical emergency. Please read this information:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/squirts.pdf

How old is your rabbit? What has it been eating since you’ve had it? Is it acting lethargic?
Here is more information about rabbit poop: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

[Cocobell]

Hi There! My bunny has recently suffered from gut stasis. She is eating normally again and lying down on her tummy (stretched out) so I do not believe she is in any pain, the only thing that is concerning me is her poo. Her poos are little and black and she has started doing some diarrhoea, it is not watery but is soft and smelly and quite big. Her diet has not changed and she has unlimited access to water and hay. I give her fresh veg every morning and night with a little scoop (tablespoon) of pellets at night and in the morning. The vet said that we could take her home and that she was going to be ok. Would the gut stasis still be affecting her? Or would it be a different problem?

[Muchelle]

How old is she? When did you check in last with your vet?
Diarrhea is never a good thing, it might be from the aftermath of stasis or it might be some food that bothered her, but it would be best if you called your vet asap and informed them about this new symptom. If she keeps having runny poop she might get dehydrated and that wouldn’t be good at all.

p.s. Don’t be afraid of opening a new thread replying to old topics may create confusion

[DanaNM]

Hi Cocobell,

Yes, usually best to start your own thread (the moderators might move this into a new thread for you), but I’ll answer you here so you have the info right away! It sounds like your bun is currently being treated for stasis? It can be normal to have some weird poos happening as things get moving again after stasis.

From what you’ve described, this doesn’t sound like true diarrhea, but rather excess soft cecotropes or something similar. I think sometimes they get all blocked up from stasis, and then all that built-up waste comes out quickly once they are moving again! I also think that sometimes their gut flora gets werid from stasis and medications, so they don’t eat either cecotropes as they normally would. Is she still currently on any medication or treatments? And how is her hay consumption? How old is she?

True watery diarrhea is an emergency, but I don’t think that is what you have in your case, based off your description. Sounds like she is pooping and eating, which is a very good thing. Can you post a photo of the poos you are concerned about? 

Here’s a good resource of how different poops can look and what they mean: http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm

Right now, make sure she drinks plenty of water to keep her hydrated. You can also feed her veggies dripping wet so she gets extra water that way too.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

I’m going to leave this thread for now since people have replied and this is a serious situation. In the future Cocobell, please start a new thread. Replying to old threads creates a lot of confusion because when someone clicks on the thread, they start reading from the top only to realize that the thread is 5 years old. Welcome to BB, I hope your bun will be OK. I agree with Dana, what you’re describing does not sound like true diarrhea.

[Nicole]

Hey guys. I am new to this site . Unfortunately my bunny has diarrhea. When he poops they look like small like droppings but really soft and watery. I took away his pellets and left him with just water and lots of hay to see how he does. He is eating a lot of his hay and is drinking some of his water. Does anyone have any other advise for me or any tips to make him feel better ? I feeling very sad for my poor bunny

[Bam]

It’s really great that he’s eating hay.

True diarrhea in rabbits is a life-threatening condition, but if there are any round/formed poop at all, not just watery/mucosy stools, it’s not true diarrhea. Is he acting his normal self? Does he seem weak/ very tired?

When a bun has both sticky poop and formed poop (and the sticky poop can be rather big clumps, sometimes the size of a pingpong ball), it’s called intermittent soft cecotropes, ISC. This is very common among rabbits. Here is a good article about this: https://rabbit.org/intermittent-soft-cecotropes-in-rabbits/ The article also deals with true diarrhea.

Replacing pellets with hay is good. He can have hay only for 2-3 days, IF he eats it, then you can reintroduce a tiny amount of pellets to prevent rapid weight-loss. Buns should never lose weight quickly because it can harm the liver. If he’s not eating his hay, you must replace it with sth else, because a bun can never go with an empty stomach. Luckily your bun seems to be eating his hay, and that’s really great.

[Author]

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