Very worried about my little guy…

[AshleyLovesBunnies]

Well, he seems to be playing and acting good. He’s had a lot of energy today, but when he was out on the floor for playtime i noticed that he did have cecotropes. I cleaned it up, forgetting about what it was. I occured to me later that it was cecotropes. I went to chek on him an hour later while he was in his cage, i noticed 2 more cecotropes. I went several times after that and have seen 5 more. He seems not to be eating them..unless I just did’t catch them all. IS it normal for him to have it so many times in a day?

[Hazel]

What/how much are you feeding him? Too many cecotropes are usually a sign of a diet that’s too rich. Is it so bad that his behind is getting messy?

[AshleyLovesBunnies]

He gets unlimited amount of Timothy hay..started today after the cecotropes. He gets a cup of pellets and 1/4 cup of fruit/veggie mix every day. His little bottom is clean, though.

[Monkeybun]

If he has excess cecals, his diet is too rich. cut down on the fruit to start with.

[Hazel]

I agree with Monkeybun, reduce the fruit first. Fruit should only be given in very small amounts as a treat, he certainly doesn’t need it every day with his veggies.

What kind of pellets are you feeding? Are they plain brown pellets or is it a mix of different stuff?

[AshleyLovesBunnies]

Okay ill stop with the fruit. The pellets are just plain.

[kamdynandsunshinesmom]

This is how i have been feeding my 2 bunnies for years and haven’t had a problem. Everybunny can be different both my rabbits get oxbow timmy pellets http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16618. Kamdyn gets 1/4 cup and sunshine gets 1/3 cup. Both buns get unlimited timothy hay. Kamdyn gets 1 cup of veggies like lettuce parsley etc. Sunshine gets 2 cups of veggies because she is a larger rabbit. They very rarely get fruits. If i am cutting up carrots I sometimes will give her a piece. You want a timmy based pellet. Oxbow is my favorite and I wont feed anything else. I am not sure where you live you might be able to buy them in the store or another timmy brand pellet that is good. here is a good article about balanced diet. http://mnhouserabbit.org/rabbit/care/diet/balanced_diet.html when introducing new pellets you want to do it gradually if you want i have a formula I have been using for years I can send it to you. I only see kamdyns night dropping because he is disabled. Sunshine i will see her eating them but never see them.

[floppybunny123]

I’m pretty sure you read your reference wrong or they had a typo. If your bunny is more than 6 months, and weighs 6 pounds, then your bunny should have 1/4 cup pellets and 1 cup veggies with unlimited timothy hay and water.

[tanlover14]

Lillys Mama — what did you think was wrong? A 6 lb. bunny should be getting 2 cups of veggies daily — and typically gets about 1/4 cups of pellets but sometimes people give more/less.

I also think your problem is probably just too much fruit. I wouldn’t worry too much! Lessen his fruit intake and see what happens.

[kamdynandsunshinesmom]

I am not sure lilly’s mama if that question was meant for me or not. My bunny is 6lbs and approximately 5 1/2 years old. When I rescued her from the rescue group this is what they were giving her the amounts they fed her so I have just kept it.

[tanlover14]

OH! I missed the post where Ashley is giving 1 cup pellets and 1/4 cup veggies. I see what she means now. How old is your bun Ashley and his weight? He really may be getting too many pellets also.

[tanlover14]

Usually those numbers are flip-flopped. A bun (not growing) should be given 1/4 PELLETS per 6 lbs. body weight and 1-2 cups veggies. I also think you may have that mixed around.

[floppybunny123]

tanlover, when you say that they need 1-2 cups of veggies, do you mean 1 1/2 ups? or does it not matter. I just want to clarify so that I don’t feel bad for feeding Lilly too less veggies for a long time

*Sigh* I know I sound like an obsessed person

[luvmyhunybuny]

I would cut way back on the pellets. My male bun over produces cecotropes and it is linked to his pellet intake. Up the veggies and hay, cut back on pellets and see what happens.

[RabbitPam]

Hi, everyone, it does look like there may have been either a typo in Ashley’s post, or she was given flip-flopped information. Good advice all, to recap: cut back fruits to only an occasional treat, like an apple wedge or a 1/4 inch thick banana slice, and not every day.
1/4 cup plain pellets (I like Oxbow because they are ground Timothy) a day
appx. 1 cup greens in AM, which I actually find to be one of my handfuls, and a 2nd cup of veggies in the evening. I full cup each time may be a lot, but some veggies kind of spread out more than others, so if it basically fills a food bowl or your hand it’s about a cup. I often combine romaine lettuce with sprigs of kale. Or I will give green leaf lettuce with some carrot tops.
Carrots are a bit more healthy than fruit, slightly less sugar, so I feel free to give 1 or 2 of the baby carrots (sold in bags at grocery store) with her morning greens. Sometimes slice the equivalent size of the carrots attached to the tops.
In the Diet section of the Bunny Info. at the top menu of this page, you can find lists of recommended fresh foods that will help you get the right kinds of fresh foods. Check the lists out and by all means, print them out for easy reference when shopping. I don’t change basics often, so introduce a new green, like parsley or mint, with a basic your bunny is already used to.
Ashley, hope this helps!

[RabbitPam]

Sometimes a young bunny, or an overweight bunny, may have trouble mastering the art of balancing to eat their own cecotropes, so you see them or they are eaten once, and again later on. Rich foods as was said will add to them.

[AshleyLovesBunnies]

Okay. I will cut down on pellet intake. He gets a cup of veggies a day, now. And..he gets unlimited hay and water. I won’t give him fruits for awhile. I havent seen anymore cecotropes. My bun is about 10 bordering on 11 weeks. I weighed him last night a he is approx. 4 pounds.

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