If you have a rabbit, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the small brown ‘cocoa puffs’ that rabbits leave around the house. You may think that all bunnies do all day is eat and defecate. However, a rabbit’s capacity to create so much feces is really beneficial to its health.
So, why do rabbits poop so much?
Rabbits have a special digestive mechanism that causes them to defecate a lot. A rabbits’ health is dependent on the continuous activity of their digestive tract. This allows them to take energy from their food fast.
This implies that rabbits must continue to eat and, as a result, poo a lot in order to keep their digestive systems healthy and functioning.
The gastrointestinal system of a rabbit, therefore, may be readily thrown off track. Their digestive tract will slow down or even halt if they don’t eat enough or become too agitated. This puts the rabbit in perilous circumstances.
In this article, we will take a closer look into rabbit digestion so we can figure out how to keep our bunnies’ intestines balanced and healthy. So, keep reading!
How Much Do Rabbits Poop?
Because rabbits vary in a variety of sizes, not all of them defecate the same quantity every day. However, you should anticipate to discover two hundred to three hundred poops each day on average.
The quantity of food they eat is, obviously, related to the amount of excrement they produce. A bigger rabbit that requires more food will likewise produce more faeces.
Rabbits generally defecate many hours after they have eaten. Larger food particles, like chewed up hay, move through their digestive track considerably faster than tiny food particles.
If the rabbit consumes a lot of hay in the morning, you may expect a lot of faeces approximately five hours later. However, the cecotropes will take considerably longer to digest.
Why Is My Bunny Pooping So Much?
Rabbits have a special digestive system that is quite sensitive. The capacity of a rabbit to digest and absorb nutrients from a high-fiber diet is a result of this.
A diet that is indigestible to the majority of other animals. They accomplish this by digesting their meal twice. Their colon sorts the meal into digestible components and indigestible fibre the first time through.
The indigestible fibre continues to pass through the system. They keep the rabbit’s digestive tract flowing and are necessary for the rabbit’s general health. This is why a high fibre diet with a lot of hay is so important.
In the rabbit’s caecum, the digestible components are fermented and finally converted into cecotropes. To get all of the proteins and nutrients in its diet, the rabbit will have to consume these cecotropes and redigest them.
Why Does My Bunny Have Wet Poop?
In adult rabbits, true diarrhoea or wet poop is uncommon. Intestinal parasites like coccidia, roundworms or anything else that inflames the intestinal lining might cause it.
Your veterinarian will be able to evaluate a faecal sample for symptoms of parasite infection. You should probably supply the vet with a fresh sample of both faecal and cecal pellets, if feasible. True diarrhea is more common in baby and young rabbits.
How Do I Keep My Rabbit’s Pooping In Check?
We’ve established that rabbits defecate a lot, which is normal and healthy. That doesn’t make finding tiny poop balls all around the home any less unpleasant.
While rabbit faeces isn’t very odoros or even disgusting, it can nevertheless end up in unexpected locations.
Fortunately, there are some simple actions you may do to keep your rabbit’s in check. These are:
1. Litter Training
Litter training is the most efficient way to keep your rabbit’s faeces under control. This collects all of their faeces in one location. You just need to scoop the litter box once a day.
Although litter training a rabbit may appear to be a difficult chore, most rabbits are quite clean and quickly take up the habit. Rabbits like to keep their bathroom in one location.
2. Neuter Your Rabbit
Spaying or neutering a rabbit can assist with a variety of health and behavioral issues. A rabbit that has been changed is considerably less likely to spray pee around the home, and they are also less prone to scatter their faeces to mark their territory.
Your rabbit’s litter training abilities will improve as a result of the decrease in territorial behaviour. If you’re having difficulties educating your rabbit to use a litter box, the first step is to get them spayed or neutered at a veterinarian.
3. Enclosure
Cleaning your rabbit’s habitat more frequently is another method to avoid faeces from going everywhere. With certain cages, this may be a real hassle. We recommend buying a rabbit playpen as a primary enclosure is because of this.
What Foods Give Rabbits Diarrhea?
Rabbits, as every other herbivores, eat only plants. The rabbit gut has evolved to eat nearly entirely grass and plants, as has its typical bacterial flora.
Even commercial pellets can cause runny diarrhea in certain rabbits with sensitive stomachs.
Table fruit is too rich for a rabbit. Save it only as a tiny, infrequent treat due to its high sugar and carbohydrate content. One of the most prevalent causes of runny cecotropes in rabbits is a diet high in digestible starch.
Unlimited grass hay, such as timothy, wheat, or oat, should be provided to a rabbit. Alfalfa hay is far too high in calories and protein to be fed on a regular basis.
Grass hay’s high fibre content also helps to dilute the starch in other foods and maintain a healthy digestive environment. Preventing intestinal issues like cecal dysbiosis requires a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
What Do I Do If My Bunny Has Diarrhea?
Rabbit diarrhea is a severe condition that should not be overlooked. Every day, as a rabbit owner, you should verify that your rabbit is passing typical, solid pellets.
In a rabbit, diarrhea can be caused by a variety of things.
As soon as you see your rabbit passing diarrhea or soft faeces, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Never wait to see if things get better since diarrhea may become a serious and life-threatening issue if left untreated.
If your rabbit is passing anything other than regular, firm pellets, make an appointment with your veterinarian right away. Diarrhea can become a serious and life-threatening disease if left untreated.
Take a sample of your rabbit’s faeces to show your physician if possible. It’s always advisable to call your veterinarian if they don’t have the precise symptoms described above but you’re still worried.
What Can I Give A Rabbit With An Upset Stomach?
When it comes to nutrition, keep in mind that rabbits have delicate stomachs, and any sudden shift might cause their digestive architecture to alter. Changes in nutrition should be made gradually, over seven to ten days, according to experts.
This will not only give your rabbit time to acclimatise and become accustomed to the new flavour, but it will also let their digestive system to adjust to the new food item.
You’ll need to gradually increase the new item while decreasing the old one. This is also true when weaning or altering a baby’s formula.
Because rabbits are creatures of habit when it comes to eating, try to feed them at the same time every day, preferably in the evening, given to their nocturnal nature.
For diversity, provide a combination of three or more veggies each day. Fruit, which contains a lot of sugar, should be offered as a treat just once in a while.
If you’re not sure if the food you’re giving your pet is organic, clean, and safe, don’t give it to them.
Any meal that causes diarrhoea should be eliminated immediately from the diet!
How Do I Treat My Rabbit’s Diarrhea At Home?
If you’ve determined that your rabbit has diarrhea, the first and most crucial step is to keep him hydrated. A poor diet or stomach discomfort are the most common causes of diarrhea.
A change in diet, unsanitary conditions, or illness from another animal are the most common causes.
Dietary control is critical, with an emphasis on high fibre to assist rectify the balance of nutrients. A low-fiber diet may disrupt the fermentation process, resulting in the development of dangerous toxin-producing bacteria. This can lead to diarrhoea, dehydration, and death in your bunny.
Identify any stresses that may lead your bunnies to become tense, irritable, or vulnerable to diarrhea. These may include temperature changes, meal changes, or travel.
Do not self-medicate without first consulting your doctor. Antibiotics may change the population of microorganisms in the cecum. This may destroy helpful bacteria and allow the number of dangerous toxin-producing bacteria to grow.
If antibiotics are required due to sickness, only use those prescribed by your veterinarian for rabbits. Antibiotics should not be used as a preventive measure indefinitely.
Taking away your bunny’s food for two to three days and only provide water and little amounts of hay is the best home treatment.Call your veterinarian if the condition worsens or does not improve.
Diarrhea treatment is completely dependent on the source of the problem. A visit to your veterinarian is necessary and should not be postponed.
Never attempt to cure your rabbit’s diarrhea at home. If left untreated, diarrhea can quickly escalate into a dangerous and life-threatening condition.
When Should I See A Vet Regarding Diarrhea?
If your rabbit stops pooping, that’s a terrible indication of his health. You should take your pet bunny to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
To be healthy, their intestines must be continually functioning, and a rabbit that stops pooping for more than a day might possibly die.
Bunnies defecate a lot by nature, so if yours does, that’s a positive indication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Train A Rabbit To Not Poop Everywhere?
Yes, you can train a rabbit to not poop everywhere. Although litter training rabbits can be a little difficult, it is feasible.
How Many Times Do Rabbits Poop A Day?
Bunnies of average size will defecate 200-300 times each day. They should be consistent in size and shape, ranging from pea to garbanzo in size.
Why Do Rabbits Lick You?
Bunnies groom each other by licking. It’s a show of affection if your rabbit licks you. You may commonly observe pairs of bunnies grooming each other in this manner.
Final Words
If your rabbit poos a lot, don’t be alarmed. Your rabbit will be okay as long as the dry spherical pellets are firm and the faeces is well-formed and not runny or stuck to the hair. The easiest method to keep it under control is to change its diet.
As I’ve previously stated, your bunny should always have access to hay and pellets on a regular basis. This diet will result in a healthy bunny with healthy faeces.
It is critical to monitor your rabbit’s droppings on a daily basis. A change in the volume, size, or form of a rabbit’s faeces might reveal a lot about their health status.
A change in the rabbit’s droppings can warn you to any potential diseases, even if the rabbit shows no other indications of illness.
If you have any other questions regarding your pet bunny’s defecating habits, drop it down in the comment section below!
