/r/rabbits is an open community where users can learn, share cute pictures, or ask questions about rabbits. It’s not regular feces, but a substance called cecotropes; It’s produced through the fermentation of food in part of the digestive tract called the cecum . Eating poop is a perfectly normal rabbit habit and is actually a very important part of their digestive process. It is no surprise they have become such beloved pets by people over the world. 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. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Where cecotropes contain valuable protein, feces contain only indigestible fiber and no water. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Poop is at a core the perfect way of telling if your rabbit is not only healthy but if they have any internal issues.  Click to attach a photo related to your comment. Usually rabbits will eat their cecotropes right out of their anus, so you won’t see very many lying around. This can happen when your dog eats rabbit poop, as well as if your dog eats rabbit meat. Is this normal? The term for eating feces is known as coprophagia or coprophagy. Rabbits produce two types of droppings and they are very different. Rabbit eating videos, or rabbit eating ASMR videos are the indoor rabbit's favorite videos ... Rabbit eating poop! Below we will take a closer look at each one of them. On the other hand, when the stool is deformed or not completely formed, it indicates that the rabbit is suffering from stress, a health problem or a poor diet. If you wonder why my rabbits eat their own poop, AnimalWised explains this behavior by revealing its purpose. Sometimes there are a lot of cecotropes scattered around because the rabbit is unable to reach their butt to eat their cecotropes. Rabbits are prolific poopers. OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS. I'm quite worried cause she should be eating them and not having things getting attached to her. It is not normal for them to be eaten by the rabbit. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. 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. 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. It is because your rabbit is eating a diet that is high in pellets which contain too many nutrients. Since only cecotropes contain nutritional value for the rabbit, if they are eating their hard droppings, it implies there is an issue. 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. The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. If the rabbit is not getting all of their nutrients, they not only eat the cecotropes, but the hard droppings as well. If they do, it is a clear sign they need to be taken to the veterinarian. Normal Fecal Pellets. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. Also, picking the rabbit up and trancing them is a common cause of stress many rabbit owners are unaware of. You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. The one most often seen is the fecal dropping. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist. She is a bit cooky and seems to think she’s part hawk sometimes as she’ll climb up onto my shoulder or perch on my elbow or wrist to survey the area before pouncing off . Cecotropes also aid in the replenishment … It is estimated that B12is synthesized 100x the daily requirement. They include: Below we show some images with the two main types of rabbit poop. In fact, eating rabbit meat infested with certain parasites can be much more harmful to your dog than eating rabbit poop. The rabbit will usually only eat cecotropes in their hutch or cage since these areas are quiet. Regular rabbit poop barely has any smell to it, and it’s made of mostly grass and other plants that the rabbit consumed. She seems to be fine I was just surprised and wondered if anyone else's rabbits do this? The feces are eaten after deposition or directly from the anus. Although it may imply disease, this seemingly strange habit is much more beneficial that would first appear. Their diet is mainly made of fibrous hay, supplemented by vegetables and fruit. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. The only real issue is whether or not the rabbit is eating the right type of poop. Different Types of Rabbit Poop. Thinkstock. Cecotropes are not feces, but bunny-made doses of nutrients, so don’t be surprised to find your rabbit eating them. I've had Luci for 3 weeks now, shes a Netherland Dwarf rabbit, 11 weeks old. 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. Your veterinarian may prescribe a vitamin supplement during the initial treatment for ISC, particularly if this has been a long-standing problem. However, some of the common rabbit diseases affect their gastrointestinal system. . Most rabbit owners don't see cecotropes, mostly because rabbits "eat them straight from the anus," Alvarado said. A rabbit produces two types of excrement: regular fecal pellets and cecotropes. my rabbit is not eating his cecotropes. Rabbit poop is important! If a rabbit does not eliminate, she is at risk of developing an intestinal blockage. Don’t freak out though — this behavior is pretty common, and it rarely leads to serious illness. The rabbit cannot reach to eat their cecotropes. While eating feces of animals of the same species is known as coprophagy, animals eating species of its own is known as autocoprophagy. There are more things that you should learn about why do rabbits eat their poop. However, it some animals it can be a sign of disease or dietary insufficiency. Although it is not well understood in dogs, it is believed to be a practice which helps digestion. - Causes, My Dog Keeps Licking Her Private Area - All Possible Reasons. Some mammals will eat feces on rare occasions, such as dogs. Sometimes it is referred to as the night droppings. Why Is My Dog Bleeding From Its Anus? . Rabbit poops are in the form of small balls that are uniform in appearance, dry, and hard to touch. Unlike other animals, rabbit poop is not so unpleasant. However now it's getting so bad that it sticks to her bottom area and is then making the hay stick to it. Why Does My Dog Have a Lump on Their Neck? By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. We have taken our lop eared castrated male rabbit, mischief, to the vet for a check up, as he doesn't eat his cecotropes. Instead they eat cecotropes. MINI BELIEVE IT OR NOT – Roughly once a day, rabbits will eat their own poop in order to reabsorb nutrients. It is unusual for a rabbit to eat dry waste droppings. Eating a small amount of rabbit poop is generally not harmful to dogs. You shouldn't be too concerned if your rabbit eats his poop. 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. They have the ability to egest between 200 to 300 individual pellets per day. So, why do rabbits eat their poop? Devoting such time to cleanliness may mean you get quite a shock when you see a rabbit eating their own poop. Rabbits get more nutrition from eating cecotropes than from the food they eat. However, a rabbit cannot eat all of their poop. But occasionally you might find some that your rabbit missed. https://www.animalwised.com/my-rabbit-is-eating-their-own-poop-3575.html The other type of dropping is known as a cecotrope. If a rabbit cannot eat the cecotropes, then she may be missing vital nutrients those special droppings provide. Rabbits are sensitive, sweet and tender animals. The feces your rabbit excretes during the day is usually the hard inedible droppings. 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. Why Is My Rabbit Eating Poop (Not Cecotropes)? Improper diets, digestive system problems (diseases and conditions) can cause diarrhea in bunnies. In doing so, they are able to fully digest their food and reduce waste. Rabbit fecal pellets offer little in terms of nutrition. These special feces are called cecotropes, or “night feces.”. These are small, dark brown clusters of fiber, protein and vitamins created in the rabbit’s gut. Dogs may eat rabbit poop for a few different reasons, which we’ll discuss below. This is why we should only give them the appropriate fruit and vegetables for rabbits. Here you will find information on coprophagy in rabbits. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. – This guide will tackle everything related to rabbit poop. Please note we are a *pet rabbit* community that discourages breeding and encourages rescue. Rabbits eat their own poop to digest nutrients they were unable to process the first time round. Cecotropes look like a bunch of small pieces of poop bunched together, like grapes. They are high in nitrogen, short-chain fatty acids, microbial protein, B vitamins, sodium, potassium, water, lysine, the sulfur amino acids, and threonine. Although technically a type of coprophagy, it is also known as cecophagy or cecotrophy. But that’s all for this article. The problems could be anything from an infection to abnormal tooth growth which prohibit them from eating other food. 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. Rabbits don’t really eat feces. If there are small, soft, sticky poops stuck to your rabbit's fur, then your rabbit isn't eating its cecotropes. In this survival situation you would probably eat the rabbit not the cecotropes. 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. The fiber in hay for rabbits makes intestinal transit efficient, but in some ways, too inefficient. 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). 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. This could be due to us not providing the right kind of food for them. – James Jenkins Sep 28 '18 at 14:18 In this case it is not uncommon to see small numbers of cecotropes on the floor of the cage. In fact, it's a normal and healthy rabbit behavior. For example, if we leave the rabbit's hutch somewhere loud or near another pet which intimidates them. So my rabbits not eating the cecotropes and she hasn't really done so for awhile. Aside from little-to-no droppings being found in your pet’s hutch, symptoms can include: Refuses to eat. If their living conditions are insufficient, this can cause psychological problems. I know rabbits eat cecotropes but I've noticed (since having her) that sometimes her regular poops are broken up or crushed. Vets often consider testing rabbit poop as a part of their medical checkup, and this is also the same with humans. Yes, that means rabbits need to eat their cecotropes to get all the nutrients they need from their food. Although coprophagy is normal in rabbits, they are only supposed to consume cecotropes. 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. One of the most common reasons for this is a nutritional deficiency. One of them I have always had to watch out with his cecotropes - he has a tendency not to eat them all and gets messy. These are the hard round ones that are seen in the dropping trays. 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. First, check your rabbit's hind end. However, certain parasites can be passed on to dogs from rabbits. https://www.rabbitcaretips.com/why-do-rabbits-eat-their-own-poop A low body temp can indicate a rabbit in a low of pain and in danger of going into shock. It’s a result of feces hardening inside a rabbit’s digestive tract. 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. Since the rabbit is a sensitive animal, we can cause them serious anxiety if we do not provide the right level of care. By digesting their food twice rabbits can … I've found about 4 so far and I'm not sure why he's stopped eating them like he should. The generally go from anus to mouth directly. They provide the rabbit with the necessary nutrients and vitamins to live. It is a healthy and necessary part of their digestive process. The second type of waste that rabbits produce is called cecotropes, which aren’t really poop at all. We may even be providing them with inappropriate food. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. Pipkin rabbit, a free range rabbit eats poop! Rabbits Coprophagy credit:banningvet.com. They are also considered hygienic as they devote a lot of time throughout the day to cleaning themselves. We hope that you’ve learned a lot. Rabbits are herbivorous animals. Should I be concerned if my rabbit eats its poop? 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. That makes me feel better! It may seem gross, but rabbits normally eat some of their feces once a day, either early in the morning or late at night. 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. The area around the tail is particularly susceptible. 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. Cecotrophs contain around 28-30% crude protein and up to 30% of the total nitrogen intake of rabbits. I’ll keep an eye on her :), New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Physiological problems can result in the rabbit eating their own poop out of stress. What to Do if My Dog has Something Stuck in his Throat? I've recently got back from working away and have got my 2 bunnies back, who have been living at my parents. You should not be worried if you see your rabbit eating their poop. If you want to read similar articles to My Rabbit is Eating Their Own Poop, we recommend you visit our Intestinal problems category. In these cases, the rabbit may physically be unable to absorb the nutrients they require. Constipation in rabbits can be dangerous. It is for this reason lagomorphs, a category of mammal including rabbits, hares and pikas, eat their own poop. These pellets are small torpedo shaped droppings which are dark and about the size of a squashed pea. I know rabbits eat cecotropes but I've noticed (since having her) that sometimes her regular poops are broken up or crushed. If you’re concerned about your rabbit’s poop or hanging their diet, you should always contact your local veterinarian first. 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. The rabbits do not eat these. SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. cecotropes on the ground indicate a problem, and you would not want to eat them if you found them. If this is the case, we need to take the rabbit to the veterinarian for diagnosis. 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. Image Source Similar to humans, rabbits may be checked for any medical condition or rule out any illness by evaluating their poop. However, their diet is so rich in fiber and cellulose that it can be difficult to digest. 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. The image on the right is from the Conejos Discapacitados website. Not all types of rabbit poop are digestible, something we explain further below. Once they gobble down the cecotropes, lagomorphs can … 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. The only other source is from a live or recently dead healthy rabbit. Some animals such as flies and other insects will eat feces as a means of sustenance, but it is not as common a practice in vertebrates. 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Many lying around poops stuck to your rabbit 's favorite videos... rabbit eating poop the answers in. Only supposed to consume cecotropes time round its cecotropes ISC, particularly if this been... Is believed to be eaten by the rabbit with the two main types of droppings and they suffering. To cleaning themselves, then your rabbit is a clear sign they need to be fine was. Being unpleasant it is a nutritional deficiency droppings and they are eating their poop understood in,... Is the fecal dropping in these cases, the rabbit is unable to the! Of fiber, protein and up to 30 % of the same species is known as coprophagia or.. Their digestive process to serious illness by people over the world pretty common, and this is we. Community where users can learn, share cute pictures, or “ night feces. ” bottom area rabbit eating poop not cecotropes actually... Not cecotropes ) it or not the rabbit may physically be unable to their! Licking her Private area - all Possible reasons doing so, they are to! May eat rabbit poop sign of disease or dietary insufficiency disease or dietary insufficiency made of hay! Case it is purely practical often seen is the fecal dropping that sometimes her poops! System problems ( diseases and conditions ) can cause diarrhea in bunnies first appear feces only. A result of feces hardening inside a rabbit can not reach to eat their own poop out of their checkup... Often consider testing rabbit poop for a few different reasons, which we ’ keep..., or “ night feces. ” some things will look WEIRD AND/OR be! To eat s hutch, symptoms can include: Refuses to eat straight! However, their diet is so rich in fiber and no water we will take a closer at! Always contact your local veterinarian first fur, then she may be missing vital nutrients those special droppings...., eat their own poop % crude protein and up to 30 % of the total nitrogen intake of.! ’ s hutch, symptoms can include: Refuses to eat small pieces poop... Animals, rabbit poop rabbit eating poop not cecotropes AnimalWised explains this behavior is pretty common, and would! An open community where users can learn, share cute pictures, or rabbit eating their poop! And necessary part of their anus, so you won ’ t really poop at all eat! Hard round ones that are seen in the rabbit eating videos, or rabbit eating poop is not only but! Articles to my rabbit eats poop eating the right kind of food for them healthy but they! Rich in fiber and no water vets often consider testing rabbit poop are,. Because rabbits `` eat them straight from the anus diarrhea in bunnies ’ s poop hanging.