my rabbit has "fur block" where his droppings are mainly composed of hair and are "stringed" together. i heard that either pinnapple juice or mineral oil will help break down the fur in his digestive system, but he refuses to take any of it, no matter what i serve it with. any suggestions or other treatments? he doesn't appear lethargic or anything, but im worried about flies getting on him because the droppings are on one big "string" and sort of connect to him for a while.
thanks!
2007-08-03 04:41:18 · 3 answers · asked by becca 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
If the bunny were truely in fur block, he wouldn't be "pooping" at all (called GI Stasis). But it's good that you observed that he's producing "strings of pearls". The first thing you need to do is increase his roughage. If he's on a pelleted diet, cut back on the pellets. Add lots more hay to his diet. Make sure he's getting enough water. (You can add fresh greens to increase water intake.) Pineapple juice has been proven not to do much. Fresh pineapple is good roughage if he'll eat it. You can also try canned pumpkin (no sugar added!). It is very high in roughage and some bunnies love it.
I wouldn't use mineral oil without a vets oversight. The oil isn't digestable and can compact the hair even further in the GI tract and cause a blockage, if you are not careful.
If you have a "bunny savy" vet near you, I'd get his/her opinion.
2007-08-03 05:19:48 · answer #1 · answered by Blue Giants 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Be careful about giving your rabbit greens or any high energy foods such as pumpkin since they can give your rabbit diarrhea, especially in the summer.
As the one person stated, if your rabbit really had fur block then it wouldn't be pooping at all. I'd recommend going to a general nutrition store and buying a bottle of papaya tablets. Most rabbits will eat them like candy. Papaya will help the rabbit prevent fur blockage if you are worried about it that much. Normally the only breeds that you have to be overly concerned regarding fur blockage are wool breeds.
2007-08-03 05:34:38 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're that worried i think the only way is to take it to a vet who can advise you better.
2007-08-03 04:46:04 · answer #3 · answered by Pinkpanther 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋