We have already tried going to the vet. It is getting really annoying. It smells and is gross!!!!!!!!!!
2007-11-12 10:45:14 · 5 answers · asked by Sinbad 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Kuunoita gave you some good advice all except for the putting your rabbit down part. Diarrhea is usually pretty easy to cure.
Here's one big misconception that almost every new breeder has or every breeder has that just raises a few rabbits as pets. Rabbits really don't need vegetables or treats. Actually a dull diet of just rabbit pellets and water works really great. The rabbit pellets are formulated to be a balanced diet for the rabbit. Giving your rabbit vegetables, greens, snacks, fruits, etc can all cause diarrhea and they can also cause your rabbit to gain fat while at the same time possibly lose muscle. Giving your rabbits treats and stuff like that raises the amount of energy in their diet, leading to diarrhea, an increased chance of gaining fat, and a higher metabolism causing the rabbit to molt/shed more.
If you give your rabbit anything in addition to water and rabbit pellets give it timothy hay or orchard grass hay. Also make sure the hay is dry and not green. Stemmy hays such as timothy hay and orchard grass hay increase the amount of fiber your rabbit gets helping to prevent diarrhea.
If you look at animal feed nutrition books, clover hay and alfalfa hay also have more fiber than regular rabbit pellets do but not as much as what timothy hay or orchard grass hay does. Fiber comes more from the stem of the plant and not from the leaf. Fiber is what helps control the diarrhea. Alfalfa and clover have more leaf to their plants so they have more protein and energy than timothy hay or orchard grass hay.
As some people mentioned there are two kinds of stool that a rabbit has, a softer stool and a harder round stool. A certain amount of the softer stool is OK. But you mentioned something that definitely tells me that your rabbit is exhibiting the signs of diarrhea and that is the smell. If your rabbit is pooping the proper amount of soft stool you won't get that funky gross smell. That funky gross smell is a tell-tale sign of diarrhea.
If the change in diet doesn't help your rabbit, take your rabbit to the vet and have a stool sample taken. Your rabbit could possibly have coccidiosis. A change in diet won't help or cure coccidiosis. Coccidiosis needs to be treated with either liquid amprolium or sulfaquinoxaline added to the rabbit's drinking water.
2007-11-12 15:30:24 · answer #1 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are all of his feces soft? Or just in the am? If it is am ones then this is normal. Rabbits produce a very soft feces at night. They usually eat these as they contain concentrated minerals.
If it is diarhhea all the time then he may have enteritis.
Do not feed any fresh foods to this rabbit. Take away all food but hay and wter for 2 days. If this doesn't help then find another vet. There is definately something wrong. if he has diarhhea all the time. he may have to be put down.
2007-11-12 19:08:37 · answer #2 · answered by kuunoita 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like he's getting the wrong combination of foods. I had rabbits a while back, and found if I gave too much greens ot fruits they'd have that problem. The worst thing I gave them was the "treats" sold in pet stores. Not good at all. Look at the websites referenced. Maybe that will help your bunny. Good luck! (In the 1st reference, scroll down to "Unformed Cecotropes: Mushy or Runny Stool". Also look further down at dietary problems. (Your rabbit should be getting unlimited amounts of grass haysuch as Timothy hay, at all times, with some Brome...never Alfalfa...too rich in calories and protein.
"The typical diet for a pet rabbit consists of water, hay, pellets, fresh vegetables, and its own caecal pellets. Fruit and other treats are given only in very limited quantities, as they can cause obesity in a rabbit. Rabbits require a constant water supply as they dehydrate quickly".
2007-11-12 19:02:46 · answer #3 · answered by songlismom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are these soft, grape like clusters, or is it more like diarrhea? The grape like clusters are actually beneficial, and the bunny will ingest them. (I know ... gross.) If it is diarrhea, that is intestinal upset. Cut the regular food and offer hay only. A good basic hay like coastal bermuda is fine.
Are you feeding treats? If you are, cut those out for awhile. They can cause stomach upset. And never feed cabbage, lettuce, stuff like that. No nutritional content and will definitely cause diarrhea!
If you still have trouble, read up on this website: www.thenaturetrail.com for some info on upset tummies. She is brilliant!
2007-11-12 19:07:07 · answer #4 · answered by Cindy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
are you giving him hay.... timothy grass he needs something to bind him is he getting water so he doesn't dehydrate how about a little concern for the poor thing find a different vet
2007-11-12 18:55:54 · answer #5 · answered by gidget 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋