Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]


Welcome to Rabbit Addict.

The forums are a place to discuss all things related to rabbits and cavy. From breeding to pet, emergency to genetics questions. Our members are a mix of genetics enthusiasts, breeders, and pet owners looking to share their animals.

Hop on in and join the fun!
We don't bite. I promise.



You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as joining the discussion, customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Cecotrope
Topic Started: Nov 30 2013, 09:53 AM (273 Views)
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Not really an emergency, but since this is my first Flemish Doe, am a bit worried. But I worry about everything, lol.

Amelia has been passing big cecotrope. They do not look like little grapes as I've seen in the past with my smaller rabbits. They are a bit bigger, smell as cecotrope do, have mucus on them, which is a norm. Not runny. Just bigger. After she passes them, eating I guess what she wants to and leaving the rest, she then tends to pass good regular poo. I check her bottom and it's clean.

I did see some of these with my Flemish buck when we first brought him home. But since then I haven't seen any since. All his regular poo is normal.

Both are now completely on our food and water. Alfalfa based pellets, unlimited hay, wheatgrass is their diet. And always fresh water. I do tend to change water out a couple times a day. I just like them to have fresh water instead of water sitting all day.

Amelia's eyes are bright. Her nose is dry with no discharge. Was a bit damp when we first brought her home, but that could been the stress of the move and car ride. Today, her nose is nice and dry. She's not hiding, she's not pressing her belly to the floor. She stretches out completely to relax. She keeps herself very clean (grooming). Acting like a regular, healthy bunny. But we do know how rabbits like to act healthy but are really sick inside. That prey animal thing.

Maybe it's just me. Maybe with bigger rabbits, cecotrope can look different. It's only been two weeks since we brought them home so I think she's still settling in. Plus at 4 months old, isn't she starting that "teenage" faze where her body is now maturing to get ready to breed?

Just thought I would put this out there. See what everyone thinks and get some opinions.

As a worry wart, I could be worrying for nothing. But to be honest, better safe than sorry.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
sidd-says-gimme
Member Avatar
sidd says stay gold
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
I was wondering the same... since she's bigger, she may have larger cecotropes. I hope someone else can help, as I'm not the best with this. Could definitely just be adjusting to both the new-ish environment and her growing body. Since everything else seems fine, I would just keep an eye on her like you have been.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
sidd-says-gimme
Nov 30 2013, 10:51 AM
I was wondering the same... since she's bigger, she may have larger cecotropes. I hope someone else can help, as I'm not the best with this. Could definitely just be adjusting to both the new-ish environment and her growing body. Since everything else seems fine, I would just keep an eye on her like you have been.
Thanks Sidd, know you raise smaller bunnies but your words are reassuring.

Will keep doing what I'm doing. Keeping a close eye, plus keeping a journal.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Amelia is being very active today. She's been bouncing around her crate for the past half hour. Watching her clean herself. Watching her move her food bowl back to where she loves to lie, watching her sort through the hay to find her favorite morsels.

Sticking my head in her crate, I get lots of bunny sniffs. She comes right up to me, even helps with opening the crate door (it swings inside). Eyes are nice and clear, no discharge from nose. More inquisitive and active.

Maurice, BTW is sprawled out relaxing. Can't wait to get him out of the kitchen because he does get upset when I cook on the stove. Maybe it's the smell of food or the sound of the gas stove, don't know. He knows what the refrigerator is and is up at his crate door every time I open it. Also knows what the canisters are on the counter. Smart guy knows when I go to the canisters, it's food time. Didn't take him long to figure that one out.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
The move proved to me the soft poo is stress related. Both Maurice and Amelia, after the move, had soft poo but then normal poo returned. Maurice is pooing up a storm, but Amelia still has an occasional soft poo. When cleaning did find fur in her poo too, as she's molting out her baby fur.

I also upped their pellet intake to free feed. That also could be a point of stress as well. Not having enough to eat, even though they get unlimited hay. Alfalfa pellets have done wonders for them. Now I see that pellets are still in their bowls when they eat. Not scarffing down the whole meal at one time.

Thankfully the wheat grass is in big time and have been giving Maurice and Amelia wheat grass, along with the rest of Tribe. They just love it. Plus with the trace minerals, is helping their digestive system and growth factor. And yes, they are getting big. I look at Maurice and he's the size Fawkes was at a year and half. And Maurice is only 5 months old. And Amelia is following in his footsteps. Their growth is actually visual.

Just keeping an eye on Amelia. I do clean out her crate more often if I do see some soft poo. Her bottom is clean as a whistle, but don't want her stepping or laying in it. She's still bright eyed and bushy tailed. She's getting more at ease in her surroundings and last night found her way to the front of the crate and laid down. This morning found her at the front again. My husband, last night, massaged her whole body. From the front paws to the tail. She loves her belly rubbed and chest. That was kind of a breaking point for her as she came to the front to be closer to my husband, who was sitting in his recliner.

As always, keeping close watch, on the entire Tribe. Making sure that this move has not unsettled any of them. So far, it looks Great! So I guess ten is in.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Last night, major cecotrope from Amelia. We got some from Maurice as well.

We are thinking its just them getting used to our food. I fed them all day until that time where major cecotrope showed up. Boy does it smell. So we packed their crates with a load of hay. Lots of hay. They munched to their hearts content. Woke up to clean crates, normal poo.

I guess its just us getting use to their systems. And vice a versa. I guess we are expecting too much too soon. They are lively, very healthy, no sign of any discharges or stress of pain. My husband did major rub downs last night. Maurice literally went to a coma state. Totally relaxed and actually fell asleep. Amelia loved it too to a point afterwards she went and did a bunny flop to relax.

So plans now are feeding pellets twice a day and making sure they have tons of hay. Always have fresh water. I just want to make sure they get the nutrition they need as being big rabbits, they grow so fast. Very important time for them as not only growing big, but their developing internally. Want healthy fertile rabbits.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Shhhhh....hope I'm not jinxing myself, but so far, a whole day without seeing cecotrope from either of my Flemish. Just nice round normal poo.

Think we have the right combination for our Flemish now. Hoping this right combination continues to agree with both of them.

We just cut down pellets to where I'm feeding them twice a day. And lots and lots of hay. Both love to dig into the hay. Might consider hay racks in the future, but right now they are having fun, burrowing into it, laying on it and definitely eating it.

Future bale purchases will now be 2 bales instead of 1.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Dang, jinxed myself. Amelia must have heard me typing about her lack of cecotrope. Just found a little bit so there is progress. Just loaded them both up with hay. Maurice is munching away. Amelia had a snack and is now spread out relaxing.

I didn't think it would happen overnight, but was hoping, lol.

Both still have bright eyes, no discharge, all both will stretch out and relax. Drinking good. Always grooming. Bottoms are still nice and clean so things look good. Just baffled I guess as none of my other rabbits had this much problem with cecotrope. I've never seen any, even as young as they were when they came here. Never saw any with my other flemish either.

Don't think there are any health problems, just will keep a close eye as I do with all my Z-Tribe. Got to get to know not just their personalities but their eating habits and waste habits I guess.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
sidd-says-gimme
Member Avatar
sidd says stay gold
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
It all takes time... and I think that a little extra cecotropes is pretty normal. Especially with younger buns. :D

They must eat a lot more hay than the rest of the Z-Tribe. How much pellets do they get every day?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
sidd-says-gimme
Dec 3 2013, 08:38 AM
It all takes time... and I think that a little extra cecotropes is pretty normal. Especially with younger buns. :D

They must eat a lot more hay than the rest of the Z-Tribe. How much pellets do they get every day?
I usually free feed my young ones until they hit maturity. Right now feeding a cup (1/2 in the morning, 1/2 when I get home from work). Will cut it down as they get older but since they grow so fast, don't want to NOT give them the nutrition they need to grow.

Definitely eating more hay than the rest, but the rest really love their hay too. Right now I know the Flemish are wasting a bit. They are finding it fun to play in, toss around, and flopping on mounds. I should look into hay racks. But since it's helping them settle down and making them feel comfortable in their surroundings, plus finding hay to be enjoyable to eat, just going with it for now.

KAZ
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Free Forums with no limits on posts or members.
Learn More · Register for Free
« Previous Topic · Bunny Emergency · Next Topic »
Add Reply