Is This Poopy Butt???

[Amy]

I have 2 buns, about 14 wks. old now. I've been feeding them a grain mix feed (Scratch n' Peck, specifically made for rabbits)along with alfalfa/grass mix hay, and fresh greens(which I started introducing to them gradually 1 month ago about) The fresh greens were all known to be safe, they were rasberry leaves (mostly), chervil, shepard's purse, prickly lettuce.
About a week ago, I noticed the poop was sticking to the bottom of the cages, sticky poop I guess? Is this normal or is this considered poopy butt??? There has been none left on the buns of the buns!
I immediately stopped giving them greens, except rasberry leaves... but in a week, there hasn't been much of a change? I also have noticed my rabbits don't drink as much water as I'd think they should, so I added hanging bowls just in case they are having trouble with the water bottles.
When introducing greens, I know it's important to go slowly-but for clarification, do I need to always give them time with EACH green, or do they develop gut flora once they are used to fresh greens in general? That's confusing, I know--I've been giving each green about a week before introducing another one, at this rate it'll take a year to introduce all the greens!<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:25 am __________<br /><br />

 

[MaggieJ]

The greens you are feeding should not be causing problems. In fact raspberry/blackberry/strawberry leaves, shepherd's purse and plantain all help prevent or stop poopy butt.

What's in the Scratch n' Peck? With a name like that it sounds like chicken feed.

The only time I concern myself with easing in a new green to rabbits that have been eating greens routinely is if it is one that is known to be problematic, such as cabbage. It is a good idea to feed a mixture of several plants, however, rather than all one thing. You could certainly introduce more than one a week. Maybe add a new one every few days.

Individual rabbits can have sensitivities to a certain food. Sticky poops are sometimes uneaten cecal droppings. Normally one does not see the cecals because they are eaten by the rabbit straight from the anus. But sometimes they don't get eaten and then they can cause a bit of mess.

 

[Amy]

Thanks Maggie! So,should I be concerned?
This is what is in the Scratch n' Peck rabbit fee (which is for rabbits, but their focus is on Chickens-they are organic and whole grain) Once I'm done with the bag I have, I'm switching to just a few whole grains like I've read you and others do (mostly to save $ as this feed is $25/40lbs.)
Ingredients: MAIN: peas, alfalfa meal, barley, wheat, oats, boss
along with a lot of dried, fermented stuff and vitamin supplements, too long to list.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Amy your feed has alfalfa meal in it and you are feeding alfalfa hay and grass mix. ALong with boss and greens. That is to rich. Plus that is way to expensive way to feed .
It is the cecal that they are not eating . It does make a big mess and smells too.If you ease off on the greesn until you finish the bag it will help allot I ran into this problem ..I thought it was to much boss , But it wasnt it was the greens.
In your case it is to much alfalfa going on with the greens. The rabbits will eat the greans over any hay . If you go whole grains instead ,you will need that alfalfa hay.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Peas, huh? Do they like the peas?

I feed hay and grains- oats, barley, BOSS, and beet pulp. If they do well with peas I could rotate some split peas out of our food storage for them. :hmm:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Yes, mamasheepdog. I know of aother lady that does it to. THey like the split peas.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

THey like the split peas.

Yay! I will add some to the mix!

 

[Amy]

Thanks, Mary Ann....So are you saying until the feed is gone, I shouldn't give any alfalfa/grass hay??? I hadn't thought about that, since alfalfa isn't the main ingredient (I'd say the alfalfa pellets are 1/10th of the mix-and they turn to fines, which most go through the bottoms of the feeders)-but I'd be willing to try and see.
But, greens are ok?
Thanks for all your help, I love this forum and don't know what I'd do without it!!!!

__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:30 am __________

Here is a thought about the feed, I could mix the current grain mix feed with my own grains, which would take longer to go through, but then I could stretch it out while gradually transitioning them to a new feed--but then there is the space issue, maybe I'll wait until the bag is 1/2 full/empty.<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:31 am __________<br /><br />Where do you get beet pulp?

 

[MaggieJ]

Please do not stop giving them the hay. It could trigger other digestive problems, like enteritis. You may simply be overfeeding them. Cut back a bit on each component for a few days and see if the problem resolves itself.

If you are confident it is the cecal pellets you are seeing, it is not a matter for major concern, but it does indicate they are getting a richer-than-needed diet. The problem will likely resolve itself when you switch from the organic mix to individual grains. You could buy a sack of one grain now and dilute the organic mix with it. When it is nearly gone, rotate in another grain. This will give a smooth transition.

It is very important that you give them a trace mineral salt block when they are no longer getting the organic mix. I use the reddish-brown ones for general livestock. The block weighs about 4 pounds and you can knock chunks off it with a hammer.

This article may be of interest:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

Ah, I see while I was typing, Amy, that you came up with the same idea for adding grain to the existing mix.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Thanks, Mary Ann....So are you saying until the feed is gone, I shouldn't give any alfalfa/grass hay??? I hadn't thought about that, since alfalfa isn't the main ingredient (I'd say the alfalfa pellets are 1/10th of the mix-and they turn to fines, which most go through the bottoms of the feeders)-but I'd be willing to try and see.But, greens are ok? Thanks for all your help, I love this forum and don't know what I'd do without it!!!!

OMG . No i am mot saying that at all..You feed hay . That is a must. But you are feeding the wrong kind of hay or to much of this type of hay to what your mix is. Your alfafla meal is the second in the list so it is up there. Which you feed only grass hay. To much alfafla can give them the poop . From what i am reading you are switching anyways and just follow what maggie said and you will be fine. THen they can stay on the same hay that you are giving now.

__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:20 pm __________

Where do you get beet pulp?

YOu can get beet pulp at any tsc stores, feed store, co-op<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:22 pm __________<br /><br />

Peas, huh? Do they like the peas?

I feed hay and grains- oats, barley, BOSS, and beet pulp. If they do well with peas I could rotate some split peas out of our food storage for them. :hmm:

I was just wondering mamasheepdog if your beet pulp is the shredded or pellet with mollasses?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I was just wondering mamasheepdog if your beet pulp is the shredded or pellet with mollasses?

I use the shredded, and depending on where I buy it, it comes with and without molasses. I haven't tried the pellets. Have you?

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I was thinking about the pellets next time. I was hoping you have tried the pellets. The shredded. I hate it. It is so small i dont know if they are eating it or not. It is hard for me to tell. Is yours eating it or can you tell if they are?

 

[Amy]

They have mineral and salt licks, but they are the small ones that are sold at pet stores/feed stores for small animals. Is this a good source?
So, it sounds like too rich of a diet. I'll cut back a little.
What grain would you recommend adding? I already have wheat berries and rolled oats. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Mary Ann, some of my rabbits eat all of the beet pulp (that doesn't fall through the screen in the feeders), but others pick around it. The pellets available here are big (I tried them with my horses years ago), not like rabbit pellets. They are small enough to fall through the wire, though, so I wonder if they would actually waste more by taking them out of the feeder and then having them fall through the floor.

Tell you what- I will buy a bag of pellets next time I go to town, because if the rabbits don't like it, I have horses that will eat it, and you don't. One thing though- I have only ever seen the pellets with molasses... since it is a small part of their diet, I don't mind, but that will be what I will be able to test this out with.

__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:08 pm __________

Amy, the red mineral licks are the same as the large animal ones- they just cost a lot more.

 

[MaggieJ]

Wheat berries and rolled oats are both fine.

The salt/mineral spools are fine too, but you want the mineralized ones, not the plain white salt.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

They have mineral and salt licks, but they are the small ones that are sold at pet stores/feed stores for small animals.

The salt/mineral spools are fine too, but you want the mineralized ones, not the plain white salt.

MaggieJ,

I give my horses both plain salt and mineral blocks because I had heard that sometimes a horse may forgo licking the mineral block if its mineral needs have been met, and then it can be lacking in salt. Amy might have hit on the perfect solution.

By the way, my rabbits barely ever touch the mineral blocks... I wonder if they just are so new to the pelletless diet that they don't have need of it yet?

 

[MaggieJ]

Mine don't use much either. But after a member's experience where she nearly lost her buck (I think it was either One Acre Farm or Trinity Oaks) I do try to remember to mention the need for minerals and salt. If it's there and they don't use it, not a big deal. If it's not there and they need it, it could be a very big deal indeed.

I'd never heard of horses forgoing a mineral salt block before. I don't know if it applies to rabbits or not. So maybe providing both would be a good idea. Something to look into.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Tell you what- I will buy a bag of pellets next time I go to town, because if the rabbits don't like it, I have horses that will eat it, and you don't. One thing though- I have only ever seen the pellets with molasses... since it is a small part of their diet, I don't mind, but that will be what I will be able to test this out with.

Ok. that sounds great.so they are not like rabbit pellets. THey are just bigger chunks. ? I have never seen them yet. Just the shredded ones. I am not concerned about the small amount of molasses anyways. I only use one part.
as goes for the peas. Which ones do you have the white or purple. I am getting a bag of the purple ones they are called the maple type. I was told they are both the same stuff just different colors . They use in pigeon feed.<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:56 pm __________<br /><br />

By the way, my rabbits barely ever touch the mineral blocks... I wonder if they just are so new to the pelletless diet that they don't have need of it yet?

mine didnt use it until there were on grains for almost 2 months . they they started using it. I have to replace two of the blocks already because there were getting really small.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Mine don't use much either. But after a member's experience where she nearly lost her buck (I think it was either One Acre Farm or Trinity Oaks) I do try to remember to mention the need for minerals and salt. If it's there and they don't use it, not a big deal. If it's not there and they need it, it could be a very big deal indeed.

It was TrinityOaks. I wont worry then.


__________ Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:56 pm __________

mine didnt use it until there were on grains for almost 2 months . they they started using it. I have to replace two of the blocks already because there were getting really small.

I think I "went pelletless" before you did. Maybe it is the minerals in the weeds and hay, and they will use it seasonally as they get fed different forages.

as goes for the peas. Which ones do you have the white or purple. I am getting a bag of the purple ones they are called the maple type. I was told they are both the same stuff just different colors . They use in pigeon feed.

I have green split peas, like you use to make split-pea soup.

 

[AnnClaire]

I have my rabbits on quite a bit of fresh greens since it is summer and what I found was the first few weeks of early spring greens had them hitting the mineral blocks daily. As the season has progressed and the greens have matured, they have cut way back on the mineral blocks. Mine also get pellets and oats daily, with the greens available in the runout pens which the adults get 2 hours each and the babies are out from 9am - 8pm and they have free access to oats and pellets during that time.