PLEASE HELP! Wet butts in 3 1/2 week old kits

[beckyhuff314]

So I have 2 litter of ND babies, both litters born on Aug. 22nd. The two litter are housed at different ends of the room. One litter has 3 Tort babies. The other litter has 2 Black otters, 1 Chocolate otter, and 1 Tort. All 3 of the Tort litter have wet sticky butts as does the 1 tort baby in the other litter. When I look at there butts, it looks like a yellow blob of goo, but when you wipe it all the little poops are hard little balls with yellow sticky stuff around them. I always wash my hands and sanitize in between handling each litter. 2 days ago i moved the 1 Tort from the litter of 4 over with the other litter of Torts. None of the otter babies have this problem. I keep forgetting to take pics but I will next time. They are all still very active and eating and drinking GREAT.

Can anyone tell me what this could be?? I have all kinds of different medications but I just don't have a clue what it could be. :? :? :?

 

[AmysMacdog]

I don't know what it is but I'd give them a bowl of Quaker old fashioned oatmeal flakes and hay to eat.
Have they had any new foods or greens?
I wonder if Biosol (Drytail for hamsters) would be a good idea in your case. I really don't know, sorry, hopefully someone more experienced will chime in soon.
I hope they are better soon! :good-luck:

 

[squidpop]

I'm sorry your babies are having a problem- and I'm not sure what to do but I found this article and it says yellow mucus is a sign of GI stasis (but still could be something else) and in this article it gives advice on what to do- so might be helpful to you.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
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"How Can GI Stasis be detected?
Symptoms of GI stasis include very small (or no) fecal pellets, sometimes clinging to the bunny's bottom. In some cases, very small fecal pellets will be encased in clear or yellowish mucus. This potentially serious problem (enteritis, an inflammation of the intestinal lining) should be treated as an emergency."

 

[AmysMacdog]

Thank you Squidpop! Very interesting article. I made some of notes from that. More goodies for the bunny medicine chest!

 

[beckyhuff314]

Thank you everyone. No they have not had anything new to eat. Just the normal hay, pellets and Oats. I tried the tummy massage on all of them and have yet to see anymore of the gooey yellow around their poops. I printed out that article for future reference. It is just so weird that it was only the Tort babies. And one of the Torts is from a different litter. The rest of the litter is still fine.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Got my fingers crossed they are ok!

 

[beckyhuff314]

Ok so I tried massaging the tummies of the babies about every hour or so till I went to bed last night. I woke up and only 1 of them still has this gooey poop. Here is a pic. Its the best I could get, she was super wiggly today. All are still eating and drinking fine. Thanks guys

 

[desertcat]

I had a litter do that last month. Everybody was lively, eating & drinking well and doing other proper baby bunny activities. Just had butts that looked like the pic you posted...and it wasn't every bunny every day. Finally tracked down our rabbit vet. Her thoughts were that their GI tracts were just irritated, either from the oats, the hay or their siblings fur. The Rx, keep them clean and don't panic unless it becomes diarrhea.

Cleaned bunny buns for about 2 weeks total, and they're all doing well.

 

[beckyhuff314]

desertcat
Thanks for the info. I'm glad your bunnies are doing better.