There's a first for me....large fecal ball on kit.

[Tegan]

Alright, so I went down today to take care of the rabbits, and noticed on one of the almost 4 week old kits a LARGE ball of fecal material stuck between it's back legs. We're talking golf ball sized. It was running around and eating/drinking fine. No idea how long it's been there, I'm thinking only a day or so though. The little guys tend to hide when I come in, but I try to spot check them all and do a head count every day. Didn't notice it yesterday though.

So I pulled the little guy out, and aside from the giant thing of poop stuck to him he seemed in good health/condition. (I was worried he may have had a hernia that had ruptured to the outside of his body.) So I filled my sink up to his belly with warm water and let him run around in there for a little bit to soften it up. Then put some gloves on and gently worked it out of his fur. It was REALLY stuck on there and covering his genitals and anus, so I'm glad I caught it. It seemed to be a mixture of some adult sized poops, a little bit of bedding and mostly just....well....poop.

These guys have been well on the way to being weened for about a week and a half now. My does don't mess around with getting their kits off the nipple. They aren't exposed to the outdoors. Feed and hay has been consistent since they first started eating it. About the only thing I can think of is I gave them sunflower seed yesterday (BOSS- shell on, but it was mixed into the group feed and normally the adults are real pigs about it and don't let the kits get much.) I had one other kit that had a LITTLE bit of a poopy butt, but nothing I would normally be concerned about.

Thoughts? I'm leaning towards it being the BOSS, but wondering if I need to consider something else.

 

[Miss M]

Wow, that's strange...

I just cleaned up a similar situation here. ~5-week-old kit with a marble-size poop stuck to its tender parts. I slowly worked it off and cleaned the area, then applied a little triple antibiotic, because the privates were inflammed.

Two days later, I couldn't tell which kit it was. No idea what caused it, other than the fact that a couple of weeks ago, we handed out some small treats. A couple of kits managed to get loose stools, in spite of the small amount. :shrug:

 

[Marinea]

So baby buns get poopy butt like chicks??

Thanks for the heads up. Something to watch for.

 

[ladysown]

clip all the hair back. basically a kit that was too lazy to keep himself clean. Change in diet sometimes helps.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

Okay, so I know this is an old post but this is exactly what has happened 3 times with one of my 5 week old kits. I would describe exactly as this post started... nearly golf ball size mass of soft poop, otherwise rabbit running around, eating acting fine. I carefully washed down, cleaned up bunny.
I did this probably 4 days ago then had seemed fine since then. However, was like that again today. This was the 3rd time, I believe.
I'm curious if anyone that experienced this previously in this post found out a particular cause or something that helps eliminate. The kits are eating old fashioned oats & hay. There is some pellet food in the cage but I can't really tell that they eat it.
Trying to figure out if caused from something in the hay mix or could it be the oats...
The other 3 kits have never had this problem.
I'd appreciate any insight. <br /><br /> -- Sat Dec 27, 2014 3:05 pm -- <br /><br />

clip all the hair back. basically a kit that was too lazy to keep himself clean. Change in diet sometimes helps.

Could that really, simply be what it's from... laziness?

 

[Dood]

Yes, that and too long of fur between the back legs.

Lion lop kits are VERY fuzzy and I routinely pluck a patch of fur around the anus and genitals to prevent this.

Any small litters in my Mini Lops have plump little buggers who often cannot bend over their fat folds to properly clean themselves so I double check their butts as well and pluck as needed

however, considering this post - kits-dying-should-they-be-removed-from-doe-3-weeks-t23318.html it could be caused by illness and diarrhea which can also start the process of wastes collecting around the anus :shrug:

 

[Zass]

Not just laziness. Unless it's something that only happens to long haired breeds.

I've yet to see it crop up in my litters.
Even a lazy kit will typically be groomed by it's mother (if out of the nestbox) and siblings.
Normal poo shouldn't be sticky enough to form a golf ball sized mass.

Do kits form cecotropes? It would have to be a lot softer than normal poops to stick together like that. If that is the case, maybe treating it like cecal overproduction would help. (More hay, less rich foods like oats or boss)

Whw rabbitry, in your case, I'd consider probiotics, since the kits would normally get their intestinal bacteria from eating their mothers poo, they might be a bit lacking. I wouldn't reduce the oats just yet.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

Thanks so much for the replies Zass & Dood. I will trim the fur and look into probiotics.
I'm honestly not familiar with probiotics (except that I've heard the word and know they are good for us - ha). I'm looking online and see goat and chicken probiotics at places like Tractor Supply.
What do you use (brand etc.) and where do you buy?

Is probiotic for goats okay for rabbits?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/goats-prefertrade;-probiotic-plus-paste-80-cc

Thanks much!

 

[Miss M]

Yes, the goat probiotics are fine for rabbits.

I've seen them at feed stores and TSC.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

Thanks Miss M!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I use Bene-Bac by Manna Pro, which is for a variety of large livestock (horses, sheep, goats), but I think the goat specific one is an even better choice since they have the most similar eating habits to rabbits.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

I use Bene-Bac by Manna Pro, which is for a variety of large livestock (horses, sheep, goats), but I think the goat specific one is an even better choice since they have the most similar eating habits to rabbits.

I just saw this... MamaSheepdog. Thanks much! I actually already picked up probios powder at Tractor Supply earlier. I sprinkled a little over the oats and a little in the water. He ate quite a bit after that and was very active. I'm confident he'll be fine. Would you suggest giving some of the probios for the next 2-3 days?

-- Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:53 am --

okay... a little update here and another question.
(for those who may not know - this is in reference to a 5 1/2 week old kit)
The last 3 days I've sprinkled a little of the probios powder in the water or over the food.
The last couple days since doing so this little one has not had the issue of the poop collecting on it's bottom. Last night it was clean. I thought maybe the issue was solved.
This morning - another golf ball size mass of poo hanging from it. Not watery but soft and smelly. I cleaned him all up, the area was naturally red and inflamed. I washed him, dried him off & applied a little triple antibiotic to the area. I also finally trimmed back the fur on the area in case that will help - as I know that was also suggested and I had not yet done.
He is gaining weight, active, and acts fine.

Here's my question... Could it be the pellet food is affecting his system?
I read this article on ISC http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=3012, which sounded like it possibly could be his case, and it suggests switching to only hay.
I had been giving them mostly oats and hay but yesterday I gave them more pellet food with the oats and they gobbled it down. SO, I've removed pellet food to try this out but should I remove the oats too? Are oats ever associated with softer waste issues?
Should he be removed from the same area as the other 3 kits being housed with him?

thanks for any feedback!! <br /><br /> -- Tue Dec 30, 2014 11:59 am -- <br /><br />

Not just laziness. Unless it's something that only happens to long haired breeds.

I've yet to see it crop up in my litters.
Even a lazy kit will typically be groomed by it's mother (if out of the nestbox) and siblings.
Normal poo shouldn't be sticky enough to form a golf ball sized mass.

Do kits form cecotropes? It would have to be a lot softer than normal poops to stick together like that. If that is the case, maybe treating it like cecal overproduction would help. (More hay, less rich foods like oats or boss)

Whw rabbitry, in your case, I'd consider probiotics, since the kits would normally get their intestinal bacteria from eating their mothers poo, they might be a bit lacking. I wouldn't reduce the oats just yet.

Okay, I'm re-reading and seeing that you had already touched on this for me Zass!! I focused on the probiotics and failed to remember your suggestion about less oats - more hay!
So, I guess that answers the question I just posted that I should probably remove both pellet food AND oats from this one and just stick with hay and see if that helps clear up the problem.
Thanks.
I still want feedback if you all think this one is okay to stay with the others?

 

[Zass]

It's the age of the babies that has me worried. You don't want to limit calories too much with growing kits.

Babies can starve on just hay.
If they aren't getting any pellets they will need a salt and mineral supplement as well.

I wouldn't segregate the kit. It would be very stressful for it, and the fecal problem isn't likely to have been the result of a specific pathogen that will endanger the others.

I imagine, if a pathogen is involved the rest have already been exposed many times over and are already resistant.

 

[Easy Ears]

Babies can starve on just hay.

At what age can this start? When do your babies start to eat pellets?

 

[Zass]

Babies can starve on just hay.

At what age can this start? When do your babies start to eat pellets?

I have never experimented with it myself, but I did know someone who tried it and lost the whole litter.

SO, I'll guess
I'd guess anytime they are not getting milk and in a rapid growth phase it could be dangerous to give them just grass hay for extended periods of time.

I'd also hazard a guess that just alfalfa would get you more mileage than just grass hay since it has higher protein, but it's still not a "complete feed" and may not supply enough calories for growing rabbits. And, you would also still need a salt and mineral block along with it.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I know it's a bit late in the season, and you may not be able to find any depending on what your weather is like- but raspberry (blackberry, boysenberry, etc.) leaves and canes and the leaves of strawberries are very good for diarrhea. The lawn weeds Shepherd's Purse and Plantain are also effective.

I haven't tried this with rabbits, but canned unsweetened pumpkin is helpful to dogs when they have loose stools.

I wouldn't segregate the kit. It would be very stressful for it, and the fecal problem isn't likely to have been the result of a specific pathogen that will endanger the others.

I agree. He needs to stay warm and unstressed. Do the kits still have their nestbox? If not, I would provide a bedded area off of the wire for them to snuggle on.

 

[WhWRabbitry]

Thank you so much for the replies MammaSheepdog & Zass!
I'm glad to hear you suggest he stay with the others. I really didn't want to have him on his own.
Yes, they do still have a nest box in their cage and they all snuggle up in it at night and different times during the day.

Thanks for the suggestion as far as rasberry/blackberry canes! We have those right out back!
I'll put some in the cage tomorrow for sure.
I did go ahead and leave both hay and pellet food in the cage.

:thankyou: