Why are my bunnies eating their solid droppings? What should I do?

Yes, rabbits really should be going that often and in a small cage you should be expecting to empty the litter daily. Rabbits should have hay, available everyday as well as grass and a variety of rabbit friendly fresh or dried herbs, leaves and barks also. Ideally a complete pellet should be offered to prevent the picky eating, these are available supplemented with mint, herbs or dandelions to tempt them

Pellets can predispose a rabbit to obesity. They may not provide the amount of fiber needed to maintain a healthy gut. You don't need to feed just produce. Ellie should be fed as much timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses as she wants to eat. These grasses are relatively inexpensive. You can feed alfalfa until she is about 7 months old then discontinue feeding it. Supplement the diet with a cup or two of fresh, dark, leafy greens and vegetables daily. Up to 1/4 cup of commercial pellets can be offered daily.

The stress of the bath or whatever condition precipitated the vet last week may be responsible. Discontinue feeding pellets and vegetables and feed solely Timothy hay or similar grasses. Feed as much hay as Oliver wants to eat. Do not feed any alfalfa. Once his droppings return to normal, feed no more than 1/8 cup of pellets daily and gradually introduce small amounts of vegetables or dark, leafy greens. You can continue to offer as much timothy hay as he wants. Rabbits need a high fiber diet. If the symptoms persist or if he stops eating, have him rechecked by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits.

Discontinue lettuce and bananas. Either may contribute to soft or loose stool. Limit pellets and feed as much timothy hay or similar grasses as Stanley wants to eat. Rabbits will produce two types of droppings, with one being softer which they will reingest to extract nutrients. If the soft stool persists or worsens or if Stanley stops eating, have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits.

Your bunny was probably just used to eating the lettuce and is adjusting to his new diet. You did the right thing by offering him only the pellets and hay. This is what is most beneficial to him. Since his stools are normal I would not worry at this point. If he stops passing stools, stops eating, or if you suspect he is losing weight, then you should take him to the veterinarian to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is normal for rabbits to not consume all of their cecotrophs. As long as Blackberry is eating and drinking normally and not having diarrhea, you can continue to monitor his output. Adding additional hay to his diet may also help to make his stool a little more consistent.

It's correct that fiber is very important for rabbits. This is because they have a digestive system that is made for a high-fiber diet and can get a great deal of nutrients from fiber. For this reason, it's actually best to feed a pelleted diet that is high in fiber like Oxbow. Fruits and vegetables should be considered treats and limited and no more than 10% of their diet. High quality hay (timothy or brome are good choices) should be offered all the time. Grass and dark leafy greens should also be offered regularly. There is a lot of information about how to feed a rabbit out there and it can be difficult to know what's correct and what's not. Below is a link to a some good information that should answer all of your questions. I hope that helps and all is well with your bunnies.