# Rabbit digestion transit time?



## Sophie's Humble Servant (Sep 6, 2013)

I'm curious to know how long it typically takes for a rabbit to digest their food, from eating to elimination?

Just wondering if there's a way to know if their digestion is slow, normal or fast?

Sophie for example has unlimited hay and water, 1/8 c pellets and 2.5 c greens per day. I feed her pellets and veggies at 8:30am and again between 4 and 6pm. Her main feeding times for hay are 8:30-10:30am, 12:00-2:00pm, 4-6pm, 10pm and around midnight. I'm not sure when she eats the rest of the hay because I'm sleeping 

She poops less than 10 droppings around 10am, poops about 15 droppings around 4-6pm, 30+ droppings around 10pm and 30+ droppings between midnight and 8am.

This may be TMI for some of you and for that I do apologise lol!

Curious to know if the food she eats in the AM comes out that same day or if it comes out the next day?

Lol...I can't believe I'm asking this question...thank you all for being kind to me and taking the time to read my lengthy posts and answer my never ending questions xox


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## Azerane (Sep 6, 2013)

I'm not sure how long it takes, but there's also the matter of cecotrops to consider, I'm not sure if that food passes slower or quicker before getting reconsumed. Good question.


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## missyscove (Sep 6, 2013)

According to Mitchell and Tully's Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, it's about 20 hours. This paper lists some more specific times for each organ and chooses 17 hours for total transit time. http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/HLdocs2/gastrointestinal.pdf


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Sep 6, 2013)

Hey thanks!

That's a very informative website!


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Sep 6, 2013)

A rabbits digestive transit time of 17 hours compared to 69 hours it takes for a cow is CRAZY! Lol


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## missyscove (Sep 6, 2013)

That's why rabbits have to be a lot more selective. They're often considered "selective foragers" choosing only the choicest parts of plants whereas cows just eat anything they come across and spend more time breaking it down to digest it.


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Sep 6, 2013)

Lol it probably helps then that she has a "selective" mama. I scan her greens and veggies like a hawk and remove anything that looks remotely questionable!


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## missyscove (Sep 6, 2013)

Well this is more important for wild rabbits that have to evade predators and such. Our buns can just spend all day eating if they want to!


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Sep 6, 2013)

Yeah Sophie doesn't have to evade much...not even the cat...she binkies and circles around her lol


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