# Weird shaped poop



## FreezeNkody (Nov 28, 2013)

So last couple of days I've noticed Some of Gunners poop is teardrop shaped with a stringy type tip. I'm not sure why. He's a little over 12 weeks. He's on alfalfa pellets free fed. Timothy and alfalfa hay mix and water. He's still happy and binkies and runs around. I have been giving him a few greens like kale and spinach ( not a lot) couple bites of a banana when he uses the litter box. And a small carrot bite here and there. They aren't soft stools they are hard like normal ones just not round. Below I tried to get a pic of them. Can anyone shed some light?


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## NarniWonk (Nov 28, 2013)

Generally, rabbit faeces that are abnormally shaped (as in not spherical) is a sign he is not digesting enough fibre. This could be that the digestive system has slowed down as a result of some sort of stress. Or he is simply not consuming ENOUGH fibre, just to try, I would put your bun on a few days of pure hay and dark green veg (mainly the outer leaves of cabbage I would say) Maybe stop the banana for a little bit and the carrot as they are high in sugars and could add to the problem. I would guess the tear shapes are due to a quite sugary diet but I'm not positive.
Do the poos crumble when you break them? Can you see the undigested hay on the inside?


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## NarniWonk (Nov 28, 2013)

Generally, rabbit faeces that are abnormally shaped (as in not spherical) is a sign he is not digesting enough fibre. This could be that the digestive system has slowed down as a result of some sort of stress. Or he is simply not consuming ENOUGH fibre, just to try, I would put your bun on a few days of pure hay and dark green veg (mainly the outer leaves of cabbage I would say) Maybe stop the banana for a little bit and the carrot as they are high in sugars and could add to the problem. I would guess the tear shapes are due to a quite sugary diet but I'm not positive.
Do the poos crumble when you break them? Can you see the undigested hay on the inside?


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 28, 2013)

They do crumble, and I can see the hay in them. But I do notice he'd rather eat his alfalfa pellets over the hay. So I'll let him finish what he has and semi force him to eat the hay that's sitting next to him.


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## Bville (Nov 28, 2013)

Is he shedding right now? Could it be fur in the poop?


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 28, 2013)

He hasn't shed yet. I do have a vet appointment set up tomorrow for a wellness check. So I guess I can bring in some of his poo.


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## Azerane (Nov 29, 2013)

Often they're tapered like that if there's some hair in them. Though don't have to be shedding to ingest fur, so it's not unlikely. Keep an eye on it, if there's a lot of poop like that I'd be worried, but if it's just one or two in a whole lot, then it should be fine


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 29, 2013)

It's been quite a few like that. But he seems happy, jumping around and whatnot, I have noticed he's drinking a lot of water. I was told that him being under 6 months old I should free feed him. He's eating oxbow young rabbit right now. Should I maybe cut back his food so he eats more hay? And he also has a vet appointment tomorrow.


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## ladysown (Nov 29, 2013)

that's normal variation in poo. If they end up being strung together then you need to be more concerned about getting extra fibre into them.

But if he's eating hay with his pellets he'll be just fine.

Give him a brush out once in a while.


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 29, 2013)

They aren't strung together, thanks I feel a bit at ease.


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 29, 2013)

Well Gunner went to the vet today for a wellness check, he told me to stop feeding pellets and give them as treat only! That doesn't seem right to me. He also got eye drops, and vet said to watch for snuffles. I highly doubt he has that, but I paid $22 for the eye drops so he'll get them 3 times a day. Other than that he thinks he's fine. Anyone else have a vet say stop feeding pellets?


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## JBun (Nov 29, 2013)

Geoff, the vet that comments on here sometimes, seems to prefer a hay and veggie diet for rabbits. I think, because of all the problems he's encountered treating rabbits that are fed pellets. I've read of other rabbit vets suggesting it as well. I like to feed pellets myself, just for the convenience of ensuring my rabbits get the needed nutrition, but I've encountered enough problems feeding pellets that I feed a very limited amount and am even considering a no pellet diet. I do have one rabbit that can't have pellets, and he's done well on hay and veggies. I do supplement him with a little alfalfa, to help keep his weight up. With your bunny being a young Flemish, it would be good to continue with feeding the alfalfa hay, if you decide to stop pellets, so he's getting enough protein and calcium for growing.

If you are reluctant to stop pellets, you could make a few diet changes to see if it helps get his poop looking better. Your bun might be getting too many sugars in his diet, and that could be causing too much of a digestive slowdown, and the irregular looking poop. Try cutting out the banana and instead of free feeding pellets, feed limited so that he will have to eat more hay and will be getting more fiber, which should help with the poop. When my bunnies were babies, I found that feeding a limited amount of pellets worked better than unlimited, and helped keep them from getting mushy poop or small poop. I fed twice a day, and enough that would last them most of the day but they would run out about 3 hours before the next feeding time, then they would eat hay until it was time to feed them again. You could try that and see how it works.

This is a good article about a digestive slowdown if you want to take a look.
http://rabbit.org/sluggish-motility-in-the-gastrointestinal-tract-2/

ETA: Here's this on a pellet free diet. Though it's not terribly informative.
http://rabbit.org/pellet-free-diet/


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## squidpop (Nov 30, 2013)

My vet also told me to feed less pellets- I was free feeding pellets because my bun was 12 weeks and the vet said to stop and feed only about 1/8 of a cup (for a jersey wooly) and lots more hay. I think you should cut back to mostly hay for a few days and just see if the poo becomes more sphere shaped.


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 30, 2013)

I'll try, he gets pretty upset when his food bowl is empty lol.


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## FreezeNkody (Nov 30, 2013)

He also told me to feed alfalfa to my adult rabbits.. (Eyebrow raise)


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## squidpop (Dec 2, 2013)

If they are getting alfalfa and pellets that might be to rich a diet- alfalfa hay has a lot more protein and calories than timothy or grass hays- so maybe just try switching hay to timothy. I looked it up and Alfalfa is a high protein feed and for fattening up cattle- and its what they put in the pellets so your buns probably getting to much alfalfa over all.


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## squidpop (Dec 2, 2013)

I just got all obsessed looking up the difference between - Timothy and Aflalfa hay and also found this&#8212;
"Alfalfa may have twice the protein and three times the level of calcium than grass hay. Thus alfalfa is often fed to animals that need more protein and minerals."
&#8212;So, yep Alfalfa hay isn't good to feed rabbits especially if they are also eating it in their pellets.


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## FreezeNkody (Dec 2, 2013)

Right now 3 of my rabbits are in an all Timothy hay food, as well as unlimited Timothy hay. Gunner who will be 13 weeks is on oxbow young rabbit unlimited pellets and unlimited Timothy hay. The other rabbits get a 1/4 cup once daily. my female dwarf is over weight which is my fault because I didn't know any better and just gave her unlimited pellets. Now I've cut back with hopes she'll shed the lbs a bit. She's not very active she'd rather just lay down and do nothing. And since switching to Timothy hay pellets he poopy butt is gone too. I'm learning everyday something new. This forum is amazing!


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## FreezeNkody (Dec 2, 2013)

And I must add gunners poop is back to normal, it may have been the few pieces of spinach and kale I let him try. (He's not a fan of greens)


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