You can tell a lot about your rabbit’s health by examining their feces. Rabbits have 2 types of normal poop: fecal pellets and cecal pellets (aka cecotropes). Fecal pellets are a waste product primarily composed of fiber, and should be well-formed and consistent in size, not wet or mushy but not completely desiccated. Cecal pellets, or cecotropes, are eliminated from the body but carry vital nutrients and beneficial bacteria and fungi that help the rabbit maintain healthy digestion. They are dark brown, glossy with mucous, and often clustered together like grapes. These cecotropes are reingested by the rabbit and processed again to absorb all those good things. Yes, your rabbit is supposed to eat them!
Image courtesy of Ming Rabbit Farm: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=113569980594954&set=pcb.113570087261610
Without the ingestion of cecotropes, your rabbit’s gastrointestinal system can have difficulty functioning properly. The delicate balance of bacteria and fungi can be thrown off due to improper diet, lack of fiber, parasites, or overgrowth of negative bacteria in the system. Any stringy, tiny, loose, or mushy stool in rabbits needs to be addressed by your rabbit-savvy veterinarian immediately.
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Our exotic animal hospital is dedicated exclusively to the care of birds, exotic small mammals, reptiles, and even fish! We can offer everything your pet needs for a healthy and happy life, from wellness care and grooming to diagnostics and dentistry, but we can also provide emergency care during our opening hours, along with more specialized treatment for referred patients.