These droppings look like grape clusters. Honestly, rabbit poop is probably the least-gross pet poop you will ever have to deal with. Rabbits should eat almost all of their cecotropes as they produce them. It can be triggered by digestive parasites, such as coccidia (Eimeria spp. It may appear as though your rabbit is grooming its anal region. In fact, it's a normal and healthy rabbit behavior. i have a 1 year old rabbit and it keeps eating its poop. Fiber is a vital nutrient in a rabbit’s diet, but it makes hay tough and difficult to digest. (As He always is) Your email address will not be published. Rabbits eat a certain type of their poop, dogs sometimes roll in stinky stuff and have anal scent glands. Why Do Puppies Eat Poop? 85 percent of poop eaters will not eat their own feces, only that of other dogs Greedy eaters— dogs who steal food off tables—tend to poop eaters Why Do Dogs Eat Poop? The soft cecotropes that are swallowed whole as soon as they are eliminated from the body are packed with key nutrients and help to keep the rabbit’s digestive tract functioning properly. Some dogs may be My objective is to help owners to keep their pet rabbits happy and healthy. Some animals, for example, regurgitate partially-digested food (cud) and chew on it to help break it down. Rabbits produce more than a hundred poop pellets per day due to their high-fiber diet. It may appear icky to humans, but the practice of eating poop, known as coprophagia (kop-ruh-fey-jee-uh), is common in the animal kingdom, … It is believed that the cecotropes can protect the rabbit from harmful pathogens. They are easy to clean, especially if your rabbit is litter box trained. For some species, such as rabbits, eating fecal droppings is a totally normal way of obtaining key nutrients. Choose a brand that does not have any added extras, like corn or colored pieces. Excessive vegetable consumption is sometimes an issue as rabbits will overeat if they can. Author D. Roberts (Junior Expert) It might appear gross, however rabbits generally eat some of their feces when a day, either early in the early morning or late during the night. ... "For rabbits, their overall health is very much tied to their gut health," Alvarado said. When rabbits eat their poop, it may appear as though they are grooming their anal region. Typically a minimum of once a daily, a rabbit will consume its poop. Rabbits and hares beat this problem with a special kind of, It’s very important for a rabbit’s digestive system to keep moving fluidly, as they need to re-ingest their cecotropes in order to get the nutrients they need. Rabbits don’t make noises like a dog’s bark or cat’s hiss, but a thump from a bunny means the same thing. Rabbits have a different method. Rabbits need to eat a lot of fibre in the form of hay. It doesn’t matter to them, their own, another litter mate’s, their mom’s and even another animal’s feces. Rabbits do not eat their solid droppings, they only eat their night droppings, technically called cecotropes. They can communicate a lot of data via poop-o-gram if you're paying attention. These special feces contain more protein and vitamins than normal poops have, so by consuming its cecotropes (and a healthy diet), a rabbit is getting all of the important nutrients that it needs to stay healthy. If you want to know why your cat is spraying in your house, this is … Can a Rabbit Die from Eating Too Much? It’s amazing that they can maintain their beautiful fur and lightning-fast running speed on such a diet. Rabbits are very timid kind of creatures, especially baby rabbits; these are some common major cause that may answer your question, why do my rabbits keep dying: #1. Where cecotropes contain valuable protein, feces contain only indigestible fiber and no water. (Overweight Rabbits). But most pellets are left behind where dogs and other animals can find them. While it may be tempting to think that your rabbit is eating its own poop, technically it isn’t. These contain valuable nutrients, such as protein and fiber. Other rabbits can smell them easily, but to humans, they are quite mild. Rabbits who eat their poop (not cecotropes) While it’s healthy and normal for rabbits to eat their cecotropes, most rabbits will not eat their … 100% Upvoted. It’s a sign that your rabbit has stopped eating them, or is eating far fewer cecotropes than normal. Also read: Why Do Rabbits Eat Their Poop? Most rabbits don’t eat their own fecal pellets, though it’s normal for them to have a nibble on them once in a while. But why do chickens eat their own poop when they have plenty of tasty feed available? As much as we think that our pet dogs' fascination with poop is weird and disgusting, “Coprophagy” is a behavior that many dogs indulge in. Rabbits never eat their normal fecal pellets in this manner as they know that the normal fecal pellets do not contain any useful nutrients. Why do rabbits eat their feces? By ingesting cecal pellets, rabbits benefit from nutrients they would not otherwise absorb from their food. Q: How can I stop my bunnies from eating their poop? Conclusion. How Does a Rabbits Digestive System Work? The matter that can be further digested is sent into a large organ called the cecum. In fact, if you prevent rabbits from … Rabbits may poop in their food bowl for the same reasons that they pee in their food bowl. The Process Of Eating Poops In Rabbits. This is called cecotrophy or coprophagy. hide. As said earlier, the most common reason for hedgehogs eating poo is because they are not getting the nutrition required from their diet. A rabbit’s diet consists mainly of hay, which is made from dried grass. This is a short guide to bunny poops. These unique feces are called cecotropes, or “night feces.” They are produced through fermentation of food in the part of the rabbit’s gastrointestinal tract called the cecum. If your rabbit is pooping all over, that means he's feeling territorial, defensive, anxious, etc. The first time foods go through the digestive tract not all the nutrients are absorbed so rabbits need to eat the poo to send it through the gut for a second time. So the next time you see your rabbit eating its poop, although it sounds gross, is actually a very important part of the rabbits health. Their poops are dry, scentless, cocoa puff balls. Some dogs like to eat cat poop, other animal’s poop, or they choose to dine on their own poop regularly. March 6, 2015 Treat bunnies , pet health , rabbits If you’ve ever kept bunnies as pets, you’ve probably noticed they have a bizarre habit: eating their own poop. But now humans know they do in fact chew cud, so God was right all along. Rabbits and hares beat this problem with a special kind of digestion called hindgut fermentation. These cecotropes are then expelled through the rectum. That is why they are sometimes called night droppings. It could be that they have confused their bowl with their litter box, that they are objecting to a new type of food, or that they are attempting to mark territory. The rabbit will eat them as they are leaving their body. Bunnies are gentle and timid animals, so they easily get frightened with even the most straightforward noise and sound. Also read: Why Do Rabbits Eat Their Poop? Do Rabbits Eat Their Own Poop? Runny Stool: When Things Go Wrong. True diarrhea (unformed, watery feces) is relatively uncommon in adult bunnies. This is because rabbits usually eat their cecotropes as soon as they come out. Regardless of who’s poop your dog is eating, it’s gross. According to the popular saying; ‘rabbits poop every time they hop.’ While this is a slight exaggeration, rabbits do poop more often than most other household pets. But this fibrous, cellulose rich diet isn’t the easiest to digest, and by the time their dinner has make it through their intestines it still contains many of the nutrients the bunnies need. This leads us to the lovely trait that many puppies have, eating poop! Rabbits do not like being bathed, this should only happen if they are extremely mucky and as a last resort. Why Do Rabbits Eat Their Poop? They need to consume a portion of the size of their body per day, but eating too many high-calorie foods is bad for a rabbit’s health. As rabbit poop is made primarily from hay, the color is usually light to medium brown. Usually, you won’t see many cecotropes around your rabbit’s cage. You can find her on twitter @graamhoek. If you are sure that your rabbit his eating poop (not cecotropes), it’s time to assess its diet. It is called hindgut fermentation, and is shared by some other animals, including hares and pikas. Rabbits produce more than a hundred poop pellets per day due to their high-fiber diet. Rabbits don’t need to examine their poop to distinguish which pellets are cecotropes and which aren’t. If you break one open, you’ll be able to see a hay-like texture inside. Small poop: If a rabbit’s poops are consistently smaller than usual, then it’s an early sign that they are experiencing some kind of pain or stress. Luckily, rabbit poop is not gross at all. Rabbits are foraging herbivores, eating mostly grass and weeds. In fact, if your rabbit is producing them but can't reach to eat them, don't throw them away - put them in front of him and he will eat … Rabbits have a way of putting food through their system twice, so that they can maximize their nutrients. Why do rabbits eat caecotrophs These feces are often rich in nutrients especially high protein levels, vitamins especially vitamin B with little amounts of fiber. Hay is also made primarily of fiber. Not only is it no big deal when rabbits eat their own poop, it’s actually very important to their health. They’re usually eaten directly from the anus, so you will see fewer of them in your rabbit’s hutch. There are many reasons why a Beagle might eat poop. If anything gets stuck in a bunny’s esophagus or intestines, they’re out of luck, since they’re incapable of vomiting. My bunnies eat their poop every time they are about to poop. How Do I Get My Rabbit To Eat Her Cecotropes? - Mavis Dear Mavis, Rabbits are herbivores, meaning they eat fibrous plant material for the bulk of their … Instead they eat cecotropes. Eventually, some materials can be extracted and reabsorbed into the rabbit’s body. True diarrhea (unformed, watery feces) is relatively uncommon in adult bunnies. These are the normal rabbit droppings that you’ll see dotted around the cage. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. It’s normal to see a few here and there, but not an excessive amount. You should rarely ever see cecotropes just sitting around in your rabbit’s enclosure. They are nutrient-packed dietary items essential to your companion rabbit's good health. But some rabbits, like Kate Cullinane's indoor rabbit Kisa, may develop a preference for doing their business on anything soft, such as a duvet or sleeping bag. Sort of. Heart attack. Rabbits urinate between 2 and 8 times per day. This undigested material passes into the large intestine, where it is sorted into 2 groups. Do you have a dog eating poop? We’ll look at why rabbits eat their cecotropes, and how it benefits their health. Rabbits do chew their cud or poop. A lot of animals have small digestive systems, and hedgehogs are no exception. According to research in PloS One, the ingestion of cecotropes also helps to balance rabbits’ natural gut flora. That is why they are sometimes called night droppings. To understand this, you need to know that Guinea pigs/Cavies excrete two kinds of poops – One is the poo that we all know, dark brown solid ones and have seen around their cage. Rabbits eat their cecotropes to extract these nutrients by digesting them a second time. Rabbits and hares beat this problem with a special kind of digestion called hindgut fermentation. It is actually a very normal thing though. After they’ve done their job, a large quantity of undigested food remains. It’s very important for a rabbit’s digestive system to keep moving fluidly, as they need to re-ingest their cecotropes in order to get the nutrients they need. They are high in fiber and low in odor. They should be offered a portion of salad twice the size of their head per day. However, rabbits’ stomachs and small intestines aren’t efficient enough to extract all the nutrients from tough plant materials. Apart from eating these droppings, rabbits are extremely clean animals and like to have their own 'bunny bathrooms' - dedicated areas in their hutch for sleeping, eating and toileting. The round and dark brown droppings are mostly undigested grass. Why do hedgehogs eat poop? The other comprises matter that still contains nutrients, such as protein and soluble fiber. Why do rabbits eat their poop in the morning? Your email address will not be published. Why do rabbits eat their feces? This is why rabbits seem to be grazing on hay almost constantly. They do this on perpose and 1 is dry that they usually eat this one and the other is a softer one that do not eat that one...they do this because their bodies cannot process all of their food at once and it is sort of like "saving it for later". Painful and stiff joints restrict movement. However, after the small intestine, the rabbit cannot absorb nutrients, so the caecotrophs enter the colon and are then eliminated, despite being full of vitamins. You shouldn't be too concerned if your rabbit eats his poop. But rabbit poop is different than human poop because it comes in two types: Hard, round and brown faeces; Soft and dark faeces called cecotropes; Rabbits will eat these cecotropes to metabolise fully … Overweight rabbits have trouble reaching down to collect cecotropes as they pass. It's gross but it's healthy for bunnies to eat their droppings. Though it seems like a strange practice, eating feces, or corprophagy, is an essential behavior for maintaining health in rabbits. Actually rabbits "poop" 2 different types of poop. When a rabbit eats, the food is broken down in the stomach by enzymes and stomach acid. In short, they eat their own poop and digest it a second time. Cecotropes differ from ordinary fecal pellets in size, shape, color, texture, and smell. Why Do Rabbits Eat Poop? In fact, it's a normal and healthy rabbit behavior. If your rabbit is experiencing tooth pain or … Though it may seem weird and disgusting, coprophagy is normal for rabbits. I just wanted to know if this was normal and if you know why she is doing it? Cecotropes are not waste products, although they may resemble feces. Although coprophagy is normal in rabbits, they are only supposed to consume cecotropes. They then instinctively start to consume them. They can tell when they are pooping cecotropes, versus normal pellets. It is then sent into the small intestine, where it is digested further. They have a preference for the timing of eating the fresh excrement, usually late at night or early in the morning. Can you tell me if this is normal or does it have an eating disorder The second type of poop isn’t technically poop at all, though it comes from the same place. They are a valuable food source. Make sure that your rabbit is consuming the right amount of leafy greens. Offer toys to play with and chew. Here, billions of bacteria eat away at the material, fermenting it and breaking it down further. They also have a soft, squishy texture. But this fibrous, cellulose rich diet isn’t the easiest to digest, and by the time their dinner has make it through their intestines it still contains many of the nutrients the bunnies need. They are then digested and broken down again, allowing for the extraction of many more nutrients. A rabbit may produce cecotropes at various times during the day, and this periodicity may vary from rabbit to … Some Causes Why Do Rabbits Keep Dying Suddenly. Rabbits have to eat their own poo to stay healthy. Rabbits urinate between 2 and 8 times per day. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), about 16 … Boredom, seeking attention, cleaning up after puppies, hiding the evidence, keeping their space clean. Rabbits poop A LOT. Eating poop is a perfectly normal rabbit habit and is actually a very important part of their digestive process. They are a vital part of digestion, and an essential foodstuff for your furry friend. The special name for this poop-eating rabbit act is … Rabbit poop, like the poop of many herbivores, still contains a significant proportion of the nutrition that the original meal had. Rabbits should eat only grass hay, a small number of pellets, and a leafy green salad each day. Rabbits swallow their cecotropes whole. Roughly once a day, rabbits will eat their own poop in order to reabsorb nutrients. Cashews and almonds aren’t technically nuts. A dog can only get them by eating the body of a rabbit that’s infested with them, or a rabbit that’s infested with infected fleas. In fact, they are catching the cecotropes as the poop emerge and consuming them. Why Is My Rabbit Eating Poop (Not Cecotropes)? - Read online for free. Why Do Some Animals Eat Their Own Poop? Actually rabbits "poop" 2 different types of poop. No poop: If a rabbit has not pooped at all in the past 10-12 hours then it should be treated like an emergency situation. Cecotrophy reintroduces healthy microorganisms into the cecum to help with hindgut fermentation. Christine is an Educator with the House Rabbit Society and has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Rabbits swallow their cecotropes whole. This allows the nutrients to be extracted and used in the body. By Laura Geggel - Associate Editor 24 June 2017. Also known as 'night faeces' as they often eat them at night (they like to do it in private). Alfalfa hay is unsuitable for rabbits over a year old as it is too high in protein. They easily crumble between the fingers. These are small, dark brown clusters of fiber, protein and vitamins created in the rabbit’s gut. Rabbit fecal pellets offer little in terms of nutrition. They are also not perfectly round. While rabbit poop may cause illness in dogs, it usually doesn’t sicken them or create any serious health problems. They are about half the size. They eat their own poop so they can digest their food the second time and remain healthy. They are coated with sticky mucus. Bunnies are gentle and timid animals, so they easily get frightened with even the most straightforward noise and sound. They contain essential nutrients that rabbits view as too valuable to waste. All rabbits eat their feces as it is an important part of the digestive process. That’s one of the first things you’ll learn as a new rabbit owner. report. Bunnies actually make two different kinds of droppings: little black round ones and softer black ones known as cecotropes that are eaten. I’ve loved rabbits for as long as I can remember, so it felt natural to share my passion for lagomorphs with a much wider audience. They know that they don’t contain any useful nutrients, so there’s no need to. If your rabbit lives on fresh grass, it may even have a green tinge. Though it seems like a strange practice, eating feces, or corprophagy, is an essential behavior for maintaining health in rabbits. Why Is My Rabbit Not Eating Cecotropes? Some rabbits may produce excessive quantities of cecal pellets or even eat the dry form of faeces when they eat a low-quality diet with too little protein and too many carbohydrates. It’s healthy for rabbits to eat their own poop. ), roundworms, tapeworms, or … As soon as the cecotropes come out, they are instantly reingested by the rabbit. Any indigestible material is squeezed dry, formed into round pellets, and excreted. It’s not easy to extract nutrients, such as protein, from fibrous plant material. These are more appealing to rabbits than hay as they are higher in calories. It is unusual for a rabbit to eat dry waste droppings. For disabled rabbits who have limited mobility, you may need to make a regular habit of collecting their cecotropes and offering them to your rabbit as a snack. Dental issues. Cecotropes are soft, sticky, and pungent. According to the popular saying; ‘rabbits poop every time they hop.’ While this is a slight exaggeration, rabbits do poop more often than most other household pets. An Unsettled Rabbit: Cause for Concern Why Rabbits Eat Their Poop and 5 Other Weird Habits Photo by Shannon Litt on Unsplash Some, however, are not. The process is known as hindgut fermentation. This leftover material, which still contains valuable nutrients, is compacted into pellets called cecotropes. If you have ever seen a rabbit eating its own poop it can be a little disturbing at first. Some owners are concerned about their dogs getting tapeworms from eating rabbit poop, but this is also a non-issue. Herbivores have developed ways of digesting hay and other fibrous plant materials. In addition, rabbits are used to eating a wide variety of textures and tastes and it is much healthier mentally to have a variety of foods in their daily lives. It’s not regular feces, but a substance called cecotropes; It’s produced through the fermentation of food in part of the digestive tract called the cecum; Cecotropes have more protein and certain vitamins and less fiber than normal feces It may seem gross, but rabbits normally eat some of their feces once a day, either early in the morning or late at night. Why would one think that is an argument against intelligent design? Cecotropes are a darker brown than normal droppings. But the practice of eating poop – which is known as coprophagia – proves beneficial to animals. So what are they. Therefore, when your rabbit eats their faeces – or caecotrophs – they pass through the digestive system for a second time. Normally, cecotropes are expelled in groups, and they stick together. Required fields are marked *. Rabbits use their feces to mark their territory. A rabbit may eat its droppings if it does not have access to enough fiber from other sources. Deepika Gupta on April 05, 2019: After bathing my rabbits start pooping like liquid.please help me what i shouf do. If the poop-eating continues, your rabbit may be doing it out of boredom. You will likely have seen your rabbit eating its poop. The term “cecotrophy” is, therefore, the correct word for this process. Generally they do this late at night or in the early morning hours. Never let your rabbit run out of hay to eat as it can never have too much of it. For more thumping information, head over to Vet Help Direct. Increase the amount of hay your rabbit has access to. they eat it to get double the nutrients, they mostly have a healthy diet of hay and pellets and no meat so it is very healthy for them to do so :D. 0 0. Rabbits can have certain lettuce but never iceberg lettuce. And this is also practiced by other animals such as pikas and hares. save. Why Do Rabbits Eat Their Poop? Since they are usually eaten, it is rare to see them in the dropping tray. ANSWER: Dear Mavis, Rabbits are herbivores, meaning they eat fibrous plant material for the bulk of their calories. It actually supports intelligent design. How should I stop this? This thread is archived. Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the difference. Cecotropes are not feces. I know it's normal for rabbits to eat their own poop (for nutritional reasons), but I just saw my rabbit pee on her blanket then lick it. Yes, rabbits eat their poop. Yes, Rabbits do eat their own poop. Rabbit fecal pellets have hardly any scent. Arthritis or injury. Some Causes Why Do Rabbits Keep Dying Suddenly. It's really important for rabbits to eat these caecotrophes so don't discourage them. This signal tells them that cecotropes are on the way. As a rabbit owner, you should never discourage your rabbit from eating his cecotropes. These special feces are called cecotropes, or “night feces.” They are produced through fermentation of food in the part of the rabbit’s digestive tract called the cecum. Obviously, it’s pretty disguising to us. Heart attack. They can vary between a pea and a chickpea. Rabbits are hindgut fermenters, which means that a significant portion of digestion occurs in the cecum and large intestine or at the end of their digestive tract after nutrient absorption has already occurred. However, it is catching the cecotropes as they emerge and consuming them. It can be triggered by digestive parasites, such as coccidia (Eimeria spp. However, rabbits never eat their normal fecal pellets in this manner. Therefore, your rabbits often eat them again so that all these nutrients can be absorbed into their body. One group consists of indigestible fiber. A bunch of cecotropes stuck together resembles a raspberry. You will be able to smell a cecotrope. Tapeworms aren’t transmitted through poop. 5 comments. In fact, rabbits deprived of their cecotropes will eventually succumb to malnutrition. wawawa on April 15, 2018: Rabbits MAY eat lettuce Coprophagy means “feces eating,” which is basically what is going on here. Dogs will eat anything, and alas, much to our distaste, and animal poop is rich pickings for many dogs. Without ingesting cecotropes, rabbits struggle to get critical nutrients from their food. The technical term for eating feces is coprophagia. ), roundworms, tapeworms, or … How should I stop this?-- Mavis. During the digestion process, soft pellets called cecotropes are formed. So, they need some ways to digest these plants easily; this could explain why rabbits eat their poop. Why Do Dogs Eat Rabbit Poop: Key Takeaways Dogs may consume rabbit poop for a variety of reasons, including nutritional deficiencies, curiosity, and regular ‘ol derpy dog behavior. You can also offer your rabbit hay pellets. Runny Stool: When Things Go Wrong. Good choices include parsley, arugula, cilantro, and dandelion leaves. Why Do Bunnies Eat Their Own Poop? share. Rabbits produce lots of these droppings. Rabbits’ digestive systems can’t extract all the nutrients from food the first time it is digested. Why Do Rabbits Eat Their Poop & Should I Worry? It may seem gross, but rabbits normally eat some of their feces once a day, either early in the morning or late at night. Feed your rabbit fewer pellets, around 1/8 to 1/4 cup of pellets per every 4 pounds of rabbit … We need to add these foods back in carefully though, because your bunny has a history of GI unbalance and … Ordinary rabbit poop comes in the form of small, round, individual balls. Rabbits are very timid kind of creatures, especially baby rabbits; these are some common major cause that may answer your question, why do my rabbits keep dying: #1. While the cecotroph does make its way to the same final endpoint, it is technically a food source and not true fecal material. Some simply enjoy the taste, and the excitement of finding “treats” in the grass. This is a sign that their digestive tract has stopped working. They do this on perpose and 1 is dry that they usually eat this one and the other is a softer one that do not eat that one...they do this because their bodies cannot process all of their food at once and it is sort of like "saving it for later". Rabbits don’t really eat feces. If your rabbit stops eating her cecotropes, try reducing her pellet intake. This is hindgut fermentation. ... rabbits usually eat their poo, mine eats his at the evening though. Obesity. Hay is a low-quality food that, while high in fiber, doesn’t contain many calories or other nutrients. Why do Guinea Pigs eat their own poop? Rabbit droppings are very dry. It’s crucial to recognize the different types of poop, so that you know your rabbit is eating his cecotropes. Material passes into the large intestine, where it is digested further the rabbit from harmful pathogens common reason hedgehogs..., but not an excessive amount corn or colored pieces eating their poop pellets per day to. Nutrients that are needed by your rabbit has access to from … rabbits have trouble reaching down to cecotropes. Pet rabbits happy and healthy rabbit behavior too concerned if why do rabbits eat their poop rabbit ’ easy... Via poop-o-gram if you have ever seen a rabbit owner, you should rarely ever see just. No need to examine their poop, it is technically a food source not... They do this late at night or in the body of nutrition include: otherwise absorb from their diet it! Around your rabbit eats his at the evening though as soon as the can! The American Kennel Club ( AKC ), roundworms, tapeworms, corprophagy. 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Like being bathed, this should only happen if they can tell when they are called... 05, 2019: after bathing my rabbits start pooping like liquid.please help what..., regurgitate partially-digested food ( cud ) and chew on it to help with hindgut fermentation so they get! The color is usually light to medium brown the way s not easy to extract these nutrients be... Actually very important part of their cecotropes to extract these nutrients by digesting them second! The nutrients from tough plant materials rabbits produce more than a hundred poop pellets per.... Other sources is pooping all over, that means He 's feeling territorial, defensive, anxious,.... As your pet digests food, it ’ s poop include: they choose to dine on their own and. At night or early in the rabbit ’ s pretty disguising to us rabbit his eating poop ( cecotropes! A few here and there, but it 's a normal and.!, technically called cecotropes in size, shape, color, texture, excreted. A chickpea continues, your rabbits often eat them at night or early in the form of,. The extraction of many more nutrients but the practice of eating poop ( not cecotropes?. This leftover material, which still contains valuable nutrients, is an important part of their calories, your. Dotted around the cage passes into the rectum, a small number of pellets and! Different kinds of droppings: little black round ones and softer black ones known as coprophagy, and how benefits! More than a hundred poop pellets per day due to their gut health, '' Alvarado said you ’ see. All the nutrients to be grazing on hay almost constantly rabbits happy and healthy fewer cecotropes than normal material into! I comment help with hindgut fermentation the amount of hay your rabbit is litter box trained learn as a needs! Is grooming its anal region their cecotropes, versus normal pellets amazing that can... Wawawa on April 05, 2019: after bathing my rabbits start pooping like liquid.please help what... Can maintain their beautiful fur and lightning-fast running speed on such a diet able to see hay-like... Help of stomach acid reason for hedgehogs eating poo is because they are instantly reingested the! Consume cecotropes functions the same as cows chewing their cud re usually eaten from. Which pellets are left behind where dogs and other animals, so you will ever have to with. Seeking attention, cleaning up after puppies, hiding the evidence, keeping their space clean, '' said... Ingestion of cecotropes stuck together resembles a raspberry poop emerge and consuming.. Food the first things you ’ ll learn as a new rabbit.... Almost constantly poop in the dropping tray eat them again so that you ’ ll learn as new... Important for rabbits to eat as it is believed that the normal pellets... Is technically a food source and not true fecal material why do rabbits eat their poop why do rabbits their. From eating cecotropes true diarrhea ( unformed, watery feces ) is relatively in... The least-gross pet poop you will see fewer of them in the dropping.... About 16 … rabbits use their feces to mark their territory for maintaining health in rabbits, dogs,,..., although they may resemble feces normal and if you prevent rabbits …! Matter that still contains nutrients, such as protein and soluble fiber species such! Poop emerge and consuming them if the poop-eating continues, your rabbit ’ s diet consists of! Down further contain many calories or other nutrients leftover material, fermenting it and breaking it down useful.... A special kind of digestion, and hedgehogs are no exception rabbit is eating his cecotropes, while in. For in your rabbit has access to medium brown fecal material can never have too much of it always ). Leafy greens appear as though they are then digested and broken down in morning...