Rabbit poop

Rabbit owners will generally become very familiar with rabbit poop and droppings in their course of bunny ownership. All rabbits form two types of droppings: round dry fecal pellets (referred to in this article) and wet smelly cecotropes that are usually unseen by owners as rabbits normally eat them directly as they are produced.

Problems with poop
Analyzing your rabbit's fecal pellets is a good way of diagnosing whether all is right with your rabbit's health. If they are ever malformed, it is usually indicative of some health problem that needs immediate attention.



Poopy butt
Poopy butt is the informal term of what happens when rabbits get runny stool or are unable to reach and clean their back end. It can also be referred to as intermittent soft stools or ISS. See Cecotropes for more information, as poopy butt is often caused by unformed cecals.

To clean a poopy butt, please see the Bathing article. It is important to keep the perineal area clean as the anus can be blocked by dried cecals. It is also especially important in warmer months as dirty bottoms can increase the likelihood of flystrike.

Below are links with more information about poopy butt in rabbits.
 * Krempels, D. The Mystery of Rabbit Poop
 * Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund. (2001). Sticky bottom problems (aka "Sticky bum syndrome").
 * Pollock, A. (2007). Causes and Treatment for Diarrhea in Rabbits

Diarrhea
True diarrhea or diarrhoea is a medical emergency and is diagnosed when there are absolutely no normal stools produced -- neither hard feces nor cecotrophs. The diarrhea may appear watery or contain blood or mucous. A rabbit with true diarrhea should be taken to a rabbit-savvy veterinarian immediately.

The primary prevention of diarrhea is by properly introducing changes in diet slowly and providing diets that are adequate in both indigestible and soluble fiber.

Young rabbits are at most at risk of contracting diarrhea due to changes in both digestive tracts and diet after weaning.

Common diarrheal diseases of rabbits include coccidiosis, colibacillosis, and enterotoxemia.

The following links have more information on diarrhea.
 * Dana Krempels, Ph.D., Emergency protocol for diarrhea in infant and juvenile rabbits, cottontails and hares

Eating fecal pellets
See the links below for more information on rabbits eating their dry fecal pellets (not their cecals).
 * Answers, Why do rabbits eat their feces or poo?

Composting rabbit waste
Rabbit litter is a great fertilizer for your garden.

Below are links with more information about composting your rabbit litter for use in your garden.
 * House Rabbit Network, Christine Bennett, The Magic Bunny Poo: A Composting Tale
 * Vegetable Gardener, Chris McLaughlin, Rabbit Manure in the Garden
 * Calico Rabbit, Composting with rabbits!

The following information are from rabbit breeder websites. Please remember that we do not condone rabbit breeding for the common house rabbit owner and that these links are purely for reference information.
 * Three Little Ladies Rabbitry, Natural Fertilizer, Courtesy of Your Rabbits
 * Rise and Shine Rabbitry, The Benefits and Uses of Rabbit Manure
 * Kazuko "Kay" Smith, Raising Worms With Rabbits