Diarrhea in Pet Rabbits

Rabbits, like most other mammals, can at one point or another develop diarrhea. Diarrhea is not especially common in adult rabbits, and if observed, it means your rabbit has developed some sort of health or diet problem. What follows will review the various causes of diarrhea in your baby or adult rabbit.

In baby rabbits, there are two likely causes of a runny stool. The first potential cause is that the bunny is being weaned from his mother’s milk at too early of an age. Many breeders and pet stores sell baby bunnies before they are old enough to be off of their mother’s milk. This is unhealthy for the rabbit and diarrhea can be one of the ramifications. The other potential cause is intestinal parasites such as coccidia. If your baby rabbit has diarrhea, you should immediately take him or her to the vet.

In adult rabbits, there are a few more possible causes of diarrhea. One potential cause is that your rabbit is obese. He may be producing cecotropes as usual, but because of his ungainly weight, he is unable to reach them as they are produced and subsequently he smears them all over the place creating a diarrhea-like effect. Another potential cause is that your rabbit has arthritis and is unable to reach his cecotropes he is in constant pain. Again this will result in your rabbit smearing his feces around his bottom.

Two different dietary issues could also cause diarrhea in your rabbit. A diet that is too high in starch and sugary fruits can cause your rabbit to have mushy stools. Another potential cause is that your rabbit is not getting enough fiber in his food. These can both be easily remedied by appropriately adjusting your rabbit’s diet.

If the preceding were determined not to be the cause of your rabbit’s diarrhea, then it is likely that he has some other health problem that can only be properly diagnosed by a qualified veterinarian. Seek medical assistance as soon as possible.