Rabbit Digestion: |
Rabbits are herbivores, meaning that they eat plant material. And they have one large stomach that takes in all the plant material. They are crepuscular meaning they eat primarily at dusk and dawn. And for chewing a rabbits teeth grow continuously throughout its life. So a rabbit should have roughage to keep their teeth functioning properly. Unlike some grazers, rabbits have only the one stomach. So they rely on a different way of digesting their food.
The way they digest is with a large blind sac called a cecum, located where their small intestine and the large intestine join together. This would be in the same place as our appendix. In the rabbit this organ is very large and contains a wonderfully diverse population of healthy bacteria and other organisms. Within the cecum this multitude of microorganisms breaks down the indigestible fiber and turns it into digestible nutrients. In order for the rabbit to use these nutrients, it must take this material and move it through the digestive tract one more time. So at certain times of the day the material from the cecum is packaged up into small round moist pellets called cecotropes.
The rabbit gets a signal in his brain about when the cecotropes are ready to be passed out of the body. Then the rabbit eats them the minute they emerge. A rabbit will sometimes look like it is grooming their hind end area. But they might actually be eating these nutrient rich cecotropes. This is very important so they can keep their digestive tract working properly.
It all starts with proper diet. When you are buying a rabbit, you need to get a bag of transition food. Whatever the breeder has been feeding, so you can slowly mix it in with the feed you plan on giving the rabbit. We also like to free feed orchard grass Hay, meaning they have access to it all day. As well as access to fresh clean water at all times. Then in the evenings, we feed the rabbits pellet feed. Pellet feed should give all the nutrients and minerals a rabbit needs. Sometimes it can be hard to trust feed companies. So we use mineral spools (for a supplement, just in case) that hang from the top of their cage that they can lick at anytime.
Other than that, if we notice runny stool we will give them rabbit yogurt drops. Just like our stomachs, the yogurt helps put back helpful bacteria. Another thing we do from time to time is add a little Mothers apple cider vinegar to their water. This helps with urine smell, gives the rabbit nutrients and helps with the overall health of the rabbits.
If the rabbit has a digestive problem, we first take the rabbit off any pellet feed and give them large amounts of fresh orchard grass hay and water. We have them eat yogurt drops or probiotics. The idea is to restore the stomachs Flora (digestion / micro-organisms). If the rabbit starts to bloat, it may be too late. Another thing that helps is electrolytes, i have heard of people giving them small amounts of pedialyte. And of course contact your veterinarian if need be.
The main point i am trying to get across is rabbits can be very sensitive to feed change. So don't over do it. If the rabbit is healthy, then your doing good. Don't over do treats such as carrots or greens. If you don't know what you're doing you can kill a rabbit fast! Anything you do, make small changes and in moderation.
The way they digest is with a large blind sac called a cecum, located where their small intestine and the large intestine join together. This would be in the same place as our appendix. In the rabbit this organ is very large and contains a wonderfully diverse population of healthy bacteria and other organisms. Within the cecum this multitude of microorganisms breaks down the indigestible fiber and turns it into digestible nutrients. In order for the rabbit to use these nutrients, it must take this material and move it through the digestive tract one more time. So at certain times of the day the material from the cecum is packaged up into small round moist pellets called cecotropes.
The rabbit gets a signal in his brain about when the cecotropes are ready to be passed out of the body. Then the rabbit eats them the minute they emerge. A rabbit will sometimes look like it is grooming their hind end area. But they might actually be eating these nutrient rich cecotropes. This is very important so they can keep their digestive tract working properly.
It all starts with proper diet. When you are buying a rabbit, you need to get a bag of transition food. Whatever the breeder has been feeding, so you can slowly mix it in with the feed you plan on giving the rabbit. We also like to free feed orchard grass Hay, meaning they have access to it all day. As well as access to fresh clean water at all times. Then in the evenings, we feed the rabbits pellet feed. Pellet feed should give all the nutrients and minerals a rabbit needs. Sometimes it can be hard to trust feed companies. So we use mineral spools (for a supplement, just in case) that hang from the top of their cage that they can lick at anytime.
Other than that, if we notice runny stool we will give them rabbit yogurt drops. Just like our stomachs, the yogurt helps put back helpful bacteria. Another thing we do from time to time is add a little Mothers apple cider vinegar to their water. This helps with urine smell, gives the rabbit nutrients and helps with the overall health of the rabbits.
If the rabbit has a digestive problem, we first take the rabbit off any pellet feed and give them large amounts of fresh orchard grass hay and water. We have them eat yogurt drops or probiotics. The idea is to restore the stomachs Flora (digestion / micro-organisms). If the rabbit starts to bloat, it may be too late. Another thing that helps is electrolytes, i have heard of people giving them small amounts of pedialyte. And of course contact your veterinarian if need be.
The main point i am trying to get across is rabbits can be very sensitive to feed change. So don't over do it. If the rabbit is healthy, then your doing good. Don't over do treats such as carrots or greens. If you don't know what you're doing you can kill a rabbit fast! Anything you do, make small changes and in moderation.