Rabbit Poop

Small, misshaped rabbit poop indicates dehydration and a lack of fiber. You can increase hydration by offering wet veggies and/or increasing fluids (either syringe-feed extra water or administer sub-cutaneous fluids). Increase fiber by offering more hay and fewer treats and pellets.

There are a couple of situations in which small poop is OK. When a rabbit  comes out of stasis, the first poops will be small and misshapen. This is perfectly normal and a good sign, as it means the rabbit is recovering. Within a day or two, his poop will return to normal.

Older rabbits - especially those that have mobility issues - may produce smaller poop. This again is not necessarily a crisis, since the digestive system (along with other internal systems) are slowing down due to age. At this point, the diet for seniors may start to have more calories and less fiber to help keep weight up. Owners definitely need to help keep their bunnies hydrated and still offer plenty of fresh hay. As long as your senior keeps up the amount of poop, he is doing fine.

The poop seen here is linked together by fur. The digestive system is working just fine as the fur is being pushed out along with the other fiber. It just might be time to give your bunny a good brushing.

Soft Poop

Most people mistake soft rabbit poop for diarrhea. True diarrhea is quite rare in rabbits, especially healthy adults. You see it more often in young rabbits, particularly those transitioning from weaning. Diarrhea will be very watery.

Soft poop is uneaten cecotropes. It's the result of an imbalance in the diet. Usually, the rabbit has consumed too many treats and/or pellets. Some rich vegetables, such as kale, dandelion greens, carrot tops and chard, may also cause excess cecotropes. If your bunny constantly has a dirty butt, look at the diet. If you feed out kale daily, maybe cut that down to once or twice a week.

Every rabbit is an individual. Certain rabbits may be intolerant of all lettuces or all herbs or all fruit. If you find yourself with a bunny who constantly produces soft poop, you need to eliminate rich vegetables, treats and/or pellets from his diet to help get his gut back into balance. Speak to your vet about how best to re-balance your bunny's digestive system.  

Mucus can be seen on both the poop and paper towel. Photo by Mireya Romo-Bowen.

This will look like a blob of clear jelly on some poop. I have usually seen this in older rabbits, but it can happen at any age. It's the result of irritation in the gut and can be caused by antibiotics, oral pain or anything that may cause slow or intermittent intestinal contractions. It's very common for bunnies when they come out of GI stasis or for older rabbits with chronic dental issues.

The blue arrow shows a normal sized poop. The yellow arrow shows a megacolon poop. It's large, oval and not as dry.
Photo taken at BunnyLuv Rabbit Resource Center.

Megacolon is a genetic abnormality that affects the intestines, cecum and the nerves controlling muscle contractions in the digestive system. It commonly affects bi or tri-colored spotted rabbits, although it's not breed specific and the condition worsens with age.

Megacolon poops are large oval or oblong in shape and have much more water content than poops from a normal healthy rabbit. This is different from diarrhea. The poops will still retain their shape, but if you squeeze one, water will come out. Cecotropes tend to be long, tarry and almost sausage in shape, with a strong odor.

A megacolon bunny can still have a healthy life, but the owner must be vigilant for any sign of a gut slow down. The bunny may need to be on daily medication for pain relief, prokinetic (gut motility) and fluids (can be oral or via subcutaneous). The diet needs to be tailored specifically to this bunny to ensure proper gut function.