A rabbit eats all day long – unless they are sleeping or playing. In fact, a rabbit even prefers to snack on some hay while it poops! Is eating a lot the only factor that contributes to a rabbit pooping a lot?
Rabbits poop so much because they have sensitive and unique digestive systems that require them to eat almost the whole day. A rabbit also makes two kinds of poop – hard rabbit droppings you’ll see wherever your rabbit is or in their litter box – and cecotropes – soft, blackberry poop a rabbit eats.
Want to know exactly how much a rabbit poops every day and how you can stop your rabbit from pooping everywhere?
We’ve got everything you need to know right here!
Is It Normal for a Rabbit to Poop a Lot?
It is normal for rabbits to poop a lot. These fun-loving balls of fur pretty much eat the whole day – except when they are sleeping, playing, or exercising.
For a rabbit to have a healthy digestive system, they need to eat and poop a lot.
How Many Times Should a Rabbit Poop a Day?
Not every rabbit is the same, and some rabbits are small, dwarf-sized like the Mini Lop, while others are giant-sized like the Flemish Giant.
On average, there will be 200-300 poop droppings from your bun every day.
Rabbits poop a few hours (approximately 4-5) after they’ve eaten. Hay, for example, passes through the rabbit’s digestive system much faster than pellets.
Factors That Affect How Much Rabbit Poops
There are various factors that affect how much a rabbit poops:
1. Quantity of Food
How much a rabbit eats has a lot to do with how much they poop.
A large-sized rabbit eats a lot more than a small-sized rabbit, so the bigger rabbit will poop a lot more.
2. Two Kinds of Poop
A rabbit’s body produces two kinds of poop.
One is the hard puff-ball droppings you see scattered about the rabbit’s living area and wherever they spend their time (i.e. your kitchen or living room).
The other kind of poop is called cecotropes, and this mushy, blackberry-type of poop is nutrient rich. The rabbit actually eats the cecotropes as they are excreted so their body can better absorb the nutrients from the food they eat.
A rabbit’s digestive system is delicate and unique. These animals eat a diet that’s high in fiber, and these kinds of foods aren’t easy to digest.
In essence, when a rabbit eats, its digestive system sorts through what’s digestible and what isn’t. The indigestible fiber is excreted in the hard poop droppings, while the digestible fiber is fermented in the cecum and becomes cecotropes.
You’ll rarely see cecotropes since the rabbit eats these. If your rabbit is sick or obese, then you might find cecotropes sticking to their fur or the bottom of their feet.
3. Age of the Rabbit
A kit poops a lot more than an adult rabbit. If you have a young rabbit, a poop dropping may be excreted with every hop or jump – their muscles can’t yet control their poop.
Similarly, an elderly bunny can also lose control of some bodily functions and poop a lot more.
4. Marking Their Territory
A rabbit can also be territorial and mark its territory by pooping. You’ll see a poop trail, like the poop is all lined up – exactly like a boundary line.
When a rabbit is intact and becomes sexually mature, it can also mark its territory with urine.
5. Diarrhea
Your bunny will poop a lot more when they have diarrhea.
Diarrhea can be caused by:
- A diet that doesn’t have enough fiber or too many carbs
- Environmental stress
- Toxins from plants or heavy metal
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Overuse or inappropriate use of antibiotics
- Parasitic infections like tapeworms, roundworms, or coccidia
- Chronic disease
It’s best to take your rabbit to the vet if they have diarrhea so your bun can get the right treatment.
How Do I Get My Rabbit to Stop Pooping Everywhere?
No one can ever say they like finding and picking up rabbit poop droppings all over their house or yard.
Rabbit droppings don’t smell bad and it’s pretty easy to pick up.
But why would you want to go poop treasure hunting when there’s a way you can deal with the poop the easy peasy way?
1. Litter Training
Rabbits are very intelligent and trainable.
One of the easiest ways to deal with all the poop is to litter train your bun.
When litter trained, your bun will poop in one spot – the litter box, and this is easy to clean. Simply scoop out the poop every day and add some more rabbit-friendly litter.
You may need some patience to teach your rabbit how to use the litter box, but it isn’t an impossible task.
2. Spay or Neuter Your Rabbit
When your rabbit is spayed or neutered, they are less likely to have behavioral issues.
As such, an altered rabbit won’t spray urine or leave a poop trail to mark its territory. This already makes cleaning up much easier for you.
Plus, a rabbit that doesn’t feel like they need to mark its territory is much easier to litter train.
3. Choose an Easy-to-Clean Rabbit Enclosure
Not all rabbit enclosures are made equal, and some make cleaning up much easier than others. You’ll need to keep your rabbit’s hutch or cage clean because these animals can get sick easily.
We recommend using a rabbit playpen as a rabbit enclosure since it’s easy to move the gates out of the way and then vacuum the area where your rabbit stays.
My Last Bunny Thoughts
Yes, rabbits poop a lot, but this doesn’t mean you should love your rabbit less or opt not to get a cute bunny.
Spay or neuter your rabbit, litter train them, and choose an easy-to-clean rabbit enclosure to make your life with your bunny easier.
Remember to keep an eye on your rabbit’s poop. Abnormal poop is an indication that your rabbit may be sick, while you know that normal rabbit droppings (and no other illness symptoms) mean your rabbit is happy and healthy.
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