I've have had my bunny since last February or March, she is about 4 years old and unspayed. For the past few weeks, she has smelled absolutely disgusting. Even a few minutes after I've changed her litter (yesterday's news) I can smell her. I have never had a problem with smelling her before and I used tomb able to go close to a week before changing her litter and still not smell her. I changed her food about a month ago that is the only thing that has changed. Also for the past few weeks she has been digging her litter box. My apartment is tiny so I have always slept with earplugs so she doesn't keep me up at night but this is so loud nothing can tune it out. She doesn't knock very much of it out of the litter box but just shovels it around making a lot of noise. She does it EVERY MORNING AND AND EVERY NIGHT. I can't sleep. It only started a few weeks ago and before that had never done it before. It is not because she thinks her litter needs to be changed because she will do this moments after I've changed it as well as a few days after I've changed it. It's non stop. Please help. I've gotten to the point where I won't have anyone over because she smells so bad and I am exhausted from her making so much noise.
-
1I cannot say anything about the smell, but the digging sounds perfectly natural for a rabbit. Do you have room do provide her with a "digging box"? Pushing the litter may just not satisfy her... a big plastic box with soil where she can spend 2 or 3 a day make make that better.– LaynaCommented Oct 20, 2015 at 12:22
-
1A couple of questions. Does your rabbit have hay available? How much and what kind of food are you feeding now? Are you seeing Cecotropes in the litter? Have your read our two main questions on cecotropes Do bunnies eat their droppings? & How fresh should cecotropes be when used to recolonize a different rabbit? has your bunny had any medicine in the last month, if so what?– James JenkinsCommented Oct 20, 2015 at 14:26
-
She always had hay available and I free feed her rabbit feed from the Agro-coop I'm not sure what it is it just says rabbit feed on the bag. I have no idea what cecotropes are but will ask the vet about it in a couple hours, they had a cancelling so they're going to see her today as opposed to Monday.– SharkyCommented Oct 20, 2015 at 16:19
-
1Take the litter box with you. If there are cecotropes in the litter she is probably getting to much high value food (this is what it sounds like). let us know what the vet says.– James JenkinsCommented Oct 20, 2015 at 17:35
1 Answer
Given that you are "free feed her rabbit feed from the Agro-coop" I suspect this is a case of too much high value food. We have a pretty good look at rabbit digestion in our question and answer Can rabbits fart? which includes lot of good references.
Rabbit digestion is primarily dependent on moving large quantities of low-value food. When they receive to much high value food it disrupts everything. The natural balance of bacteria in the cecum is changed, they stop eating their cecotropes, the cecotropes are not the same as the normal rabbit droppings, they are sticky and yucky. Cecotropes that fueled by high value foods are pretty much everything you describe in your question.
A general rule of thumb is to give 1/4 cup of pellets for every 5 pounds of body weight. This is just a guideline you may need to adjust it, we have some bunnies in our house that need significantly more and others that need less.
You said you changed food recently to a product from your local Agro-coop, that food is designed for production rabbits; mothers breeding kits, who will also be eating it and growing fast so they can be eaten young. Even in moderation that is likely to high value of a food. Occasionally it is even recommended to not feed any pellets
Your bunny is kicking her litter out, because she dislikes the poop in her litter box as much as you do. In the short term while you are addressing the issue, I recommend changing her litter more often.
Some Related Questions that will be helpful to read.
