Ok, rabbit books say 1.) Rabbits need to eat some of their own feces or else they could die of malnutrition, and 2.) Make hutches with wire floors so the feces fall through. So how do they get a chance to eat any of it? This probably seems like a really silly question to anyone with rabbits, but I really am wondering if I need to make a spot with wood instead of wire so they have a little access to it? Any help here would be great!

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), May 04, 2001

Answers

Rabbits have two different types of feces. The first is soft and tar- like and they reach down and get it and, well, eat it. It goes through the system again and comes out as marbled feces. Think of it as being like a cow or goat's cud, only from t'other end.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), May 04, 2001.

For years, critics of the Bible used the passages in the Mosaic Law outlining dietary rules as proof that the Bible was scientifically inaccurate because the coney "rabbit" is listed with animals that chew the cud. What you are observing in your rabbits is exactly that: chewing the cud. Just a little differently than other ruminants.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), May 05, 2001.

I understand that, I just don't know how to kepp some of the feces in when the bottom of the hutch is wire. Will the night feces be so big that they won't pass through the flooring?

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), May 05, 2001.

Elizabeth,

Don't worry about the wire cage. The rabbit will be able to get their feces, they lick them before they drop out. Also, if you are feeding your rabbit commercial rabbit food then eating the feces isn't necessary. Rabbits who are free-ranging and eating grass need the feces because that is what they can actually digest. This is why some books will tell you not to give your caged rabbit too much grass (when I first raised rabbits that didn't make sense to me since they ate grass in the wild). Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), May 05, 2001.

Like the above posts said, your rabbits will eat the "edible" feces directly as they pass them. The other feces that they don't eat will fall thru the wire floor. Definitely keep them on wire as the urine buildup could burn their feet and undersides unless kept very clean. Good luck!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), May 05, 2001.

I think this is why so many bunnies use their houses as litter boxes. I have wire bottoms but also offer a litter pan to all my rabbits. I find that many will pull their fur in it to line nest boxes and some like to sleep in them. Of course, they all use them.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), May 05, 2001.

Thanks everyone for the great responses! Always know I can come here with my silly questions!

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), May 06, 2001.

Don't bother trying to check on them.... The tar=like feces are USUALLY only produced at night. Sometimes, though, you will see them plugging the holes in the bottom of the cage. Don't worry about it, just make sure they don't stay there...

Also - if the entire floor of the cage is wire, put in a board big enough for the rabbit to sit all the way on. It WILL be a little extra on the cleaning chores, but without it they will get sore hocks. This will prevent them from breeding, and can cause them to go off feed. My cages have wood frames, so I bolt the boards to the frame to keep them from moving too much. The rabbits will, however, chew and eat the wood, so don't use treated.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 07, 2001.