Rabbits have fairly uniform poop. Usually, they are fluffy, dry balls that are uniform in size and shape with a light brown interior and a darker brown exterior.
When a rabbit’s poop changes, even a little, it can be a sign of something serious.
White poop, thankfully, isn’t always a sign of something serious. It can be due to simple issues such as a slight imbalance, a higher amount of calcium in their system, or even because they ate a bit of food that was a little larger than usual.
Three reasons why your rabbit may be having white poop
Mucus in stool
Mucus in the stool is pretty common in rabbits. It usually comes out as a jelly-like substance that is yellow or white.
Mucus can either coat the stool or be expressed by itself. It can happen for a variety of reasons.
- Parasites. Parasites such as pinworms can hatch in a rabbit’s intestine, leaving some eggs to be released and encased in mucus.
- Infections. If your rabbit was recently on antibiotics for an infection, it might have more mucus in its stool than usual. It can even last for a little while after the antibiotics get out of your rabbit’s system.
- Disease. Some diseases can lead to irregular, mucus-filled poops in your rabbit. Enteritis is the most common. It’s usually more common in younger rabbits but can happen when changing an adult rabbit’s diet around.
- Large obstruction. If a rabbit is unable to digest something large that it ate, its body will coat it in mucus so that there is no damage to the intestines.
- Not eating properly. Rabbits have very sensitive guts. If they don’t regularly eat, they may have mucus that forms as the body tries to determine what is going on.
Urination on stool
Rabbits may pee on their stool. It may either be to mark their territory or just something that happens. Sometimes, their urine can make the stool look white.
Fibers or unnatural items in stool
Rabbits are curious creatures and usually chew on things when they want to know something about an object.
Sometimes they will end up ingesting a lot of fibers. If the object they were chewing on was white, there might be balls of white as part of their poop.
Rabbits are also meticulous groomers. If your rabbit is white or has some white patches, they may get furballs in their stool.
Rabbits are unable to vomit, so they can’t hack up hairballs like cats would do, and instead, it all comes out in their stool.
When is white poop in rabbits a common observation?
Most of the time, when you see white poop in a rabbit, it is just a sign that there are minor issues with your rabbit.
It can be a sign that your rabbit needs fewer pellets to eat, or maybe they need a few toys to prevent them from chewing something else.
Slight calcium in pee
When rabbits pee on their stool, it may sometimes be whiter than normal. This is pretty common if rabbits are getting too many pellets in their diet.
Rabbits are generally only supposed to have 1/8 to ¼ of a cup of pellets a day if your rabbit is fully grown.
Sometimes, if they are placed in a new area or there is a new rabbit around, your rabbit may also mark their territory.
This has a slightly different composition than regular urine and may be a bit higher in calcium.
Mucus after antibiotics
Your vet should warn you that while rabbits are taking antibiotics, you may see mucus in your rabbit’s stool.
Antibiotics stay in the body a few days after they stop taking them, and the mucus in your rabbit’s system may stick around until their gut gets back to normal.
Large obstruction
While large obstructions can be dangerous, overall, they are fairly minor.
If they regularly have large obstructions, it is worth watching what they are eating or checking their diet.
However, occasionally, things happen. It is a relatively minor issue as long as they are producing enough mucus to protect their intestines.
Unnatural items in stool
Rabbits are going to chew things. As long as your rabbit is still passing the items they are chewing and are still eating enough of their regular food, there is no harm in this.
However, if it gets to the point that they aren’t eating a lot of their hay and veggies, that is when you need to think about visiting a vet or moving items that your rabbit likes chewing on.
When is white poop a bigger concern?
Sometimes, white stool, especially when it comes from mucus, can signify that something more serious is going on.
There are certain symptoms to look for that can hint at something more serious going on.
Prolonged period
With whatever situation, no matter how minor it started, if the problem persists, that is when it is time to be concerned.
If you reduce your rabbit’s pellets to the right amount and they are still urinating white, it is always time to be concerned and make some significant changes or go and see a veterinarian.
Infections
Sometimes, your rabbit may get an infection. They may have a bacterial infection and produce mucus in their stool.
Other signs are lethargy, swelling, and hair loss. If your rabbit has a sign of infection, it is worth visiting a vet.
Parasites
Rabbits can get parasites like pinworms. They might form mucus in the body, especially if they start to find a place to make a home in the intestines.
Their offspring get encased in mucus as the rabbit tries to expel them from their system.
Parasites can quickly become an issue with rabbits. If you see any parasites in your rabbit’s stool or think that your rabbit might be injured, it is worth going to a vet and getting a check-up.
When your rabbit stops eating
Rabbits need to constantly eat to be healthy. If they stop eating for too long, they may get a condition called GI Stasis, which can be fatal.
If you see your rabbit going too long without eating, you need to take your rabbit to a vet immediately.
How to help a rabbit with white poop?
The first step to helping a rabbit with white poop is to identify the issue.
If the white is more chalky and just sitting on the outside of the pellets, it is likely due to pee. If it is thick and gelatinous, it is probably mucus.
If it is chunky and seems to be fibrous or connects pellets via a string, it is likely some sort of indigestible material.
Once you determine what is causing the white color, you can then easily work on what to do to better help your bunny.
White, chalky stool
White, chalky stool is usually due to an increase in calcium. The most common cause of a calcium increase in rabbits is having too many pellets every day.
As a rabbit ages, they need fewer and fewer pellets, going down to as little as 1/8th of a cup every day.
If you are doing more than this and you notice that your rabbit has urine that seems to be causing calcium sediment to form, it may be worth dropping their pellet amount down.
Indigestible material
If your rabbit is ingesting a lot of stuff their body can’t break down, it may be worth removing what items you can.
For example, any towels, rugs, or pillows in the area should be removed.
It also may be worth making sure that your rabbit has enough mental and physical stimulation so that they don’t chew from boredom.
Thick and gelatinous
If your rabbit expresses a lot of mucus in its stool, it is worth visiting a vet.
Since there are many reasons a rabbit can start expelling mucus, it is worth visiting the vet to at least determine what is wrong and plan how to fix any issues that your rabbit might have.
From parasites to infections, mucus can mean both minor or severe issues, so visiting a vet is the best course of action.
Conclusion
White poop isn’t something to immediately get worried about when you see it in your rabbit’s stool. There are many less harmful reasons for your rabbit to have white poop.
There can be more serious reasons, and if you are ever concerned, it is always worth visiting a vet or mentioning it during your next appointment.
While white poop might not be an emergency, it is always good to keep an eye on your rabbit’s stool.
Bunnies can face many issues with their gut health, and their stool is a good indicator of something going wrong.