Large quantities of cecal

Question
QUESTION: I have a neutered male Holland Lop bunny, who is absolutely adored and well cared for.  He lives in our home and has run of the house, except when we're not here to supervise.  He is fed pellets and hay, and a bit of oatmeal each evening.  He hasn't been eating much of his hay, and he won't touch any fruits or vegetables that I give him.  In addition, he's leaving an awful lot of cecal, I'd say 4-5 per day.  I don't know if he's eating any of it, but this is the quantity that I find laying around.  He seems healthy otherwise, does rest a lot, but he's still his usual curious self.  Can you please tell me if I should be concerned, or if it's just a case of modifying his diet?  I give him about 2/3 cups of pellets per day (he's about 3 pounds).  Any help advise you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER: Dear April,

Holland Lops, with their short faces, are notorious for dental/molar problems, and a change in eating habits (or picky eating habits in general) can signal that it's time for a good, experienced rabbit vet to have a look at the molars to see if there are any spurs that need filing.  Even a tiny spur can cause this inappetence in a sensitive rabbit, so I wouldn't take even a small spur lightly.

You can read more here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope that helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response.  The thing is, he is eating his pellets and will eat his oatmeal.  The amount of cecal is really what I'm concerned about.  Is that normal?  Since my previous question, I have cut back on his pellets and he does seem to eat a little more hay. Would too much of the pellets cause these issues?  The list of vets that you provided include nothing in our area, unfortunately.  But he was neutered in an office that seems to know a lot about rabbits.

Answer
Dear April,

If he's merely leaving normal cecals around, his diet may be very rich in protein and carbs, so he doesn't feel as driven to eat them.  We see this in some cases.  Cutting back on pellets and treats can help reduce the problem.

Hope this helps!

Dana