irregular stool

Question
hi,i just bought a rabbit(nether land dwarf)and i loved him.my friend has owned a rabbit for at least 3 years and she taught me how to take care of rabbits.the first few days were fine,but then sometime he made long soft stool.when my friend visited she knew how to give rabbits checkups,and said my rabbit was perfectly normal.then later she pooped normal stool and a hour later he pooped diarrhea.and the next few days he sometimes makes long soft stools.i didn't give him anything new.just rabbit mix(it's the Suncrunch brand)and timothy hay and treats(max.2 per day)his mood is normal like the day i bought him.is there something wrong with my rabbit?And how can i cure him?please answer ASAP(I want to know what's wrong)!!!

Answer
Dear Julia,

I'm not familiar with "Suncrunch," but its name raises BIG red flags.  If it has anything in it besides alfalfa- or timothy-based pellets, then throw it away and get a good quality pellet that has only green pellets in it.  Purina, Kaytee Exact (NOT Fiesta!), Manna Pro and some other brands are good and usually readily available in pet stores or feed stores.  Oxbow Hay Company makes excellent pellets you can order online (www.oxbowhay.com).

The timothy hay is good, but "treats" can be a problem with very young rabbits who are still developing their intestinal "ecosystems."  What your rabbit has is cecal dysbiosis, which you can read about here:

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

The most common cause, especially in young rabbits, is incorrect diet, so you should check your rabbit's diet with the one desscribed here:

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

to be sure you're giving him foods that will promote intestinal health.

If his runny stool becomes severe, or if he loses his appetite, you should consider it an EMERGENCY and get him to a good rabbit vet immediately:

www.rabbit.org/vets

For all the best information on proper rabbit care, please visit:

www.rabbit.org

and read the many helpful articles there.

Good luck!

Dana