I think my rabbit is ill

Question
I have owned my male rabbit for 1 month.  Yesterday my children and I noticed that when he urinated, it was red like blood.  Thin like urine not at all thick.  He is eating fine, and drinking.  When he's outside his cage, he's fine hopping around having fun.  There are no symptoms showing he's ill besides the color of his urine.  What do I do?
Shelley

Answer
Hi Shelley,

from what you are describing, your rabbit is most likely fine.  There are a lot of foods that have natural pigments (coloring) that can turn a rabbit's urine to orange or orange/red.

Also, a lot of the time when an animal (or person) is actually passing blood in the urine, it is in such a small amount you cannot even tell that there is any blood because it isn't detectable visibly.

Now, if your rabbit has had some trauma to his back/kidneys area or the gut area, I'd say it wold be more likely, but since you did not indicate this, I would say it's because of the foods he's eating.  Dyes in wood chew products and dyes in any kind of processed treats (they are bad, by the way - don't feed him these) and natural compounds in vegetables can turn the urine darker.

I would suggest however, finding a good rabbit vet and take him in for a wellness exam and also to get a vet familiar with your particular rabbit.  Rabbits need at least an annual exam just like a cat or dog.  It's even more important because as a prey species, they mask illness and problems much more than dogs and cats and by the time you pick up on them not being well, something that could have been a simple problem is now a life-threatening one.

If you don't have a good rabbit vet yet, go to:

www.rabbit.org/care/vets.html

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet in your area.

Lee