SMELLY POOP!

Question
hi,
this is an odd question ... and perhaps has a really simple answer ... but my roommate and i both adopted a netherland dwarf bunny back in february and she's been such a doll!  however, her pellets, which used to be virtually odor free and easy to deal with have suddenly become WRETCHED ... they smell like some horrific cheese and armpit sweat.  ha ... i'm being graphic but i guess i want you to understand that this doesn't smell stinky in the way that one might expect poop to smell.  nothing has changed in her diet, she is fed pellets, timothy hay, vitamins in her water,  and the occasional banana.  we gave her alfalfa for a while, in small amounts ... but stopped that once the odor began because we thought it was the problem.  unfortunately that was 3 weeks ago and the smell has continued!  her cage reeks, she reeks and we're beginning to cringe when she hops up to cuddle!  HELP!  thank you!

Answer
If her poop is normal in consistency--should be dry, pretty round, hard or crumbly--and isn't sticky or runny, then the smell may be actually from her scent glands and urine getting on the pellets. The reason for the smell may be that she has reached "puberty" and is particularly prone to "that hormonal smell" rabbit people know and despise. If she is actually older or younger than this (puberty comes on about about 3-4 months), or the poop is sticky, she could have digestive problems to address. If so, please write back and we can discuss that multifaceted problem! If her poop is normal, it may be time to schedule that spay with a competent rabbit vet.  You can find a fact sheet on how to pick a good vet and a list of recommended vets on rabbit.org. Good luck! Oh, and go easy on that banana! See if she will eat healthy greens such as parsley for treats. Start with a small amount at a time.

Gina