Oxbow Pellets

I had a couple of readers suggest Oxbow pellets to help with the cecotrope issues Clovis was having.  I had cut back considerably on fruit and greens with limited success and had resigned myself to accepting things the way they were. It wasn't bad, just worrisome.  I hadn't seen Oxbow in our local pet stores so I ordered online hoping for the best.

Oxbow suggested I gradually add their pellets so I started with one part Oxbow and three parts current brand which is Purina. The Oxbow pellets were a bit larger and greener. I carefully measured them out and fed to Clovis.

We did not relish the Oxbow pellets! Discouraging! He will eat them but they are the last to go. I'm up to 3 parts Oxbow and 1 part Purina now. I feel a little mean taking away something he loves so much but I'm hoping that once he is completely on the Oxbow it won't really matter to him.

Did this solve the cecotrope problem?  Yes! I would say this is a successful solution.  I've been sneaking in more fruit here and there - a consolation of sorts to Clovis for having to give up a favorite. Thank you, dear readers, for your suggestion!

Something Amiss and a Mess

Something is amiss and a mess here.  In the past month or more I have been dealing with Clovis' uneaten cecotropes. This disturbs me since they are loaded with important nutrition that he is not getting, and they also make a mess! Especially when they get stepped on or slept on. The other issue that concerns me is Clovis isn't really cleaning himself up, and that's unusual. 

We went to see Dr. Heather last weekend and she checked him over. She ruled out anything physical that might be preventing him from reaching the cecotropes or cleaning his back end, like a tumor or injury.  His weight is always the same, give or take a few ounces so he's not overweight. And everything else, appetite, activity, is normal. At her suggestion I cut back on fruit, pellets, and the bunny byte treats.  (Well, I didn't cut back much on the pellets because he loves them so much...) And I gave his little bunny butt a sponge bath. Next course of action would be blood work and x-ray.

I think things have improved but we are not quite there yet.  I've done a little Internet searching and one possibility I noted is overproduction of cecotropes due to diet.

I was wondering if any of you have had a similar experience?