Rabbit. Poop.

[Puppy Madness]

So, my sweet sweet little girl LOVES rabbit poop. When I say love, I mean she will pick it over any toy that I have in my hand. She's four months. She knows leave it and will leave everything, even food we have dropped on accident in the kitchen etc. Leave it DOES NOT work for rabbit poop. I have resorted to putting her harness on whenever we go out on the grass (the only place we have for her to do her business and on the other side we play) if she is being particularly naughty that day so that I can lead her away from the tasty morsels. I will put my foot over where she is sniffing it and tell her leave it, tell her no. I praise her when we are playing and when she stops sniffing the rabbit poop to play with me. Getting rid of the rabbits is not an option, so please please PLEASE any suggestions on other training methods or things that I can do?

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

First of all, this story made me giggle...but yah..thats gross! Maybe you can put a little fence around the bunny cages so that she cant get to where the poop is? Not sure how you have your rabbits but when I had mine in the cages and it dropped through the bottom...you could have fenced around the bottom of the cage so that the dog couldn't get to the poop?

[Jaime and Barley Barker]

I wonder if you can ask your vet if there is a product you can add to the rabbits' feed that will make the feces unpalatable to dogs. For example, see the product link below:

 

http://www.jefferspet.com/forbid/p/BW-F7/

 

This product is for dog, cat, and horse poop, but maybe there is an existing product for small mammals. Good luck!

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

Dogs can get coccidiosis or leptospirosis from eating rabbit feces.  If putting a fence around the area is not possible.  Maybe try using Bitter Apple and spraying the rabbit poo.  There is a product called For-Bid that you sprinkle on your dogs food to discourage them from eating their own poo.  You would have to check with the vet to see if it is something rabbits can tolerate.  Try not to scold her, it may make her think she needs to eat it faster.  Good Luck

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Sorry, I'm laughing too.  She is just showing you her retriever side.  I KNOW my labs ate tons of it, but they were off leash so I didn't exactly have to watch it.  Plus, I find it interesting that the rabbit keeps pooping in the same place that Mango goes potty.  We have a tiny bunny that comes right up to our patio to eat grass that Sheila has urinated on.

Does Mango throw up after?  I haven't SEEN Sheila do that, but I know she must bc her blood work shows some kind of parasite that the vet says is harmless, but comes from walks, etc.

I know you'll kill me for saying this, but cld you scoop up the rabbit poop before Mango gets to it.

Sounds to me like these two are emailing each other.  Giggle.  I know.  Not helpful. Giggle.

Love, love love Mango's coloring.

 

[Helen & Kirby]

My dog has been eating rabbit poop too!  There are wild rabbits in our neighborhood, and every now and then, she finds a tasty morsel.  The only thing I can do is to keep her busy and distracted and bring along the extra good treats if we are walking on the grass.  But the bunnies are everywhere, so there are little bunny poops everywhere too.  My vet said they shouldn't cause any big problems, of course try and prevent her from making a whole meal of it!

Are these pet rabbits or wild rabbits?

 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I wouldn't worry about rabbit poop.  Have you seen their diet?  They are definitely herbifores.  I would worry more about eating the poop of carnivores and that is where they can get worms and other diseases.  I have started putting a muzzle on my dog when we are walking at Ft. Ord because there is all kinds of "goodies" on the trail.  He doesn't like the muzzle but it is better than eating coyote and mountain lion poop.

[Jane Smith]

Good luck with that.  We took the girls camping and they enjoyed every morsel of deer droppings and cow patties in our camp.