There’s a common myth that rabbits don’t fart! But how true is it? Or are people simply unaware of their rabbits passing gas?
It isn’t anything unnatural. In fact, it’s a healthy function of any digestive system. While it’s true that some animals don’t fart, that doesn’t mean it has to be the same with bunnies. Read along to find out if rabbits fart, why they fart, what are some of the disconcerting signs, and much more.
Do Rabbits Actually Fart?
Yes! Contrary to the popular myth that rabbits don’t fart and that it’s very concerning if they fart, it’s actually very normal for them to pass gas every now and then. Since they can’t burp, farting is the only option for them to release excess gas in their digestive system.
Why Do Rabbits Fart?
Farting happens due to the formation of gas which is a byproduct of the process of digestion. When food gets fermented in the cecum, the region between the small and large intestines, it produces gas. Any healthy rabbit will fart to release the accumulated gas in its digestive tract.
It’s when they stop farting completely, start passing gas too frequently, or have a gurgling tummy that you should be concerned They’ll also feel uncomfortable and may even suffer from cramps.
Is Farting a Healthy Habit for Them?
It absolutely is! In fact, occasional farting will help them release all the excess gas trapped inside their intestines. Farting can also be the manner in which you can figure out whether your bunny has something in its diet that’s causing this gas, is stressed with something, or any other reason.
However, excessive farting or no farting at all can be things to worry about. If either of the two things occurs, you should take your pet to the vet to know what’s causing these symptoms.
Can You Hear or Smell When Your Bunny Farts?
Rabbit farts are silent and odorless most of the time. But if you’ve brought changes in its diet or have started incorporating fruits as occasional treats, it can pass gas very loudly and spread an awful smell.
How Much Is Too Much?
Rabbits may not fart every day; they only do it occasionally. So if you see your bunny farting very frequently, it can be a cause for concern. Your bunny can be excessively bloated, distressed, or dehydrated, and needs your help to pass the excess buildup.
However, if your pet still keeps on passing gas, it can likely be due to GI stasis. This can have fatal consequences, as in most cases, rabbits die within a few days.
When Do Rabbits Produce Excess Gas?
Rabbits can produce excess gas for a number of reasons. It can be anything from a change in diet to being stressed emotionally. Here are the causes of why rabbits may form too much gas and end up farting too much:
1. Foods That Produce Excess Gas
There are a lot of foods that can cause gas buildup in rabbits. Primarily, vegetables in the Brassicaceae family like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, etc. produce a lot of gas due to the high amount of fiber and sugar.
The sugar in fruits is also responsible for very smelly farts in bunnies, so pay attention to the smell of your rabbit’s farts when you start giving them fruits as treats. Even carrots can bloat them up! Surprising, right?
Grains, peas, nuts, and corn can produce a lot of gas due to the byproducts they produce when they ferment in the intestines. Also, foods equivalent to bread or anything containing a lot of carbohydrates and yeast can also make rabbits gassy.
2. Dehydration
Water helps a lot in digesting food and keeping the body hydrated. Lack of water cause dehydration in rabbits which will prevent the proper dissolution of electrolytes in their blood.
Then there will be a lot of fermented food in their digestive system because the essential nutrients won’t be digested properly. Ultimately, this will result in the accumulation of a lot of gas in their system, which will then cascade into more issues.
3. Eats Too Quickly
Eating too quickly introduces pockets of air in the food, which ends up getting trapped in the stomach. Since rabbits can’t burp, a lot of this swallowed air ends up trapped in the stomach and intestines.
4. A Change in Their Diet
Have you changed your rabbit’s diet recently and it has been gassy ever since? Then you need to check what’s really causing it. Even small amounts of fruits as treats can make your rabbits fart a lot. Some vegetables can also have the same effect on them, so you have to keep track of what’s causing the flatulence.
5. Emotional Stress
If you have kept your rabbit’s diet simple and given it a lot of water but it’s still producing a lot of gas, you need to reflect on other matters. Has your pet lost a partner recently? Or have you just got it from a rabbit adoption center and severed it from its partners?
In other words, you should try to figure out if your rabbit has suffered some kind of emotional trauma or not.
In cases where rabbits face separation from their partners or favorite belongings, they face a lot of emotional stress. This causes a hormonal imbalance in their body, disrupting all the chemical balances, which ultimately affects digestion and produces excess gas.
When Should You Be Concerned?
It can be concerning when your rabbit stops passing any gas or starts passing too much. Following are some signs your rabbit may execute that you should be concerned about:
1. Bloating
Your bunny will look bloated when there’s too much gas trapped inside. You’ll feel it when you poke its tummy and it feels very tight. Sometimes, no matter how many home remedies and massages you try, you can’t relieve your pet from bloating. This is when you need to take it to the vet to clear any obstruction in the GI tract that could be the potential cause.
2. Gurgling Noises in the Tummy
Too much gas buildup in your pet’s tummy will cause bubbling inside. You can hear it when you put your ear against its stomach, or the gurgling can be loud enough for you to hear from a distance.
3. Trapped Gas
Sometimes, you’ll see that your bunny is crouching down, tensed up, and grinding its teeth in pain due to excess gas trapped inside. It’ll also feel very tired, and restless, and may even be short of breath with unusual body temperature.
Whenever you see this happening, take your bunny to the vet to find out why this is happening. The vet will clear out any obstruction that has been making it difficult for the rabbit to pass gas.
4. No Excretion
Sometimes, due to excess gas buildup, rabbits can’t excrete anything. Then again, they can pass gassy poop, and sometimes diarrhea as well. You shouldn’t avoid these at all and consult with your vet immediately.
5. Reduced Appetite
Too much gas trapped inside can make your rabbit so uncomfortable that it will lose its appetite and stop eating. Do whatever you can to release the gas, as starvation can be fatal for rabbits.
How Can You Control Their Farts?
People think that rabbits don’t fart, but that’s simply because perfectly healthy rabbit farts don’t have any sound or gas. You can’t stop rabbits from farting entirely. In fact, that will be dangerous. However, you can reduce the frequency to normal. Here’s how:
1. Avoiding Certain Foods
Keep a track of everything your rabbit eats. That way, if you see that it’s getting gassy, you can ask your vet which of the foods in your rabbit’s diet is causing it. This will help you avoid those foods in the future, especially if they don’t add much nutritional value.
2. Changing the Diet
If a vegetable is full of good nutrition for your rabbit but it produces gas in your rabbit’s tummy, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad. Maybe you just need to modify the amount of that food.
Reduce the amount of those foods, and maybe incorporate them into your bunny’s diet less frequently and that might solve the issue. Also, try to make your rabbit’s diet as diverse and balanced as possible.
3. Giving Stomach Massages
Did you notice how stomach massages help babies release gas? The same applies to rabbits, so give them tummy massages when they get bloated. Besides, encourage exercising, as movements can help relieve a lot of pressure from the tummy by making the bowels move more.
Conclusion
Passing gas is completely natural and a healthy function of the digestive system, even in rabbits. It’s when the bloating gets too much, they either start farting too much or not at all, and they stop pooping that it becomes concerning. If those things occur, you should try to figure out whether changes in diet, emotional trauma or any other factor are contributing to the problem. In case nothing seems to make sense, don’t hesitate to contact your vet and seek assistance before things get out of hand.