Rabbit Urine

Normal

Normal rabbit urine can range greatly in color. It can be pale yellow, dark yellow, a range of oranges, browns, and even rusty red. There are many factors including genetics and diet. Even though it ranges in color, normal urine is always watery and not thick.

Calcium in urine

When excess calcium is no longer needed for their metabolism, it is excreted in the urine. Sometimes owners will notice a dried chalky white residue on bedding, at the bottom of the litterbox, or even on fecal pellets, where they resemble powdered donuts. A watery cloudy urine of normal color is also indicative of calcium in urine. If you have concerns, talk to your veterinarian.

Sludge

Sludge is not normal. Its main characteristic is that it is thick like peanut butter or putty. Sludge is formed when calcium is retained in the bladder, causing sedimentation at the bottom of the bladder. It can be common in rabbits that are obese, elderly, or arthritic and is indicative of a problem that needs to be treated by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian. Other signs of sludge include straining, dribbling urine, or avoidance of using the litterbox, accidents, etc. Sludge prevention includes encouragement of exercise, hydration (offer your rabbit water in a bowel rather than a bottle), and feeding the appropriate diet.

Blood in urine/sludge

Blood in either urine or sludge is a medical emergency. Sometimes it’s tricky to discern blood vs normal rust colored urine–blood is more of a magenta red than a rusty red. It could be indicative of a variety of medical problems, i.e., uterine cancer in an unspayed female, bladder or kidney stones, or inflammation that needs to be treated by a rabbit-savvy vet as soon as possible. Sometimes it manifests as clots, and sometimes it’s spotting on their bedding or flooring.

Rabbits are a prey species, so noticing subtle, potential changes can be difficult. Whether it’s your rabbits fecals, appetite or urine, pay attention to what is normal for your rabbit.