Volatile fatty acids, which are the energy component of fiber digestion, can be absorbed directly through the cecal epithelium. We never see them because rabbits practice coprophagy — they eat these special night feces directly from the anus. Like all animals, rabbits need a balance of all the necessary nutrients in order to be optimally productive and healthy.
What they need is determined by their stage in life. Young growing bunnies and lactating does will have the highest nutrient requirements especially energy , while adult rabbits, such as pet rabbits, will have the lowest. Breeds with long fur, such as Angoras, may require more protein and fat to support optimal coat quality.
Related Education Content. Specialty Pages. The end of the small intestines enlarges into an area called the sacculus rotundus and is made of primarily lymphoid tissue. These areas of lymphoid tissue are important in immune health overall, so keeping the GI tract healthy is critical in keeping the entire immune system healthy in your bunny.
Next, the food enters the large intestines and moves into the cecum. The cecum functions to breakdown digestible fibers and starches via fermentation and contains good microorganisms. If the good bacteria is altered, it can lead to an overgrowth of pathogens called dysbiosis, which can be fatal. Some nutrients are then absorbed through the cecal wall and others are formed into cecotrophs and eliminated rectally so the rabbits can ingest them.
Keep reading to learn more about cecotrophs! The beginning of the colon, called the proximal colon, separates the food material into digestible and indigestible material. The digestible material is then moved backwards into the cecum and the indigestible material is formed into fecal balls and moved out of the GI tract. The large intestines are also critical in water resorption.
The rabbit will produce 2 types of feces, the hard-feces and the soft cecotrophs. The hard feces pass during or shortly after eating. The smaller and softer cecotrophs are often passed at night or at least 4 hours after eating.
The rabbits will ingest these directly from the anus. Their digestive system is designed to make the most efficient use of the nutrients found in their diet. It is important to consider the roles of the digestive system before looking into its parts in more detail. The primary function of the digestive system is to digest food and absorb nutrients. Digestion is the process of breaking food components into small enough units that they can be absorbed across the digestive tract wall.
This provides nutrients for the animal to use for daily needs or for production, such as during growth, pregnancy, and lactation. Another function of the digestive tract is protection from toxins, or bacteria, in the food. The environment in the stomach kills many bacteria and enzymes proteins that break down large molecules in foods to smaller particles and acid may destroy many toxins.
In addition, the immune system is closely linked to the digestive system to prevent infections. The digestive tract plays an important role in waste removal from the body, as well. The rabbit uses its lips to grab food and pass it back to the teeth to cut and grind the plant material.
This is a serious health concern in rabbits and may require veterinary treatment. For more information, see Dental Problems in Rabbits. A rabbit has 16 deciduous baby teeth and 28 permanent teeth.
Its adult teeth consist of four upper and two lower incisors front teeth as well as 22 total premolars and molars back teeth. These incisors are called the peg teeth. Incisors function to tear and grab the food. Premolars and molars are the back teeth, sometimes called the cheek teeth.
The rabbit has three upper premolars and two lower, along with three upper and three lower molars. Their primary function is to grind the food to a smaller particle size to allow for the food to be swallowed. In addition, rabbits utilize saliva secreted into the mouth to moisten the food to help with lubrication and movement through the gastrointestinal tract.
Once food is swallowed, it passes through the esophagus. The esophagus is essentially a tube that transfers food from the mouth to the stomach. Rabbits have a relatively large stomach to allow for holding of large meals because they are crepuscular, meaning they eat primarily at dawn and dusk. Once food is in the stomach, it begins to be broken down through hydrolytic and enzymatic digestion, which means acid and enzymes are used to break down the compounds to a smaller size.
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