It can be alarming to see that your bunny is peeing an orange or red color. Typically, people associate darker-colored pee with health issues and dehydration, but this isn’t the case for rabbits. In fact, darker orange-colored pee is actually perfectly normal. In this article, we’ll discuss why rabbits often pee orange or red and when you should actually be concerned.
Why is My Bunny Peeing Orange?
Orange-colored urine is actually quite common among rabbits. The shade may vary from different shades of orange to even red or brown.
Though this may look alarming, most of the time is perfectly normal and healthy. Orange urine can be caused by many different factors, but it is usually attributed to their diet. An easy way to tell the color of your rabbit’s urine is to put a paper towel over a spot where they peed.
A rabbit’s diet is highly influential to the color of its urine. Plants that are high in beta-carotene, including fruits and vegetables, may result in your rabbit’s urine being an orange or red shade.
Natural pigments found in plants can also cause your rabbit’s urine to be tinted orange or red. This is perfectly normal. Medications may also be responsible for altering the color of your rabbit’s pee.
A common side effect of antibiotics on rabbits is orange or darker-colored pee. Again, this is perfectly normal and healthy.
An orange urine can also cause your rabbit to have orange and yellow feet. While this won’t harm them, I do suggest you clean their feet to maintain proper hygiene.
Signs of Unhealthy Urine
Even though it is quite normal for rabbit urine to be orange or red colored, it is still essential to watch out for other health concerns that their urine may indicate. Most of the time darker colored pee is normal, but not always.
Additionally, the texture may be indicative of a health issue. In this section, we’ll discuss signs of unhealthy urine that are likely symptomatic of underlying health issues. In all of the cases discussed below, it is important to take your rabbit to the veterinarian as soon as you can.
Texture
The texture is an important thing to watch out for. Urine should be purely liquid. If your rabbit is urinating gritty or thick urine, you should be concerned.
This may indicate that your rabbit is suffering from an excess of calcium lodging itself within the bladder. This will eventually lead to bladder stones which must be treated. Bladder stones can be excruciating for your rabbit.
Therefore, it is important to get your rabbit to the veterinarian right away if you notice any thickness or sludge-like qualities in your rabbit’s urine.
Unhealthy Causes of Color
Though orange or red-colored urine is typically normal and safe, there are times when it is not. Darker urine can be indicative of dehydration.
Furthermore, the red may be caused by blood in the urine. Because it is easy to overlook these conditions, it is important to always pay close attention and monitor your rabbit’s urine.
If your rabbit’s urine is being affected by dehydration, it will likely show other symptoms as well. Their saliva may be thick and their feces will be dry and hard. If you are noticing these symptoms, make sure to provide your rabbit with more water and visit your veterinarian. I also suggest that you clean your rabbit’s floor in their enclosure, as this can motivate them to drink more water.
If blood is darkening the color of your rabbit’s pee, it may have an undiagnosed kidney or liver issue. Kidney stones, bladder stones, or various infections may cause your rabbit’s urine to contain blood. If you notice blood in your rabbit’s urine, it is necessary to take them to your veterinarian for further consultation.
Final Thoughts
Though darker-colored urine can be alarming to see, it is usually perfectly normal and healthy for rabbits. Food and medication can cause your rabbit’s urine to develop an orange or red appearance.
This is nothing to be concerned about as it does not pose any threats to your rabbit’s health. However, there are cases in which you should be worried about your rabbit’s urine. If your rabbit’s urine is thick or blood is present, you need to visit your veterinarian.
Furthermore, you should always watch out for signs of dehydration, which can also cause your rabbit’s urine to darken. Overall, it is important to monitor your rabbit’s urine as it can be indicative of various health concerns.
While you should keep in mind that orange and red urine is normal, you should still be wary and watchful of other unhealthy influences on your rabbit’s urine.