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Billy[_4_] · 22-02-2008, 01:11 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible

In article ,
wrote:

On Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:03:42 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:

On Feb 6, 7:58*pm, KC wrote:
On Feb 4, 12:27*pm, Sarah Still wrote:

I have a large cage of 12 rabbits, who spend a good deal of time
pooping. The dirty soil and hay mixture needs to be turned out every
once in a while, and I wondered if this manure/soil/hay mixture could
be used as an enriching compost for my herb garden. Would the pH of
the manure, diluted with potting soil, be suitable for herbs?

I've read that rabbits only digest 25% of the food they eat, the
remaining 75% cycles through their system as unused plant fiber.
That's why rabbits are often seen eating their dried poop - it still
has lots of nourishment. *That said, there should not be much
difference between it and plant mulch.

KC

that's one of the oddities of the animal world. rabbits have a similar
digestive cycle as ruminants (cows, sheep, goats, deer, buffalo, etc);
bacteria in their stomach digest the plant matter and that generates
more food value. but whereas the ruminants have an extra stomach to do
the work, then they "chew the cud", wherefrom they get their name,
rabbits don't have that; so they have to poop it out then eat it a
second time. i gather that the first pass and second pass are
different enough for the bunnies to know which to eat.

There seems to be a lot of misconception about rabbits 'eating their
own poop'. They don't just eat any old poop.
Coprophagy, as the practice is known, involves only one type of feces.
It's one consumed mainly at night, therefore, 'night feces'. Compared
with the hard, dry pellets of 'day feces', these night feces are soft
and are contained in a mucous membrane. The rabbit normally ingests
these 'night feces' directly from the anus.
It's all part of the rabbit's method of B vitamin synthesis.

Ross.

Some people were ready to eat dinner. You know?
--

Billy

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