Corpophagy in Rabbits

The normal healthy rabbit forms twokinds of faecal pellets. One type is that normally seen on thefloor of the hutch, the other type is never normally seen for it is taken direct from the anus by the rabbit and swallowed whole. The residue of fresh food material passes into thecae cum after digestion and absorption in the small intestine.fter bacterial digestion in the aecium, the food passes through the colon, is swallowed by the rabbit and passes scooper pellets into the stomach. This material, after being re-digested, passes through the large intestine and is excreted. At least half and probably more, of the material excreted by the rabbit is re-ingested as coronarius pellets .Several reasons for the peculiar physiological habit have been advanced. On a dry matter basis, the chordophones contain 3 times as much crude protein as do the normal pellets, but only a third of the fibre. In addition the coronarius pellets contain considerable amounts of Complex vitamins. There is little doubt therefore that part at least of the explanation of this process lies in the increased efficiency of digestion and the production of some at least of the animal's vitamin requirements. It should again perhaps be stressed that the habit is perfectly normal, and indeed can be observed at many periods of the day.