Bertie's eating soil

I can't find anything about this anywhere on t'web, but since he's been having troubled tummy, Berts keeps going to the plants and eating the soil. He's having probiotics again at the mo, and has never done it before, any ideas anyone?

Found a site about a dog eating soil and it said it might be to do with an iron imbalance or mineral need.

I did wonder about minerals, it seems weird that its coincided with the pro biotics/sickly tummy. Thanks though

I know that wild animals will sometimes eat soil to counteract poisons. Not suggesting Berts has been poisoned but if he's feeling particularly rough/acidy then maybe he's doing the equivalent of taking a Rennies?

OMG! is he OK Jay?, poor little Bertie, I've never heard of it before but I am seeing Paula this morning and will ask her

Thanks Theo, that's really helpful/kind of you, and he is generally Ok, but he's just not quite right, since the poisonous plant incident He's been back on the probiotics which havehelped, but I'm thinking that there may well be permanent damage/problems because of it.

We did mess him up with all that travelling/change etc. just after he'd been unwell, which probably wasn't the best time to do it, but he's settled back in OK now. Thanks again, I'll catch up with what Paula said later xx

Oh crikey, he seemed so happy with us, I hope he's going to be OK, do you think that he shouldn't have come to me then?, I am so sorry that he is 'not right' and hope you can get him back to normal again

Theo, please don't take that to mean that he shouldn't have been there, I'm thrilled he came to stay with you, he obviously had a fantastic time, and really, he's Ok, and i don't want you to worry. I guess that he's always had perfect health, so these little things that are happening stand out more, and because he lives in, we spot anything pretty quickly. He's been poisoned, which is new to me, and it's obviously gonna take a bit more time than I thought to rectify it.

I'd bring him back to you like a shot :luv:

No, I didn't mean that, sorry that's forums for you, what I meant was do you think the travelling has aggrevated it?, not him coming to stay with me, does that make sense?

You can bring him back any time, he's adorable and we really miss him, he's such a character :luv: :luv:

Yes, it does, sorry i was mortified that I'd hurt your feelings
I think the travelling was possibly too much, mainly because he was still recovering, although he did seem to travel well, but as we know, they hide these things well. I'm glad he made such a good immpression on you :luv: Thanks for asking Paula, I'll be interested to hear xx

No you haven't hurt my feelings Jay, It's a real shame because he travelled so well, he certainly made an impression on us and Roy has asked a couple of times if he is coming back to stay

I'll ask Paula when I go in and will let you know later on

Spoke to Paula and she is of the opinion that it's a mineral deficiency, she explained that animals go back to their basic instincts and he is depleted in something or could be anaemic and so is trying to make it up by eating soil, she suggested that he could have bloods done to find out for sure, she suggested a very good diet of SS pellets or likewise, dried dandelion, plantain, herbs and lots of hay, I did explain that was his diet.

Hope this helps and please give him special nose and eye rubs from me xx

Thank-you so much for asking Theo, I'm sat here with him and giving him rubs as requested
I'll speak to the vet about bloods, that is his diet really, I wonder if it's the lack of veg suddenly that's done it.
Thank-you :luv:

Hmmmmmmmm might be, that's the trouble with bunnies, they can't tell us what the problem is

I really hope he gets back to normal soon, he really is such a special bunny, has he settled back home after the travelling?