# Black poop?



## Leraine (Feb 21, 2014)

I clean my rat's cage once in the morning and once at night, and when I woke up this morning I noticed the litter box was full of black poop. Should I be worried? Her poops are usually brown. When I cleaned the cage last night, her poop was still normal brown. Last night I did feed her some chicken soup made from a special breed of chicken called "Silkie" or "Black chicken" where the bones, meat, and skin of the bird are black. She has had continuous access to clean water this whole time. Yesterday she also ate dates, oxbow, a tiny bit of softboiled egg (and she chewed on the eggshell a little), kale and edemame beans. 

I should also mention that two days ago, I was working at my desk with her sleeping in my hoodie. I think she may have shifted in her sleep, because she fell out of my hoodie and landed on my backpack (it was maybe a 3 foot fall). I freaked out and got up to check on her, but by the time I got behind the chair (maybe 1 second later) she was on her feet and about to walk underneath some furniture behind the desk. I quickly checked her over, and she didn't seem to be in any pain, and kept trying to find a comfy dark place to sleep. (Which is pretty normal for her. She's sleepy during the daytime and gets hyper at sunset). I put her back in her cage and she was eating and using the bathroom normally within an hour. She has seemed fine since then. I bring this up because in human medicine, black stool can indicate a bleed in certain areas of the upper gastrointestinal tract. But the fall was 2 days ago and she was pooping regularly since the fall up until last night when her poops were black. 

Edit: She's also currently on Baytril and Doxy (and she has been for about 2 weeks). Is it possible that her poop is black due to the antibiotics disrupting her normal gut flora? I have some powdered probiotics in capsules. Maybe I should give it to her?

Any ideas?


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

A fall like that didn't hurt her, rats are springy and if they pop back up afterwards then they're fine. My girls like to take running swan dives off the dressers, a four and a half foot drop, and always bounce back. 

Her poo was probably black because of the soup, just like if they've eaten carrots it tends to be orange the next day. 

Nothing to worry about!


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## Leraine (Feb 21, 2014)

It wont let me edit again - I want to mention that my backpack was kind of soft, so it seems her fall was cushioned. I also think she may have landed on her feet, since she was on her feet by the time I got up to check on her a second later. I don't think she would have righted herself that quickly if she landed on her back, but I could be wrong.


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## Leraine (Feb 21, 2014)

Hey-Fay said:


> A fall like that didn't hurt her, rats are springy and if they pop back up afterwards then they're fine. My girls like to take running swan dives off the dressers, a four and a half foot drop, and always bounce back.
> 
> Her poo was probably black because of the soup, just like if they've eaten carrots it tends to be orange the next day.
> 
> Nothing to worry about!


Phew! That makes me feel a lot better. I'll withhold the soup for now and hope that her poops go back to being brown. Thanks for the response!


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

You're very welcome!


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