Adopted Rabbit Might Be Overweight

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This topic has 8sd replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 7 months ago by Kate Monster.

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- 07/11/2011 at 10:31 PM
  stinkybinky
  Participant
  44 posts
  She is a dwarf hotot or a dwarf english spot…The adoption person told me she is overweight. But they are not sure of her age. I think she certainly looks overweight…so should I feed her only 1/4 cups a day of pellets?? Pellets would be most fattening right….I will avoid giving her sugary fattening snacks. Description says she is 4.3 lbs. I don’t have a working scale to validate that atm
  
  Also, does anyone have good ideas of gradually losing weight and exercise?
  
  Though I am worried because her age is not known (description says 6 months, adoption person told me 1 year), and her breed is not really known either, that she might just be that big, but deep down I think she is overweight because I can’t feel her ribs or hips.
  
  I am going to post up photos of her:
  
  edit*
  
  she’s such a gorgeous and well-behaved rabbit (maybe that’s why she got overweight because of training through sweets lol), my eyes water up when I look at and think sad (If I have to return her )
- 07/12/2011 at 8:03 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Honestly I’d bet most rabbits coming from shelters would be slightly overweight as they get fed mostly pellets and are in cages with limited exercise (in most cases, obviously the pure rabbit shelters that are doing a great job, maybe wouldn’t have that issue)
  
  For losing weight-I would just let your bunny adjust. That does not look like obeisity to me, and likely with steady hay and exercise any excess will be lost naturally and slowly.
  
  If you want to do an actual weight loss with your bunny, you would need to see a vet first for their opinion and a starting weight and scheduled checkups. Major weight changes should be vet monitored (just like people! Except-you know…with a doctor )
- 07/12/2011 at 8:03 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Oh *palm forehead*
  
  Your new bunny is beautiful!!! Congrats !!
- 07/12/2011 at 9:21 PM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  I would ask a vet what they think- but there is room to decrease the pellets once she is used to her new home. My Mini Lop that is housed alone is 5.5 lbs and only gets one Tablespoon
  of pellets a day.
- 07/13/2011 at 4:20 AM
  LittlePuffyTail
  Moderator
  18092 posts
  She’s beautiful! I agree with K&K. She’s definitely not obese, maybe just a little pudgy.
- 07/13/2011 at 11:28 AM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  I have seen rabbits at Petco and they do not have a lot of room to roam around. I think that the food that you are feeding her is great! I say to just give her sometime, as the exercise she will be getting is a lot more at the petstore/shelter she was at!
- 07/13/2011 at 11:44 AM
  Lintini
  Participant
  3329 posts
  She looks great to me, what a cutie!
- 07/13/2011 at 3:54 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  She’s not much bigger in roundness than my Samantha. I think once she starts running and playing in your home, plus eating more hay (unlimited) and greens and fewer pellets she will get a bit more lean. She may actually gain more weight because she hasn’t reached her full growth yet, and the fat will disappear as she becomes a larger bunny. She’s lovely, but then, consider the type of bunny I happen to like…..
- 07/15/2011 at 1:09 PM
  Kate Monster
  Participant
  550 posts
  My little Kate bug was definitely on the pudgy side when I adopted her (Spence… well it’s hard to tell, he’s just so fluffy! But he probably was too). I didn’t do anything special, just being able to get excercise and eating something other than just pellets, and she slimmed down to the cute little pixie she is today pretty fast.
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