Advice on how to gain weight

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 14sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by ZoeS.

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- 05/09/2015 at 6:41 AM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  Hey guys,
  
  So since Ara had her last visit to the vets they told me that she is under weight but not to be too worried as it will level out once shes better. Well shes been better for weeks now but still no weight gain. its her 1st birthday come July 18th so shes only a baby. She exercises a lot daily as she is in her hutch while im out but full run of the house when im home. She eats aaalllot of grass/hay also her veggies like kale, spinach etc pellets and treat fruits sometimes.
  
  What else can i be doing just to get her up to optimal weight????
- 05/09/2015 at 7:29 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Well, first you want a slow weight gain anyway – I would recommend maybe a few more pellets – how much pellets does she get now?
- 05/09/2015 at 7:58 AM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  She gets a half cup a day but picks out the ones she likes.
- 05/09/2015 at 9:49 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Wow, that’s quite a bit. Are you giving her a pellet mixed with seeds and stuff? If so, that is not recommended…just plain pellets are best.
- 05/09/2015 at 6:38 PM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  Its a mix of three different pellets
- 05/09/2015 at 11:53 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  A mix of 3 different pellets? What are they made of? I’m just curious.
- 05/10/2015 at 2:00 AM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  im not sure. one smells sweet and light brown and rather large (from vet) one is thin little ones that are salty (i did a taste test) from pet store and the last one is short and small and a dark green color that is from an organic food store. She eats the dark green ones and picks at the salty ones but never touches the ones the vet gave me.
- 05/10/2015 at 6:47 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  So you are mixing the three different varieties….just give her the ones she likes and don’t mix in the other two….
- 05/10/2015 at 3:47 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  I would think that if the pellet she likes is a high quality, grass-based formula then she should gain weight eating it. Are you able to check the ingredients of that one at the store? If it’s a good pellet, then I would suggest just feeding her that.
- 05/10/2015 at 8:45 PM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  Hey. So i went hunting around today and ended up with the brand Burgess that i feed 50g per day. also Red clover hay. i also brought some oats that she can have a little of. I was concerned about hay that was high in calcium as i dont want her to get sludge. I will slowly introduce the Burgess brand into her diet over the next week and see how we go. Also got some new bunny chew toys as my shoes were a to over the night… *sigh
- 05/10/2015 at 9:02 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  Burgess is a little high in fat, but otherwise okay. Yes, slowly transition her to one pellet. She should start to gain weight.
  
  Clover hay is a lot like alfalfa hay, so I suppose it would be alright for a growing bunny. As an adult, you’ll want to switch her to a grass hay.
  
  As for the oats, some people say to give them to bunnies to fatten them up. However, oats are really fattening so we generally tell people to avoid them.
- 05/10/2015 at 9:23 PM
  AraSweetie
  Participant
  28 posts
  This is the whole point …. to gain weight hence all things i just brought….
- 05/10/2015 at 10:12 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17244 posts
  Yes, I realize you want her to gain weight. You want it to happen slowly though. And once she is done growing, you will want her on a grass hay. I just wanted to make sure you knew that. It sounds like you do, but it’s always good to make sure other people searching for information and come upon this thread know that too.
- 05/11/2015 at 5:29 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  No oats – you want her to gain weight but not fatten her up….totally different. And you want to again do this slowly.
- 05/11/2015 at 1:56 PM
  ZoeS
  Participant
  29 posts
  If she’s not dangerously underweight and there are no treatable factors that might be causing her to not gain weight, just feed her normally. Feed her high quality food, free feed hay, lots of greens that she likes, and the recommended amount of pellets, or perhaps up to 10% over the recommended amount. She will gain weight over time and it will certainly not hurt her to be a bit underweight while that happens. Like people, they vary in their optimal body size, ability to gain weight etc. My angora is perpetually skinny and I asked my vet about it, who said I could try supplementing some alfalfa hay/pellets, but that really the best and most important thing is to focus on food quality and sensible feeding, rather than fret over the exact weight (within reason of course).
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