How do I diet one bun in the pair?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 10sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by Erin.

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- 02/09/2017 at 12:47 PM
  Erin
  Participant
  16 posts
  My dear boy Thumper (yes I know, that’s super common…but he’s gray and thumps 20 times more than his brother!) he’s a bit fat! I’ve been trying to identify his breed for a while now, I’ve concluded he is a meissner lop (by conclude I mean, google imaged all lop breeds and picked the one closest to him!) I digress, so he’s got a dewlap forming, which I’m pretty sure only commonly happens in females. So, I’m thinking he’s overweight. I have not gotten him on a scale to find out his weight but he is much larger than his New Zealand Red brother (Honey).
  
  It’s no surprise who the dominate one is (it’s Thumper) so I’m wondering how I should put him on a diet without starving Honey out. Thumper doesn’t care to be petted or picked up unless needed and has become more and more lazy in my room when I let them out. I try to let them out at down and dusk times and even still Thumper goes to his spot under the bed and sits there like a fluffy log.
  
  Any suggestions on how to diet one bun and not the other? Should I separate them for feeding time? They get several cups of greens every morning with some veggies or herbs. I also give them around 1/4th cup of 100% timothy hay pellets a day to share. And they only get timothy hay to munch on. They do get banana chips as treats sometimes, though I’ve tried to stick to fresh banana’s cause I’ve hear they are less concentrated sugar than the chips.
  
  I hope I gave you all the info you need to help me out! But I’d happily answer more!
  
  Thumper is obviously the large Gray one and Honey is the smaller (honey colored one!)
- 02/09/2017 at 10:06 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  If hes not playing or running around much, i would try to start there since his current diet seems fine. What do they have for toys? How often are you there to encourage playtime?
- 02/10/2017 at 7:53 AM
  tobyluv
  Participant
  3312 posts
  Here is a page that might help you to determine if Thumper is overweight.
  
  http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/rabbit-weight.asp
  
  He may be just fine. If you did determine that he is overweight, you might have to feed the pellets separately, cutting his portion down a little, although they are getting very little pellets now, so it’s hard to think that’s the problem – if there is one. As Mikey said, be sure that he gets plenty of exercise. Males can have dewlaps, so that’s not a determining factor regarding being overweight or not.
- 02/10/2017 at 8:47 AM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  That’s a cute page. Looking at the last description, it says “difficulty in moving about freely”. y Guinivere is super fat in my opinion. she has fat rolls around her ankles, there is no way I can feel her ribs or spine, lovely chubby dewlap, big fat stomach that spreads out when she lies down, although she can sure move! How much do your rabbits weigh? It sounds like they are getting the perfect amount of pellets. I agree that at this point, exercise would be your next goal. I also struggle to manage Guinivere’s weight since her bonded pal is underweight.
- 02/10/2017 at 9:23 AM
  Erin
  Participant
  16 posts
  Posted By Mikey on 2/09/2017 10:06 PM
  
  If hes not playing or running around much, i would try to start there since his current diet seems fine. What do they have for toys? How often are you there to encourage playtime?
  
  I usually let them out in the evening. They are usually out until they decide to go back in. I try not to force them back in. I’ve even expanded their cage to encourage him to run around more. But he will for a while and then just goes back to being a furry log! I think I might need to get more tunnels, he really likes those, I’ve tried making some out of long boxes but he prefers the crinkly round ones. But even then, he goes in, sits there and then backs out. haha I wish I could get him on a bunny sized treadmill! haha
- 02/10/2017 at 9:25 AM
  Erin
  Participant
  16 posts
  Posted By tobyluv on 2/10/2017 7:53 AM
  
  Here is a page that might help you to determine if Thumper is overweight.
  
  http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/rabbit-weight.asp
  
  He may be just fine. If you did determine that he is overweight, you might have to feed the pellets separately, cutting his portion down a little, although they are getting very little pellets now, so it’s hard to think that’s the problem – if there is one. As Mikey said, be sure that he gets plenty of exercise. Males can have dewlaps, so that’s not a determining factor regarding being overweight or not.
  
  I can feel his spine and ribs, but he has extra skin by his legs and tushy that make me think he’s overweight. I also got nervous when I found out boys don’t usually have dewlaps and he clearly has a nice fat one under his chin! It’s sorta cute but not if it means he’s unhealthy!
- 02/10/2017 at 9:30 AM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  Yeah, it sounds as if exercise is your deal. Guin goes through the same furry log phases. She has a 8-inch corrugated plastic tube that she crawls through, but to motivate her to run and exercise, I really need to change things up and make it exiting for her. When I let her and Lancelot have 100% free roam of the back of the house, she was doing well with sprinting in the mornings. She loved being in my bedroom. I rearranged her toys/hidey holes periodically, and she enjoyed it. Now that Lancelot has deteriorated in health, they have both spent their days in the bunny room. She wants to come out again, and I need to re-bunny proof to let her out. But for you – all I can think of – is try to find ways of changing things up, and keeping your bunny interested and exited. That will help stimulate the binky-500.
- 02/10/2017 at 10:27 AM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  Posted By Erin on 2/10/2017 9:23 AM
  
  I usually let them out in the evening. They are usually out until they decide to go back in. I try not to force them back in. I’ve even expanded their cage to encourage him to run around more. But he will for a while and then just goes back to being a furry log! I think I might need to get more tunnels, he really likes those, I’ve tried making some out of long boxes but he prefers the crinkly round ones. But even then, he goes in, sits there and then backs out. haha I wish I could get him on a bunny sized treadmill! haha
  
  I would not worry too much about a dewlap. My Blue has one he uses as a pillow His weight is perfect and he runs around a ton. Some boys just get blessed with the adorable poof under their chins.
  
  Definitely try to get him to run around more. Whatever gets him up and going, keep trying that. To encourage my lazy bun to run around more, i will often hide small treats/a few pellets around the room and let only him out. He has a good sniffer, but it will still take him about an hour to find 3 and it gets him out and exploring. If your bun is food motivated, you might be able to try this along with getting more scrunchy tunnels
- 02/10/2017 at 11:05 AM
  Erin
  Participant
  16 posts
  Posted By Mikey on 2/10/2017 10:27 AM
  
  Posted By Erin on 2/10/2017 9:23 AM
  
  I usually let them out in the evening. They are usually out until they decide to go back in. I try not to force them back in. I’ve even expanded their cage to encourage him to run around more. But he will for a while and then just goes back to being a furry log! I think I might need to get more tunnels, he really likes those, I’ve tried making some out of long boxes but he prefers the crinkly round ones. But even then, he goes in, sits there and then backs out. haha I wish I could get him on a bunny sized treadmill! haha
  
  I would not worry too much about a dewlap. My Blue has one he uses as a pillow His weight is perfect and he runs around a ton. Some boys just get blessed with the adorable poof under their chins.
  
  Definitely try to get him to run around more. Whatever gets him up and going, keep trying that. To encourage my lazy bun to run around more, i will often hide small treats/a few pellets around the room and let only him out. He has a good sniffer, but it will still take him about an hour to find 3 and it gets him out and exploring. If your bun is food motivated, you might be able to try this along with getting more scrunchy tunnels
  
  Thankfully he is food motivated (another reason I worried about him being unhealthy!) I’m gonna try to figure out some new toys. I want to get him a digging box but I have carpet and I really am not looking forward to cleaning that up everyday!
- 02/11/2017 at 9:40 PM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  Try a tall dig box with compartments. I enjoy woodwork – and although I buy a lot of my bunnies wooden furniture, I make some too. I like the dig box on Etsy. It is tall enough that sand doesnt’ get flung out, and has 2 compartments. But Guin still manages to get dirt from the inner to the outer compartment, and then out of the box. So 3 compartments might be ideal. If you can do woodwork, make a box at least 14″ tall. Take 2 pieces of wood to give the box 3 compartments, and cut a hole large enough for your bun to get through. My fat 9.4lb bun gets through a 5-inch hole. Put the holes offset from eachother, so that if sand gets flung through one hole, it doesnt’ go through all holes at once, but hits a wall. Google the dig box on etsy. You’ll see what I mean. Another option would be use a plastic storage container, and arrange it so your bunny has to go up a ramp/steps and then back down into the box. No holes.
- 02/12/2017 at 5:55 PM
  Erin
  Participant
  16 posts
  Posted By vanessa on 2/11/2017 9:40 PM
  
  Try a tall dig box with compartments. I enjoy woodwork – and although I buy a lot of my bunnies wooden furniture, I make some too. I like the dig box on Etsy. It is tall enough that sand doesnt’ get flung out, and has 2 compartments. But Guin still manages to get dirt from the inner to the outer compartment, and then out of the box. So 3 compartments might be ideal. If you can do woodwork, make a box at least 14″ tall. Take 2 pieces of wood to give the box 3 compartments, and cut a hole large enough for your bun to get through. My fat 9.4lb bun gets through a 5-inch hole. Put the holes offset from eachother, so that if sand gets flung through one hole, it doesnt’ go through all holes at once, but hits a wall. Google the dig box on etsy. You’ll see what I mean. Another option would be use a plastic storage container, and arrange it so your bunny has to go up a ramp/steps and then back down into the box. No holes.
  
  Thank you so much!! I’m going to have to look those up and make one!
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