Another fat rabbit-Update

[Roberta]

 As mentioned in another post my boy Starsky has been packing on the weight lately.. Am I being paranoid.. see pics.. is his weight OK or am I correct in my accessment?

On brushing him the other night I found his tummy to be huge and squishy and he is just generally a big butter ball. I need to check his weight too, he was exactly 3 kilo’s back in July.

I have reduced pellets and treats but he gets unliited hay and two big salads a day. All my buns have the same diet but Starsky is the only one starting to look like a furry medicine ball.. (pics at the bottom)

Does anyone know if English Spots have a tendency to “pudge up” by comparison to other breeds ?

 

[Deleted User]

Awwwww – another fat bunny! I know it’s not healthy, but what I would do to cuddle your fatties….. lol!

[Roberta]

Bugger… Just remembered I had started a thread on this already… Been a busy few weeks of late…. I will reload the pics on the original thread and ask the MOds to delete this one or lock it out with a link to the other.

[MimzMum]

I’m going to comment here before you have the thread changed because I can’t find the other one.
Personally, he looks a fine size to me. My female, Pip, is a palomino lionhead cross and the palomino is prone to heaviness because they were bred as meat rabbits. She just doesn’t move enough but only gets hay to eat. She is a good deal bigger than what Starsky looks to be. I think she borders on 6 pounds?

What’s his activity level like?

[Roberta]

It varies MM, he probably could do with more exercise. Lately with the renos and having to move Starsky into the lounge room with Pascal they don’t have their usual exercise area… Starsky will do a binky etc if you tickle his bottom but he is not much for bun 500’s or other calorie burning pursuits.

[Roberta]

Here’s the original one
https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/127636/Default.aspx#350662

[jerseygirl]

He looks ok to me also. A little hard to tell when they sit like that though as its not so flattering to their figures.

English spots have a more steamline shape despite averaging around 8lbs. They have more hare-like bodies. He does have English spotting but I wouldn’t think he’s that breed. The spotting gene (I think it is actually called English gene – En) is not exclusive to the english spot breed.

Another thing that gets confusing to me is regional variations.
In the UK people would call Starskys markings “English” where as in US for example he’d likely be called a “broken” pattern.
Sorry, off topic.

p.s. love the little tuft at his tail.

[Beka27]

I locked your other thread with a link to this new one.

[justwildbeat]

Based on those pics I feel Starsky looks okay, maybe a little husky. I was expecting a chubby turkey lol! It’s hard to tell since they all look chubby when they hunch up like that. Also as Jersey mentioned, most Spots I’ve seen tend to be slim and hare-like. However you can see that fur patterning on mixes and other breeds.

Also maybe consider cutting out pellets completely and put him on an all veg/hay diet.

[Roberta]

Thanks Guys… It is a quandry…
The Starman did actually have the Spot shape, he has the lovely long front legs and usually has a long body line.. He is only about 12 months old from what little info I have and was neutered back in August (I think), although the frequent helicopter ears makes me suspect a lop cross of some sort… He definitely has the Spot temperament and loves a game, he is the only bun I have that loves it when you play with his bottom.

[LBJ10]

He looks like a plump little bunny slipper in those pics, but that is how Leopold looks when he’s in a loaf.

[MimzMum]

Maybe he has a little rex in him? They do tend to get a bit podgy early on. :-/
Either way, I really don’t see him as heavy, he looks a good shape to me.

[Roberta]

5 Months on and finally some progress seems to be apparent…. Food dish throwing has become less frequent with the exception being last week when the dish was very pointedly tossed out of his cage at my feet… I need to get him on the scales to see if the visual matches the actual weight loss but there is more activity fro him. Instead of just lounging about Starsky actually sprung a few binkies to say good morning and there has been more running about in the play pen… It’s a relief he was getting so fat and didn’t want to do anything other than have his butt scratched and lick my hand… Pascal is now on the same pellet reduced diet, with Winter coming I am thinking of reducing the pellets even more and upping some of their greens… Starsky finally seems to be eating an acceptable amount of hay…

[Deleted User]

That’s wonderful/awesome news Roberta! I STILL want to give Starsky cuddles, it makes no difference to me that he isn’t a little fatty anymore, LOL!
Good job/boy Starsky!

Edit to ADD – If it’s ok to ask on this thread, how’s Pandora and the bub’s going?

[jerseygirl]

Food dish throwing has become less frequent with the exception being last week when the dish was very pointedly tossed out of his cage at my feet…

Lol. Don’t you love how they express themselves sometimes?

You might not see a change on the scales. I didn’t with Rumball but I definitely saw a change in his body. He looked more toned and had less of a pillow on his chest when sitting in a loaf.
I figured he had gained muscle & lost fat so no noticeable change on the scales.

It’s good you’re seeing a change in his activity levels. : )

[Roberta]

I was just so happy to see him airborne…. Trust me, that wasn’t going to happen before…! He could barely haul his butt into the litter tray let alone throw a binky… My fault I admit, not going to let it happen again.

[MK]

He looks only the weeniest bit chubby. Just like mine, haha, he is so much fun to cuddle! But unfortunately he has to lose weight

[Tessie]

Good to hear he’s looking better!
Did you do anything in particular with him or just cut down on food?

Also, he doesn’t really look like an English spot to me, are you sure that’s what he is?

[Author]

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