Bunny is too thin

[PumpkinsMama]

Hi, I have a 6 month old male dwarf dutch rabbit. He has always been tiny, but recently I noticed him getting thinner. I can feel his spine and hip bones, which I have never been able to do with my other rabbits. His mate seems healthy and fine. Both are eating, drinking and producing pellets as usual. He is just SO thin it’s starting to worry me. Anyone have advice on helping him to gain weight? He regularly has timothy hay, grazes on fresh grass/weeds and gets veggies from the kitchen. We also feed alfalfa pellets. I really want him to be okay.

[DanaNM]

I would recommend having him checked out by a vet to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical issue. How much pellets does he get per day? Sometimes teenage buns can get a little lean as they grow, and then they fill out as they get a bit older, but since he seems pretty different from your other buns I do think a vet exam is a good idea.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

Are they sharing food? You might want to make sure he is getting his fair share. Otherwise, I agree with Dana. You should make sure there isn’t an underlying health condition. If all is well, he may just need a little more food while he’s growing. Young bunnies do tend to be on the lean side because all their energy is being spent growing in size.

[Hazel]

If he is allowed to graze outside, he could have picked up an internal parasite, which would explain why he can’t keep on weight.

So yes, he should be seen by a vet and checked for underlying health issues and tested for parasites.

[PumpkinsMama]

Thank you everyone! I separated him from our other rabbits, he is eating and drinking but still not gaining weight. He’s at the vet now…hopefully we will get some answers. He has the sweetest little personality, seriously the best rabbit we have ever had. I hope they can give us some answers.

[SweetPotato]

Aww I hope he’s ok! Sounds like a pretty, sweet, mellow bun <3 ❤️. Dwarf rabbits are already so fragile, it hurts to see them not the best they can be. Good luck! 🍀🍀🍀💘💘💘

[PumpkinsMama]

Vet says it’s likely gastric stasis, probably caused by stress. And because bunnies stress out over EVERYTHING, who knows what triggered it. Looks like we caught it in time and can medicate him to get his gut sorted out. Thanks everyone! Going to keep a super close eye on him over the next few weeks.

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