Excersice Wheel?

[CowieCow]

I have a fat bunny on my hands, and I’m wondering besides cutting down on the pellets, and adding more greens. How do you guys feed your rabbits? I normally just feed Cowie once in the morning, and of course she has hay all day. She is about 7/12 to 8lbs. I’d like to get her down to 6lbs. I’ve cut down on the pellets, I’m feeding her about 1/8 of a cup and usually give her about 2 cups of greens. She gets collards, chard, parsley and cilantro. Should I maybe be feeding her another cup of greens around dinner time or so, since I’m cutting the pellets down? 

Also, I know for sure that she needs more excersice, it’s just hard to find the time to let her out more than once a day. And right now summertime, she doesn’t last too long running around, about 15 20 mintues and she’s much too hot to do anything but lay with her ice bottle. So my question is do you think a rabbit would use an excersice wheel like a hamster? Also, do you think it would be possible to even find one big enough? Has anyone else ever tried this?

[Sarita]

Absolutely not wheel like a hamster!!! Rabbits are not made to use these – very dangerous.

I think all you can do is to encourage exercise as long as she does not become exerted.

[CowieCow]

Why would it be dangerous? I could see her not even knowing what to do with it, she’d probably just chew on it, and then ignore it.

[Karla]

I would suggest that you put her pellets in a treat ball, so she has to work for her food. It is not only good exercise, but it is actually fun and keeps her entertained.

Perhaps you could also find different ways to feed her veggies in the cage, so she has to work a bit for it (put them in a paper bag, make some holes and then tie the paper bag to the top of the cage).

It is natural for bunnies – and all other beings – to work for their food. It is boring and depressive for a bunny not to have anything to do.

Perhaps also you could build a tower of cardboard boxes, so she can get some exercise running up and down the levels and enjoying her new castle. I can show you a picture of one, if you are interested.

[CowieCow]

She just offically destroyed her tunnel that I had made, it was on it’s last leg and she finally put it out of it’s misery so I do need to get a new one going for her. I’ve looked around at some toys and stuff, I’m going to try and fashion a better play place. Thanks for the help….

She has recently discovered/got brave enough, to try the stairs in our house so she flies up and down those it’s hilarious. I think once the weather cools off she’ll be alot more active, she’s just like me and hates the heat.

[CowieCow]

Oh are pine cones really okay for rabbits to chew on? I thought pine was bad for them, atleast when it came to litter.

[Chazz]

Rabbits almost rival cats with their curiosity. At least mine have. Anything new needs to be thoroughly checked over. I got a “Cottontail Cottage” awhile ago, and my bunny loves to run through it and make his own ‘windows’. I also train him with treats to follow me and do tricks and that keeps him moving. Plus, Larry really likes to romp in the grass. I can take him outside and he will run really fast and stop to see if I’m chasing after him. (Note, I keep a very close eye on him while he’s out, I follow him wherever he goes) This may not work with all bunnies I guess. My rabbit also has full range of the apartment when I’m home, so he can run really fast from end to end. Anyway, that’s how me and Larry attempt to stay trim.

A wheel…..Rabbits don’t like being on unstable footing, or anything that spins for sure! Plus, what if they got stuck. Rabbits will usually kick and kick if they are trapped in something and end up fracturing their back, or breaking a leg. Definitely a bad idea.

[CowieCow]

Ok, another question… sorry is it alright to get like willow baskets from a craft store? As long as they are untreated obviously.

[Karla]

I do that. I have found that sometimes it says that they are untreated, but my bunnies still won’t get near them, so I think they have been treated anyhow. But many of them are just fine and they love those.

But if you have a willow tree near you, you might as well go out and get a lot of branches. I do that every morning.

[Free2Dream]

Rabbits aren’t made to use exercise wheels, and vice-versa, so that option is definitely out. Encouraging foraging is a great idea. I want to get my bunny into a more interactive way of feeding, too. I scatter clumps of hay around Oliver’s pen at night, to keep him occupied.

Does anyone know where a foraging ball can be purchased? Would the ones for dogs and cats work?

[LucyTwoBunz]

Free2Dream:  I use the cat toys with holes…plastic ones.  We only do it periodically & switch it up with other ways such as inside toilet paper rolls with the ends kinda crushed in or put their treats somewhere so they have to sniff them out.  Obviously, most of this is for our entertainment !

Karla:  I would love to see the “tower” you are talking about…not sure if I’ve seen one yet.

CowieCow:  Our Lainey is BIG.  I can’t understand why because her and Gulliver eat the same & she exercises WAY more than him but her structure is definately larger & her paws pretty big too.  She goes out on our side yard every morning for at least an hour.  I would say she acts like she has ADD…never stops.  I would encourage the foraging as our bunz love it; however Lainey goes crazy as soon as she hears something hit the mats or carpet.  Poor Gulliver can’t keep up unless I put some directly in front of him so he can eat his while she rapidly scatters about getting all she can! 

[Monkeybun]

I have to ask… what made you think she’s fat, is it visible weight, or did a vet tell you she needs to lose some? And what breed is she? If she does need to lose weight, it should be a gradual loss, especially if its going to be a 2lb loss.

[jerseygirl]

Ditto ^ I’m curious about that also.

You could always scatter her pellets on the stairs so she has to go up and down to get them. She might even investigate the stairs more often then too.

Freetodream: yep, cat & dog toys work. I have a dog toy, hard plastic ball that has a opening to put things inside it. You can adjust the size of the opening. I think some other members have used kong treat dispensers too.

[Deleted User]

If your rabbit is truly overweight, focus the exercise times around late night and early morning when rabbits are up for some real work-out. Diiet changes will be equally as important, many times pellets are to blame for a rotund rabbit appearance as you already suggested yourself. Make sure to slim the rabbit gradually as sudden weight loss can affect a rabbit’s liver negatively. I would stick with the greens you are already feeding and increase the hay consumption.

[BinkyBunny]

You could feed her her pellets with one of those treat balls where they have to push it around for it to release treats.
Also, cardboard is cheap, and so I’d just keep changing up the cardboard tunnels. You may be able to get some from your grocery store, just don’t use ones that have been used for produce as they may have been sprayed with pesticides.

Check out our “Toy Test” section under bunny info to see some homemade toy options that members have tried.

[Karla]

Posted By LucyTwoBunz on 08/07/2010 04:24 PM

Karla:  I would love to see the “tower” you are talking about…not sure if I’ve seen one yet.

I’m so impressed with this tower that I will try to build one myself this week. It is apparently quite sturdy. I should not take credit for this tower, it is made by a Danish woman and her daughter for their two bunnies Max and Luna.

[RabbitPam]

Karla, that’s very cool.

I know that the maze haven and mini haven can be stacked for two stories, so jumping up and through it is similar.

I was going to suggest that you make or buy a platform for a second level in your cage with ramps, so she can run up and down the ramps. Maybe putting the pellets on the second level.

Spockie was a mini rex and he reached 8 lbs, but was never fat. Just large. If her belly is round, or she had a big dewlap under her neck or is clearly fat than the exercise is going to help the most. That she runs on the stairs is a good sign. What is her breed?

[Beka27]

I agree that an increase in exercise will be the most beneficial thing for her. Is your house bunny-proofed and can she be trusted to be out for a longer length of time during the day? Rabbits tend to exercise in spurts, so it’s very important that she have at least 3-4 hours a day where she can run around.

[BirchTheBunny]

Can rabbits use a cat excersice wheel?

[jerseygirl]

I didn’t even know such a thing existed!  I wouldn’t invest in one for a rabbit.  tbh.  I think most will not like the sensation of the “ground” moving underneath them. The have such a different gait to a cat also.

You might get the occasional rabbit that would try it out (Im thinking of Bini the Bunny!) but seriously doubt they’d stay on there for full rotations.

I will lock this thread now as it is 10 years old. Please start a new one if you have further questions.

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