Fatty bun-bun!

[BunnyLugs]

Does anyone else have an obese rabbit?? When Jessie goes to the vet I already know what she’ll say, I’ve got eyes!! Since her spay she’s piled on the pounds, just like me  So what does one do? We try to get her moving around playing in her tunnel to burn off calories but she likes the easy life. We’ve cut out pellets entirely, just meadow hay and veg. Anyway, any suggestions for a chubby bunny?

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[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi Bunnylugs!   When a rabbit is too obese, my first response is to say cut pellets and treats out of the picture as they are very fattening, which you have already done.  Other things you can do is create interest in “active” toys like a cardboard box full of shredded paper to dig in.  Chewing destructo toys like a willow basket and willow balls to throw around.  Approximately how old is your Jessie?

Here are some good reads on nutrition:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-4/pellets.html

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html#other

Obesity info:

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/obese.shtml

http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org/newsletter/obesity.pdf

 

 

[BinkyBunny]

It’s so funny that you posted this today, because TODAY, Jack just got the “chubby” diagnosis from my vet. I knew he was as he has gotten much to “fluffy” this last year. But it’s because lately he hogs all of Rucy’s food too. At first I would just feed them a few feet apart, but didn’t matter, whatever he had in front of him was never as good as stealing all of Rucy’s FIRST. So part of my solution will be different then yours (feeding them completely separately…except with a little together bonding munch) but there are some things that will benefit both of our rabbits.

Scarlet has given some great advice too and I have a couple of things to add:

If you put her food in places she has to search for it instead of her bowl – like scatter it around, or put it in a a paper lunch bag that she has to tear up and dig at to get food out of – this will help prevent her from just scarfing it up all at once. I also have a “grazing tool” that I need to put back into place. It’s basically chicken wire with the sharp edges covered over with plastic cord covering. Then I can stick greens throughout, and some are up high which makes them have to work for it.

Also, even if you have tunnels and boxes, you will need to switch their configuration around often. Hide healthy treats in there, like mint, rosemary etc, so that exploring has some reward too, and keeps them on their toes of “maybe they’ll be something yummy to eat, and maybe their won’t be, but I will search for it just in case”

Oh, and of course..Cut down or cut out treats

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Hey I am surprised no one mentioned the Maze haven yet, That is supposed to get your bunny moving and you could hide food in the corners of it so your bunny has to go and find it. You can get one right here on binky bunny, I am still pondering getting one myself, but Fern is a maniac cardboard chewer so I am not sure how long it will last.

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