Obesity: What should I do/expect?

[Thorunn]

I’m pretty sure Thorunn has gotten over weight. As I was working and my boyfriend was unemployed and going to school, he ended up taking care of Thorunn more than I could. He often would give her more than my recommended “two raisins or less” feeding rules and some times fed her as many as FIVE! Thorunn is prone to stasis and I even explained to him the sugar is dangerous for her.

What I have done:

• Thorunn get’s her usual 1/3 cup of pellets in the morning.
• Instead of raisins, she is offered one pellet.
• Carrots and other fruits have been removed from her daily salad.
• She is no longer put in her cage at night and allowed to hop around the bedroom.

Right now her salad consists of romaine lettuce, parsley, cucumber, dill, mint, and kale (since she is GI stasis prone I attempted to remove kale from her salad and she became so upset it wasn’t there that she sniffed and looked at it; stomped and hopped away. She even turned her nose up at the banana slices in the salad. So now I just include less kale.)

Have I done a good job putting together this diet for her? Does anyone have any more suggestions? How long does it usually take before I might see results?

PS: I use Timothy hay has bedding in her cage as well as her litter box.

[Sarita]

Have you actually weighed her on a scale? What I would do is get her actual weight to determine how much she has actually gained.

You do want to make sure that you go very slow at losing the weight too. I think it sounds like you’ve put together a good plan, but I wouldn’t totally deprive her of her treats.

I give my rabbit alot more treats than that :~) He’s a netherland dwarf and he’s free roam. He has no problems maintaining his weight.

[Thorunn]

I haven’t actually weighed her… Mostly because she does not like being picked up and every time I tempt her with a treat she thinks I’m up to something and stomps. (She stomps a lot. Even the vet was surprised when she met Thorunn.)

I’ve noticed for the past year or so she hasn’t been able to groom very easily on her rear end and she just over all looks a bit heavier to me. I didn’t agree when others told me she’s put on weight. But now I’m starting to see it. People often tell me her head looks small compared to her body. 

I’ve attached a photo I’ve just taken of Thorunn a few minutes ago.

[Sarita]

Well the thing with rabbits and especially these Holland Lops is that they do look chunky – it’s just how they are built. And is she now just full grown?

She sounds like quite the character too…and not stupid if she thinks you are up to something when you tempt her for a treat (she’s probably right).

I would try to monitor her weight if you feel she’s overweight – can you get her last weight from the vet (when she went last) and try to weigh Ms. Disapproving Thorunn?

[Thorunn]

I know I wrote her weight down somewhere when the vet told me… She has only gone twice so far. The first was just a check up and for flea medication (which I was a bit worried about since she was only 6 months old but I guess the vet knew better than I did, of course.) and the second time was for an emergency (she would not eat, drink or move).

She’s about a year and three months old or so and I really want to get her spayed (for health reasons) but it’s going to be about $300 for my vet to do it (using lasers) and money it tight at the moment.

I wish there was a way I could get her to be more active and maybe binky around the house more often. She used to do it every day. Now she does maybe once or twice a week. 

[Sarita]

Is she free roam?

[Thorunn]

I leave her in her cage when I am away from home but since I stay home nearly every day now she is kept out and free to roam the bedroom, hallway, and living room. I’ve also stopped locking her in her cage at night.

The areas where she is allowed to roam are bunny proofed. 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I agree-lops are prone to look chunky, the picture doesn’t look like an obese rabbit to me; however weighing her and getting a vet opinion before starting any weight loss plan is good. They even say people shouldn’t diet unless they are under a doctors supervision-I think at least not to attempt a plan unless recommended by the vet

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