Questions for owners of obese rabbits

[Lagomorpheus]

 I have been noticing that a few of you have very obese rabbits and I was wondering if you could answer some questions:

 

1. How did your rabbit become obese?
2. What are you doing to get your bun back in shape?
3. Have you had any luck with it?

[Sarita]

First of all, how do you know these rabbits are obese? Are you having a weight problem with your own rabbit?

[LoveChaCha]

From the photos that I’ve seen of other member’s rabbits, they look quite healthy to me.

[RabbitPam]

Really, Lag. Mentioning a lady’s weight is just not done.

I can only suggest that each and every member here be sure to visit the vet at least once a year for an overall checkup. A bunny’s weight varies with the breed, so a good vet will know if it’s time for more hay, less treats.

Thank you for not mentioning names, Lag. TV and a good photo of a puddling bunny can always add 10 lbs.

[Sarita]

LOL – RabbitPam that is funny and good advice too :~)

[MayaConsuelo]

Good point, sometimes photos can add a lot of weight – not just to people, but rabbits too!

My sister will often see a picture of Mr. Bun-Bun and say “how could you let him get so fat!?!” when in fact he’s only gained 2 ounces since she first knew him. Sometimes he looks like a butterball (like in my profile pic LOL.) Also if I take a picture right after he eats his 2 cups of leafy greens, his tummy looks much bigger until it digests a bit.

[angie-la]

*shifty eyes*

hahahaha jk. rorschach has a little double chin but the vet has always assured me it’s fine. I think you can’t really tell if a bunny is obese simply by looking at them. if you’re worried about your own bun, a vet is the best way to find out if something needs to be done =]

[MayaConsuelo]

Actually I just remembered there was a member on BB who was overweight, as well as his rabbit, and they were both dieting and making good progress… I don’t remember who it was? It was about a year ago, anyone remember who it was and how they’re doing now?

[LBJ10]

I do remember someone talking about trying to get their rabbit’s weight down. I can’t remember who it was.
I don’t think you can really tell from pictures whether or not a rabbit is obese. In person, you may or may not be able to tell. I mean, there are situations were it is really obvious. But there are also those situations where the rabbit might be a little overweight and you might not really notice. I suppose you can say that for just about any animal though. You see a morbidly obese cat and it is extremely obvious. But a little bit overweight cat might not be, especially if they have a lot of fur. Of course, the complete opposite can also be true. An animal might look “big”, but they really aren’t overweight.

[Monkeybun]

With some bunnies its easy to think they are overweight, just due to their body shape. Like lops. lops are very compact critters. With rexes their fur is so short you can see their curves easier, and often makes one think they are too fat as well.

So, don’t take what you see as what the truth is. Pictures don’t tell you everything.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Well……I’ll answer but ONLY because Lolli has always had weight problems. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed anyone else’s bunny looking overweight and certainly wouldn’t mention it if I did. But to each their own.

First off, it has been my experience whenever I get a female pet spayed, they are more prone to gaining weight. Don’t know if that’s a hormone thing or if it’s just because I’ve never had an unspayed pet and I just don’t know any different. LOL

Lolli is overweight because I feed her too many treats. Simple as that. And I haven’t read anything that suggests being overweight is anything but the overfeeding of food in general in rabbits except for rare cases. I do think her tendency to park her butt somewhere for 23 hours a day has something to do with it too. That can’t really be helped right now as she’s confined to her 6×8 foot pen while we live with my dad. But when she was free range at my apartment, she has never liked to move a whole lot. So to get Lolli to lose weight, I just need to cut down on the treats. I just don’t have a lot of willpower. lol

I was always getting told that Eddie was fat. But he never was. Ever. He just looked like it cause he was a lop and had that fur and that round body.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Also, some rabbits who have been overweight don’t always lose the big dewlaps or extra skin which make them look heavier.

[LoveChaCha]

Like all people, each rabbit has their own unique shape. I have a curvy dwarf and she isn’t overweight at all.

[MayaConsuelo]

A 6 x 8 foot pen is plenty big for exercise!
Female animals in particular are the way they are for breeding, it’s genetics. Female rabbits gain weight fast and get fat dewlaps. It happens to rabbits, dogs, cats, humans. The bodies want to hold on to extra weight, because in times of need, especially when pregnant, an animal can live longer off fat reserves. Animals apart from humans aren’t trained to think they need to get fit and lose weight, it’s in their best interest to be overweight actually.
So if your female rabbit is chubby and lazy, that’s normal. You’re giving her plenty of space within and out of her cage, so maybe you just need to try and make her exercise, chase her a bit, I don’t know. My rabbit likes being chased but yours might not like it!

[longhairmike]

take away their beer.

 

usako trimmed down a lot,, 4 years ago she was huge

[Joyfull_music]

As mentioned a lot of it can be how they are sitting. Momo is very lean by nature and I have actually had people think she is too thin (she weighs a little over 6 lbs, her breed averages 6 – 8) However, there are certain ways she sits that make her look like such a little pudge. She even has this itty bitty little hit of a dewlap on her chin if she holds her head just right. I love it!.

[LoveChaCha]

oh dear longhairmike.. you did take away the beer, huh? well, beer and other alcoholic drinks can really add some weight!

what does usako look like now?

[Michelle&Lolli]

Maya – she’s actually slimmed down when I quit feeding her fruit-based treats. I finally quit being stubborn and admitted fruit was also causing her poopy butt. lol She never lost a lot or anything. Maybe a 1/2 lb but it did make a difference in her. She’s gained some back since she’s confined to her pen. My dad finally agreed to let her out as long as she’s on her harness and leash. But she tends to just plunk down so in order for her have the space to run, we’d need to bun proof the living room. And my dad will mostly likely not go for that.

I brought her out on her leash last night and I think she got peeved cause I wouldn’t let her go under the end table. I told her to come on, gave the leash a tug, and she promptly sat down and gave me The Look. LOL BTW – I do NOT feel comfortable taking her OUTSIDE on her leash/harness.

[MayaConsuelo]

Love that picture of Usako, what a cute fatty! I guess it’s better that she’s lost some weight
My cat has always been a little chubby too, female cat syndrome where when they get fixed they just get fat. The neutering surgery also cuts their abdominal muscles so their tummies drop down and get swingy, making them look fatter than they actually are. She’s actually only 11 pounds which isn’t that bad for a cat.
No junk food for any of us would make a difference! All of our bodies are made to store fat for hard times…
I do feed Mr. Bun-Bun more raisins and dried fruit than I used to for sure, since he started having foot calluses. I give him treats while putting cream on his foot. Still, 6 or so raisins a day isn’t that bad, considering he’s not on a pellet diet and doesn’t get any other form of sugary treat.

[MayaConsuelo]

Also LOL @LoveChaCha for calling your bun “Curvy.” Internet code word for “fat.” You know your bunny is trim! She’s the same size as Mr. Bun-Bun I think, and only looks pudgy from certain angles BTW he is 3.75 pounds (up from 3.5 when I adopted him in June 2010.)

[peppypoo]

I used to always think Peppy was a tad on the chubby bunny side, but a recent visit to the vet put her weight at 4.2 lbs, and the vet said that she could actually stand to gain a little weight. I guess she’s just fluffy…4.2 is probably a bit low for a dutch.

[Elrohwen]

I always tend to think Hannah is chubby – she’s a big girl and with her lop body she’s very compact. I bring it up with the vet, but every time she says Hannah is all muscle and not overweight at all. It can definitely be hard to tell.

[Beka27]

I haven’t seen many obviously overweight rabbits on BB. I agree that sometimes it might be the angle of the picture, or the way the bun is sitting. For buns that are truly overweight, there are usually other issues too, like excess cecals, the inability to reach cecals, or otherwise clean themselves.

[peppypoo]

Posted By longhairmike on 10/03/2011 08:02 PM

take away their beer.

Haha, Milo actually does have a strange affinity for beer. Not that I’ve given him any! But he runs over if he smells it and will try to get into the bottle..silly bun .

[Monkeybun]

Posted By peppypoo on 10/04/2011 11:32 AM

Posted By longhairmike on 10/03/2011 08:02 PM

take away their beer.

Haha, Milo actually does have a strange affinity for beer. Not that I’ve given him any! But he runs over if he smells it and will try to get into the bottle..silly bun .

 

…he likes the hops.

[Elrohwen]

My rabbits hate beer! I let them sniff it and they run away as if it’s poison.

[peppypoo]

Posted By Monkeybun on 10/04/2011 11:48 AM

Posted By peppypoo on 10/04/2011 11:32 AM

Posted By longhairmike on 10/03/2011 08:02 PM

take away their beer.

Haha, Milo actually does have a strange affinity for beer. Not that I’ve given him any! But he runs over if he smells it and will try to get into the bottle..silly bun . 

…he likes the hops.

Haha, that’s what my boyfriend said too.  Also, reminds me of this t-shirt: http://www.snorgtees.com/peter-cotton-ale

 

 

[Elrohwen]

Peppy, I sooo want to add that shirt to my Xmas list! Or maybe I should just get one for DH.

[Sarita]

Oh my gosh – love that t-shirt!

[MayaConsuelo]

I love that shirt too! So cute!
My bunny is a beer bunny for sure… once I opened a beer which had been shaken so it overflowed onto the floor. Mr. Bun-Bun immediately jumped into the middle of the puddle and started frantically sucking it up… I had to drop everything and grab him as quickly as possible! All alcoholic beverages must be kept far out of his reach

[longhairmike]

ive got 2 different colors of:

 

[LoveChaCha]

Peppy, I need that shirt!
Longhairmike, I should get that for my dad

[LoveChaCha]

Posted By MayaConsuelo on 10/03/2011 11:27 PM
Also LOL @LoveChaCha for calling your bun “Curvy.” Internet code word for “fat.” You know your bunny is trim! She’s the same size as Mr. Bun-Bun I think, and only looks pudgy from certain angles BTW he is 3.75 pounds (up from 3.5 when I adopted him in June 2010.)

 

Bwahahaha

But shes got some bunny curves

[FluffyBunny]

Mr. Bunny recently had a slight weight problem. I wouldn’t really say that he was “obese”, but he had about 1.5 pounds that he needed to drop.
1. How did your rabbit become obese? Too many craisins and pellets.
2. What are you doing to get your bun back in shape? I got him back in shape by lowering his daily pellets (shared with Ms. Rabbit) from 1/2 cup to under 1/4 cup. I also stopped giving him so many treats (I had been giving 3-4 craisins per day), which helped a lot. I entirely cut all grains out of his diet. I also switched to fresh farm hay, which made him start eating a lot more hay.
3. Have you had any luck with it? Yes. He dropped from over 8 pounds to just under 7 in about 3-4 weeks.
If you think your bunny has a serious weight problem, it’s probably best to take them for a vet checkup to make sure before you do anything drastic. Sometimes skinny bunnies can look fat (especially rexes) and obese bunnies can look healthy.

[lwayne]

peppypoo -I am totally getting that shirt for my S.O.!!

[Author]

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