Overweight Pet Rabbit? Here are Some Weight Loss Tips for an Obese Bunny
Overweight rabbits are adorable, but at the same time, there are many things that a rabbit that’s overweight can have problems with, so it’s important that you keep your bunny happy. In this post, we’re going to talk a little bit about complications that rabbits may have to deal with when they’re overweight, as well as give you some weight loss tips for overweight rabbits so you can help your bunny-pal live happy and healthy for a longer period of time.
Health Risks of Rabbit Obesity
Bunny rabbits that are obese can suffer from many of the same problems that we have as humans. From being at higher risk for diseases, cholesterol, diarrhea, and even arthritis, being obese can spell disaster for a rabbit. Not only that, but it’s been scientifically proven that breeding and birthing in rabbits may instill issues if the rabbit is obese, compared to the average healthy rabbit.
While Some breeds have different weight recommendations (some rabbits thrive actually with a little bit of higher fat content), it’s more important that you talk to your veterinarian to make sure that your rabbit is of a healthy weight, or find out what the target weight of your rabbit is at their age should be.
How to Tell If Your Rabbit Weighs In
A rabbit has a specific bone structure and muscle structure that helps them get around more. Therefore, it’s important that you can easily feel their spine, but you don’t want them jutting out, and their bones should be rounded and not sharp feeling. At the same time, they shouldn’t have any bulge in their stomach area, but it shouldn’t be sunk in either. Their hind end should be a little bit flat at about a 45-degree angle (like a round bevel) rather than being straight up and down, or a very large curve.
Weighing Your Rabbit
Doing this may seem tricky because pet rabbits like to jump and hop. That’s what rabbits do. Therefore, rather than trying to put your rabbit on a scale just to watch them constantly jump off, one of the best methods is to use a tare weight scale method. You can do this by putting your rabbit in a container if you wish, or if your rabbit is used to being handled, even use your own body’s weight as the tare weight. To use yourself as a tare weight, weigh yourself without your rabbit, write that number down, then weigh yourself with your rabbit in hand. Take the weight of you holding your rabbit and subtract your actual body weight from it (which you wrote down), and you have your rabbits weight.
Diet Means a Lot
When it comes to your rabbit’s weight, diet is the most often the leading factor in why your rabbit is overweight. Aside from this, there may be other reasons. Some rabbits are neutered, and if your rabbit is fixed, there’s a higher chance that their laziness will lead to some extra weight on their bodies.
If you’re giving your rabbit a treat like fruit (they love fruit so you can give them a treat once daily, but don’t give them more than 2 tablespoons per day for every five pounds of bodyweight), then they’ll love you forever. The best option is to give them a vegetable treat though, so your rabbit won’t get as much of a sugar intake. Using rabbit pellets, you need to only give about a fourth of a cup of feed for every 5 pounds of body weight. That being said, this way you’re not over or underfeeding your pet bunny. Another good thing to realize is to avoid lettuce. Lettuce is a great and delicious snack for us, but it is high in water and literally has almost no nutritional value for a rabbit.
The Bunny Blues?
As mentioned above, there are some problems that you may face with your rabbits activities. Make sure your rabbit gets up and around. If you see that your rabbit isn’t getting enough exercise, you can do activities and bond with your rabbit while making sure that you get them to move around for a few hours throughout the day. Let your rabbit run around through your house if your house is risk-free from your rabbit getting out or hurt. Otherwise, you can buy things such an s rabbit run. If you have a rabbit run outside, then your rabbit can also feed on your grass and get plenty of exercise with fresh air.
Another thing to consider in the event that your rabbit may not be too active can be a sign of any other underlying reason. Just because your rabbit isn’t active may not mean that they’re lazy. This could mean that they have a serious condition, is suffering from something such as a fever, cold, other serious illness, and even yes – depression. Other factors as mentioned above like being fixed can temporarily cause depression in your rabbit, so it’s important that you encourage and give your bunny plenty of fun times to help them be able to move around once they have started to heal from being fixed.
Conclusion for Overweight Rabbits
If your rabbit is obese, or you think it is, never hesitate to call a vet. They’ll be able to give you the best assessment since they’re a licensed medical professional. Not only that, but in this guide, we hope that you’ll be able to benefit on the things you shouldn’t do (and things you can) to keep your rabbit from being overweight. If your rabbit ends up being overweight, you may try alternatives alongside of inducing exercise, such as putting your rabbit on a diet. Instead of feeding them the normal amount, try cutting the amount in half.
This guide recommends that you feed your pet a fourth of a cup for every five pounds of bodyweight, but if you’re doing a diet for your cuddly bunny, then you want to give them about an eighth of a cup per every five pounds of bodyweight for a short amount of time. Ask your vet what is the right option for you to do so your rabbit can still get all the nutrients it needs to live longer and avoid becoming obese.
