• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

fat buns - dirty bums?

G

glossta1

Alpha Buck
Are chubby buns more prone to getting their bums dirty and less able to keep them clean themselves? Our two sedate elderly bunnies are free-range all day most days, but don't bother with exercise much and are a chubby pair of slow-coaches hippety-hopping quietly around the 'rabbit garden' nibbling grass. They are very prone to getting sticky around the rear-end, and as the weather warms we worry about fly strike.

Back in their hutch overnight they have access to hay, veg and pellets. If we drop the pellets off, would it help? Any other ideas? All thoughts welcome.
 
Yes, overweight Rabbits are prone to getting a mucky bum.

Reducing pellets may help BUT I would advise you to get them both checked over by your Vet. Spinal arthritis or Dental problems can also lead to a mucky bum and it's important to rule these two conditions out :)
 
will do...

Thanks - I didn't know that. We'll get it checked.

Both have been fat for a long time, so hopefully there is no underlying problem, but we'll double-check. Sausage came from a rescue to join Buffy after each had lost their long term partners - they're both well over 5. Sausage has apparently always been a quiet and gentle bun who loved hay and grass and didn't bother much with running around. We've had Buffy from 12 weeks, living with her older husbun who died last year - she always ate more and faster, and became vastly the bigger of the two, and we were reluctant to cut rations because we suspected it wouldn't be she who'd lose weight! Now that she's paired with Sausage, and they're well-matched in eating and exercise habits we might at last be able to slim them both a bit.

We got used to cleaning Buffy up as best we could, but cleaning two sticky bunny bottoms regularly isn't our ideal way of spending time, if we can prevent the problem in the first place!
 
Tubby Bunnies...........

How much food do they have over night? I would suggest small amounts of pellets (someone once said tablespoons of feed but that seems a bit mean) and veg wise would stick to greens etc rather than anything suger laddened. I have an 8 year old boy who's running round an amful lot at the moment. Not sure if it's Spring, his dental abscess improving or the big doses of anti-inflammatry he's on. Def get them checked over though. Good luck x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Baby rabbits with messy bums
Replies
6
Views
2K
Santa
Santa
Pets mum
Terrified of fly strike !
Replies
12
Views
2K
MightyMax
MightyMax
D
At my wit's end, need advice please
2 3
Replies
46
Views
3K
dinklepip
D
Back
Top