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is this right vet advice
- Thread starter Bunnytod
- Start date
Buuny_Friend
Mama Doe
Cutting a bunny's food so drastically like that can cause fatty liver.
I would reduce their food slowly and encourage them to eat more hay (trying different hays etc).
This is what we have done for foster bunnies who have needed to lose weight and have had great success.
Like us, it's better for bunnies to lose weight gradually rather than quickly.
I would reduce their food slowly and encourage them to eat more hay (trying different hays etc).
This is what we have done for foster bunnies who have needed to lose weight and have had great success.
Like us, it's better for bunnies to lose weight gradually rather than quickly.
I just feel really mean, he wants them back in two weeks for a weigh in, Its more honey than harley he wants to check, They only have a bowl of lightweight pellets a day between them as it is and plenty of hay and greens, I just dont want to stop feeding them it just does not seem right
Dollie
Warren Scout
Even though it makes you feel mean, you will have to cut down on the pellets. A bowl sounds like quite a lot to me, although that depends on the bowl, your rabbits being overweight does make it obvious you're giving too much.
Being overweight simply is very unhealthy and I agree with your vet, they should lose that weight. But not in two weeks.. I wouldn't stop giving them pellets, but I would cut down on the amount you give now.
Maybe you could weigh how much the bowl (well, not the bowl, but the amount of pellets that goes in it :lol you give now is, how many grams? And your rabbits, how much do they weigh? Are you giving any veggies now? Maybe you could start giving them a small amount of that. Most veggies won't make them fat and most rabbits love veggies, so you won't have to feel mean because you're giving them less pellets.
Being overweight simply is very unhealthy and I agree with your vet, they should lose that weight. But not in two weeks.. I wouldn't stop giving them pellets, but I would cut down on the amount you give now.
Maybe you could weigh how much the bowl (well, not the bowl, but the amount of pellets that goes in it :lol
you give now is, how many grams? And your rabbits, how much do they weigh? Are you giving any veggies now? Maybe you could start giving them a small amount of that. Most veggies won't make them fat and most rabbits love veggies, so you won't have to feel mean because you're giving them less pellets.
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GrahamL
Wise Old Thumper
This ^^^
2 weeks seems a bit quick and totally cutting out pellets would be a bad idea.
over the last 3 weeks i've cut back on Veggies & Pellets for Biscuit as he was getting a bit 'podgy'. He's turned into a crazy hay monster now and i can tell already just by looking/feeling him that he's lost some already but i havent weighed him as i have no way of doing so at home.
biscandmatt1
Wise Old Thumper
i would cut down more slowly than the vet has said personally. i'd start with the pellets, and then reduce any sugary veg, anything that isn't a leafy green basically. and try different hays as you cut down the pellets, maybe some dried herbs.
I would agree with gradually cutting down the pellets until they are having a pinch each, or so. You can make their food fun and make them work for it too.
Remember hay needs to be 80-90% of a rabbits diet, so by reducing their pellets that's not nasty (as long as done slowly), its actually healthy.
Remember hay needs to be 80-90% of a rabbits diet, so by reducing their pellets that's not nasty (as long as done slowly), its actually healthy.
I can totally sympathise with your situation as my vet also advised me cutting out pellets from my bun's diet due to weight issues. However, I was advised to reduce them to a dessert spoonful & up the green veg. My vet also expected to see weight reduction in a couple of weeks - although stated that sudden weight loss can be very damaging.
Just reducing sugary veg such as carrots, upping the greens & reducing the pellets led to a weight loss of 80g in a fortnight. She has lost almost 600g now in just over 3 months. It's a slow process, but we are gradually getting there
I must stress that when upping the veg, I used green veg they were used to having & didn't introduce any new things for a couple of weeks.
Now the pellets are a treat I give them 2-3 times a week. Since cutting back on the pellets they eat loads more hay too.
Just reducing sugary veg such as carrots, upping the greens & reducing the pellets led to a weight loss of 80g in a fortnight. She has lost almost 600g now in just over 3 months. It's a slow process, but we are gradually getting there
I must stress that when upping the veg, I used green veg they were used to having & didn't introduce any new things for a couple of weeks.
Now the pellets are a treat I give them 2-3 times a week. Since cutting back on the pellets they eat loads more hay too.
The Duchess
Wise Old Thumper
agree with all of the above. Cutting down gradually is the only safe way to diet a rabbit. Fatty liver is a real problem is you just stop feeding all the calories. In addition to that I have seen some rabbits cut down too quickly become food obsessive and act as if they are starving constantly.
I'd say try cutting down over a month + to see a small change. You absolutely don't want to see a marked drop in weight in that time. I'd be worried if you did.
In addition to cutting down pellets and veg, it's also a good idea to get your bunnies running around too - just like us humans. It'll help the gut get moving and use up some calories. You could run around shaking a box of pellets if they are used to that noise.
I'd say try cutting down over a month + to see a small change. You absolutely don't want to see a marked drop in weight in that time. I'd be worried if you did.
In addition to cutting down pellets and veg, it's also a good idea to get your bunnies running around too - just like us humans. It'll help the gut get moving and use up some calories. You could run around shaking a box of pellets if they are used to that noise.
Dollie
Warren Scout
I think that's a good thing to start with! And there are so many creative ways to feed them! It will not only help them to lose weight, they'll also have something to do.. Mine really enjoy "working" for their food. They'll have to spend more time on the eating, while they're actually eating less.
Things like this:
Or put the pellets in a snackball, hide them. Maybe you could start doing clickertraining, using the pellets as a treat. And my three are enjoying their own "appletree" right now, my dad cut of a branch for them. (Think about the apples though, wouldn't leave them on..) Good for their teeth and a lot more work than just some veggies in a bowl.
Things like this:
Or put the pellets in a snackball, hide them. Maybe you could start doing clickertraining, using the pellets as a treat. And my three are enjoying their own "appletree" right now, my dad cut of a branch for them. (Think about the apples though, wouldn't leave them on..
) Good for their teeth and a lot more work than just some veggies in a bowl.
The Duchess
Wise Old Thumper
I think this is a great idea, but just for those reading this thread that may not be sure how much veg to feed bunnies, in my opinion this photo has an awful lot of veg in it. Way more than I would ever feed to a pair/trio in one sitting. For rabbits on a calorie controlled diet, you'd be wanting to feed a very small portion of veg.
Dollie
Warren Scout
Haha, it's not even half of what I feed them. :lol: except for the apple, they usually don't get that. But although (obviously) I disagree on how much veggies to feed them, of course you're right in this context. I would be very carefull, not only with the amount of veg but especially look at the callories, so no carrots etc. Thought that would be clear..
linzi1loveanimals
Alpha Buck
How much do the rabbits weigh? It depends on the rabbit's size and build to what their weight should be. I wouldn't take any action on their diet without a second opinion. Plus if they're outdoor buns the last thing they need through the winter is less food. I've previously worried about a buns weight yet my vet told me he was fine for his size-a lot of it being muscle not fat. Yet another of my buns was once classed as underweight- having long hair meant he needed more food as the hair will start to use body mass to fuel it's growth. It really all depends on the buns in question-i'd see a different vet as the advice given on stopping pellets is damaging to your buns health. Although this forum is good for advice-every bun is different and I wouldn't follow guidelines given for another bun for health reasons. A bit like humans swapping prescription meds if you catch my drift for now i'd give them more exercise and make them work for their food more until another vet has seen them
for now i'd give them more exercise and make them work for their food more until another vet has seen them
The Duchess
Wise Old Thumper
Haha, it's not even half of what I feed them. :lol: except for the apple, they usually don't get that. But although (obviously) I disagree on how much veggies to feed them, of course you're right in this context. I would be very carefull, not only with the amount of veg but especially look at the callories, so no carrots etc. Thought that would be clear..
We clearly do disagree, because as I said in the other thread last week, I wholeheartedly believe that the 80% hay, 15% veg and 5 % pellet idea is absolutely right and not just in the case of dieting rabbits.
Rabbits need at least their own body size of hay every day minimum. Then be topped up with a few veg and last of course pelleted food.
To feed more of the veg/pellets will encourage rabbits to eat less hay and that can be catastropic for both dental health and their gut motility. Neither have enough long fibre/fibre content for correct molar/teeth wear and moving food through the gut.
Like offering a child cereal or pizza - which is he going to choose. Fill up on pizza - ain't going to eat the cereal then is he?
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Dollie
Warren Scout
You know what, I could type a long story about why I disagree, but let's just agree to disagree..
My rabbits eat plenty of grass and hay and all the other things I feed them contain lots of fibres. Their weight is good, they're healthy. That's what counts, if you ask me.
What do you mean with "their own body size" though?
ash&crystal
Alpha Buck
You know what, I could type a long story about why I disagree, but let's just agree to disagree..
My rabbits eat plenty of grass and hay and all the other things I feed them contain lots of fibres. Their weight is good, they're healthy. That's what counts, if you ask me.
What do you mean with "their own body size" though?
If it was too much veg wouldn they be chubby??? If they are healthy you should carry on feeding them what you are!
Edit: dont mean to offend.
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You know what, I could type a long story about why I disagree, but let's just agree to disagree..
My rabbits eat plenty of grass and hay and all the other things I feed them contain lots of fibres. Their weight is good, they're healthy. That's what counts, if you ask me.
What do you mean with "their own body size" though?
What is being said is that to maintain good dental and GI condition every rabbit should eat their own body size in hay a day. A rabbit which eats this amount is far less at risk of GI or dental problems.
This means that a small rabbit and a large rabbit should eat different amounts to each other which is relative to their size.
If it was too much veg wouldn they be chubby??? If they are healthy you should carry on feeding them what you are!
Not necessarily. Hay is the main course of a rabbits diet and is the most important part of any rabbits diet, anything else should be like a side dish to the main course. For a health gastrointestinal condition and for keeping the teeth worn down rabbits should be fed in the ratio of 80% hay, 15% veg and 5 % pellet.
