Skinny bunny

Hey guys. I've got two foster rabbits arriving tomorrow that our local RSPCA are dropping off as they're at full capacity. It was originally going to be just one male lop arriving but I asked about a black lionhead that I've been keen on (he's super cute) and I have asked if I can look after him too as I have the space for him. My concern is for the little lionhead, she mentioned that he has no front teeth and apparently may not even be re-homable as he's very thin and doesn't seem to be putting any weight on, but also he eats his food like mad! She had him checked over and the vet said he generally seems healthy. I'm happy to keep the little guy here for the rest of his life if I need to but wondered what I could do to try see what might be causing this. I'm thinking about paying to get him checked out again, surely something can be done? I was instantly thinking that he may have worms or some sort of parasite but to be honest I'm not sure. What do you think the issue could be?

Appologies guy this is the wonderful (and very much beautiful) Goofy

he is beautiful

What's his diet?

A full health check would be necessary (and, I'm sure you know, but remember to keep him totally quarantined from all other bunnies). They would include a dental check and it would also be worth running blood tests too, I would think, to see if there is an underlying cause.

Sky-O said:

What's his diet?

A full health check would be necessary (and, I'm sure you know, but remember to keep him totally quarantined from all other bunnies). They would include a dental check and it would also be worth running blood tests too, I would think, to see if there is an underlying cause.

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Yeah, health check was the automatic thing I wanted to aim for. We try convert all rabbits to Burgess Excell, so until tomorrow I shall assume Sandra has that as his full diet at the moment, I'll see how much she feeds him daily and may increase it depending on what he's already getting. He'll be living alone like you said obviously for a while until I know he's ok. I'm more concerned what might be wrong with the poor boy. Sandra at the RSPCA said she think he may be old, but we're just not 100% sure yet. I'll be having a talk with her tomorrow about it. She said he was found as a stray which raised my suspicions of him maybe holding a parasite or something nasty.

With regards to his diet, there are lots of adjustments you can make to help him retain his weight and then hopefully gain. He will need a permanent heat source.

You can try junior pellets, oats, black sunflower seeds, etc. Also, is he able to eat hay? If not, that alone can lead a bunny to lose weight. You can also give him protexin profibre pellets to help maximise how much he is absorbing from the foods he is eating. He may also need unlimited pellets.

Most of those things likely won't deal with the root cause of the issues but I hope you can find out what's going on for him.

Sky-O said:

With regards to his diet, there are lots of adjustments you can make to help him retain his weight and then hopefully gain. He will need a permanent heat source.

You can try junior pellets, oats, black sunflower seeds, etc. Also, is he able to eat hay? If not, that alone can lead a bunny to lose weight. You can also give him protexin profibre pellets to help maximise how much he is absorbing from the foods he is eating. He may also need unlimited pellets.

Most of those things likely won't deal with the root cause of the issues but I hope you can find out what's going on for him.

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I'm so hoping it is a simple case of "he needs more food" to help bulk up, and hope thats the actual issue, nothing serious. All mine are fed the junior version as they're all dwarf sizes (except for the 2 current fosters). I'll have to find some oats...any idea where you can buy them that are suitable for rabbits? Black sunflower seeds shouldn't be an issue mum feeds our local wildlife those allll the time :thumb:. So what will a permanent heat source do to help him? I do have snuggle safes I can use or is that not permanent enough?

I'm guessing he eats hay, but I haven't checked, so that'll be on my list of things to ask tomorrow when he arrives. I'll try him on our fresh bail of Timothy & Rye hay tomorrow and see if I can get him to eat some. I haven't got any Protexin Profibre Pellets but I do have Fibreplex and also Bio Lapis?

A heat source will mean he can conserve his energy and use less trying to keep himself warm. A snuggle safe should be fine as long as it never gets cold or even better, being somewhere wRmer than outside but I understand that may not be an option.

Just feed s pinch of sunflower seeds but introduce them slowly. He may not like them; they were one of the very few foods my Badger actually spat out. :lol:

Oats wise you just need regular rolled oats- not quick, instant or flavoured. Quakers can be got from a supermarket. I have used those before.

Hope that helps

Does he eat hay?
If he doesn't put on weight with more pellets and extras like oats then yes I would worry. But gummy bunnies tend to be slower eaters so if he's with another rabbit they might take his food. He might also not know how to eat hay properly. Although my sister's gummy bunny Dexter has no problems Grim can't eat anything unless it's what I call 'bunny bite sized'. In about 1cm cubed pieces. He even struggles with grated carrot but can eat carrot chopped into small pieces. It might be worth watching what he's eating and how he's eating it. Dexter on the other hand refuses small food and stuff big leaves in his mouth but just chews them with his back teeth.

I've always used Quaker rolled oats, just don't get the instant stuff. :wave:

Really interested in this thread, as I have the same problem with Elliot

Sky-O said:

A heat source will mean he can conserve his energy and use less trying to keep himself warm. A snuggle safe should be fine as long as it never gets cold or even better, being somewhere wRmer than outside but I understand that may not be an option.

Just feed s pinch of sunflower seeds but introduce them slowly. He may not like them; they were one of the very few foods my Badger actually spat out. :lol:

Oats wise you just need regular rolled oats- not quick, instant or flavoured. Quakers can be got from a supermarket. I have used those before.

Hope that helps

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Well there is the possability I may be able to keep him in my room (if mum decided he's cute enough and melts her heart ) but keeping him warm makes sense now that you've explained it, so I'll definatly bare that in mind. We always have ReadyBrek but obviously that isn't what I should use so I'll source out some "intact" oats, I think Tesco have a big value pack for about 88p. Thanks Sky-o

Jenova said:

Does he eat hay?
If he doesn't put on weight with more pellets and extras like oats then yes I would worry. But gummy bunnies tend to be slower eaters so if he's with another rabbit they might take his food. He might also not know how to eat hay properly. Although my sister's gummy bunny Dexter has no problems Grim can't eat anything unless it's what I call 'bunny bite sized'. In about 1cm cubed pieces. He even struggles with grated carrot but can eat carrot chopped into small pieces. It might be worth watching what he's eating and how he's eating it. Dexter on the other hand refuses small food and stuff big leaves in his mouth but just chews them with his back teeth.

I've always used Quaker rolled oats, just don't get the instant stuff. :wave:

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Well I find out how good the little guy is with eating hay in a little while, he arrives in less than an hour :thumb: He lives on his own at the moment. Our local RSPCA don't have the time to bond single rabbits because they're all fostered out as we don't have a centre, and I'm the only one who makes an attempt if I have two in my care and I think it'll work. So usually they find homes as a single bunny, but all are neutured so are ready for any owner to bond them selves. Do you think I should cut his hay into small bits? I use Hay4Pets Timothy & Rye so it is very thick, long and stalky so he might struggle. I also have some meadow hay laying around somewhere under all the Timothy & Rye :lol: I guess I'll just have to watch how he eats and if he struggles?

Tesco's 'value' oats are what we used for Ginger and yes, were about 80p :wave:

Good luck with him, excellent advice from everyone on thread :thumb:

All advice i followed with Ginger :wave:

The protexin pro fibre help Mischa to keep weight on, oats are cheaper though

Elena said:

The protexin pro fibre help Mischa to keep weight on, oats are cheaper though

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Oats for 80p barely helped us.

Protexin Profibre tub for £10 really helped us.

Typical that the expensive thing is the thing that helps :lol:

I've never tried oats with Mischa, the profibre helps Mini's tum too so it's kinda two birds, one stone (oh that saying's cruel but you get what I mean) kind of thing.

Looks like I may need to invest in some Protexin Profibre then :shock::thumb: He's absolutely adorable!!!!!!!!! I'll take some photos soon.

I held him earlier, he's a heavy boy considering. He looks slightly bigger then a Nethi but maybe it's just all that fur:lol: You can feel his spine quite a bit but not his ribs so much. He doesn't eat hay either!!!! So thats one of my first challanges, other then that he appears to be perfectly healthy. The other foster, Harry has also arrived and he's lovely too your common P@H rabbit, he's quite a bit lop too, but a loving personality!

If he's not eating hay he might be in pain with his tooth roots.
Grim can't eat hay and he has unlimited soggy pellets. His weight is fine and his teeth don't need doing too often.

Try cutting it smaller and try different brands. Also try dried forage like plantain and brambles.

Update:

Well according to Sandra he has never touched any hay since she's had him, and he had a dental for spurs about 2 months ago. So I decided to go straight in with "Mr persuasion" by adding a bit of banana to the hay and guess what....20 minutes of none stop hay eating!!!!!! He's still eating it but I finished all the work outside so came in. And I'd imagine the banana will help him gain a bit of weight. He is such a darling though! I fear this may end up being a case of fostering gone wrong and I may end up keeping him...he would make a brilliant bedroom bunny too espcially as he can't nibble my bedroom furniture as he has no front teeth :roll: I forgot to take photos and it's starting to get dark now so photos may have to wait :roll:

I had to cut all his hay into "managable length approx 1-2inch in length, I've mixed very fine meadow hay and also timothy hay but I suspect he'll go for the meadow hay mostly as it'll be easier for him.