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Overweight rabbit

shakiraminilop

Warren Scout
I have two indoor bunnys one is normal size she begs for food but Pablo not interested straight away but yet he is reli over weight struggling clean him self I think they get time to come out and live in a large dog cage! I try out them outside but they just sit there. They refuse to eat the diet rabbit food please help
 
what quantity of pellets do you give them? have you tried gradually reducing until they eat hay? and have you tried different types of hay?
 
Pellets are like eating mac donalds every day and hay is like eating salad. You really need to get them to eat hay (or grass) but I know it's tough as you can't explain why a bit of salad might be a good idea!

Try leaving them for an hour without any pellets and poking them with pieces of fresh hay :) You could also try different hay brands. Fresh grass is a good alternative too - just a little to start with and build up slowly.

Most fresh foods will be better than pellets, so you might like to introduce leafy veg and things like dandelion too - again gradually.
 
Mercedes got really overweight, I spoiled the buns when they first came to me because they'd come from such a horrible place, treats, loads of fruit, extra pellets, because it made them happy, but it got to the point where she wouldn't touch her hay and only ate pellets so I put her on a crash diet (cleared it with the vet first).

Morning: fresh short hay in a box with a few pellets (like 10) sprinkled in, she had to dig for her food, and ended up eating some of the hay in the meantime.

Lunch: Long hay and romaine lettuce with grass and dandelions + grazing hours

Dinner: 15g less than the recommended amount


2 Months later, she was the right weight, and loves her hay :D Now she'll pick her hay over pellets, but is still partial to her evening fruit salad, luckily she runs it off during the day with the whole of the garden and house for just two bunnies :thumb:
 
Definitely concur with the others, if you reduce the pellets they should start eating hay.

You could also make them work for their dinner, so they do get more active, putting the pellets in a snack ball like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Karlie-KA84...d=1374839489&sr=1-9&keywords=rabbit+treat+toy
That way they're moving and not just sat in front of a bowl stuffing their faces!

You can also try giving them pellets hidden underneath hay so they have to dig and hunt for them.
 
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