Has anyone used this before.... Vetcareplus Weight Management Formula

[FredW]

It sounds as though they are a type of pellet - which means you were feeding more pellets than you thought.

lol nope, I stopped both of those. so still only 10g felt fibre first was not good so I dropped it. they didn't seem too bothered. the one they were bothered about was the natures touch. they still beg for it each evening when they used to get it.

 

[Jbun]

There are a few things that you need to take into consideration when trying to find a way to reduce calories in a rabbits diet. Protein and carbs are the main dietary influences on weight gain, increased indigestible fiber will lead to weight loss. Since you really are feeding a minimal amount of pellets, dropping them may not make that much of a difference. So you have to look at the hay, forage, herbs, veg, that you feed.

The maturity of the hay when it is cut, will determine how high the nutrient value is, and essentially how fattening it will be. The leafier and greener the hay is, the higher in nutrients and protein it will be. The more mature a hay is and the more it contains stalky mature stems, the lower in protein it will be and higher in indigestible fiber, which also helps improve gastric motility. So with any grass hay, the leafier it is, the higher in protein and more fattening it is, the stalkier it is, the lower in protein it will be and thus less fattening.

Grain hays like oat, will tend to be a more fattening hay as you will either be feeding a less mature green leafy hay which will be higher in protein, or a more mature stalky hay that contains seed heads with grain that is high in carbs, and so will also be fattening. Unless you are wiling to pick the seed heads out of a mature oat hay, it is going to be too high in carbs to lead to any weight loss, and may actually cause weight gain. I personally would avoid feeding oat hay to a rabbit I am trying to encourage weight loss with.

Alfalfa is usually best avoided because not only is it very high in calcium, but is usually high in protein because it is generally cut at a time when it is very leafy and will thus be high in protein. It also just naturally contains a higher amount of protein than grass hays.

With forage, herbs, and veg, you will want to avoid anything that might be high in sugars, carbs, and starches.

Of course, it's not necessarily what you are feeding that is going to completely influence weight loss, but what your rabbit is actually consuming. If you are feeding a hay that is a mix of leaf and stems, and your rabbit won't eat the low protein stems but prefers to eat the high protein leafy bits, that will likely lead to weight gain. So you do have to look at what your rabbit is actually consuming and not just what is being offered.

You will also need to closely monitor your other rabbits weight. If he is at a good weight now, changing the diet to contain less protein, could lead to him losing weight, unless you were to continue to feed him his own special food separately.

Even with a concerted effort to change your buns diet, you may find that no significant weight loss occurs. I have a rabbit that has always been a little chunky, and no matter the diet changes I have tried, she just keeps the weight on her.

 

[FredW]

Thanks for all that. I think the pellets I kinda wanted to cut them completely for a while anyway, so it is probably the right time anyway. Plus Fluffy isn't bothered about them anyway, I don't think anyway, so should be easy enough for him to stay the same. he is a great hay eater, and will eat hay first before anything else. she on the other hand will eat all else before hay, well she is getting better lately.

I guess I really need to look at how she eats. I do know she likes the stalkier hays, but also loves her redigrass, so maybe she's cancelling the good she does by eating the more stalky hay by eating ready grass after. I am a bit apprehensive cutting it out, the redigrass as she really loves it, but if it is bad for her, I will cut it.

Do you have a good suggestion for a hay that you would recommend? I found they do like the oxbow Timothy hay and it seems to be quite stalky too, but there may be better ones I could try.

Thanks again for all, I made a copy of what you said, so I have it for future references. and yeah I don't know, maybe she is just a chubby happy bunny, she does seem to be just as fast and spirited as the little boy, and often even still wants to play when he sits and gets ready for his afternoon nap. So i don't know anymore. I have been trying for over a year getting her weight down, and nothing i have done helped significantly yet.

 

[Babsie]

Did the vet say she was overweight? As you now feed so few pellets and no treats, and they have plenty of hay, perhaps she is just at her 'normal' weight. I must admit, I don't weigh mine regularly, unless they are ill, but go much more on how they look and feel (nicely covered spine etc).

 

[FredW]

Did the vet say she was overweight? As you now feed so few pellets and no treats, and they have plenty of hay, perhaps she is just at her 'normal' weight. I must admit, I don't weigh mine regularly, unless they are ill, but go much more on how they look and feel (nicely covered spine etc).

yeah the vet said she's overweight. And yeah she is a bit, or at least was, but I don't feel she would "feel" right if she lost as much as it's been suggested. that said, they did say she had a lot of fat around her organs when she was spayed. So I don't know. She seems really happy and full of life, so its not that she's not moving enough. I just honestly don't know why she keeps it on. I mean we have lost some weight over time, but it is very very slow.

 

[Jbun]

It sounds like the hay you are feeding is fine, and good that she likes to eat the stalky bits. If you find another stalky hay that you think she'll like, no harm in trying that too.

You could see how it goes after cutting out or reducing the pellets. That may be enough for some weight loss to occur. Or if you feel like there needs to be a bit more of a change, maybe reduce the readigrass a little. I wouldn't cut it out completely at this point though, as that may not be necessary and would be a shame since she seems to like it so well. It's better to make gradual changes anyhow. With the pellets being cut/reduced and if you also reduce the readigrass a little, that should get her eating more of the stalky hay, which hopefully will encourage at least a little weight loss over time.

You can only try your best to alter her diet to encourage weight loss. Since you aren't feeding any fattening treats, you can only change so much when you are to the point of pretty much only feeding them hay, which they have to have regardless. It may even be that she will just stay a slightly chunky bun. It doesn't sound like it is affecting her activity level at all, so laziness has nothing to do with it.

It would be good to weigh both of them each week, and maybe reevaluate after a month, depending on if there have been any slight changes in either buns weight. But it will probably take several months to see any significant change, as you want the weight loss to be gradual anyways.