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Fat Rabbit

Honestly, I can't say for sure, you know him best. But he doesn't look that chubby to me? His rear end looks very slim, the front end...maybe he is 'squatting' on his forelegs and that makes him look wider?

I'm not saying abscess or anything, just that I've never seen a dewlap quite like that. Could be completely normal for his breed standard. Is he overall a big bunny? No giant in him? (I really can't tell how big he is in contrast to the surrounding items in the photos.)

If it bothers you, by all means, ask your vet to recheck it. Can't hurt to be sure! :wave:
 
He's definitely a bigger bunny overall than Hiro and Bill are but he does seem a bit on the chunky side. It's not really a new thing though, he's always been a bit chubby and he's had this padding around his chin for quite a while now. I'm just a bit more conscious of it now because he's going to need a dental. When he lies down his neck area all splodges out to the sides but he has got a much skinnier bottom end.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the shape of his dewlap, particularly as he was seen recently by a vet. I think the best way to manage his weight is to weigh him regularly.

If he's going to have to have the dental soon, I would at this stage make only small adjustments to his diet and I don't think I would change his pellets to a different one.

Small changes to the amount of pellets consumed over a few weeks would I'm sure bring about a reduction in his weight.
 
I agree with Omi that a gradual reduction in pellets to help with the weight loss would be the best way to go.

Oh and don't tell Sy there's people on the internet discussing how porky he is, he might get a complex! :shock:
 
Thank you :)
I've given my boyfriend a stern talking to about treats as well just in case he is sneaking him some on the sly! He's a bit soft with them. I threatened to buy a treat safe that he couldn't get in to :lol:
I'm also taking charge of their greens as well because I'm sure they get a bit too much when daddy does them. I looked in their tub this morning and he'd given them over 20 blueberries!!!!!!!!!! And he gave Bill 12! :oops: I tipped them out and started again and explained for the millionth time that fruit should be a treat and he's not doing them any good.
Tell Sy?! No no no. Syly needs to be told daily that he is a handsome boy, a super model even! I told him he was chubby once and I swear he looked so sad. I felt guilty for days :lol:
 
roxyroller88 said:
Thank you :)
I looked in their tub this morning and he'd given them over 20 blueberries!!!!!!!!!! And he gave Bill 12! :oops: and I swear he
Click to expand...

My three have had fruit from me only once and that was shortly after I first got them and they had to be medicated. I felt mean giving by syringe and so they had it mixed with a small amount of banana. Other than that time they have absolutely no fruit.

I would suggest that along with reducing Sylar's pellets, you should also consider cutting out their fruit :shock:

Sylar is going to hate this forum so so much :lol: Looking sad because he was told he was chubby, just won't compare to the devastation he will feel once he realises that his food is being restricted :lol:
 
I know! I was horrified when I saw it. Treat and fruit cold turkey from now on! I asked him why he'd given them so many and he said it was because we've cut out all the other treats so he thought that it would be ok :lol: *face palm* But he does know now so hopefully he won't do that again!
 
roxyroller88 said:
I know! I was horrified when I saw it. Treat and fruit cold turkey from now on! I asked him why he'd given them so many and he said it was because we've cut out all the other treats so he thought that it would be ok :lol: *face palm* But he does know now so hopefully he won't do that again!
Click to expand...

Well from your photos he doesn't look enormous, but there again, it's hard to tell!

The dewlap is certainly unusual in a male rabbit, but if your vet has poked and prodded it then I guess there's nothing but loose skin? Perhaps he was overweight before you got him, but he was quite young, wasn't he?

As I mentioned at the beginning, I would certainly not change his diet to any great degree before his dental, unless the vet advises he's too fat to undergo the anaesthesia. I don't think he's said that to you, has he? I certainly wouldn't cut out his pellets, as any drastic change in diet is stressful and could precipitate stasis, which of course you don't want!
 
He has always been a bit bigger than Hiro but he's gained weight slowly over time. He has seen a vet fairly recently but not a particularly rabbit savvy one and I don't think they had a good feel of the fat under his chin to be honest. Molly is the closest Rabbit savvy vet to us but she is 90 minutes away and Sy really really hates the car :( and with Hiro being tilty I really wouldn't want to stress him out with a long car journey which means that Sy would be on his own. It leaves us in a bit of a pickle vet wise. I don't really know what to do about his dental? Is it a big procedure? I hate the idea of dragging him to St Helens and then leaving him alone :(
I'm definitely not going to cut out his pellets. Just the fenugreek crunchies and the 20 daily blueberries :oops: so embarrassing!
 
Our bunny had gained a lot of weight. We put him on the diet excel nuggets and then in the evening I worked to encourage him to exercise more. Since he was heavy he wasn't as active as he normally would have been. I had a bag of apples that he could easily smell and I would let him sell it and then move around the house to which he would chase hoping for an apple. After he ran back and forth across the house a couple times he got a small bit of apple. This actually worked and he did get back his normal weight. I lost some weight too :)
 
Tubsy (as his name suggests) was a rather large bunny! I think his heaviest was around 2.6kgs, which for a mini lop X dutch is quite big :shock:
I fed him minimal pellets, around 10-15 a day and gave him a decent amount of greens and ad lib hay. No treats at all!! Initially, he would try and eat all of Flo's food too but I think she got annoyed and told him off haha. I tried feeding them in separate bowls to help too and he eventually just ate what he needed.
He also had constant access to the 10ft run which helped too, he loves to binky!
Took 7 months but he is now 2.3kgs which the vet thinks is a good weight for him :thumb: though she thought he was a girl as he still has a little dewlap :lol: It takes time but you will get there.

When I adopted Tubsy in December 2015:
DSC_0666_1.jpg


This was last month:
IMG_4938.jpg
 
We took Sylar in for a weigh in today and he's now 3.8kg which means he's lost 200g :) It's not a lot I know but it's a step in the right direction and the vet said that it's a nice loss because they don't want him to lose it too fast.
 
roxyroller88 said:
We took Sylar in for a weigh in today and he's now 3.8kg which means he's lost 200g :) It's not a lot I know but it's a step in the right direction and the vet said that it's a nice loss because they don't want him to lose it too fast.
Click to expand...


Sounds good to me :D
 
FloLo said:
Tubsy (as his name suggests) was a rather large bunny! I think his heaviest was around 2.6kgs, which for a mini lop X dutch is quite big :shock:
I fed him minimal pellets, around 10-15 a day and gave him a decent amount of greens and ad lib hay. No treats at all!! Initially, he would try and eat all of Flo's food too but I think she got annoyed and told him off haha. I tried feeding them in separate bowls to help too and he eventually just ate what he needed.
He also had constant access to the 10ft run which helped too, he loves to binky!
Took 7 months but he is now 2.3kgs which the vet thinks is a good weight for him :thumb: though she thought he was a girl as he still has a little dewlap :lol: It takes time but you will get there.

When I adopted Tubsy in December 2015:
DSC_0666_1.jpg


This was last month:
IMG_4938.jpg
Click to expand...


Flo, well done with Tubsy :wave:

Don't they both look gorgeous!

I haven't heard from you in a while - are you OK?? :)
 
roxyroller88 said:
He has always been a bit bigger than Hiro but he's gained weight slowly over time. He has seen a vet fairly recently but not a particularly rabbit savvy one and I don't think they had a good feel of the fat under his chin to be honest. Molly is the closest Rabbit savvy vet to us but she is 90 minutes away and Sy really really hates the car :( and with Hiro being tilty I really wouldn't want to stress him out with a long car journey which means that Sy would be on his own. It leaves us in a bit of a pickle vet wise. I don't really know what to do about his dental? Is it a big procedure? I hate the idea of dragging him to St Helens and then leaving him alone :(
I'm definitely not going to cut out his pellets. Just the fenugreek crunchies and the 20 daily blueberries :oops: so embarrassing!
Click to expand...

just asking whats the rabbit savvy vets in st helens you go to. I live in st helens so im curious, i think sy is looking very handsome, tell him i give him slimmer of the month xx :lol:
 
willow and squiggles said:
just asking whats the rabbit savvy vets in st helens you go to. I live in st helens so im curious, i think sy is looking very handsome, tell him i give him slimmer of the month xx :lol:
Click to expand...

I'll pass on the message. I'm sure he will be very happy :) I might even give him a certificate :lol:
Well... we actually live in Stoke-On-Trent but Hiro was really poorly so we travelled to St Helens to see Molly Varga at Rutland House. She is only there on Monday, Thursday and Friday though xx
 
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