You could put the dry food in a treat ball so your rabbit has to roll it around to get the food out, scatter the food around the pen so your rabbit Make sure they are plenty of dark leafy green vegetables that will be able to provide your rabbit with lots of fibre and the vitamins and minerals that they need in order to thrive. Make sure your rabbit has a playmate and enough time to play outside. Grass is a great alternative to hay, and many rabbits that don't eat hay will eat fresh grass. Obesity & flystrike An overweight rabbit cannot groom itself properly, which in turn can lead to life-threatening conditions such as fly strike. then you should consider changing brands - see here for a comparison. You can also hand feed it as a reward for training, Introduce it slowly and build up the quantity gradually so Sugar or honey – one rabbit owner I know added sugar or honey to her rabbit’s food to get them to gain weight. There are many ways to do Rabbits do not necessarily need these to flourish. Your rabbit will need the space and incentives to get active. Most overweight rabbits are being fed far too much concentrated food. rabbit's ideal weight ask your vet for advice. Ensure it eats over 80% grassy hay (and reduce on alfalfa and other legume hay) and some leafy greens such as lettuce, kales, watercress, cucumber leaves, cilantro and so on. Your rabbits’ daily diet should be: Their own body size in feeding hay and grass; A small handful of fresh greens; A tablespoon of commercial rabbit pellets (if necessary) Never muesli style diets. Obesity is a problem with rabbits that eat a diet too high in calories and that don't get enough exercise. Even though wild rabbits spend more than half their time feeding, thanks to their natural diet and daily exercise, they remain lean and healthy. Breed standards set … If your dry food is high in protein and low in fibre Pathara Buranadilok/Getty Images Why is Obesity in Rabbits Bad? Click to attach a photo related to your comment, My Dog Won't Feed Her Puppies - Causes and What to Do, Weight loss diet for an overweight rabbit, Why is My Rabbit Losing Fur? The house rabbit should have a diet high in fibre and fairly low in calories (especially fats and starches). Diet and Exercise. If your rabbit or guinea pig has a poor diet and gets too little exercise, he will have trouble keeping off the pounds. If you have a hard time finding it or cannot find it with your fingers, your rabbit is overweight. Prevention / Treatment. Also make sure your rabbit is a good hay eater. There is no reason to give up treating your rabbit, but you may need to change what foods you are treating with. He's a wild rabbit I hand reared. The best diet for overweight rabbits. Although certain breeds of rabbit, including the dwarf rabbit, are more at risk for obesity due to their shorter stature and inactivity, it occurs most often among middle-aged rabbits that are caged, and is independent of their gender. If your rabbit is under a year old, they should be given alfalfa hay, which is high in protein, but it is important that they transition to timothy hay when they're older. When dealing with an overweight rabbit, high-quality grass hay and fresh greens such as lettuce, parsley, and carrot tops are what the diet should consist mostly of. It's fine to continue to feed fresh foods whilst your rabbit is dieting. In this AnimalWised article we are going to tell you how to help your rabbit lose weight through diet and exercise. However, our data provide evidence that overweight is related to a clear reduction in fertility capacity. Wild rabbits usually cover a home range of about 2 acres every day in their hunt for food. quite small. If you would like to use the text or images on this In fact, in the U.S., it's the second most common medical issue in rabbits right after dental problems. See files for Rabbits. Whilst your rabbit is dieting reduce dry A rabbit with sufficient space can burn off calorie excess even with a poor diet, however a rabbit fed a relatively good diet given nowhere to run and play will put on weight. Kibble and treats are the most common reasons for weight gain, so you should limit them in adult rabbits. The amount of fat should not be over 3%. encouraging hay eating. What to Do if My Dog has Something Stuck in his Throat? The amount they eat and drink monitoring. They are very - Causes and Solutions, My Rabbit Has Diarrhea - Causes and Treatment, My Rabbit's Stomach is Making Gurgling Sounds, My Dog Keeps Licking Her Private Area - All Possible Reasons, Why Is My Dog Bleeding From Its Anus? Also compare the amount of crude protein with other rabbit pellets. and fat and can play a big part in weight gain. food to approximately 10-15g per 1kg of body weight. If your rabbit is reluctant to eat hay try different varieties and these tips on Obesity in rabbits is a medical condition that occurs when a rabbit carries excess weight or body fat that might affect their health. Rabbits are always chewing on hay or leafy vegetables. By keeping your rabbit caged up all day you're not only promoting weight gain but that can also lead them to feeling stressed and depressed. Don’t feed rabbits with pellets that have protein proportion of greater than 14% to rabbits. - Quantities rabbits need to eat depend on age/lifestyle/general health. I'm going to cut down on the pellets but how much veg should I give each day and what type? Obesity in rabbits can lead to many adverse effects, such as hepatic lipidosis, heart disease, and sticky bottom syndrome. They’ll get all the vitamins they need from hay. with leafy greens such as kale, herbs, carrot tops and dandelion. For proper exercise you need to let your rabbit out of their cage for at least an hour each day. It's a good idea to weigh your rabbit weekly to monitor their progress. Feeding quantities adjusted to prevent them from becoming underweight/overweight. Common owner mistakes that contribute to rabbit obesity include over-feeding of pellets, over-feeding of treats, … If you When caring for a domestic rabbit we need to make sure they're getting plenty of exercise. The best cat food for overweight cats is rich in high-quality protein without too much fat or starch. This way you can avoid future medical problems and get them back to a healthy weight. Alternatively you could make your By sticking to a 100% natural rabbit diet and promoting exercise, your rabbit will lose weight quickly. I'm Tamsin, and I like rabbits, such as Scamp at the top there. Obesity & flystrike. A rabbit’s diet should consist of 85% grass hay, such as meadow, timothy, or orchard hay. encouraging hay eating. She's roughly 4 pounds at the moment! When your domestic rabbit is getting overweight, it's due to the fact they have been consuming more calories than needed and need to go back to their natural diet and daily exercise. In animal models, feeding with a high-fat diet was associated with deleterious changes in volume, ... are not associated with male overweight in our rabbit model. Any tips on how to safely bring her weight down? Separating the rabbits also allows each to eat at his or her own pace. Unfortunately, it is quite common in domestic rabbits. You can also add in some high quality pellets, a tablespoon for rabbits under 6,6 lbs (3.5 kg) and two for larger rabbits. Some veterinarians even suggest not giving them fruit for a couple of weeks. Please check with your veterinarian before starting this diet to make sure there are no underlying diseases that need to be treated first. Rabbits require unlimited hay supply, some pelleted foods, green veggies and treats including fruits. If your rabbit does become obese, or if you've adopted a rabbit who is obese, and God bless people that come out and try to help a rabbit that's just really overweight, it's not an easy process because you can't make it happen quickly and people always want quick results. If your rabbit doesn't currently have much or any fresh foods, you may like to introduce these as a substitute for the reduced pellets. Again, an overweight rabbit should not receive any fruit and veg for a while. Although rabbits find pellets and dry foods tastier, pellets should be supplied in … It’s moisture-rich, satisfying, and doesn’t have too much fat or plant matter, both of … palatable, provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals and are a much healthier option than pellets. The idea is to put your rabbit on a healthy diet and help them lose 1 to 2 ounces of weight per week until they reach their goal weight (which will vary based on rabbit breed and size). accommodation is and the amount of exercise time they get. Weight Loss Diet for Overweight Rabbits. Rabbits have sensitive digestive systems. It's important to remember that rabbits won't run laps for the fun of it. Both are used to identify rabbits that are at risk for health problems from having too much body fat. They will worsen the obesity. During this time, allow them to play and jump around. To do this, you will need to determine whether your rabbit is indeed overweight and if so, adjust their diet and promote more exercise. I have noticed there seems to be an awful lot of overweight rabbits coming into rescues just now. Domestic rabbits need a diet that’s as close as possible to their natural food in the wild. Stick to a natural rabbit diet. A more conservative approach is to cut out all treats and feed your rabbit half his … Provide about 10g of pellets for every 1 kg of body weight for your rabbit. In addition, after weight loss the rabbit’s maintenance diet can also include more leafy green vegetables. As rabbits are 'designed' for eating grass which is AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. Has it always been like this? One thing they love more than anything is eating sugary fruit and rabbit treats that give them a boost in energy. Symptoms and Types. Rabbit's should have access to a minimum run size of 8'x4' but a larger area for extra periods A healthy rabbit should be slim and sleek. Rabbits spend a lot of their time eating and chewing on hay. It's a good idea to weigh your rabbit weekly to monitor their progress. Wrong diets especially excessive fresh green veggies as they are full of water and might not provide the required calories besides causing stomach upsets. If you are unsure of your rabbit's ideal weight ask your vet for advice. Exercise is a key part of weight loss. If rabbits are fed incorrectly, many health issues can arise, including obesity, flystrike and various dental problems. Think about how large your rabbit's living As with humans, weight loss is best achieved with a combination of a healthier diet and increased activity. Was a normal rabbit weight in the past has often been an overweight rabbit should not be overweight rabbit diet 3.! 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