Cutting Harper's food back... how do I do this?

[kfonz]

I heard that the Rex family and dutch rabbits are more prone to obesity than other rabbit breeds. My Bunbun is supposed to be a mini rex, but hes about 7lbs. WAY overweight, even though he has always been larger than most mini rexes. I've been struggling to keep his weight down, but he's so used to all the food. Try to cut back slowly, and like eveybody else, more veggies and hay!

kat.

 

[tamsin]

I'm slightly obsessed by treat balls (so are my bunnies). I think they are an absolutely brilliant way of feeding pellets. I stick my buns pellets in their treatball each evening and not only do they get the extra exercise and stimulation of chasing it around to get them out but it spreads the food over several hours (often they finish them off the next morning), a much more natural food intake. It's also less convinient for them so often they'll munch the fresh hay first before chasing the ball around.

Waiting patiently:

She's off:

Btw, that ball is not filled! They have it about fifth/quater full once a day.

 

[Haley]

bunnybear23 wrote:

Ok Im new to this forum, and I just got my new bunny Oreo three days ago and I need to know something. By the way this is my second bun. Ok when I feed him he eats every bit of the food all in one setting. and I dont want him to starve so I keep putting more in his bowl. should I do this?

Bunnybear:

So we dont hijack this thread (again I sent you a PM. it will say 1 new message..click on that

-Haley

 

[Snuggys Mom]

MyBoyHarper wrote:

Harper is the same way. If his bowl goes empty, he'll sit at the front of his cage, stare straight at me, and thump. He'll just STARE, and let out one hard thump. Stare some more, and thump again. He's spooky, I tell you. Afterwards, he'll just thrash and make noise untilI fill it up. So I'm going to have to figure out a way to make him be good too, LOL.

When I started cutting back on Snuggy's pellets, she was ANGRY. I basically cut her pellets in half AND took away all her treats (because she was almost twice her ideal weight). I appeased her by giving her different types of hay - orchard grass, meadow mix, etc.

When her bowl was empty, I would take some hay, cut it into short pieces and place it in her bowl instead of the hay rack. I still do that and it seems to make her happy. She's lost a whopping five pounds (over a year) and is SOOOO MUCH healthier.