Fat bunny anonymous part 3!

[Bunnylova4eva]

Taffy definitly needs this. She's over 5 pounds and always looking for handouts. I'd like to see her down between 4-41/2. The problem is that she gets many treats (raisins, apricot, cheerios, and papaya treats) pretty frequently from other family members who don't see the importance of her losing weight. And, she really doesn't get enough exercise but we can only let her hop outside. (She's an outdoor bunny) Ripley comes in for exercise, but if we had Taffy come in here too at times, he would go crazy smelling her.

Outside, she tries to run of and tries to kill me if on a harness. We have a small pen, but then she just sits and eats and eats.

Should she still receive *unlimited* hay?? She eats as much as I'll put in there-almost a flake of hay in one day! This may contribute to her not being able to tak any weight off..

EDIT: Taffy's a almost 6 yr old mini rex-I'd like her to lose some weight as she's getting older easpceilly now to keep her healthy. She's had really bad sore hocks even before from being too heavy and thumping her feet.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Can you make a place for Taffy in your home that no other bun can be in?
Rex's are prone to weight and with the sore hocks its a bad combo. One thing that has happened Jason see the light is being told by vets and by Sas that Fraggles could die of fatty liver disease before she is five if she does not lose weight and stop eating surgery treats. I have thrown out the treats now and cut her pellets to a tablespoon in the morning and one at night. She gets hay and a cup of greens. No treats though and that is the way its staying.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Yes she still needs unlimited hay. But you must kill the treats,cut the pellets and find a way to exercise her.

 

[MagPie]

Hmmmm... does Fraggles want to come over and chase my fat cat? haha I'm sure the exercise would do them both good.

 

[Anaira]

*starts the process in her mind*

Kill the treats→kill the treat dispenser→kill my sister??

ok, ok, I have a twisted mind. Seriously though, I don't really know how to stop that; she feeds him my rats lab blocks. While they are a very good stable food for rats, they're too high in protein, and fats for rabbits. I can't get her to stop, and I obviously can't remove the source. :/ I stop her when I'm there, but I have no idea how often she feeds him behind my back. I've tried telling her why, but she's only looking at the now; and the now is, he loves them, and it's the only time he's nice to her.


And um....yeah. Not his best pic, I'm afraid...

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Fraggles would LOVE to meet kitty. Oh and um *cough* Rueben is a sexy beast....

 

[Anaira]

Someone on facebook just suggested strapping a rod to his back, and dangling a treat in from of him. I would be afraid to sleep in the same room as him!

 

[MiniLopHop]

I have to admit, I have never seen a male bun with a dewlap like Ruben. Are you SURE he's a boy?

I need to get a new picture of Sophie, she is looking good. I trimmed everybun's toenails today. Gary is going to have to give up the oats, he's getting a little chubby and his hocks are getting sore

 

[Anaira]

Oh, you should have been him before his neuter. You would have had no doubt then....even the vets commented on the size. *cough* He was a big boy in more ways than one!

 

[JessicaK]

Ok this thread is making me nervous about over feeding....
Gunston in particular. He is more bold, so gets first dibs on treats and food.
Neither of them are comfortable enough with me yet for me to weigh them (I'd guess 5-7 pounds each). Is there a good way to judge their chubbiness by looking at them?
Also, I'm concerned about giving them too many pellets. They currently get 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup in the evening.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

:rofl::laugh:

 

[MiniLopHop]

I'm thinking 1/2 cup may be a little much. Sophie, who is 10 pounds, gets 1/4 cup to keep her trim.

Because there are so many different frame sizes for buns, particularly if they are mixed, it's impossible to say a bun is or is not over weight without getting hands on them. The best way to tell is run your hands over their back/ribs. If you can feel bone but it is not sharp, that is what you want. If there's a thick padding of fat over the spine and ribs then they need a diet. If the bones are sharp then they need to gain. You may also see a fat roll around the middle or sort of a skirt around the bottom if weight is an issue as well. Hope this helps.

 

[LakeCondo]

About other family members feeding a chubby bunny: If this includes your parents, it'll be harder to deal with. Talk with your parents & see what they suggest. What comes to my mind is putting up a sign, similar to ones at zoos, saying not to feed the animals; it is bad for them. If that doesn't work, can the treats be locked up where your sister can't get at them?

 

[JessicaK]

MiniLopHop wrote:

I'm thinking 1/2 cup may be a little much. Sophie, who is 10 pounds, gets 1/4 cup to keep her trim.

Because there are so many different frame sizes for buns, particularly if they are mixed, it's impossible to say a bun is or is not over weight without getting hands on them. The best way to tell is run your hands over their back/ribs. If you can feel bone but it is not sharp, that is what you want. If there's a thick padding of fat over the spine and ribs then they need a diet. If the bones are sharp then they need to gain. You may also see a fat roll around the middle or sort of a skirt around the bottom if weight is an issue as well. Hope this helps.

Thanks

 

[MagPie]

Anaira wrote:

Ooooh Reuben :inlove:


Looking at this thread has got me thinking I really need to step it up with my fat cat, since Harvey is under control.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I_heart_Fraggles wrote:

Can you make a place for Taffy in your home that no other bun can be in?
Rex's are prone to weight and with the sore hocks its a bad combo. One thing that has happened Jason see the light is being told by vets and by Sas that Fraggles could die of fatty liver disease before she is five if she does not lose weight and stop eating surgery treats. I have thrown out the treats now and cut her pellets to a tablespoon in the morning and one at night. She gets hay and a cup of greens. No treats though and that is the way its staying.

That's an idea; although Taffy has a tendency even to try and 'spray' is she smells another bunny even on me. So, I try to keep her outside where not too much damage can be done. The treats definitly have got to go. Reminds me, maybe I'll go let her out right now.

 

[Anaira]

Locking treats up won't work, as it's my rats normal everyday food, so even if I do hide them, it's a simple matter of opening a cage door; and she has done this. Talking doesn't seem to work, either...however, I've recently had to change the brand I buy, and this brand isn't vegan; it uses fish meal. He still seems to like these, but I don't want him eating them. I'll have to see if that knowledge will make her change.

Reuben just went 'Hmph' when he heard about all his admirers. He takes you as a matter of fact, and is only really interested if you're actually on your way with treats.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Fraggles is not on her way with treats but she says Rueben can have Muppet.

 

[Anaira]

But but but, we have lots of cats here for Fraggles to "befriend"! Six of our own, and two neighbours cats, who seem to have decided to move in...She will have lots of options.

How does Muppet like cats? If she hates them as much as Rubey does, she's welcome.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

She chases them but she wont hump them lol.