Fat Bunny Anonymous updates

[Imbrium]

cutting back on pellets might help... they should have 1/4-1/2 cup a day per 6 lbs of body weight

 

[ldoerr]

I would cut her back to 1/2 cup of pellets a day. She might complain but it is for the best. Once she is at a good weight then you need to find the amount of pellets that keep her at the desired weight. I would cut back on the spinach, parsely, carrots and maybe peppers. Those things are not the best for rabbits. (not for sure about peppers). Try cilantro instead. I have been able to find cilantro for $0.28 a bunch lately at HEB.

 

[Imbrium]

yeah, cilantro's dirt cheap... I can't stand the stench of it, but my two bunnies love it so they get it anyway. spinach, parsley, carrots and peppers are all ok for rabbits, but are also all foods that need to be fed in moderation (spinach and parsley are high in OA and calcium and carrots and peppers aren't leafy greens plus carrots are high in sugar)

http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html
http://www.3bunnies.org/feeding.htm#greens
^ between these two lists, you can figure out which veggies should be fed in moderation/which can be fed in larger quantities (the first site is better imo, but doesn't single out high calcium stuff like carrot tops and kale which the second list does)

 

[whitelop]

I think my bun is about a pound over weight. You guys tell me if she looks fat or not.


Do you think this litter box makes my butt look big?

Do you think this duck will go straight to my hips?

 

[bethepoet]

Oh right. Should I apply that 1/4-1/2 cups per 6lb to what she weighs now, or what her ideal weight would be?

Also, the list of veg was just an example of something I would give, not something they have every night or anything. And when they do have things like that, it's usually what we haven't used in that nights cooking shared out between all of the animals, then bulked up with safe lettuce or kale. But should I stop it altogether for Jessie until she's at a better weight?

It's so weird because they other two are fine, and I take the same approach to feeding them as I do Jess.

Also, the smell of coriander makes me retch, but I actually have a bunch of it because I make guacamole today, but I have a live parsley plant, which is why they get that.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Imbrium]

I'd let her keep having veggies, just stay away from those that have a higher sugar content... with the pellets, I'd probably go with the low end of the range based on her current weight.

it's not that odd, imo - every bunny has their own metabolism, just like people. mine have the same diet and nala is always lean and muscular but gaz has a tendency to get chubby if I don't monitor her diet carefully.

 

[bethepoet]

Okey doke, will try that and see how we get on. She won't be happy about it, mind, hahah.

 

[Imbrium]

yeah, mine are always cranky when their tiny daily ration of fruit (or fruit-flavored baby food or canned pumpkin) is gone. it makes 'em so happy, it's always tempting to give them more... but I don't, for the same reason my parents made me eat my veggies and didn't let me stuff myself with candy - healthy is more important than happy when it comes to junk food

 

[MiniLopHop]

Morgan- I adore bunny foo foo, she is so cute! It is really hard to tell from a picture if a bun is over weight, it is more of a feel thing. Mini lops are bred to be very round, my mini looks like a ball, but tends to be very thin when you feel her. Run your hands down her back and sides. If the spine and ribs are sharp then she's too thin. If you can feel them but they are softly rounded, then that is good. If you have a hard time finding them then she's too chubby. Cats and dogs are easier to tell from pictures because their bone structure isn't so rounded.

 

[whitelop]

Brandy, I think she is about a pound over weight maybe not even that much. She feels a little thick. I just think those pics are funny because she takes up the whole litter box and in the pic with the duck it looks like she has rolls. I just cut back her pellet intake a little and got her some better pellets to eat. Hopefully the will help. Haha