I just picked up a 1 1/2 Netherland dwarf and she looks obese. Her entire back side is matted and soaked in urine. She’s friendly but looks very overweight. Tips on how to put a bunny on a diet and what to do in this situation?
Help!! Overweight abused bunny!
- Thread starter Squiddy
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Cookiemonster
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who ever did this to her is a monster!!!! i hate thinking of animals getting hurt... give her kisses for me
I combed out her tail and cut off what was too matted to brush out. I brushed out the mat until she got a little too stressed so I made up a temp home for her until she calms down. her owners parents just didn’t know how to care for her when her owner went off to college. <3 she’s ok now. Her and my current bun are grooming each other through her temp cage.
Just from the picture she doesn't look obese to me, but I know pictures don't always show exactly what you are seeing firsthand. Regardless, for weight loss with a new rabbit, you basically just need to feed normally with about 1/8 cup low protein pellets per day for a 2-3 lb rabbit, and unlimited free fed grass hay. If she is overweight, she will gradually start to slim down as she gets a normal low protein diet/high fiber diet. But I would wait on this until you sort out the small poop and she settles in first.
Small poop means her digestive tract is slowing down, probably from not eating enough. The stress of being in a new home can cause a reduced appetite, or it can be if her pellet food has been changed or reduced, or she's not used to hay. Did you get a bag of her usual pellets from her previous home and are you feeding her the same amount that she was getting there or are you feeding a reduced amount? Is she actually eating the hay? Some rabbits aren't used to hay and may not eat it when first introduced to it. In most cases t's usually best to keep a new rabbit on their same diet initially, then gradually switch them over. I would want to keep her on her usual pellets and amounts for the first week, then gradually start making the changes you want to her diet. You also have to carefully monitor hay eating to make sure she is actually eating it.
Small poop means her digestive tract is slowing down, probably from not eating enough. The stress of being in a new home can cause a reduced appetite, or it can be if her pellet food has been changed or reduced, or she's not used to hay. Did you get a bag of her usual pellets from her previous home and are you feeding her the same amount that she was getting there or are you feeding a reduced amount? Is she actually eating the hay? Some rabbits aren't used to hay and may not eat it when first introduced to it. In most cases t's usually best to keep a new rabbit on their same diet initially, then gradually switch them over. I would want to keep her on her usual pellets and amounts for the first week, then gradually start making the changes you want to her diet. You also have to carefully monitor hay eating to make sure she is actually eating it.
She’s used to hay and she stated eating hay the moment I offered her some. I got a bag of the food she’s currently on to switch her over to the food I use.
