I think my bun is getting to be a little portly.

[CB Millicent]

We rescued Cinnabun in January from a drug house where she was kept in a tiny cage full of feces and only got food when the owners remembered.

She now lives in her own bun room with access to a safe, fenced yard in which she plays for most of the day. She also now has a husbun and they are very busy, chasing each other and digging holes in the yard.

Of course, she also gets fresh greens twice daily, Oxbow pellets and unlimited Timothy hay. She eats every bit of it. I often wonder if she still thinks she's going to starve?

Anyway, I'm wondering if she's getting a little chubby. She has put on weight (I don't know how much) and looks like a giant loaf when she sits down. She can still reach to eat her cecotropes, though, and cleans herself well.

Should I just weigh her? If so, what is the range for a standard Rex? What do I do if she gets too fat? I am afraid I'll traumatize her if I cut out too much of her food due to her past. Food is love, right?

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Rabbits gain weight under their skin, so if your rabbit looks like she's got a skirt on when she sits down, or if you can't feel her ribs through her skin, then she's probably overweight.

Gus has similar eating issues. He eats like there's no tomorrow. He was nothing but skin and bones when we got him and I suspect the people who had him before didn't feed him regularly. Now he's awell-fed, lazy house rabbit.

If you think she needs a diet, I'dcut back on her pelletsand limitveggies to one serving per day. I've had torestrict Gus's hay to a generous handful at bedtime, because he just would not stop eating (and gaining weight :rollseyes)!

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Coal, a Mini Rex came to use weighing over 8 pounds. We only give her a small amount of pellet and veggies and unlimited Timothy hay. She's down to 5 1/2 pounds now and looks like a rabbit again instead of a fur covered beach ball with ears.

 

[hillrise]

One thing I'll note with rex is that the older ones, particularly does, tend to end up with more skin than their body, so they'll likely have a "skirt" anyway.

I usually determine a fat rabbit by whether it feels like there's fat around the shoulder/rib area.

Rex does usually weigh somewhere between 8 and 10-1/2 lbs.

 

[jujub793]

I have a standard Rex and she has a "dust ruffle". I call her "jabba the hut) so I suppose you could say she is " portly" too. She is quite the glutton

 

[CB Millicent]

I finally got a good look at Bun when she was sitting. I see no dust ruffle, but she does have baggy skin. She was 5.5 pounds when we first got her and quickly gained half a pound after that. I'll guess her to be about 8 pounds now. She seems very solid as opposed to flabby.

I'll just keep an eye on her. Both she & her husbun are total pigs. In fact, ALL of my pets are porkers! One of my cats has a gut that swings from side to side when he walks. He needs a serious tummy tuck. .