My bunny is loosing weight! Why?

[Haven]

My male rabbit has lost a lot of weight the last few days. I don’t know why. Could someone give me tips or reasons why this may have happened?

 

[JBun]

Is he eating and drinking his normal amounts, and if yes, have you verified this by seeing and measuring the amounts?

How have you determined he's losing a lot of weight? Just by looking at him, by feel(feels bony along the back, ribs, hips), or by weighing him?

 

[VioletRose]

Hello! Sorry to hear that. Has his behaviour changed in any way as well? lethargic, or less active? Doing normal happy bunny actions like relaxing fully lying down, grooming,binkies etc? or looking depressed, not moving, hiding, avoiding contact? Sick bunnies hide their illnes as a form of protection so it can be hard to notice. GI stasis, where the stomach stops working properly, which can be fatal quickly from onset, can include not eating or pooping normally, grinding teetch in pain, hiding, stomach making very loud popping noises. Is your bunny sleeping more than usual, have diarhhoea or not pooping or eating for 12 hours , have a bloated looking tummy? Could he have eaten something toxic? house plant? or anything else. Their digestive systems are delicate. You could try giving him his favourite treat, a small piece of his favourite fruit, if he doesn't take that it would suggest something going on for sure, as bunnies are very food oriented and love their treats. When in doubt, go to the vet. Also lots of info online on the right foods and wrong foods for their delicate digestion. Hope he is better already!

 

[Blue eyes]

Can you tell us his age and also what his normal daily diet looks like?

 

[JimJam]

I have the same problem at the moment with my male Vienna Flemish Giant... he's 8 months old and I went to weigh him and he's lost about 700grams... he doesn't feel skinny - like I can't feel spine poking out or ribs, but he could definitely put on more weight around his body! he's very lean... we have had a lot of rain for the past month so maybe thats why? He doesn't seem interested in pellets, only grass really.

 

[Haven]

Is he eating and drinking his normal amounts, and if yes, have you verified this by seeing and measuring the amounts?

How have you determined he's losing a lot of weight? Just by looking at him, by feel(feels bony along the back, ribs, hips), or by weighing him?

Yes, you can really feel his spine

 

[Haven]

Hello! Sorry to hear that. Has his behaviour changed in any way as well? lethargic, or less active? Doing normal happy bunny actions like relaxing fully lying down, grooming,binkies etc? or looking depressed, not moving, hiding, avoiding contact? Sick bunnies hide their illnes as a form of protection so it can be hard to notice. GI stasis, where the stomach stops working properly, which can be fatal quickly from onset, can include not eating or pooping normally, grinding teetch in pain, hiding, stomach making very loud popping noises. Is your bunny sleeping more than usual, have diarhhoea or not pooping or eating for 12 hours , have a bloated looking tummy? Could he have eaten something toxic? house plant? or anything else. Their digestive systems are delicate. You could try giving him his favourite treat, a small piece of his favourite fruit, if he doesn't take that it would suggest something going on for sure, as bunnies are very food oriented and love their treats. When in doubt, go to the vet. Also lots of info online on the right foods and wrong foods for their delicate digestion. Hope he is better already!

Thank you so very much! This helped a lot!

 

[Haven]

Can you tell us his age and also what his normal daily diet looks like?

His age is about a year and a little bit

I give him a lot of hay, pellets, spinach, broccoli, strawberry tops, strawberries ( only some times a long with apples) carrots and peas. Plenty of water too!

 

[Blue eyes]

His age is about a year and a little bit

I give him a lot of hay, pellets, spinach, broccoli, strawberry tops, strawberries ( only some times a long with apples) carrots and peas. Plenty of water too!

This is vague. What does a normal daily diet look like?
How many and what kind of pellets?
What kind of hay? and how often is new hay put in the cage?
How many greens?

Legumes like peas are notorious for causing digestive issues if eaten in excess. Same for the high starch and sugar in carrots, and the sugar in fruits. Broccoli can cause gas in some rabbits. Spinach is high in oxalates and should not be fed daily.

If you could be more specific about daily diet, that could help.

The question Jenny (Jbun) asked is also critical to finding out what's up:
Is he eating and drinking his normal amounts, and if yes, have you verified this by seeing and measuring the amounts?

 

[Courtney88]

I've been having the same issue with my boys too (7 and 8 years old). They seem less interested in their pellets (I give 1 teaspoon per pound in weight) and they don't completely finish their bowls overnight. They appear to be acting normally and I do see them eating, just not the entire amount. They also eat greens and hay (Buttercup, not Snowball). Do rabbits lose interest in pellets over time? My vet said to just watch them and next time they go to the vet to get another weight and take it from there.