Need helping getting the buns down a few ounces.

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Ok, most of my bunnies are between their minimum and maximum weights for showing, but they're still on the pudgy side, making it hard for me to pose them correctly, and they look like they're overweight, but they're not.

Besides exercise (because that tends to not work very well) what is something I could feed them (that's relatively cheap, and that I have relatively easy access to) to keep them at a certain weight, but also make their coat in good condition?

We are currently feeding Dels Rabbit Ration. It has 16%Protein, 2% fat, and 17%-22% fiber. We are thinking of switching feed coming up into the new show season, but I will have to find what else Dels carries as far as feed goes.

What would you recommend for show/breeding rabbits, but also for pet rabbits?

We are feeding about half 1/3 cup of feed 2x daily to our rabbits. The babies (@ 12 weeks old right now) get two 1/3 cups of feed 2x daily, and so do the EL's. Lily gets a full 1/3 cup due to her now having this litter.

What could I do to get them to shed a few ounces, and stay there?

Thanks!

Emily

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Switching to a 14% or 15% protein feed could help. I am not 100% sure, but I think the fat level is a bit high, so if you can find a lower one you can try it. Giving a little less may also help. I am not sure what breeds you have, but you can go by the formula of 1/4 cup per 5 pounds of body weight. Breeding does may need more, but probably nit unless they are pregnant of nursing. I am not a breeder, so I don't really know about what to feed breeding rabbits.
I would really push lots of timothy hay. You can give fewer pellets if you give lots of hay.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Thanks Kate.

I heard that a higher protein feed is better for rabbits, which is why I feed that. Fat level I think is around normal...but i'm not sure. I feed them all less than 1/3 cup of feed 2x daily, so not sure why they are so chubby? I give my rabbits unlimited hay but they don't eat all of it, well Bruce does.

Emily

 

[Flashy]

I would look at cutting down your pellets.

Generally a lower protein diet is preferred for your average rabbit however I'm not sure how that translates and if it is different for show rabbits.

I would suggest gradually cutting down the pellets gradually (especially for your adult buns) and see how that goes. That should encourage more hay eating and should help slim them down.

 

[BlueGiants]

I like a 16% feed for maintenance. Cut back on your pellets at one feeding a day (like feed a tablespoon of pellets less at the morning feeding). Make sure they have plenty of hay for the day. Hay will fill them up with less calories.

You can also encourage play with cardboard tubes or cat balls with bells. (Hard plastic balls with little bells inside... I get them at the Dollar Store for 50 cents.) You can stuff the tubes with hay so they have to work at it. Anything you can do to make them move around (exercise) is good from them.

Edited to add: That being said, I have one bunny, Chunky Monkey, a broken blue Mini Rex that earned 9 legs towards his Grand Championship... but by the time we found a Registrar to register him, he was 2 oz. overweight... and we have never been able to get him slimmed down enough to make weight. So he never got Registered or his GC Certificate... I refuse to starve him... he doesn't eat much as it is, and we love him just the way he is. And honestly, he throws really beautiful, proper sized babies!

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Thanks Tracy and Cathy for your advice! I will work on cutting back the pellets to once a day feedings. Hopefully that will help and get the fatter ones down to min. senior weight for the new show season

Emily

 

[Flashy]

I personall wouldn't suggest trying to get them down to a specific weight, get them down to whatever weight is healthy for them. At the very least, if you put them on the table at the min show weight and that makes them underweight, then that doesn't make you look very good.

Good luck