How to Help an Overweight Rabbit Lose Weight

Last Updated: April 2, 2020

Rabbits make wonderful pets, and they absolutely love to eat. Most people love adorable, fluffy rabbits, but there does come a point where a rabbit is too fluffy- when their bulk is not fur, but fat. Obesity is a common problem for house rabbits, and it often results from their owners not knowing what to feed them or if they are not getting enough exercise. Rabbits have very delicate digestive systems, and it is vitally important that they maintain a healthy weight and enjoy a balanced, rabbit-safe diet.

Steps

Fat rabbits are often lethargic, and are susceptible to heart, liver, and kidney disease. They may suffer from chronic diarrhea, heat stress in hot weather, splayed legs, and arthritis in later years. Obesity can also cause breeding and birthing difficulties.
Some breeds of rabbit are larger than others, but overall size doesn't indicate a weight problem.

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Acknowledge the obvious signs of obesity. If your rabbit obviously has huge rolls of fat and you can't see his feet when he walks, he's probably overweight. However, don't be alarmed if your rabbit has a pocket of fat under its chin. This is called a dewlap. They are very common in females, but males may have them too.
1. Check to see that your rabbit is generally pear-shaped; his head should be smaller than his body, which should be narrow and widen out around his hips when he is sitting down. If your rabbit resembles more of a squishy round blob when he's sitting, he is definitely overweight. There should also be a smooth upward curve between the rabbit's hips and shoulder.
2. Feel for the rabbit's spine. If you can feel it easily, your rabbit is too thin. If you can feel it after pressing a little (gently), your rabbit is healthy. If you can't feel it at all, your rabbit is overweight.
on a scale. If you think you may need to be concerned about your rabbit's health, weigh your rabbit and make sure its weight is in a healthy range for its breed. This may be difficult to do at home, so it might be best to take your rabbit to the vet to be weighed.
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Examine your rabbit's diet to determine what might be causing the dangerous weight gain and adjust accordingly. A healthy adult rabbit's diet should consist of unlimited timothy hay and a reasonable amount of leafy green vegetables. If your rabbit is under a year old, they should be given alfalfa hay, which is high in protein, but it is important that they transition to timothy hay when they're older. Common owner mistakes that contribute to rabbit obesity include over-feeding of pellets, over-feeding of treats, and poor choices of vegetables.
- Despite contrary belief, pellets should not make up the majority of a rabbit's diet; in fact, some rabbits are just fine without them. If you want to include pellets in your rabbit's diet, make sure to buy timothy-based pellets with 18 to 20 percent fiber and between 14 percent and 16 percent protein. Don't buy pellets that claim to have dried vegetables or other additions, as they are unnecessary and often contribute to weight gain. Also, keep in mind that an adult rabbit only needs 1/4 cup of pellet feed per day per 5 pounds of body weight.
- Make sure you aren't feeding your rabbit too many treats. It's fun to watch rabbits eat fruits and other treats, but those should only be given in moderation. Rabbits should only eat around 2 ounces of fruit per day per ounce of body weight.
If your house has been thoroughly rabbit-proofed, let your rabbit run around a room or the whole house for at least a couple of hours every day. If that isn't practical, buy an indoor dog pen and let them run around in there. Be sure to provide them with toys (or another rabbit, if the two are bonded) to inspire them to play.

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My bunny is one year old and he is overweight. I try my best to feed him good foods, but he prefers pellets over hay. What are some good vegetables to give ihim?

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Feed him romaine lettuce and parsley, those seem to be favorites of rabbits. Only give him about 1/4 cup of pellets a day and leave the hay in the cage; he will eat the hay if he is hungry.

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Why isn't the food change affecting my rabbit?

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You may just need to wait for a while. It typically takes a few weeks or months for them to have noticeable changes to their body.

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I am not sure how much food to give my bunny. What should I do? I also can't spend much time with her.

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It depends on the weight and size of your bunny. You can always check with your vet to be sure. For my full size Rex, we give 1/8 cup as she tends to gain weight easily. While outside time is great when the weather is good, inside fun in a rabbit-proofed room can be great for her exercise and good for interaction between you both. If she is housed in a small space like a cage or hutch, switch her to a exercise pen to give her room to move when you are not home. It is much healthier for them. Also, make sure to stay away from alfalfa hay or pellets with alfalfa in them. Timothy based pellets are best.

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Tips

As a general rule, avoid feeding your rabbit store-bought treats; opt to provide natural fruits as treats instead. Pet store treats usually contain too much sugar and starch and contribute to weight gain.

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Avoid dry fruits. They have more sugar than fresh fruit.

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Adult rabbits should be provided unlimited amounts of Timothy hay. Baby rabbits should only be fed Alfalfa hay.

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Warnings

Make changes to your rabbit's diet gradually. They have delicate digestive systems and might become sick if their portions are suddenly cut drastically or they switch types of pellets/hay without a transition period. To transition between types of pellets or hay, start mixing some of the new type into the old type and gradually phasing out the old type over a week or two.

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While having your rabbit fixed is an important preventive measure that all pet owners should consider unless they are intending to breed rabbits, be aware that being spayed or neutered can slow your rabbit's metabolism, causing it to gain weight more easily. You will have to carefully adjust its diet accordingly.

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How to Help an Overweight Rabbit Lose Weight

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