Teeny Tiny?

[EliStacheUp]

Hello everyone!  I am a relatively new bunny owner- I got my first rabbit back in the summer when he was a few months old.  Stache is a Polish rabbit and is almost 11 months old now!  I named him Stache because he is a broken blue color, and he has a stripe of his beautiful dark grey color across his nose, like a mustache.  He is intact, and I have his papers.  I had thought about trying to show him, but I’m a college student and I just haven’t had the time.  I absolutely LOVE having my little guy with me in my apartment at college!  

Anyway, I’m creating this post to ask about size/weight.  According to what I have read/ was told about Polish rabbits, Stache should weigh between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds after 6 months of age.  I recently took him to the vet to check on a torn off toenail, and learned that my boy only weighs 1.7 pounds!  I already knew he was a little small, but I didn’t realize just how tiny he is!  He looks significantly smaller than the adult rabbits that I remember seeing when I bought Stache.  I tried to do some research about getting a rabbit to gain weight, but I don’t think he is malnourished or underweight.  He seems to be an appropriate weight for his body size- I can feel his spine under his fur, but only just barely.  The vet I took him to has rabbits, and she said that he is in great condition.  

Stache has access to unlimited alfalfa and pellets 24/7.  I give him 1/4 cup of pellets, but he has never finished the portion before dinner time the next day!  He’s definitely not starving… just small!  Is his small size something I should be concerned about?  Or is that just what makes my bunny unique?  I certainly don’t mind him being small- I don’t want to change him, I just want to make sure that his weight is not a problem!

Thanks in advance!

[Beka27]

Aw, he sounds cute! I’d love to see a picture of him!

He sounds like he might just be a small guy. I wouldn’t recommend trying to force weight on him.

Does he get daily veggies too?

[EliStacheUp]

I’m not sure how to attach a picture… We’ll see if this works!

How essential are greens?  I just assumed that since he’s getting alfalfa and pellets, he didn’t need them.  The person I got him from shows rabbits, and she didn’t really mention greens.  Plus, with me being a college student, it’s difficult (but not impossible) for me to get/keep greens for him.  I’m working on making a small garden for him in our little backyard. 

He’s very picky… I have tried lots of different treat types from petsmart, and he has refused all of them.  He does like apples and bananas, but he will usually only eat one slice of banana or 1/3 of one slice of apple at a time.  Not sure if he gets full or what.  He does really like cardboard and paper.  He used to sit and eat his litter… so much that I’m pretty sure he ate WAY more paper than pellets/hay.  I was concerned about what that much paper could do to his tummy (even though he acted totally normal), so I tried different litters until I found one that he doesn’t eat.  He also really loves phonebooks.  But treats?  Not a big fan!

[Rabbit Ears]

I’m going to let others discuss the importance of greens (they are important, both for keeping him hydrated, but also for giving him a variety of nutrients that hay and pelleted diets alone may not provide), but I noticed one thing in your initial post that I don’t want to get lost in the discussion: You are still feeding him alfalfa hay at 11 months. You should wean him off of alfalfa hay and switch to timothy hay. Alfalfa hay is great for young rabbits (typically up to about 6-7 months), but it is very high in calcium (which can cause bladder problems later on). It can also eventually make him overweight. Since your vet says that Stache’s weight is fine, I wouldn’t worry that switching him to timothy (or timothy along with other grass hays, like oat hay) will cause weight problems (though you should keep an eye on his weight anyway, it can often be a good first indicator of future problems).

It is sometimes hard to switch buns from alfalfa to timothy (alfalfa tastes great and is very rich – it’s a legume, not a grass), but you should start switching him over as soon as possible.The longer you wait, the harder it may become (because he’ll get set in his ways). You don’t need to remove all the alfalfa immediately (you should rarely stop any rabbit food suddenly – it can upset their digestive system), but start adding timothy hay and reducing the alfalfa. He’ll probably start by picking out the alfalfa to eat, but as the timothy to alfalfa ratio increases, he should hopefully make the switch over to a healthier grass hay.

 Here’s one article about the various hays: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html

[EliStacheUp]

Oops! I made a mistake- I feed him Timothy hay, not alfalfa. I just went and double checked the bag to make sure. My family raises goats, and we feed them coastal hay and alfalfa. Their alfalfa is green and looks very similar to the green timothy hay that Stache eats and I just said the wrong thing!

But on the hay thing… He does eat it, but he doesn’t eat much. Half of a toilet paper roll center stuffed with timothy hay usually lasts him two days. I’m new to this, so it’s hard for me to tell what’s normal. I’ve never worried about his diet or size, because he is a very energetic, friendly, and social little guy! I watch him closely for changes in behavior, but so far he has been the model bunny!

[Rabbit Ears]

Glad to see you’re feeding him timothy. What pellets are you feeding him? Maybe you should lower the amount of pellets he gets, a 1/4 cup for a 1.7 pound rabbit sounds high. Given a choice, many (most?) rabbits will prefer pellets over hay, so giving him too much in pellets could be the reason he’s eating so little hay.

Besides providing necessary fiber, hay also helps to keep his teeth worn down. This is necessary for a rabbit, because like rodents, their teeth grow continuously, so they need to be worn down by hay to avoid dental overgrowth (especially in the back molars, which only a vet will notice).

Here’s a link with food guidelines for various ages: http://rabbit.org/faq-diet/

Note the amount of pellets recommended for a young rabbit – since Stache is getting close to a year, 1/4 cup per day definitely seems high for such a “Teeny Tiny” (and very cute) bunny!

[EliStacheUp]

The link seems to be broken. I’ll try to find it myself! I feed him 1/4 cup because that’s what the person I got him from said she feeds her adult polish rabbits. And she said if he eats it all before the next feeding, I could give him a little extra. But he never eats all of his pellets. I will try to start feeding him less and see if finishing his pellets makes him more interested in hay. He does do a lot of chewing during the day on all of his various toys and phone books to keep his teeth down. Every now and then, he surprises me and goes bonkers eating hay, but most of the time he just likes to play with the roll and shake the hay out from the top level of his condo!

[Rabbit Ears]

Posted By EliStacheUp on 02/02/2014 03:46 PM

The link seems to be broken.

I finally got the link fixed (I’m not new to rabbits, but I am new to this board’s idiosyncrasies!), so you can now try it from my previous post.

[Deleted User]

I’m afraid chewing on toys and things really doesn’t replace the grinding action a rabbit benefits from when chewing on long strands of hay. Have you tried putting substantial quantities of hay in his litter box, or near enough for him to have access to it while he is in his litter box? Because a stuffed toilet paper rol full is a great toy but not the way to be feeding good portions of hay. Mine are in their hay around the clock, and will eventually chew through a stuffed toilet paper roll on the side.

Also what kind of pellets are you feeding? They really should be timothy based at his age too and this is important. Happy he is healthy and energetic but it does sound as though his diet needs a bit of improving. I don’t have time now to post the link but the House Rabbit Society has a fabulous article on proper diet with lists of suggested quantities and foods. If no one else posts it I’ll put it up in a bit.

[Deleted User]

I’m afraid chewing on toys and things really doesn’t replace the grinding action a rabbit benefits from when chewing on long strands of hay. Have you tried putting substantial quantities of hay in his litter box, or near enough for him to have access to it while he is in his litter box? Because a stuffed toilet paper rol full is a great toy but not the way to be feeding good portions of hay. Mine are in their hay around the clock, and will eventually chew through a stuffed toilet paper roll on the side.

Also what kind of pellets are you feeding? They really should be timothy based at his age too and this is important. Happy he is healthy and energetic but it does sound as though his diet needs a bit of improving. I don’t have time now to post the link but the House Rabbit Society has a fabulous article on proper diet with lists of suggested quantities and foods. If no one else posts it I’ll put it up in a bit.

[EliStacheUp]

Just read through the House Rabbit Society page. I will decrease his pellets some and get a hay rack to try to increase his hay intake. Not sure what kind of pellets I have- the bag is at my parents house (my younger sister has a Holland Lop at home) and I just refill my container from their big bag when I go home every few weeks. But I will check and make sure they are timothy based. I’m also going to start introducing him to greens.

Quick question about measuring greens- It says to give about 2 cups for every 6 pounds. That would work out to about 1/2 a cup for a 1.7 lb bunny. How do I know what 1/2 cup is? Do I shred the greens and put them in a measuring cup? Or just kind of… fold them into the cup? I know 1/2 cup of greens wont be much, so I don’t want to over feed him.

[Deleted User]

Sorry not to be able to post the link, … glad you found and read the page.

First, the hay should be your big priority, you really want him eating a lot more of it.

Second, you’ll need to introduce him to the greens slowly since he hasn’t had any before. I don’t think you need to be so exact in the measurements once he is accustomed to them, I’m sure he’d do great with a good cup or more as long as he is eating and enjoying them. (Of course if he puts on too much weight that is another story but that doesn’t appear to be an issue for you at present.) You do need to be more careful with the amount of other vegetables and fruits, but they shouldn’t make an appearance yet. Preparing the greens usually involves tearing the washed veg into bite sized pieces so I presume that’s what you’d measure. Truthfully I don’t fuss too much with that, mine love their greens so they get a big dish full, about a cup and a half each, probably more.

Try introducing one vegetable at a time and make sure he both likes it and reacts well to it (give it three days or so of him eating it every day) before moving on to the next. I believe a lot of people begin with Romaine lettuce. Don’t be discouraged if he doesn’t like something (even if many people say their rabbits love it) they have their preferences too. (Mint is supposed to be terribly popular but mine won’t touch any variety no matter what!) Start with small quantities and work your way up.

But please, get that hay consumption up, I really think that should top your list!

Best of luck!

[Beka27]

The recommendation is to feed 2 cups daily for bunnies up to 6 pounds, so even at his little size, he would still get 2 cups. Rabbits can eat a pile of veggies their size each day! Some people split it into two feedings (half in the morning, half at night) some give it all at once alternating with pellets (for example, veggies in the morning, pellets at night).

As stated, hay is so super important, and I would definitely start limiting his pellets further to increase hay consumption. At his little size, he could probably get down to a tablespoon or two of pellets.

[LBJ10]

I agree with the others, cut down on his pellets. If there are still pellets in his bowl the next day then he is getting too much. That will really help with the hay intake. You can offer him up to 2 cups of veggies once he is used to eating them. Since you are a college student and storage may be an issue, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if he didn’t get quite that much. You can try feeding him what he will eat too. Some rabbits aren’t as big on veggies. Mine, for example, are fine sharing a couple of handfuls and will often leave the veggies to wilt if I give them too much. Other rabbits are apparently little cows and they will continue to eat them as long as they are placed in front of them. LOL

[Hollinsmatt]

     Hey there, Stache sounds so cute! I would also decrease his pellets to a bit less than 1/4th cup like everyone else has stated because of his weight, and also to get him to eat more hay. I have included the rabbit food pyramid that the HRS recommends for most all rabbits. It’s good to hear that your rabbit is getting constant 24/7 timothy hay! I would recommend about one cup packed greens for Stache every day. 3 different kind of greens. You will find a list and info on which greens to use here: http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/. Please consult the list when in doubt! A good romaine or green leaf lettuce is always a good base. Another great thing is this video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgchuyJhi6c, I urge you to watch it!

Take care!

, Matthew

[Jessie1990]

That little guy is SUPER cute. Greens are important, but you need to introduce them slowly, one at a time. Work up to your goal (not good at math so not going to figure that out for you . I have to REALLY limit pellets to get the buns to eat a lot of hay. Your rabbit will be super shiny and soft! He also won’t get super fat like a rolie polie

[rayray]

Oh my he’s so cute!!! For greens, if you’re not sure what he likes, I buy the bag of mixed stuff (no iceberg though) and see what he eats more of. I’ve had a lot of success with kale and green leaf lettuce and herbs like parsley and mint.
All the best to you and Stache!

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