Is Chito overweight?

[beebun]

Hey, guys. It’s me and Chito again.

Chito might be 4 months old now (the breeder told me that she was 3mos old when I bought her). According to what I’ve read in the forums and in THRS pages, young rabbits are allowed unlimited pellets, unlimited hay, unlimited fresh water, and introduction to vegetables. Presently, I’m dishing Chito her alfalfa pellets (unlimited, I fill her bowl when it’s empty), fresh water, and a selection of treats (apples, bananas, carrots) in addition to a bud or two of broccolli, curly lettuce (it’s what it’s called here), celery, parsley, etc. And now she’s gaining weight and a lot of them! It’s like–amazeballs. I have yet to weigh her, but I will, since we’re finally getting her carrier today after weeks of religious savings. My partner was with me when I bought her and now she’s blown away by the size of Chito. I consulted my fellow bunny-slave classmate and she told me that Chito has ‘very fatty thighs’. It’s also worth knowing that she has a garden all for herself to zoom and binky her heart out every morning and evening, so I think exercise isn’t the problem.

I don’t mind her getting bigger because I love her just the same, but is it actually healthy for her to continue living with this particular diet regime? I had tried to pull the pellets little by little but she really likes them and she sometimes refuses her hay (kids, psssh). Enclosed is the picture of her (and a bonus one because banaaanaaas). Hope it helps you guys in helping us.

Cheers!

[JackRabbit]

Have you taken her to a vet for a checkup yet? That would be your best bet as far as determining how appropriate her weight is.

In the mean time, you can switch her to grass hay if she’s still eating alfalfa hay, and she really doesn’t need the sweet treats — you can give her pellets from her bowl or some of her veggies as treats. Also, talk with your vet about the appropriate time to start transitioning her from alfalfa pellets to timothy pellets.

[beebun]

Hi, Jack, thank you for the reply. Not yet, no, I hadn’t taken Chito to the vet because the only rabbit-savvy vet close to the area is (guess what) 2 hours of travel away, very expensive (IDR 250.000 for a check-up and for the sake of comparison, thats the exact same cost of me getting to a hospital to see an OB-GYN and getting my USG results printed twice) and I’m just getting her carrier today finally, so…yeah. I’m looking forward for the appointment though, maybe in early December I have so many questions to ask (including her spaying plan yay)! She’s eating Timothy hay and free-grazes in our garden btw

[JackRabbit]

Glad you have a vet plan. Its hard to tell about a bunny’s weight when she’s in a meatloaf position — they all look a bit round with big rear ends when they lay like that anyway! As long as she’s eating plenty of hay and getting exercise, I wouldn’t worry about it and see what the vet thinks. (I’d still reduce or eliminate the sweets though)

[Eepster]

She looks fine. If she were over weight, the thighs would get lost in her belly. Thee fact that her thighs stick out so obviously means exactly the opposite of what you friends said.

[beebun]

Oh, that’s right yes. Thanks, Eepster! I’ll continue with her usual diet

[Stickerbunny]

Her body shape looks a lot like my Powders and he’s fine on his weight. But, really, a vet is the best way to tell.

[Jo Leigh]

My vet told me that it’s not so much to do with how much they actually weigh, but whether you can still feel their spine, ribs and hips. Obviously it’s not good if these bones are sharp and protruding, but if you can still feel them and they’re not lost in a thick padding of fat then you’re bun should be right Chito looks almost identical to my bunny, Merlin – gave me such a fright when I saw the first photo!

[brianamonster]

So, I just want to clarify for myself, it is OK to see a bunny’s thighs when they are sitting like this? I was worried about Gizmo because when he sits like this I can feel his thigh bones as I pet him. He actually looks a bit more round when he sits like this…but maybe he has been pudgy all his life and I didn’t realize it (not saying your rabbit is pudgy by any means! )! I was getting worried until I started seeing pictures of other buns and realized that Giz looks more round

[Stickerbunny]

Yeah, some buns legs just poke out like that. Powder is a little on the thin side and I can still see his thighs when he loafs.

[beebun]

At 4 months, she’s now in 1.2 kg I think that’s a normal weight? The vet wasn’t particularly bunny-savvy (she told me I have to fast her for 5 hours before surgery. Yikes, better run!) so she didn’t say anything about her diet regime..

Bunneh928, it’s okay! The whole family thinks she’s pudgy and we call her ‘ndut’ or chubby in Indonesian sometimes.

Sticker, thanks for the insight!

Jo Leigh, maybe merlin and chito are twins separated at birth! *gasp*

[Author]

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