# Are my bunnies too skinny?



## whiskylollipop (Oct 1, 2013)

Cue bunny mummy paranoia! Here's yet another thread about my bunnies' thinness, but this time with pictures.

I can easily feel their ribs and the ridges of their spines, and I constantly worry they are undernourished. I feed them 1/2 a cup of Oxbow Young Rabbit each daily, in addition to 1/4 a cup of veggies (basil/cilantro/watercress) and unlimited hay. They are good hay and veggie eaters, but if I allow them unlimited pellets like the Oxbow package says to, they will totally ignore their hay. As they are prone to mushy poop if they don't get heaps of fibre daily, I'm iffy about increasing their pellet portions in case they decide their bellies are full and they don't want to eat hay.

During their last vet visit the vet said they were healthy. He didn't put too much store by their weight in regards to show standards, as my two boys are mixed breed lop of uncertain backyard breeder history. He just said they felt healthy. But I just can't shake the feeling that they are too thin and bony! I'm unusually thin and bony myself, but even my body doesn't feel quite so skeletal.

Here's a couple of pics where I try to show the width of their bodies through all that fur. What do you guys think? Don't laugh at my pink fuzzy bathrobe.


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## JBun (Oct 1, 2013)

Picture wise, I don't see anything to indicate they are thin. They don't visibly look boney, but rabbits fur can hide those kind of things. If increased pellets causes them to get mushy poop, then you don't want to be doing that. If you are feeding grass hay, you could start slowly adding some alfalfa into their diet. The protein in the alfalfa will help them put some weight on and make up for not getting unlimited pellets. Since they are prone to mushy poop problems, just make sure to gradually add the alfalfa in, to try and avoid any digestive upset.


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## whiskylollipop (Oct 2, 2013)

JBun said:


> Picture wise, I don't see anything to indicate they are thin. They don't visibly look boney, but rabbits fur can hide those kind of things. If increased pellets causes them to get mushy poop, then you don't want to be doing that. If you are feeding grass hay, you could start slowly adding some alfalfa into their diet. The protein in the alfalfa will help them put some weight on and make up for not getting unlimited pellets. Since they are prone to mushy poop problems, just make sure to gradually add the alfalfa in, to try and avoid any digestive upset.



That's a great suggestion, but unfortunately we don't have alfalfa hay where I am! Pet stores usually only stock meadow hay, with the occasional ryegrass.


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## annabelle00 (Oct 2, 2013)

whiskylollipop said:


> That's a great suggestion, but unfortunately we don't have alfalfa hay where I am! Pet stores usually only stock meadow hay, with the occasional ryegrass.



http://www.petswonderland.co.nz/small-animals/food/lucern-chaff-1-5kg/

They sell the Lucerne chaff...not sure if its the same thing...

Dusky has the same thing I can feel his spine and ribs through his skin but his belly is a normal full bunny tummy...was worried about it myself and have him on unlimited NRM pellet and unlimited hay with occasional veg...if I give him a handful his poops go mushy... he also spends most of the day out of the cage running around...

He was really chubby when I got him from the pet store where he was given lots of treats


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## Nancy McClelland (Oct 2, 2013)

What is your location? I use mail order for my grass, hay and feed needs but if your not in the USA my info will do no good.


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## funnybunnymummy (Oct 2, 2013)

I think they look a healthy weight.

You should still be able to feel the spine and ribs on a healthy rabbit, but they should feel rounded not sharp.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## whiskylollipop (Oct 2, 2013)

annabelle00 said:


> http://www.petswonderland.co.nz/small-animals/food/lucern-chaff-1-5kg/
> 
> They sell the Lucerne chaff...not sure if its the same thing...
> 
> ...



I may be wrong, but I was always under the impression that "chaff" is all the leftover little bits of unwanted hay that fall out of bales, that kinda turned me off them. Nothing but the best, long stemmy hay for my fuzzballs! Lol. I appreciate your help though, so nice of you to do the research. If my buns do start getting thinner I may have to give it a shot.

Your bun is on unlimited pellets?  Does he still eat hay? Mine never would. Little snotrags.




Nancy McClelland said:


> What is your location? I use mail order for my grass, hay and feed needs but if your not in the USA my info will do no good.



Unfortunately I'm in New Zealand  Thanks though!




funnybunnymummy said:


> I think they look a healthy weight.
> 
> You should still be able to feel the spine and ribs on a healthy rabbit, but they should feel rounded not sharp.
> 
> ...



They do feel rounded...I suppose...but I can feel the details without pressing much at all, like the flesh is sunken into the bones with just fur for padding. That's what worries me. Everyone seems to think they look fine though, maybe I'm just too hung up on the idea that rabbits should be round little chubsters like guinea pigs.


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## Azerane (Oct 2, 2013)

If they're each getting half a cup of pellets and unlimited hay, they shouldn't be underweight. They look healthy to me  Bandit is a healthy weight but there's certain bones that still feel "bony" when you pet him. You're not supposed to not feel bones, that would make them fat


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## whiskylollipop (Oct 3, 2013)

Azerane said:


> If they're each getting half a cup of pellets and unlimited hay, they shouldn't be underweight. They look healthy to me  Bandit is a healthy weight but there's certain bones that still feel "bony" when you pet him. You're not supposed to not feel bones, that would make them fat



Phew, I'm glad I was only being a silly worrywart! Feeling bones just seems so odd to me. I mean, what would the predators of bunnies eat if they're just mostly fur, skin and bones.

Sidenote: Ahhhh, is there any sound quite so pleasant as the steady "chupchupchup" of good bunbuns eating their hay. Maybe it's their mushy poop tendencies that make me extra paranoid, but it soothes my soul to know that fibre is going into their tumtums.


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## missyscove (Oct 3, 2013)

I posted some information on body condition scoring rabbits which you may find helpful in this thread: 
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f27/my-rabbit-overweight-71391/


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## Teeniebun (Mar 30, 2015)

I have a great website for any pet food and hay. www.petshopbowl.co.uk &#55357;&#56836; I use their bottomless bowl program for my rabbit and cat. you sign up and tell them what you would like and they deliver it every month or whatever you pick. I have nuggets and Welsh meddow hay delivered every 8 weeks. Go check it out if u like x&#10084;&#65039;


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