Current Bun had his check up today & needs to lose some weight!

[FernieB]

As part of Rabbit Awareness Week, Current Bun went to the vet for a check up today. All is fine (except for his behaviour) but he does need to lose some weight. Any ideas?

I was going to cut down his nuggets but then I weighed out the amount he's supposed to have (according to the packet) and it's twice as much as he usually gets! He doesn't get much else apart from hay, a small bit of carrot and some kale. He also has his morning biscuit and I'm not cutting that out - it's the only time he speaks to me

Suppose I will cut his nuggets down and chase him around threatening him with the vet so he runs fast to get away from me.

The amount suggested on packets is often too high( I guess to sell it more often!) The rescue we got our rabbits from recommends an egg cup full a day per adult rabbit.

What kind of biscuit? Do you mean the sort us humans eat? Naughty Girl had a good scoff of a packet of digestive that had fallen off our table. Well it would be Naughty Girl wouldn't it

Could the guineas chase Current Bun abit more to give him a workout?

He's going to delete the invitation for next years RAW check

You'll need to tie his harness and lead to the washing whirly and tie a carrot to the opposite corner.
My boars reckon he'll just keep hopping (because being a rabbit it'll take a while for him to suss ) Ha Ha Ha.

Hi Fernie, hi all. If it is any consolation to Current Bun, just tell him many of us humans are given a similar telling off at our 'vets' - we are told, 'eat less and exercise, or else...' - just means cutting down rations I guess and maybe letting him out to freerange more?? A walk up White Nancy on a lead ( seriously some of my neighbours used to do just that, and once one of them turned up to school with a FERRET on a lead to take him for his afternoon walk...............). I miss the north.

Valencia - thank you - I thought it looked a bit much, he'll be on an eggcup full now, although he doesn't eat that many nuggets anyway.

fortified - a childhood bunny of mine ate digestives but Current Bun has proper bunny biscuits as a treat. He loves them but is only allowed 1 in the morning and 1 at bedtime.

70 - he's already declined the invitation for next years RAW. I don't think the vet wants him back either after he escaped and tried to chew through their computer cable under the desk - the shame . Can you get expelled from the vets?

guineapiglet - at idea of Current Bun hopping up White Nancy. Can't believe someone did that - there are so many dogs being walked up there, I'd be a bit worried. He's out running round the house all day anyway. I say 'running', I mean he could run if he wanted but he sleeps in a sunny spot mainly. I'll get the kids to chase him round a bit more.

He's only got to lose 500g - I wish I only had to lose 500g

at some of the ideas on here! Good luck with your diet, Current Bun! (You do realise what agony it will be for him every time you call his name!!)

Can you get expelled from the vets ?

Ooooh YES.
Current Buns picture will be on the wall of every vets' surgery, with a WARNING sign and CurrentBun doing his "Daily Mail" sadface.

The pigs will delight in loudly crunching their guinea-pellets while CurrentBun savours his one-egg-cup-full.

Awwwww.

Current Bun does an excellent 'Daily Mail' sad face, he'd be a natural at that.

The pigs are already flaunting their huge mounds of cabbage and pig pellets at him. He has been sulking in his basket all morning.

I agree with cutting the pellets down to an egg cup full, they're really just a supplement to the diet. We give ours pellets in a treat ball too and they love chasing it round. Also maybe just give carrot every few days, unless it's a really tiny bit?

Do you think he'd like bunny company? Our first rabbit (he was very fat when we got him, although we never weighed him) lost loads of weight when we bonded him with a wife. They free range in my son's bedroom and go outside in a run on warm days, but they spend forever playing and running about.

I've thought about getting him a bunny friend on a few occasions, but he seems happy as he is and I don't want to upset the balance. He was a PAH reject and we got him when he was 7 months old. He'd been living alone there for at least 3 months, probably much longer. He was so used to being on his own that it took him a long time to settle with us and even now he takes himself off to have time alone, whereas previous rabbits have sought out company. He does come and find us when he feels like attention and will play tag with us which he enjoys. He has seen other rabbits at the vets but was not impressed - he showed a lot more interest in the dogs.

I am conscious that rabbits are supposed to live in groups, but not all rabbits like company. Current Bun seems very content (judging by the binkies and fast runs) with us being his group and he certainly gets the grooming his position as top Bunny demands [grins]