Underweight rabbit?

[sausagepastie]

We've had three little dutch rabbits since last summer. They went in the run every day till autumn but since then have been in their hutch nearly all the time, as the grass has been so soggy.
It's a huge hutch, 6ft long and high enough for them as they are only littlies.
I give them a variety of fresh food as well as loads of hay, pellets and water obviously.

The mum is fairly well rounded, but the babies are tiny and I hadn't been lifting them much recently, but I lifted up the most timid yesterday and she was so bony, it felt wrong somehow. She is also the most patchy - they seem to be pulling out their fur at the moment and have built a big nest, so I guess they are having some kind of phantom pregnancy going on.

I'm worried though in case she isn't eating as much as she needs to. Maybe the others bully her a bit or something?

How can I best remedy this, or is it normal for a rabbit to be quite thin sometimes...she doesn't look unwell or emaciated, just is thinner than I would naturally expect a rabbit to feel - I don't feel comfortable about it.

Btw they have fresh food twice a day - carrots, greens and apples, also occasionally a bit of bread. They seem to share it Ok from what I have seen.

I would suggest if she feels bony you should get her checked out by the vet as their back teeth can get over grown and cause them not to eat so well.
Bread is really not good for bunnies and really should never be fed. You can give the outside of the cauliflower, broccoli stalk etc as treats.

thanks Lizcat, I didn't know about the teeth and might have a look at them myself - though I won't do anything to them obviously.

I had read that bread was good for underweight rabbits andonly just started giving the occasional bit, as they are all quite slender - but I will stop if it's bad for them.

Do you think there could be a behavioural issue, I mean if the others are dominating her or something - should I feed her separately?

Have them checked out for fleas, mange and worms.
The little rabbit may be at the lowest end of the pecking order and the others might take the food first. Can you make a separate run and hutch for her?

I don't think there is mange, it's not bare fur, it's just like the colour is different - summer winter coat thing perhaps? plus the nest building. But I have had guinea pigs with mange and it isn't that, definitely. Hopefully not worms as they were done just before we got them...only about 8 months ago, and they don't scratch afaik - but will have them checked anyway as you never know.

I'm sfraid if I separate her from her mum and sister they will never go back together happily. My mum's female rabbits were separated briefly and when reintroduced, they fought so could never be kept together. I will rule out other things first I think.

Also, would neutering them all help?

Thanks very much for the suggestions by the way.

Sauasage if it is the teeth it will be the back ones very difficult to see with the naked eye, in the surgery I use an otoscope (looking in ears) to see them properely. Bread is bad because it alters the rabbits natural calcium phoporus ratio make the skull bones soft causing the teeth to shift leading to dental problems. But the problems only really occur if it is fed as the main diet.
When they change winter coat for summer coat they do look terribly scruffy my last darling boy (bless his soul) was a scruffy soandso for a couple of months each year whilst he shed his coat.

Thanks so much Lizcat, that's really useful to know.
I just picked her up when I went to feed them, though she was a bit more reluctant than yesterday! She was expecting it this time. Her spine isn't visible, it's her rear bones like the kind of back end, abover her back feet, that feel the most bony. Actually I stroked the other two and they were also bony in this area, she is just slightly smaller as well.

Maybe it is a Dutch rabbit thing...I have also recently changed their main food and they aren't eating as much of it, so back to pellets I think.

She seemed Ok, if nervous. I looked at the front teeth and they were perfect - four at the top, two at the bottom, and very straight.
Her vent is fine, can't see any mange.

I think I'll go back to their previous food, stop the bread entirely (so glad you told me that) and start putting them in the run in a week or two. I will also enquire about neutering as it's meant to help with the heirarchy situation, or so I read.

They were all making weird noises again today - they sound a bit like guinea pigs. They didn't used to chirp! I put it down to hormones.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Whilst her front teeth look fine she can develop molar spurs on her back teeth (The vet can only properly see them under sedation.) This is very serious, as spurs are extremely painful and cut into the gums and tongue. It runs the risk of the bun not being able to eat and getting gut statis (when the gut stops moving.)

I'd get her booked in tomorrow first thing. Take the other buns in with her for the ride. I, personally, would book her in to be spayed and have her teeth checked and burred at the same time. (It'll be cheaper for you.)

Usually a good diet will mean no more dentals. (An unlimited supply of hay, and just pellets and veg in the morning/afternoon.) For small breeds, and groups especially, a pelleted food is the best as they can't select feed, and will all get what they need. If possible give your skinny girl her own bowl. Barley rings are great for putting on weight, as is porridge made from water (not milk )

Neutering will only help your girls, and as 80% of uneutered female buns will develop uterine cancer by the time they're four, I'd definitely say it's a must. They should all be able to go in together and be done at the same time. The only time they need be removed from each other is during the op.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions just ask!