My rabbit has a roll of fat?

Question
I actually have to questions; One, my 11 month-old female Dutch rabbit has a roll of fat under her chin. Does this mean she is overweight, or is it natural?
Also, I notice she doesn't drink much water. It's been like this for a long time. Maybe 2 months or so. I don't have to change her water often because she doesn't drink much. She wasn't drinking out of her bottle at all, so I switched to a bowl, and I catch her drinking sometimes. Is that bad?
Thanks!
-Bekah.

Answer
Dear Bekah,

The roll of skin/fat under your bunny's chin is her dewlap, and it's normal.  Not all rabbits have one, but it's more common in females than in males.  No one knows the function, if any.  But it does make a very cute chin pillow.

A dewlap isn't a sign of her being overweight:  I have some bunnies with huge dewlaps who are quite lean.  But the dewlap will also store fat if the bunny is overweight.  So check her overall subcutaneous fat to determine if she needs to slim down.

Many rabbits get enough water from their wet food, and don't drink much.  If her poops are normal and her appetite is good, I wouldn't worry.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

In case you need one.

Hope this helps.
Dana