Lazy Rabbit

Question
Dana,

I have probably the laziest bunny in the world. he will bite on the bars to get out so i let him out and then he runs around the couch once then goes to sleep behind it. then when i put him out in the hall where there is no couch to sleep behind he simply stretches out along the door way and chills out.

As you can imagine with an exercise routine such as this its inevitable that he will put on weight. i took him and my other rabbit to the vets for their jabs a fortnight ago and she said agreed that he was becoming a bit of a chubbs however my other rabbit is very slender and almost atheletic! she never stays still for 5 mins.

Iv cut down his food intake but i feel that i cant cut it down anymore as when i go to feed him is when he is most active as he's that hungrey he jumps about!

Iv tried motivating him witha  variety of toys - boxes to chew, a basin filled with shredded paper to dig at, toilet rolls, wicker baskets, tunnels, noisey balls, EVERYTHING! but still he will not move his bum! the only time he moves is when i try to put him away for the night (not a fan of being picked up!)

its not exactly fair to make him excercise by chasing him around the room as this will just scare him and do more harm than good.

could you please give me any tips you can think of to get his bum moving before it gets too chubby!

Gemma

Answer
Dear Gemma,

You have a not uncommon dilemma that really doesn't have a good solution.  We have a couple of chubs, too.  And there is NOTHING we can do to get them to move around more.  It's just not in their nature.

Short of putting them on a treadmill (which would be kind of cruel), I'm not sure there's much one can do except try to restrict treats or change them to healthy herbs and such.  But exercise is really the key, and I have NEVER found a way to make a lazy, mellow bunny more athletic.  It's probably no easier than doing the same for a human!

Try providing a rotating series of toys and boxes for chewing and digging, but don't let him have the same ones every day.  The more things are new and different, the more likely he'll be to investigate and explore and move about.  

If  you have a safe, fenced outdoor area where the buns can run, I know few rabbits who can resist playing in the grass and digging in the dirt, at least when first put out.  So rotating them into such a play area might help.

I wish I were more help here. But you truly have asked a question that probably does not have a solution.  :(

Take care,

Dana