ribs?!

Question
i can feel  my rabbit's ribs and i don't why. he's got enough to eat and he's eating all of it. i give him about a 1/2 cup of pellets 2 times a day and he's always got hay.

Answer
Hi,

well, as long as he is eating and drinking normally, and his output seems to match his input normally, then he's probably fine.  Even more so if his activity levels have not dropped off and he's his normal, happy, active self.  Changes in eating habits and changes in activity (dropping off) are the two huge signs there is a problem.  If you have neither of these, most likely he's okay.  Has he started begging for food from you recently, acting like he does not have enough to eat?  Is he not eating the hay?  Is he finishing all the pellets?  

One thing to do is weigh him and see if he's still around his normal weight.  Every 8 weeks when we trim our guys' nails, we also weigh them to see how they are doing.  He may just have lost some fat but gained some muscle.  Muscle being 5 times as dense as fat, you would notice a change in his body.

Keep in mind he may have been a little overweight before and he just may be leaner now, especially if he's had more time out for exercise and running around.  

The other thing it might be is that if he is going through a shed right now, perhaps you can feel more of his body than you normally can.  I do know that if I pet my rabbits a certain way I can purposely feel their ribs.  Are you sure you're just not feeling him differently?

If it sounds like I'm off the mark, or that the possibilities I've listed don't apply, the best thing to do is take him in to your regular, good rabbit vet.

Lee