Rabbit weight

Question
We've recently bought a male dwarf lop rabbit. He is now 13 weeks old and weighs 1245grams. Is this enough? Should he weigh more than this, and if so, how much more? He doesn't feel underweight but it would be good to know the ideal weight for a rabbit of his age and breed. Thanks.

Answer
Dear Nikki,

Because "dwarf" rabbits can vary tremendously in size, depending on their specific genetics (dwarfing is initiated by one gene, but affected by several others, so Dwarf rabbits can vary in size from about 1kg to 3kg), it's not possible for me to know what the appropriate weight for your bunny would be without seeing/feeling him.

An excellent overview on rabbit diet and weight can be found here:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=673&S=5

If he's still growing (and at 13 weeks, he's still a growing baby), then don't worry about limiting his diet.  He really can't become obese at that age.  He needs extra calories and nutrients to properly form his skeleton, muscles and all the good bunny parts.  :)  Here's a simple overview of a good bunny diet:

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

Keep track of his weight gain, and when he reaches the age of about 8 months, he should be nearing adult size.  At that point, pellets should begin to be limited so he won't gain too much weight.

Good luck with your new pal.  I hope this helps!

Dana