Overweight Bun

Question
Hi again,
Thanks so much for your help so far!
She is an indoor bun (I live in an apartment), and she has free reign of the living and dining room (she wont go past the kitchen floor... i think shes afraid of the linoleum). I let her out every night from about 6-10pm. She will walk around a little bit, then flop into her favorite spot by the wall. I know I'm not supposed to chase her because it might scare her... but I don't know how else to get her to move!! I don't have the room for a partner... her cage that she stays in during the day is about 2' wide by 5' long and about 2 1/2' tall. She has chubes and a ball and wooden blocks in there that she plays with sometimes, but she isn't very active at all. Any suggestions on how I can get her to move more?!

Thanks!
Michelle

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Followup To

Question -
On a recent trip to the vet, I was told my Lilo (mini rex, 1 1/2 years old) is overweight. The vet advised me to cut back her food (no more free feeding!) and give her more hay. Its been almost 2 months, and I have cut her back to 1/2 cup of pellets and 2 large handfuls of hay per day, yet there is no weight loss! Since I have cut back her food, she has become rather aggressive. When I open the cage to get her bowl, she rushes at me. When I go to place it back in the cage, she charges again. She was a total sweetheart before all this. Is she just upset that she's not getting enough to eat?

Thanks,
Michelle


Answer -
Dear Michelle,

Yes, her grumpiness could be related to hunger.  Be sure to give her *unlimited* hay, and if she isn't eating it, ask the vet to check her teeth for molar spurs, which can make a bunny a picky eater.  Hay is critical for her diet.  Please read:

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

To supplement her food with something she likes, add fresh, leafy greens which you can give in almost unlimited quantities.  Starchy things such as carrots or fruit should be given sparingly, if at all.

Of utmost importance for weight loss is *exercise.*  She needs to get out and run around, and one way to get her to do so is to let her choose a (neutered) mate from among those at your local rabbit rescuer's fosters.  You can find your local chapter here:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

She must be spayed before she can have a mate, since intact bunnies will often fight more ferociously than spayed/neuterd ones.  The rescuer can help you with bonding.

Rex rabbits are more prone than other breeds to obesity, so giving her unlimited grass hay and making sure she gets lots of exercise will help.  Rabbits tend to lose weight slowly if they have a healthy diet.  So patience and determination are key.

Good luck!

Dana

Answer
Dear Michelle,

Some rabbits are less active by nature, and being overweight will just make her less likely to want to move around.  

If you have a friend with a safe, fenced back yard where she can explore under your supervision (make sure no pesticides or fertilizers have been used there in the past few months), she will probably find it irresistible to run around, dig and play.

Chasing her isn't the ticket, but trying to engage her in following you around, or maybe putting her in a spot she doesn't favor so she'll keep moving away from it will help.  Just 15 minutes a day will help.

Rabbits can lose weight slowly, so patience is the key.

Good luck,

Dana