Bunny Diet

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HeatherMarie

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I have a question about putting my buns on a diet. They are in desperate need, and while I think it is adorable with their huge bunny butts & big ole double chins, I know it's not healthy, but I'm not sure how to go about the dieting. Usually I just pour their food into an automatic feeder, but i know it's only... 1/2 cup per bun, so since there are three that would be 1.5 a day, but then i wouldn't know if everyone was getting the same amount cuz Patchy is the leader when it comes to food....but also should i wean them down to the 1.5 cups a day so they don't go hungry? Or cold turkey it? I've been trying to give them only a little bit of pellets like .5 cups a day and then lots of fruits & veggies and extra hay, but they still act like i'm starving and torturing them! Poor babies...



So long story short, what is the best tactic for putting 3 obese buns on a diet?
 
The recommended amount of pellets is about 1/4 cup per 5 pounds of body weight. I am going to assume it is IDEAL weight for you, not their current weight. So if you have a 7 pound rabbit that should weight 5 pounds, you would only want to give 1/4 cup of pellets. You will need to weight your rabbit and figure out what they should weigh. You should ask your vet about what a good weight would be for each one and how much weight they should lose in a certain time period. losing too much weight too fast can be dangerous.
If you can, put them on a timothy based pellet with a protein level of 14%. If you cannot find one, at least try to find a 15% protein pellet.
Give lots of hay. If you can, get different types so they can have variety. Also continue with the veggies.

I would really recommend you talk with your vet about it. They can help you find the right amount to lose. They should also be able to help you monitor the weight loss better. If limiting the pellets even more (or eliminating them), your vet can help you do it right.
 
Yeah, but make any changes gradually. You may also want to make sure you're feeding a good quality pellet.
 

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