Diet for an obese, senior buck

[kilabuni]

I need to know what I should be feeding my 9 year old ND cross. He's been big all his life, since I got him in 2002, but now he's a senior and I don't want him becoming ill and then die because of something I could be sorting out now.

He gets fed on Wagg Bunny Brunch at the moment because my mum got him the wrong food. His usual food is Wagg Optimum, which seemed to be helping him lose weight. He always gets his hay which is a locally grown meadow hay. He's picky with vegetables that this is only an occasional treat. I want to be able to grow my own wild grasses and weeds in the garden to give him and my 10 guinea-pigs because I was advised by my vet its the diet 'all rabbits should be on, mixed store foods aren't suitable, you don't see wild rabbits eating pellets'... so be it, but I have wanted to cut down his store bought food anyway.

So does anyone have any advice on how to help a rabbit lose weight, and preferably a senior? I'd appreciate something from personal experience (and not an obsessive set-up because I'm not like that with my pets) rather than just found online because then I'd know its possible, and not just 'this might work'.

Thanks in advance and I'll be checking back during the week.

kilabuni

 

[MiniLopHop]

I have a 4 year old female, not quite senior, but she was very round when I got her (started out at 7 pounds but she is down to 6 now with some chub to go). She spent 3 of thoes years in a shelter so didn't get much time out of the cage. I had to shave her little butt because it was constantly messy since she was too round to take care of business properly.

I feed oxbow timothy based pellets, 1/4 cup a day, timothy hay unlimited, and leafy greens and herbs. I think the diet is only part of the equation. Her diet is not very different than what she had in the shelter other than more vegetables. The exercise is vastly different. I don't use cages. I have my two buns in my home office that I bunny proofed. Rather than staying still in a cage all day she now hops here and there checking things out and playing. She has lots of toys and things to chew on to keep her out of trouble. A busy bun is not a destructive bun.

She is also friends with my cat who loves to play running games. The cat will chase the bun and then the bun will chase the cat. In the evenings I join in the game as well. Be careful that the rabbit is taking it like a game though, you don't want to scare them. If they don't chase back they might be frightened. Every bun will have their own style of games they prefer. My other girl has a preference for playing bunny soccar, hitting balls with her nose.

Don't get descouraged. It takes a long time for them to loose weight, but that is the healthy way. Also a pound is a huge achievement for a rabbit since they start off so small. We have been working 4 months to get the one pound off Cindi. However, as she looses the weight she plays even more and becomes stronger so it is a positive reinforcing trend. Good luck!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We had one come to us in a really well rounded condition. We limited the amount of pellets and treats and gave her lots of greens and unlimited hay--she went from 8 to 6 pounds, so, she's not as well rounded of a mini-rex as she used to be.

 

[kilabuni]

He does have regular out-of-cage time which is in my 7ft x 5ft run, but sometimes its free run of the garden, depending on how energetic I am to catch him again. He is an active rabbit despite his size and age, I've often seen him binkying around the garden like he's got a feather up his bum and he keeps the cats away too lol, which is why I focused more on finding the right diet for him rather than getting him exercising, as he seems to have that sorted.