Getting a bun to gain weight

[naturestee]

It might take him a while to learn to like healthy pellets. They probably taste very different from whatever crud he's used to. He's eating something now, so IMO he's ok for the time being. His intestines won't stop and he won't get hepatic lipidosis. Besides, I thought that was more of a threat with overweight animals?

Check out health stores for flax seed. I found mine in the baking section of a Pick 'n Save grocery store by the fancy/healthy types of flour and grains. Piggly Wiggly has it too. I have no idea if you have those stores by you, but any groceries that stock some organic or "health food" stuff would be a good bet.

Edit: see if he likes leafy greens like carrot greens, cilantro, etc. Obviously start slow. They might be more tempting than pellets and can get more vitamins and such into him.

 

[hellsmistress]

For putting weight back on my rabbits I use

1/3 Cup oats

1 Tbsp Sunflower seeds

a sprinkle of something else yummy (alternated every day) to keep them interested

in addition to their normal food.

I find this to be quite effective even with my fussiest eaters.

 

[Pipp]

Excuse me! I ordered a large salad!


I stole this from Disapproving Rabbits as Ivory well knows, seeing as her bunny pic is on the same page.

But it does remind me that bunnies not eating pellets need an awful lot of other food. Pipp really does go through a salad this size by herself every day. (She eats limited pellets, but won't touch hay). ]

And yeah, I always thought that Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis) is the result of too many grains and carbs. (They also run the risk of Cecal Dysbiosis from too many carbs if there's not enough fibre, but a good hay eater shouldn't have that problem -- unlike like SOME bunnies I know). ssd:

sas :bunnydance:

 

[Ivory]

Ah....fatty liver disease/hepatic lipidosis....they're used interchangibly but in the most technical sense, they're not, but closely related. Almost the same thing. Caused by the same thing...

Hepatic lipidosis is a result of anorexia, regardless of whether or not the rabbit is overweight, or normal weight, or even a little underweight. That's the *real* risk of starving a rabbit for the full time-period before surgery (24-12 hours). People always harp on stasis...I'd be worried a lot more about hepatic lipidosis.

It's actually really complicated, and it's one of the things I do have trouble remembering.

Overwight rabbits are at a higher risk, that's why you can't change an overweight rabbit's calorie intake too quickly.