Indoor rabbits need to loose weight

[Katie94]

Hi everyone,

I need to help my indoor buns loose some weight. They are fed the same diet as my outdoor buns (living in garage but without central heating) and have a similar exercise space. However, I believe the indoor buns are putting on weight as do not burn calories keeping warm like the others are which is why the same diet is not working.

They get the following per day:

Unlimited Timothy hay
3/4 egg cup pellets (burgess excel) split in too two feeds am and pm
1 handful veg
1 treat

What could I do differently to see a difference? I’ve seen burgess excel do an indoor version of pellets and a lower calorie version would either of these be worth considering?

thanks!

 

[JBun]

I would say either a lower protein pellet or reduce pellet amounts. And no high calorie veg like carrots. The treat, reduce the amount or eliminate. That's about all you can do diet wise.

Encouraging activity can also help. Doing things like scatter feeding or using a treat ball for the pellets, so they have to do a little bit of work to get their food. Giving rabbit safe branches that will keep them busy chewing up, and other activities that will keep them busy.

 

[Diane R]

That really is far too many pellets. Reduce way down to 1 tbsp a day.

 

[Katie94]

Thank you for your answers. I think I am going to start by removing the second feed of pellets in the evening and see if that helps. They will have less than half an egg cup per day then. Should I gradually reduce the portion before taking it away or can I just stop it and maybe feed their Veg at an earlier time, would that be okay?

 

[Diane R]

Thank you for your answers. I think I am going to start by removing the second feed of pellets in the evening and see if that helps. They will have less than half an egg cup per day then. Should I gradually reduce the portion before taking it away or can I just stop it and maybe feed their Veg at an earlier time, would that be okay?

As long as they eat hay well there is no danger in reducing pellets quite drastically.