My rabbit is underweight, please help.

[Michelle Savage]

Hi,

My bunny is a holland lop (with a possible mix). She is around 4 months old andabout 3 lbs. and 6 ounces (3.5 lbs.) and grows so fast! I feel maybe she cannot keep up with her growth and maybe that is why she is so underweight. I can feel her bones easily. I have been out to a mini lop farm lately and the breeder showed me how they are to feel on there back, mine is not like that, you could count her vertebrae.

She eats fairly well. Maybe 2 to 3 oz. of pellets a day along with western timothy hay. She drinks well also. She has good bowel movements and urinates everyday.

I hope she does not have worms. She was very clean when I got her. I took her to the vet soon after purchasing her and the vet mentioned that she was clean as a whistle. I have not let her get around any other animals or go outside to hop on the ground, so I know she couldn't of gotten anything afterwards. I have had her since 3/31/12.

Please give me advice on what you think is wrong and how to fix the problem.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Take a sample of her poop to a vet and they can check for worms. Also, she could have alfalfa til she hits 6 months and then transition to Timothy. Alfalfa is higher in calcium and protein--ideal for growing bunnies.

 

[LakeCondo]

Is this the amount of pellets you give her, or do you offer more & this is all she eats? Once she has alfalfa pellets, the next step would be to get her to eat more of them.

2 months ago Honey had a period when she wasn't eating much of her pellets [or greens, as she's an adult]. I'd just switched hay brands & she liked the new hay so much better that she was eating more of it & fewer pellets or greens. So I made it a little harder for her to get at her hay & the problem went away. In her case the ounce or 2 she lost wasn't needed, unlike in your situation.

 

[Michelle Savage]

Yeah, I agree, I will just try to give her more pellets. I try to make sure she always has pellets, so I think she is eating good, but I do not see what she does when I am not here. When I am here she get hungry like every 15 min. or less, so she eats good, it seems. I am going to call the vet to be safe.

 

[Samara]

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