Very thin rescue conti can you advice on feeding her up

[peppa and georgie]

Hello i am have aquired a rescue bunny called octavia who was previously kept in tiny cage and fed on horse cubes. :grumpy:
She is a giant continental bunny has been spayed and vacinated and is approx 6 months we think x
she is extremeley thin and you can feel all her bones and ribs. However she is bright relaxed and seems gentle and happy so far today (she only arrived last night) she has been in the rescue in foster home approx a month
They were feeding her extra dwarf rabbit pellets with her normal feed although i dont know what this was.
As i didnt know what she was being fed, i have bought and fed her so far pets at home adult rabbit pellets and mixed in some oats. Obviously lots of hay and veg too.
Flashy recommended i post here in order to get some advice on what to give her to get her nice and healthy sized again.
She is hopping about just fine, i have been told to get her and my other two peppa and georgie some panacur.

So how to i make my skinny bunny a fatter bunny or should i say healthy bunny

Thanks
Karen

 

[Flashy]

Karen, I'd be careful with the veg unless you know it's something she has previously had because too much may blow her system and you may find you accidently come across something her tummy can't tolerate.

Introduce everything really slowly and carefully to avoid upsetting her system.

 

[Pipp]

I could be wrong, but I think horse cubes can actually be nutritious, depending on the type. Small cages and lack of exercise certainly isn't healthy. I would assume she's getting better care young enough to have no lasting damage, but kit development certainly isn't my area of expertise, I'll leave that to the breeders..

Was the rescue concerned with her weight?

She should be getting a high quality high protein (18%), high fibre (over 20%) alfalfa pellet. You can give her a handful of rolled oats as a supplement, that will help her weight. (Just start slowly and increase the amount over the course of a week or two).

I'm not sure what the dwarf mix was all about but I do believe dwarf rabbits actually eat more than giants, they have a much faster metabolism.

FTR, overweight is usually more of a concern, many of the key house rabbit experts say to keep them thin (I assume mostly to avoid fatty liver disease).

All my bunnies under a year old -- I had several around 8 months -- coming from rescues were healthy but thin, they really got a lot stockier when they were just over a year. They put on half again as much weight after I thought they were full grown. Giants won't reach maturity until they're over a year regardless. They're slower developers.

I honestly wouldn't worry. I bet she's healthy and will naturally fill out her frame and put on weight as she matures.


sas :bunnydance:

 

[Flashy]

The dwarf pellets are often the same as the pellets aimed at younger buns (in smaller pieces), but they have a higher protein count, so I'm guessing maybe that was why?

 

[peppa and georgie]

Arrr ok thanks for that.
She is definately too thin as if you look closely at her face, her head looks too big for her body and the bones really stick out. Also the fur isnt really in good condition as such, when you stroke her you feel like you could hurt her abit. She feels abit dehydrated but has plenty of water to drink so think it is just how thin she feels. The rescuer did say she wouldnt normally let them be rehomed in this state but didnt realise she was still this thin as had been with fosterer x
Ok i will go carefull with the veg for now then dont want to create any more probs.
xx Will also check the fibre percentage xx

 

[TinysMom]

I only know flemish really - but they're a larger breed and for the first year or so they're free fed plus they're often given calf manna for the extra protein it will give them.

Of course I really UNDERSTAND this now that I have four (soon to be five) young flemmies eating me out of house and home...but it would seem like if a giant breed was still growing - it should be free fed - and given LOTS of hay...

 

[fuzz16]

calf mana if you can find it there, a supplement a lot of hispanic ranchers use around here to beef up thier horses and cattle when under weight. dont know if you can find it there. its really high protein though so you just use a bit of it. and purina makes a kind called annimax or something along those lines
all she can eat hay will help too

 

[BlueGiants]

Just a suggestion, has she been checked for parasites? Tapeworm, pin worm, coccidiosis? Any of them could contribute to her being too thin, not putting on weight in the foster home. (Not knowing how and where she was kept, we don't know what she may have "picked up".) The Panacur would take care of anything...

Flashy and Pipp are right, you want to introduce new foods slowly,in limited amounts, making sure it "agree's with her" before giving larger amounts. And you want her to gain weight slowly, gradually, so as not to build up fat instead of muscle. The oats are easy on her digestion and will help with her energy levels. The higher protein pellets may be rich for her if she isn't used to it, it may cause her to shed out her coat, but from the way you describe her coat, it may help her overall condition.

I'm sure she is relieved she is in such good hands now!

 

[peppa and georgie]

Arrr thank you, have my list of stuff to go with so shall let you know how all this goes. Thanks for all of your help is much appreciated xxxx