# Question about skinny rabbit



## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Say "someone" picked up a free bunny off of craigslist, and that bunny was VERY thin. Hip bones protruding, backbone too obvious. Suppose that this "someone" was trying to find the bunny a new home asap, because "someone's" hubby is not too thrilled with the bunny "collecting" that was going on...:shrug:

What would be the fastest, healthy way to get said bunny to gain healthy weight, so as to be able to get this bunny out of my, uh, I mean "someone else's" cages?

Lol. Seriously, though, any help would be awsome. 

And how long does it take for an underweight rabbit to get healthy, usually? If it was a young rabbit (say, aprox four months) would it still get to the same size as an adult, or might it be permanently stunted?


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## rabbithappy (Jun 24, 2009)

I have seen some pretty thin rabbits gain an amazing amount in a week or 10 days just by having a constant supply of 16% feed & fresh water in front of them 24/7. Of course, that was in cooler weather. Sometimes hot weather affects appetite, but I think you should still see a difference in 10 days to 2 weeks. Good luck!


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Thank you!


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

One thing to try is to use a raised dish - he/she may have been scrabbling food out of the dish instead of eating it, and thus starving. 

I'd offer a higher percentage feed - 18%, but that's just me. You also might try some BOSS, but use a different dish as they are known to scrabble their feed more if they think the goodies are hiding at the bottom.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Some fresh food, a tiny bit at a time, and black oil sunflower seeds will help. A handful of pumpkin seeds each day for a couple weeks will take care of any possible intestinal worm issues.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Pumpkin seeds are good. I was thinking along those lines too, Danaus.  Not only are they good as a wormer, they are also high in fat and protein. I just happen to have a package handy... a 50 gram serving (1.76 oz.) contains 290 calories... 23 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein... but only 4 grams of carbohydrates.

Edited to add: 50 grams equals about 1/4 cup. I'd phase them in slowly, starting with about two teaspoons and gradually increasing to about 1/8 cup. No sudden changes that might upset the GI system.


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## arachyd (Feb 1, 2009)

This could develop into a very helpful thread for when others of us *have a friend who picked up this bunny at a sale...*. I think some before and after pics and information on what you did for the rabbit and how long it took to get it back into good health would be very helpful too.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Good thinking, Arachyd. 

When I got my first rabbits, they were not skinny but they were in rather poor condition. I found dandelion greens and plantain very helpful in improving their health and vitality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

I will definitely post stuff here. She doesn't look overly thin, it's when you touch her that you can really tell. Her hip bones are like rocks coming out of the ocean or something, and you can count the little back bone pieces. She seems alert, and is eating an incredible amount of food. 

I already spent all my money this last paycheck on rabbit stuff, so don't have any to get pumpkin seeds, but do have some saved from drying them out (I was gonna try to grow them, lol.) I will feed her those. Other than that, she is getting blackberry, plantain, and dandilion greens, because I know the last person was feeding her just grass and weeds for the last bit they had her (didn't have money to buy pellets). I am also free feeding her 16% pellets (it's all the local feedstore has, I'm sure I could go to a different feed store and get others, but I don't have a car and am not inclined to pay 5x the amount of gas to drive there, so this is what she gets). She's not really into the pellets, but does eat them. 

I have her food in crocks I got from the dollar store. I had her with a water bottle, and thought about how alot of animals (my cat, for example) stop eating if they don't have enough water. Are rabbits like that, too? 

She doesn't seem to be scrabbling her food out, but it may be the huge crock helps with that. My rabbits used to really make messes with j feeders, so I didn't bother as a grownup.  

She seems to be perking up a little bit, but it is pretty warm, so I expect her to be lethargic to an extent...


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Sounds like she simply was not getting enough to eat at her previous home. Weeds and grass are great, but they are often not enough on their own. Give her what you have available. If she is eating well she will likely show signs of improvement quickly. If you have any kitchen oatmeal, she could have some of that... most rabbits love it. I'd give her a crock for water unless you know for sure she is drinking well from the bottle. In the heat she needs plenty of fluids.


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Ya, when the whole camel thread came up, it made me go out and buy a bunch of crocks, don't want any thirsty bunnies. I did notice they go through ALOT more water with the crocks, I was refilling the waterbottle about once a week, but the crocks empty in about 24 hours, and I KNOW they aren't dumping them out, either. 

I ment to say she HAD a water bottle, but now has a crock. She doesn't drink as much as the others, but one of those is a BIG buck (Doodle Bug GREW! lol) and another is a nursing doe. 

I do know when I give my rabbits weeds (which make up a big amount of their diet), they can really throw back some food. It is incredible how much an individual rabbit can eat. 

She is such a sweet little baby. Probably about 3 months or so, so not REALLY a baby, but so small. She cmes up to you to be loved on, and seems so happy to get her daily loving (she gets more than her fair share, I admit...). I was telling my husband I would almost rather send her to freezer camp, as you guys say, then risk her going to another home...and maybe getting sick or mauled. I just feel so bad. And I know her old owner had great intentions, and that what scares me....If she gets healthy I may decide she gets to be a house bunny....


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

I try to keep a mixture of what I like to call "miracle grow" for rabbits on hand. It's good for if I take in a skinny rabbit, or I sometimes just offer a spoonfull to everybody in the winter for extra calories to keep warm.

For the most part, it is equal parts of all the following:

BOSS
dry oatmeal (prefer regular oats, but instant is okay too - just don't use the flavored stuff)
whole flax seeds
unsalted, roasted peanuts
dried pumpkin or other squash seeds if I can get them
You can either mix it all up in a big bowl or a bucket and then pour into your storage container, or I usually just pour everything directly into my storage container and just layer everything as I pour it in, and then give it a good shake to distribute evenly.

And very often I'll also offer 3 or 4 whole, unsalted peanuts (shell and all) as a treat. Non-skinny rabbits just get 1 or 2 peanuts if I'm giving them treats that day.

Just add a teaspoon of the mixture a day to the rabbit's regular ration of pellets. In a week's time, you'll see a noticeable difference in weight, and it's a good healthy weight they can maintain once you stop giving them the mixture.


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Thought I'd update, doe never really got chubby, she did gain a little, but stayed pretty boney. I decided to find a knowledgable person who wanted to take her...So I am not sure where she will go, are some rabbits genetically boney?


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Should I be letting people know she might be sick? What kind of illnesses would I look for in a rabbit that's really not gaiong on free feed?


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## pfaubush (Aug 17, 2009)

Could you post a picture, so that we can see what breed she is? I sure wish I were heading up that way sooner. I would take her off your hands.

Worms would be my best guess if she's not gaining weight, but still eating a lot. Have you tried the pumpkin seeds? How does her coat look? Poor looking fur can be an indication of worms. Also, Rabbits won't eat nearly as much in the heat of the summer, so getting them growing isn't always easy. How hot is it in the room you're keeping her in? So many questions, but the more info the better.


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Well, she's pretty much a mutt, her fur seems good condition, she is soft with shiny fur...Well, but her hair is falling out in patches, is that normal? It keeps replacing itself, but she gets some BIG bald patches. She's in the coolest room in the house, but since we don't hace AC, it's still pretty warm in there. 

I did give her some pumpkin seeds...but I think I should get more. So now another Q

Would any winter squash type seeds work? ie, Acorn, butternut? (I need to buy some squah for dinner...NUMMY! And do they have to be dehydtrated? no problem if they do, as I have a dehydrator, but faster if they don't, I could just give them to her. I'll see about getting a picture. I need to find more batteries, lol.

She is a small rabbit, though, a little smaller than my Spooky, a mini of some breed I think.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Yes, you can feed winter squash seeds. They have the same benefits. They do not have to be dried. Just wash off the worst of the pulp and serve. Actually the rabbit may like even the pulp... some do, some don't. 

Just a note to anyone who is new to this. *Do not feed seeds from the packets intended for planting.* They are treated with fungicides etc. and could harm your rabbits. Buy pumpkin seeds intended for eating or harvest them from inside the fresh pumpkin or squash.


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## Shrarvrs88 (May 8, 2010)

Thanks Maggie! I might get enough for everybunny to have some


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## RedSonja (May 16, 2010)

I was about to ask the same questions, as um... "somebody" bought 4 Angoras off Craigslist and one of them is skin & bones under the fluff. Sheared her because she was too matted to recover. So everybody thanks for the info from me, errr, somebody I know  as well.

-Sonja


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

One of the nicest things about pumpkin (or squash) seeds is that they are incredibly nutritious and rich in healthy fats, so they will help put some weight on the buns while they work on any parasites. Remember to start with small quantities, as with any new food, to avoid digestive upsets. (If you are storing those seeds, Shara, you will need to remove the pulp because it will spoil and could hurt the bunnies.)


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