Putting on weight

Hiya

Can anyone help me out or give me any advice regarding helping a bunny put on weight.

Bob is about 8 week old (although I suspect he is a little younger) and, while his brothers and sisters have all grown and filled out a bit since I've had them (approx 5 weeks now), he is still a tiny, bony little man who weighs next to nothing.

He is too young for veg still - he tends to make a lot of excess caecotrophs when he gets veg - and still has issues cleaning himself. The other day I had to trim a LOT of dried-on poop from under his belly, bottom and front paws even! I don't know whether to try porridge in a bunny so young. I have been feeding him separately so that he gets a fair shot at the food in case that's what's causing it and he does eat (with vigour!). Sadly they are all on a muesli mix until my Science Selective order arrives from the UK and I can swap them over but I chose the one with the lowest protein content and the most fibre to try and give them the best I can for now.

Any suggestions on how to fatten up this little bony bunster would be more than welcome, thanks
BB
x

I wouldn't give him Porridge as the carbohydrates in it are likely to upset his guts.

Can you get anything like Readigrass over there? A higher protein feed is probably the best way to go and Readigrass has a good protein content. Have you wormed the Buns?

Janex

havent wormed them yet but will get onto that asap. as for any decent feeds, I am having to order SS from the UK so there's no such thing over here. It's muesli or nothing I'm afraid. No sign of hay anywhere although I have them on lots of coconut chunks, wicker baskets, grass etc until it arrives.

God bless pampered piggies for delivering to BFPO addresses.

Will hunt down some Readigrass, thank you Jane

Star!

My gosh, I didn't realise you couldn't get hay over there! How on earth do the rabbits survive? Could you cut and dry some grass and make your own?

Sooz wrote:My gosh, I didn't realise you couldn't get hay over there! How on earth do the rabbits survive? Could you cut and dry some grass and make your own?

they must have it as they have horses but no one will tell me the secret and i have looked EVERYWHERE

they have lots of grass outside now and have absolutely no shortage of things to gnaw on and believe me i am keeping a close eye on their teethsies just in case.

once my order arrives with food and hay I will be making a regular appointment with PP i think

I was going to suggest a higher calorie hay such as alfafa but I guess that doesn't help if you can't get regular hay.

Good Luck

I have ordered some yummy food and hays etc from pampered piggies so that should be here either next week or the one after (come on BFPO system, you can do it!)... in the mean time i am trying to hunt down some panacur or similar for them as god only knows where they have been.