Netherland Dwarf - How can I get her to bulk up?

[sterlng&sierra]

This is my first rabbit, she is a REW Netherland Dwarf doe about 9 months old and very cuddly. She had been getting fat (I could no longer feel any bones, just a bunny block of fat) when she was six months old, but about two months later I noticed that I could feel her spine and ribs, and hip bones. Last night, we were snuggling on the couch and I noticed that I could feel the bone between her hip bones, no muscle or fat. Not cool! I really hate having underweight animals.

She has been her bright-eyed, feisty self, with never a runny nose or goopy eye, no sneezing or anything different about her poop.

I feed her free choice Kaytee Forti-Diet (what the breeder reccommended) and free choice alfalfa grass mix hay (what we feed our horses). She gets some lettuce or other greenstuff when we have it in the house, but never a lot because I'm afraid of upsetting her tummy.

What can I do to get her in the right condition? What food can I change to, and what other things can I add to her diet? Could there be any medical problems that I am not noticing?

Edit for spelling.

 

[sterlng&sierra]

I was thinking of changing from Forti-Diet to either Purina Rabbit Chow Fibre3 or Oxbow Bunny Basics T and adding more veggies to her diet, as well as changing from a water bottle to a crock. Am I on the right track?

 

[savingdogs]

Mine get BOSS as a treat but not too much because it is fattening. You might try a pinch of that each day.

 

[ChickenPotPie]

I would transition, over the course of one to two weeks, from Kaytee to Purina Fibre 3 or Show. I use Purina Show. Oxbow is the only "pet store" rabbit feed I'd ever suggest but it's so expensive and Purina is really good.

Switching to a heavy crock is good. Keep the amount of veggies the same - just treats. No on the alfalfa. It's too rich plus look at the ingredients in your feed. It's alfalfa based. You don't want to give her more of the same. Make it Timothy, Oat, or Orchard hays (my order of preference). They're all good rabbit hays.

I'd think about treating her for parasites (worms). Read this thread: http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=89970#p89970

I hope with the feed switch, the deworming, the meds, a bit of yogurt, and sweet potato, she gets healthy and back into condition again. Just transition the feed from one to the other over the course of one or two weeks so as to not upset her digestive tract.

Best wishes.

 

[sterlng&sierra]

Thanks, I got some Oxbow because the Purina comes in 25-50 pound bags, and for one rabbit, that would be 7 months of food... maybe an excuse to get another rabbit or two?

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Thanks, I got some Oxbow because the Purina comes in 25-50 pound bags, and for one rabbit, that would be 7 months of food... maybe an excuse to get another rabbit or two?

Oh, no! And the rabbit habit begins!

 

[cattlecait]

I also recommend switching to Purina. We buy ADM because there's an ADM mill in our town so the local feed store only carries the Purina pet-quality feed.

Also try mixing some things in with her feed. Oatmeal and beet pulp will bulk up a bunny pretty quick, or mixing molassas in will encourage her to eat more. Putting Calf-Manna supplement in her feed will also make her put on weight, but I suggest buying it in small bags from a local cage dealer because the stores only sell it in 50lb bags (and a bunny can only handle a tiny handful per day).

 

[AlpacaEmployee]

I use ADM. I've seen such better efficiency. I will never feed the purina I was feeding again.

 

[rabbitgeek]

For a single nethie, I would put a teaspoon of old fashioned oatmeal (not the quick) on the rabbit feed each day. It has protein, fiber, and not too much fat.

That should help bulk it up without making it too fat.

Have a good day!