Big Mama - Post Bath

[OneAcreFarm]

So, I put Big Mama in the tub with a couple inches of water. She was ok with it, but her feet were slipping on the tub bottom. After, I towel dried her, used the blow dryer on low/cool to dry her. She was still ok thru all of this. I got a small pair of scissors and proceeded to trim all the stained fur from her hindquarters, legs, feet and tail area. She was well behaved all thru this, even allowing me to turn her over. She looks much better and her sore hocks are healing nicely. here are some pics....
Left foot:

Right Foot:

Side

Side

Top


She needs a little fattening up, but all in all a very sweet, proven doe. Super happy to have her.

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm sure now that Big Mama has you looking after her, Shannon, she'll come along well. But did you say she needs fattening up??? (Don't mind me, I'm used to looking at my naturally-fed meat mutts. They're not skinny - in fact any adults I have culled have had more fat on them than any rabbit needs - but they don't have the "loaf of sourdough bread" look of a Cali either.)

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

That rabbit looks like a healthy weight, to me-- and yes, that hock looks a lot better.

 

[MaggieJ]

I agree, Terry... perfect Cali type. It's just, as I said, that my meat mutts are a different shape... even when they are fat, they look lean.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

we are quite aware that a rabbit that is too fat will not reproduce well-- My Rascal is a lean fella- but then, i did get him from TSC.
of course, looking at a picture of a freshly washed and dried animal is a bit different from handling it-- and I believe anyone who raises animals for food or other purposes, should learn how to 'body score' for weight ranges- underweight, good weight, overweight.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Well, i guess I SHOULD have said, better condition. I don't want her to be fat, just to put on a little healthy weight. At one year, she is only 8 lbs, somewhat on the smallish side for a Cali. Also, I can feel more of her backbone/hipbones than I like. She is a very nice doe and I am glad that her feet are healing well. One a side note, all of the buns in that same cage have at least hair loss on their feet, but none of the others. I really think it was the hardware cloth flooring that caused it.

 

[fuzzy9]

She looks like a really nice doe, Shannon. I do think that thick fur can be very deceptive just by looking at it, and just by looking you can't always see the reality of things. I agree completely, folks really need to know how to body score an animal. Fur can hide so much.