Fat or genetics?

[LatchawBriarPatch]

He is a Sr. Buck, Rex, between 9 and 10lbs. Do these wrinkles on his butt mean he is overweight? He also doesn't do the best job of keeping himself clean. Thank you for any advise.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Rex rabbits are usually 7 to 10 pounds, so I would say he is over weight. Maybe try to give him less treats and hay and more pellets (As in replace some of it, not give him even more food)
Try and get him out to exercise or run around

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

We just got him a little over a month ago. He does not get treats other than a bellpepper for after nail trims....he's only had the one today....hense the pics. Oh, I did give him garlic shoots once a day for a week becuase he seemed to be having some urinary issues. That and AVC water have him doing well now. Breeder said he was 8lbs, so I have him getting 8oz per day (split between morning and evening) of complete pellet and unlimited timothy hay to make it a weight loss diet. He looks to me visually like he has lost weight since he got here. His activity level has increased each week we have had him. He has lots of sticks to play with. He loves rearranging his cage. I guess I can take away the hay for a month and see how it effects him.

 

[eco2pia]

I would keep the hay, and if he is losing change nothing. If he stops losing, decrease the pellets by 10% a week until he starts losing again, and watch closely to not over do it. Gradual is best, and hay will make him feel full.

 

[MnCanary]

LatchawBriarPatch, are you feeding 8 ounces by weight? Meaning, weigh out 8 ounces of pellets on a scale? I'm always wondering if people mean 8 ounces as in a cup, or 8 ounces by weight.

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

Good point, I give him a cup of food a day.....

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

I would keep the hay, and if he is losing change nothing. If he stops losing, decrease the pellets by 10% a week until he starts losing again, and watch closely to not over do it. Gradual is best, and hay will make him feel full.

That sounds amazing! Thanks!

 

[Mariah's Meadows]

LatchawBriarPatch, are you feeding 8 ounces by weight? Meaning, weigh out 8 ounces of pellets on a scale? I'm always wondering if people mean 8 ounces as in a cup, or 8 ounces by weight.

Good point, I give him a cup of food a day.....

It's ideal to measure pellets out by weight. Each bag of pellets can have a different density. A measuring cup of food may weigh 12 oz in one bag or 5 oz in another! (Edited: Apologies, I shouldn't talk in absolutes like this. Some rabbits do well with the variation and density is less important to other rabbitries. But especially in trying to gain or lose weight, it is a bit more important to know how much is being given by density than volume.)

I'd monitor the weight change as @eco2pia is instructing. I always get nervous in weight changes. Continue to monitor weight health by feeling the back and hips. If they feel bony and protrude dramatically, you've gone too far underweight. You should be able to just feel the bones, so if it's just squishy and you cannot distinguish the skeletal structure, you still need to lose the weight.

 

[arachyd]

I wouldn't decrease the hay. The long strands help keep their digestive tract functioning smoothly. You could cut down on pellets (since pellets are basically ground up hay with added ingredients) and figure out some way to increase his exercise like give him an area to run around in for a little while each day. If someone is handy with making things rabbits do use exercise wheels like for hamsters.

 

[MuddyFarms]

I recall reading somewhere that Rex can have that extra skin flap at the rump normally and that it is not always an indication of being overweight. I've been trying to remember what website or book said that, but I can't figure it out. Does that sound familiar to anybody?

Also, I believe 8lbs is listed as the ideal weight for Rex bucks. That will vary for each buck though.

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

Yes, please! This is what I need to know! Thank you!

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

I'm finding threads in other rabbit forums talking about a butt skirt, dumpy butt, butt ruffle. Another person decribed it as feeling like the rabbit's skin was two sizes too big for its body. All hear say about what causes it maybe genetics, no real actual info on it. Is it a DQ in a Rex? TIA

 

[SableSteel]

Not a DQ in rex, we see it all the time. It is partially genetic; some rabbits just have looser, larger pelts, even if they aren't overweight

 

[MuddyFarms]

Oh, good- glad to have confirmation on that. Thank you, SableSteel. One of my bucks has that skirt, and most of the kits he throws have them, too (even when they are quite young sometimes). He actually looks very much like LatchawBriarPatch's buck above.

 

[MuddyFarms]

Glad you started this thread, LatchawBriarPatch. Helped me out, too.

Bytheway, my opal Rex buck weighs 7lb 10oz, and he still has that pretty little skirt.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

butt skirt, dumpy butt, butt ruffle

Thanks for updating my dictionary lol

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

Update: Last weigh in he was 7lbs 13oz. I've changed the pellets from a 16% to a 18% becuase my does aren't gaining fast enough to hit Sr. weight by 6 month. He looks like he has lost some conditioning. I do weigh their food now as well. (Don't really know what I'm talking about)

This buck is named Zap. Today I found he has inflamed bright red testicals, and an overall dirty rear. This is my current treatment plan. If you can add to it I would be greatful!

-butt wash
-scent gland cleaning
-handful of garlic chives 2xs a day
-cranberries
- topical application of bag balm or iodine???? Not sure about this one yet. Please comment if able!

If he doesn't improve, freezer camp.

....I don't know if it is connected but he likes to have one ear up one down, kind of like a head tilt, but not consistently. If I move around his area, he get both ears up right pointing at me. It seams to be a lazy thing? I'm panicked a little worried I'm going to loose all my rabbits before I've hardly begun. Any help appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

Crisis averted....hopefully. Redness is gone. Seems the garlic chives did the trick? His fir is a tad tangled down their, but he cleaned himself up. So proud of him!

 

[eco2pia]

Crisis averted....hopefully. Redness is gone. Seems the chives did the trick? His fir is a tad tangled down their, but he cleaned himself up. So proud of him!

Likely the butt wash and bag balm? Really fast for a systemic remedy to work in a single day...

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

I agree. He was a roaring bright red at 10a.m. and when I went to give him a bath at 4p.m. it had calmed down to this deep pink.