How to tell condition by feeling backbone?

[MidwestMatthew]

I noticed in this thread that you can evidently tell the condition of a rabbit by feeling up and down the backbone. As a new rabbit owner, I'm not sure what this *should* feel like. Could more experienced folks explain, as well as any other ideas for telling how a rabbit is doing in terms of weight, fat/muscle, and general health?

 

[EnglishSpot]

You should be able to feel the skeletal structure when petting the rabbit, but spine bones should not be feeling overly sharp and pointy like a mountain range in a too thin rabbit, nor should you be unable to feel the ribcage and spine (or just feeling tiny little lumps where the spine would be) in a fat rabbit.

 

[Winterwolf]

This PDF explains how to check a rabbit's condition by feeling the backbone and ribs.

Basically, you should be able to feel the bumps of the spine, but without the bumps being too pointy or pronounced. If you can feel it too easily, the rabbit may be underweight. If you can't really feel the spine, it might be overweight.

--Edit--
Looks like EnglishSpot beat me to it

 

[Rainey]

Just wanted to add that although it sounds a bit vague, if you just start running your hands over each adult rabbit regularly (we do it weekly) it will make sense. You really can tell when one is a bit over or under weight. When we first read this advice we wondered what is too pointy or what is too padded. But once you start doing it, you'll get a sense of it. Hands are better than words for this.

 

[Preitler]

I had a doe losing weight, ah, no, condition rapidly, but I felt it when feeling her shoulder blades. For me this was a much more significant difference than the spine.

She hadn't lost weight but a lot of substance because pregnant with 15 (only 2 not DOA, no idea if these make it) while still nursing 8...

Now, after this ordeal she is quite skinny.