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NAVIGATION
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OBESITY: We all know about it, and we all try to eat a better diet, make sure our children arn't fat, eat more greens ,fruit in our diet so why to we do it our pets?
Over the years iv'e been running this rescue im seeing more and more fat bunnies . It seems the more popular rabbits become the more silly we are getting in caring for them. I know its hard though if you have a rabbit that a couch potato. It makes caring for them harder.
The manufactures are jumping on the band wagon big time. If you love your bun you will buy this treat this specialist hay, this top notch feed, even heat pads for rabbit hutches. What is the world coming to. Get back to basics please. Good quality pellets, good fresh meadow hay, that's it. [ unless you want to cut out pellets and feed veg only plus hay] Make sure your feeding the correct amount for the breed of rabbit you have.Stop keep filling up the bowel when its all gone. Pellets once a day say you have got a mini lop, 2oz in the morning and hay all day long. Treats if you cannot help it should be for their birthday if you want them to have one, Easter and Christmas. Treats should be vegetables not things on sticks held together with molasis or honey. As i say iv'e had rabbits now for 20 years and for the last 12 have shown my own rabbits. This means learning how to get a rabbit in the peak of fitness. Even if you only have a pet bun don't you think it deserves to be able to clean its own rear end? Enough of my soap box and down to the facts.
Obesity can cause liver dysfunction, chronic soft stools, pressure sores on their hocks and increases their risk of heart attack or stroke. Getting back to soft stool, because obese rabbits cannot clean themselves well the soft stools will get attached to the hair around the bottom. This apart from being horrid and cause burns to their skin will attract fly's. The fly's will lay their eggs on the rabbit [ you will be hard pushed to see them]. Twenty four hours later they will hatch and begin to eat your rabbit. Once they are inside they release a chemical that reduces clotting of the blood and had a pain giving effect. your rabbit will be beyond hope before he stops eating.If your lucky enough to see them just as they are hatching you have a chance. Pick off all the maggots you can see, then see if any have broken under the skin. If they have hold your buns bum under water for 5 mins.[ luke warm water] If there are any under the skin they will come out as they will not be able to breath. Then dry off.gently as there may be open wounds PLEASE REMEMBER DON'T WET THE BUN TILL YOUR SURE THE MAGGOTS ARE ALL OFF THE HAIR. THEN GET TO A VET..
VERY OFTEN MORE THAN ONE FLY WILL HAVE LAID EGGS SO LOOK AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE DAYS AFTER FOR ANOTHER LOT HATCHING.
The fly's don't always lay right on the bottom, they can be on the tail back and belly area so check from head to toe.
There are many products on the market that claim to prevent fly strike. I wouldn't take that as gospel. Fly repellents and fly papers are all well and good but you need to tackle the reason its going to happen. Dirty rabbits , dirty cages, fat rabbits. rabbits with soft poos or diarrhoea.A lot of soft poos can mean there diet has to much protein in it, rabbits don't need large amounts of protein.Increase the fiber.If your feeding a mix Not one of the 80 -90 rabbits here at one time have ever had fly strike so don't be lulled into thinking it a part of having a rabbit that this problem may arise,. Grooming can help as well. If you don't help your rabbit when its moulting the dead hair tend to get stuck around the rear end. This makes it easier for a soft poo to get stuck. If your not capable of grooming your rabbit on your own then get help or pay your vet to trim the area. Many people are still feeding their rabbit a mix , that's to say the ones that have different colours in. There's nothing wrong with this as long as you don't give them any more till its all gone. Rabbits will just pick out the bits they like. This leads to them having a very bad diet. Try to change them over to a low protein complete, this means its all one colour.This needs to be done over a period of a couple of weeks. Rabbits don't like change so they may resist. As long as they are eating there hay then don't worry to much if they wont touch the new stuff for a few days. DO NOT DO THIS WITH A BABY RABBIT] .
EXERCISE
This take take many forms. An out door run is a must , as big as possible. You can put things in the run for the rabbit to play with like a big log to jump up onto, tunnels to run through toys to play with.Food balls are a good idea because the rabbits must move it to get the food to drop out. If you are handy then perhaps a see saw in the run.You can take your rabbit into new places that will encourage them to explore, take them inside and get them running up the stairs, take them outside on a harness. Toys, the cheaper the better will keep them busy. Things like plastic plant pots, empty drink bottles [plastic ones] cardboard boxes.
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