You can test if your rabbit is obese by feeling for their ribs, spine, and hips. If these bones are difficult to find because of a thick layer of fat, then you need to help your rabbit lose weight. By putting your rabbit on a healthy diet and encouraging lots of exercise, you can help your rabbit become healthy again and live a long life.

If your rabbit puts on excess weight, it is a sign that his diet is providing too much energy and the excess is being stored as fat. Rabbits generally become over weight due to overfeeding energy rich foods, like commercial dry rabbit food, combined with a lack of exercise.

Jan 4, 2019 · Being obese means that your rabbit has more body fat than is healthy for their body size. Each rabbit species has a different set of breed standards that tell you what a normal size and weight of that particular breed should be.

If an obese rabbit is put on an inappropriate diet and loses weight too rapidly, the rabbit can become ill very quickly and be at risk for hepatic lipidosis. In this condition, fat cells replace liver cells, resulting in a severely damaged liver.

Aug 30, 2016 · Recognizing that a rabbit is fat can be difficult, as female rabbits normally have a fold of skin – the dewlap – under their chins to store fat. In an overweight rabbit, it may be difficult to feel the spine under layers of fat along the back.

Apr 2, 2020 · Rabbits have very delicate digestive systems, and it is vitally important that they maintain a healthy weight and enjoy a balanced, rabbit-safe diet. Understand the risks your rabbit can face if it is overweight. Fat rabbits are often lethargic, …

Feb 19, 2023 · Overeating and Imbalanced Nutrition is the common cause of your rabbit getting fat. To prevent your rabbit from getting obese, make sure that they have an active lifestyle and regular exercise. Consider the health, environment, and lifestyle of your rabbit when exercising.

Being unable to locate the spine, shoulders, or hips on your rabbit is a clear indication they are carrying excess body fat. These are key areas vets analyze when body scoring rabbits, so checking them yourself can help you determine if your rabbit's weight is cause for concern.

Fat bunnies have a hard time taking care of themselves. They tend to have “poopy butt”, resulting from the inability to eat cecotrophs (the soft stool bunnies produce as a normal part of digestion) as they are coming out of the anus.

Feb 25, 2025 · Obese rabbits typically exhibit physical signs such as larger bellies, fat folds under the chin (known as a dewlap), and fat deposits around the armpits. Obesity in rabbits causes chronic low-grade inflammation, predisposing pets to a range of medical issues. Certain factors can increase a rabbit’s predisposition to obesity.