Skinny bunny

[Sunnymommy]

Their hutch is in the enclosed covered chicken run.
I don't know the percents in regular rabbit feed pellets. The other bunny is doing fine on it.
He figured out the new heated waterer mechanic before the other one did.
I don't know when it started, how long it took him to drop it. But I'm wondering if its just since we took their divider out. Thus, my original question whether the dominant one might be keeping him from eating even though we don't see them bickering about it and they appear to like each other snuggling together.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are these intact males? I would be wary as spring comes on and their hormones increase. Male rabbit fights can be deadly.

I would recommend 2 feed bowls for sure. I have seen what looks like snuggling behaviors being expressed by one bunny holding the other down in dominance. It can be as subtle as a head on the back. The submissive one will just play possum, and won't move for a long while.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

It is a very good possibility that the dominate buck is hogging the food, and I suspect that the less dominant buck would be suffering from more general stress from the roommate situation...

But another consideration is that in rabbits, just like in any other animal, some are easier keepers than others... and not all rabbit feeds are created equal, especially in cold weather when it takes more energy for a rabbit to maintain body heat.

A rabbit pellet that is about 18% protein is best. During the winter I find that this isn't enough for s hard keeper, a growing junior or a nursing doe, so I feed a winter warming/conditioning mix.

I mix my feed in an old Tidy Cat bucket. The scoop I use is a two cup scoop. I add two heaping scoops of 18% pellets, 3/4 scoop BOSS, 1/2 scoop steamed crimped oats, 1/4 scoop chicken scratch grains; and I repeat until the bucket is full. For nursing does or rabbits that get to looking lean I feed it free choice along with free choice hay. I also toss in a couple of compressed alfalfa cubes and an ear of dried corn. The usually only just nibble on the corn and compressed cubes, but they are high energy and also good for keeping their teeth worn down.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

Another thing, do you know the age of the rabbits?

 

[MissChick@dee]

I’m not sure now vested you may be in these rabbits. If for example they are 2 beloved pets of two of your children then perhaps think about neutering them.
The dominant buck not only will bully the other off the feed. He will mate him.
Please think about neutering them.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Is the skinny rabbit on the left, the brown one? For me, it's a bit hard to tell, but I think I can see how he's lost weight.

I agree with everyone else. It's probably either the dominant rabbit keeping him from getting enough food, or from a dental problem. Some rabbits suffer from getting spurs, when the molars grow in at an angle, digging into their mouth. Vets can't see their molars unless under anesthesia. Sometimes their incisors get too long, but the vet (and you) can see those easily...so that shouldn't be a problem.
I'd feel along his head (behind the ears, under and above the eyes, the cheeks, under the chin) for abscesses, too, just to be sure. I had a rabbit with a dental abscess that got infected and he eventually had to be put down after we couldn't treat it.

Also, I'll add my voice in saying that unless you plan on using them for breeding, get them neutered. Not only can it cause health problems down the road, but they probably will fight like other people say.

I don't have as much experience as some people on this site do, but that's just my thought.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Is the skinny rabbit on the left, the brown one? For me, it's a bit hard to tell, but I think I can see how he's lost weight.

I agree with everyone else. It's probably either the dominant rabbit keeping him from getting enough food, or from a dental problem. Some rabbits suffer from getting spurs, when the molars grow in at an angle, digging into their mouth. Vets can't see their molars unless under anesthesia. Sometimes their incisors get too long, but the vet (and you) can see those easily...so that shouldn't be a problem.
I'd feel along his head (behind the ears, under and above the eyes, the cheeks, under the chin) for abscesses, too, just to be sure. I had a rabbit with a dental abscess that got infected and he eventually had to be put down after we couldn't treat it.

Also, I'll add my voice in saying that unless you plan on using them for breeding, get them neutered. Not only can it cause health problems down the road, but they probably will fight like other people say.

I don't have as much experience as some people on this site do, but that's just my thought.

And....while he’s under anesthesia get him neutered too.

 

[Sunnymommy]

Well, I think he's not going to make it We seperated him to see if the other one was bullying him. He ate/drank/pooped normally. We thought he would fatten back up and be fine. But he's actually continued to drop weight, and I don't think he can get up. Expecting him to be gone this morning.
They are my daughter's rabbits she bought for $10. But they aren't inside pets. When she got them we checked into neutering but it was around $150. So frustrating. Vet said teeth were fine, didn't feel anything, stool sample good no worms. Decided he was just old. But I texted the teen she got them from who said they were less than 2 years old.
Last year she had a female bunny that died of uterine cancer. So this time she got males. Apparently we can't keep bunnies alive!
What can this one have had where he would eat a ton but still lose weight?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Well, I think he's not going to make it We seperated him to see if the other one was bullying him. He ate/drank/pooped normally. We thought he would fatten back up and be fine. But he's actually continued to drop weight, and I don't think he can get up. Expecting him to be gone this morning.
They are my daughter's rabbits she bought for $10. But they aren't inside pets. When she got them we checked into neutering but it was around $150. So frustrating. Vet said teeth were fine, didn't feel anything, stool sample good no worms. Decided he was just old. But I texted the teen she got them from who said they were less than 2 years old.
Last year she had a female bunny that died of uterine cancer. So this time she got males. Apparently we can't keep bunnies alive!
What can this one have had where he would eat a ton but still lose weight?

Maybe worms?

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

@Bunnylady ?