Dogs and cats have companied us as pet animals for a long time. Nowadays, people are eager to have other animals like rabbit as a pet.
Before starting, I must inform you that there are many kinds of rabbits. Every breed has its characteristics; means food habits, weight, height, color, and others.
So, if you try to find out how much does a rabbit weigh then you should know your pet rabbit’s breed correctly. If you don’t know then go find out now and if you already know it then let’s begin.
How much does a rabbit weigh?
Though it is hard to answer the exact amount of any rabbit’s weight. Because this fact depends on other many essentials. Still, an average weight of any rabbit goes to 2 to 4 kilograms, giant angoras or Flemish rabbits can weigh more than this.
What are the things that are connected with weight?
Well, weight widely depends on breeds, height, and food behavior. Though every breed has almost the same food behavior, still there are noticeable differences in the weight section.
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Breed:
Breeds are different from one another. If you own a Netherland dwarf- the tiny one then your rabbit may weigh 1 to 1.5 kilograms. But never compare your rabbit’s weight with giant angora breeds. They are far more than that.
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Age:
Age is another vital reason for your rabbit’s more or less weight. Through age, a rabbit starts to grow and its food habit and others start changing.
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Height:
Rabbit’s growth is not the same always. It depends on food, environment, health and others.
But whatever the reasons are, weight is a very important fact. Rabbits are capable of hiding their sickness and sometimes its death happens before being warned.
So, weight is one kind of issue that is connected if your rabbit is okay or not. We can talk more about it, right?
How to weigh my rabbits?
Well, daily weighing your rabbits is good and if you can not do it daily then weigh your rabbits more often. You will be able to notice the changes in its weight and if there would be any shocking changes during you weigh your rabbits then you can take essential steps before it goes bad.
Use a scale to weigh your rabbits. The kitchen scale or any digital scale can do this. Just make sure that your rabbit’s whole body fits in that. And while weighing try not to pressure your rabbit or lightly lift it neither. Postal scales with digital meter and luggage scale can do the same also.
Damn! You don’t have any of them!? Relax, if you don’t have any of them then don’t worry. You can check its weight by assessing its rib, hip, and spine.
- Rib Checking: Apply gentle pressure on its ribcage. Just behind the elbow. You can feel it your rabbit has gained weight or lost some. You need more pressure to feel the rib if your rabbits weigh more. But if it lost some weight, you can easily feel the rib.
- Hips and Pelvis: Do the same as before here too. Bones under hip and pelvis can be easily felt if your rabbit is underweight and there may be some noticeable flesh if your rabbit has gained some weight.
- Spine: The last one is spine checking. Run your hands over the spines. If you find any fat covering to touch the spine then your rabbit has gained weight but your rabbit has gone underweight if you touch and feel the spine at once!
Reasons behind rabbits weight loss and weight gain
Sometimes it is good news if your rabbit is increasing its weight and sometimes the news is really bad. As rabbits are those animals which just try to eat everything up whatever comes before their mouth. So they are not conscious of their health. And you may get shocked that many rabbits die just because of overeating.
# Weight Gain: Not having enough exercise, recently nurtured, being pregnant or much food availability can be the reasons for gaining weight.
# Weight Loss: Any hidden disease, lack of eating food, depression, not having interesting food, disturbance can be the causes behind the rabbit’s weight loss.
How to keep a balanced weight
Remember, your rabbits are not as powerful as you and they also don’t eat food as much as you do. So, if they weight much then keeping them in a diet is not the thing you should do.
On the other hand, you find your rabbits are unhealthy and underweight, you rush and bring some dry foods for them and lock them in just to make them fat!
No!! This is another mistake!
Mostly rabbits become fat for overfeeding the commercial dry foods. Those foods we buy from the market are highly rich in fat. So you should reduce giving those foods and alter those foods with grasses, hays or anything rich in fiber.
if you find they are underweight then do the alternative way. Give your rabbits dry foods- nuts, almonds, corn, and others which help them to gain weight.
Things to consider
Weight is an important fact that plays a vital role in the rabbit’s life. So less weight or more weight must be kept under a sharp eye. It’s very common to almost every animal that when they are sick or anything unusual in them then their weight also changes.
Conclusion
You have already known how to check weight and what to do if the rabbit weighs much or less. Try to keep them in a balanced weight. You are just not their owner but also their guardians, so treat them as the way you treat your children.