Rabbit obesity – how to manage your rabbit’s weight?
Rabbit obesity is unfortunately a common problem and at the same time one of the most underestimated. A round body shape is often perceived as “cute,” even though excess fat places a significant strain on the rabbit’s body and increases the risk of serious health issues. A rabbit’s ideal condition is not determined solely by the number on the scale, but by Body Condition Scoring (BCS), which assesses the palpability of the ribs, spine, and pelvic bones.
How to Recognise Rabbit Obesity
A rabbit’s weight is difficult to assess visually, as a thick coat can hide body contours. The most reliable method is to gently palpate the ribs (behind the elbows), the spine, and the pelvic area.
In an ideal condition, the ribs and bones can be felt with light pressure but are not sharp or protruding. If the bones cannot be felt at all and the abdomen appears sagging, the rabbit is likely overweight. Overweight rabbits often also develop fat deposits around the neck and a rounded hindquarters.
Rabbit Body Condition Scoring – illustrative reference image
Why Is Rabbit Obesity a Health Risk?
Rabbit obesity is not merely a cosmetic issue; it has a direct impact on the animal’s health and overall well-being. Excess fat tissue places strain on the entire body and reduces the rabbit’s ability to move normally, maintain hygiene, and sustain healthy metabolism. These problems often develop gradually, which is why the seriousness of obesity may initially be overlooked.
One of the first issues caused by obesity relates to hygiene. As mobility decreases and the body becomes rounder, the rabbit may no longer be able to clean its hindquarters properly. The irritating effects of urine and feces on the skin can lead to moisture damage, skin infections, and painful lesions, particularly around the anus and abdominal area. Without treatment, skin problems can worsen rapidly.
Obesity also has a significant effect on digestion. Rabbits are highly sensitive to gastrointestinal disturbances, and reduced movement slows normal intestinal motility. This increases the risk of constipation and gastrointestinal stasis.
In addition, an overweight rabbit may not always be able to consume cecotrophs (night droppings), which are an essential part of rabbit digestion and nutrient absorption. These soft droppings are produced in the rectum through the action of cecal bacteria and are normally eaten directly from the anus by a healthy rabbit. By consuming cecotrophs, rabbits recycle vital vitamins, amino acids, and beneficial bacteria and yeasts back into their system. If cecotrophs are not consumed due to obesity or reduced mobility, nutrient deficiencies and worsening digestive problems may occur.
Excess body weight also places strain on the rabbit’s feet and musculoskeletal system. Rabbits lack protective foot pads, meaning their weight is borne directly on the soles of their feet. Long-term obesity increases the risk of skin damage and pododermatitis (sore hocks), and in severe cases inflammation may spread to deeper tissues. Pain further reduces movement, potentially worsening both weight issues and associated health problems.
Regarding internal organs, obesity places particular stress on the liver. Fat may accumulate in liver tissue, impairing normal liver function and potentially leading to serious metabolic disorders. Long-standing obesity can also strain the circulatory system and increase the workload on the heart and blood vessels. While heart disease is not among the most common clinical conditions in rabbits, the effects of prolonged obesity may be more pronounced in giant and large-breed rabbits.
Why Do Rabbits Become Overweight?
The most common cause of rabbit obesity is not lack of exercise, but an inappropriate diet. A diet consisting mainly of hay and water rarely leads to obesity, whereas excessive amounts of pellets, grain-based feeds, and treats significantly increase energy intake.
Rabbit weight management is based primarily on a high-quality, high-fibre diet, controlled energy intake, and regular body condition monitoring. Maintaining an ideal weight once it has been achieved is just as important as weight loss itself.
Support for Weight Management with the Right Rabbit Food
Rabbit weight management and the prevention of obesity can be supported through a purpose-designed diet. Cunipic Vet Line Obesity for Rabbits is a veterinarian-recommended complete food developed to support weight management, maintain ideal body condition, and promote balanced fat metabolism as part of comprehensive care.
The food is manufactured in the EU using European raw materials. It is not a medication, but a support diet suitable for long-term feeding. It does not replace veterinary treatment but can be used alongside it and as a preventive nutritional measure.
Cunipic Vet Line Obesity for Rabbits is based on high-quality meadow hay and natural medicinal plants, which help to reduce excess fat, support digestion, and promote natural dental wear.
DELIVERY TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR FINNERO OY'S ONLINE SHOP
Valid as of 1.3.2023
General
The online shop’s products are sold by FINNERO Oy Ltd (VAT number FI27632665). Products are sold to consumer customers globally. In order to place an order through the online shop, the customer must be at least 18 years old and have a permanent delivery address. The customer must read and accept the valid delivery terms and conditions in order to place an order through the online shop. FINNERO Oy reserves the right to make changes to prices, delivery charges and delivery terms.
Note that depending on the applicable legislation that may vary depending on the country, customers may be entitled to further rights in addition to the rights defined in these terms and conditions.
If you need assistance or additional information, please contact us per e-mail at info@finnero.com or telephone at +358 40 623 9672.We accept calls Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4 pm Finnish time (UTC +2/+3).
Product descriptions and stock availability
FINNERO strives to ensure that the online shop’s product descriptions and stock availability details are up to date and correct. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the descriptions nor the availability of products. There is only a limited stock of all products.
If an order is placed and received successfully, but it subsequently becomes evident that stock availability details were inaccurate and the product has run out of stock, FINNERO will notify the customer immediately. In such cases, the customer may cancel or change their order.
FINNERO strives to present the colours and materials of the products as precisely and accurately as possible. Please note, that the screen settings of your computer, mobile or tablet may affect product images, whereby we cannot guarantee the accuracy of colours on all devices and with all settings.
Prices, costs and taxes
The published prices only apply to orders placed through FINNERO's online shop. Product prices include Finnish value-added tax (VAT) of 24 %. Order-specific delivery costs are displayed in the shopping cart. Delivery costs are added to orders in accordance with the ‘Delivery’ section below. For orders to be shipped outside the European Union, VAT will be deducted in the shopping cart in accordance with the section ‘Delivery’. The customer is responsible for all custom and tax fees for orders placed outside the EU and these fees are not included in the overall delivery price.
Placing an order and customer details
Products are ordered from the online store by adding the products to the shopping cart and making a payment on the "Checkout" page. It is not mandatory to register for placing an order, but registered customers can track the progress of their order on our website and check out their order history.
An order confirmation will be sent to the e-mail address provided upon ordering. We encourage you to carefully review your order. If you have any questions or for some reason have not received an order confirmation, please notify our customer service.
Customer protection
FINNERO handles customer details with confidentiality and is committed to not handing them over to third parties. Details will be provided to third parties only in accordance with these terms and conditions. According to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the customer has the right to access and verify all the personal data that we have collected concerning them and to request that their personal data is rectified or erased from our customer register.
In addition to these terms and conditions, the customer relationship between FINNERO and the consumer customer is subject to the consumer protection legislation. Whether the consumer customer is registered or not does affect consumer protection.
Payment methods
We use Paytrail as our payment service. The accepted payment methods are Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard). All our payment methods are fully secure. All personal information (such as payment information, email and address) and payment details are protected by encryption and by an additional authorization process.
Delivery
All orders are processed on business days, from Monday to Friday. We will deliver the order as soon as possible after the order has successfully been registered in our online shop. All orders are delivered from our warehouse in Tallinn, Estonia. Our normal order processing time is 1–3 business days. Please note that during high season, deliveries may take longer than normal. If the order processing requires more than seven days or we are unable to deliver the product, we will notify the customer per e-mail as soon as possible.
Deliveries in Finland
In Finland, FINNERO's orders are delivered by Posti or Matkahuolto. Delivery fees depend on the selected delivery method. For small-sized deliveries in Finland, it is possible to select Posti’s Small Parcel, which is delivered home together with regular day mail. Parcels are delivered to the selected service point or parcel locker. FINNERO reserves the right to send the order as a Small Parcel when the order meets the size and weight criteria, even if parcel has been selected as the order’s delivery method.
Delivery fees in Finland are as follows:
Small parcel (XXS) 5,90€ Pick up parcel 6,90€ Finnish Post home delivery 10,90€
Deliveries outside Finland
We deliver orders to almost all countries. Orders outside Finland are delivered mainly by GLS or DHL. The delivery costs start from €15.90. Exact delivery costs are calculated according to the size/weight of the shipment, the country of destination and the delivery method chosen. When you have added products to the shopping cart, you can check the delivery fees by entering your address/country details in their respective fields. Please note, the customer is responsible for all customs and tax fees for orders placed outside the EU which are not included in the shipping costs. Depending on the country of destination, delivery times outside Finland may take more than 14 days.
Exchange and return right
All FINNERO products have a 14-day right of return in accordance with the Finnish Consumer Protection Act. The customer is responsible for the delivery costs for returns. Make sure to keep the receipt until your product return has been processed. We process returns within five days upon receipt of the delivery. You will receive a confirmation by email, once we have processed your product return. When the return has been processed, the customer will be reimbursed through the original payment method. Please note that additional duties and/or taxes will not be refunded.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer direct exchanges. If you wish to order another size or model, please return the purchased item and place a new order for the exchanged product. We will refund the payment for the first purchase as soon as the parcel is received.
Please note that the returned products will be resold, so please treat them accordingly. Return rights apply only to unused products in salable condition. Please, check the fit of the product before removing any price tags or other labels. All labels and tags must be attached on all returned items. Returns should be made in accordance with FINNERO's return form’s directions. The return form is always delivered with the order. The form can also always be requested from FINNERO's customer service at info@finnero.com.
Return rights apply when the following conditions are met:
1. Exchange or returns have been made within 14 days upon the customer’s receipt of the order. 2. The exchange and return form filled in accordance with the directions or corresponding details have been sent to FINNERO. 3. The returned product is free of dog hair, all labels are attached to the product and the product is in unused and fully salable condition.
If we receive an exchange or return delivery that does not meet all of the exchange and return conditions above, we have the right to decline the exchange or return of the product. In such cases, FINNERO is not liable to refund or in other way compensate the product. The customer will bear the costs of a possible re-delivery. We will charge for the re-delivery according to the original postage fees.
Returns in Finland
The customer has the right to return their order fully or in part. Delivery costs for returns are always paid by the customer. If the customer returns the order in full, the delivery costs paid upon ordering will be reimbursed to the customer. The returns delivery can be sent to FINNERO through our customer returns contract number, which is stated in the exchange and returns form delivered with the order. When using the customer returns contract number, the customer will not pay anything upon handing over the delivery to Posti. But for orders or products returned through customer returns contract number, FINNERO will charge €5.90/delivery from the sum to be reimbursed to the customer. Remember to take and keep the receipt/voucher for the returns delivery, in case the parcel gets lost for some reason. Regrettably we can only provide a refund for a lost return once we have been provided with a proof of posting certificate.
Returns from outside Finland
The customer has the possibility to return their order fully or in part. Delivery costs for returns are always paid by the customer. If the customer returns the order in full, the delivery costs paid upon ordering will be reimbursed to the customer. FINNERO does not have a customer returns contract with service providers operating abroad, therefore the customer is fully responsible for sending returns from outside Finland. The customer must always notify FINNERO about the product return by email in order to receive more detailed instructions for the return. All returns are carried out through GLS or DHL. Once you have notified us of your product return, we will send you a printable GLS or DHL return label in a separate message. Delivery costs for the return are the same as the original shipping cost and will be deducted from your refund. A credit (excluding the shipping fee for the return) will be applied to your original method of payment after your product return has been processed. Remember to take and keep the receipt/voucher for the return delivery in case the parcel gets lost for some reason. Regrettably we can only provide a refund for a lost return once we have been provided with a proof of posting certificate.
Errors, defects and complaints
Upon receiving the delivered order, the customer must immediately verify that the delivery includes all ordered products. If the order is incorrect or the delivered product is defective, the customer must immediately notify FINNERO's customer service: info@finnero.com. FINNERO must be notified of an incorrect delivery or defective product within 14 days upon receipt of the order or product. If the parcel has been damaged during delivery, the customer must immediately file a complaint with the delivery company and notify FINNERO's customer service.
If the product has been purchased from other than FINNERO's online shop, the customer must always file a complaint with the place of purchase.
Rules and regulations
FINNERO's online shop and terms and conditions are subject to Finnish law. In case of dispute, Finnish legislation will apply.
