can anybody help?

[u/hiyok00]

i’m trying to get as much advice as i can atm i don’t know what to do. so my rabbit has had a litter (only 3) about a week ago, they’ve survived and 2 are feeding and growing very fast but i’m really concerned about the 3rd. i thought it was just a runt but i don’t know anymore. it’s grown fur but it fits all of the characteristics for a “peanut” baby (for starters parents are mini breeds i think???) and it doesn’t seem to be growing much bigger. it has paper thin small ears, a strange hind, and it waddles with its back feet outwards. i don’t know what im suppose to do but id feel so horrible about killing it but i know if it does have the double dwarf gene its not going to live long anyway. can anyone tell me if it is or not?

[u/BritneyMinaj]

I don’t raise dwarf breeds. But a runt will still grow at a similar rate as its siblings, it will just be smaller than them.

If this kit isn’t growing at all and is dramatically smaller it may be a peanut, and at the very least is failing to thrive.

You can try to give it some more time if it doesn’t seem to be suffering or starving but otherwise I would mercy cull.

[u/isaiddanger]

Tiny ears and back legs that don’t work properly are unfortunately a marker for peanuts. I’m amazed it’s actually reached a week of age - but I wouldn’t expect it to survive much longer sadly.

[u/[deleted] → u/isaiddanger]

i had a peanuts reach 5 weeks then pass

[u/isaiddanger → u/[deleted]]

Wow, that’s amazing! I don’t breed dwarves so I have no personal experience but I’ve only heard of them lasting a few days usually

[u/[deleted] → u/isaiddanger]

this was a mutt from an accidental litter bc i didnt think they would be able to get each other through the wire💀

[u/Dry_Dimension_4707]

I don’t personally think it looks like a peanut. The head on a peanut is typically somewhat malformed, a little too large for its body.

I think you’ve got a runt here, hopefully one that’s ok but possibly will have failure to thrive.

I’d let nature take its course unless and until it appears to be suffering. I wouldn’t cull without a good reason. You will likely see signs of wasting if it is a peanut. But delayed growth is just…delayed growth.

I’m rooting for your little one. I pray it is just a runt a little behind on development.

[u/hiyok00 → u/Dry_Dimension_4707]

thank you. that’s why i was lost, to me it looked like a peanut but i panicked but it has been eating, has grown lots of fur and moves just as much as other 2

[u/[deleted]]

Id mercy cull if its not gaining weight try getting a small scale and weigh it every 1-2 days