My rabbit just had her first litter of kits and I believe one is a peanut. Its a lot smaller and pretty inactive. I've tried to put mommy on her back to help him nurse but he has no reaction whatsoever and doesn't seen interested. It seems to be breathing hard and like its breathing through its mouth. Is there anything I can do at this point? What is your guys opinions of dealing with the death of a peanut. Should I let it happen naturally or is there some type of help I can get from a vet so he doesn't have to suffer much longer?
3 day old peanut!
- Thread starter mrsdowney
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I euthanize peanuts immediately to minimize suffering as I don't feel slowly starving to death is is nice way to go.
Welocme to RabbitTalk, mrsdowney! :welcome:
I'm sorry you are faced with this in your first litter.
Is your rabbit a dwarf breed? If not, the little one would likely be a runt rather than a peanut. True peanuts are not viable. Runts (weak, undersized but normal kits) may or may not survive.
If this kit has not nursed since birth, I would be very surprised if it survived much longer. In your place, I would remove it and euthanize it. This may sound brutal, but I would place the kit on a hard surface and hit its head with a hammer. It is sure, effective and quick. Put a newspaper under it in case there is any bleeding. You could, of course, have a vet deal with it, but it would be no more humane and will hit your pocketbook hard.
I do realize that if you raise rabbits as pets rather than for meat, this action may be very difficult for you. It was difficult even for me the first time I had a kit that needed to be euthanized, and I have butchered many rabbits for meat. If you can't handle it, you can just let the kit go on its own. It likely won't be long now.
Dood, what method do you use to euthanize them? My method works for me, but it is a bit much for some people to handle.
I'm sorry you are faced with this in your first litter.
Is your rabbit a dwarf breed? If not, the little one would likely be a runt rather than a peanut. True peanuts are not viable. Runts (weak, undersized but normal kits) may or may not survive.
If this kit has not nursed since birth, I would be very surprised if it survived much longer. In your place, I would remove it and euthanize it. This may sound brutal, but I would place the kit on a hard surface and hit its head with a hammer. It is sure, effective and quick. Put a newspaper under it in case there is any bleeding. You could, of course, have a vet deal with it, but it would be no more humane and will hit your pocketbook hard.
I do realize that if you raise rabbits as pets rather than for meat, this action may be very difficult for you. It was difficult even for me the first time I had a kit that needed to be euthanized, and I have butchered many rabbits for meat. If you can't handle it, you can just let the kit go on its own. It likely won't be long now.
Dood, what method do you use to euthanize them? My method works for me, but it is a bit much for some people to handle.
Cervical dislocation, but I have 30 years experience using it on various ages of mice, rats and gerbils.
Blunt force trauma works as well but can be more messy. Placing the kit in a ziplock first will help with cleanup.
Thanks, Dood! Cervical dislocation would likely be a better choice for many people. I once used it on a paralyzed chick and it was easier than I thought it would be. I don't know why I didn't think of it for rabbit kits.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
I'm sorry, mrsdowney.
MaggieJ is right- peanuts only occur when a kit gets two copies of the "dwarf" gene. One of our members Ladysown has posted some pictures of peanuts here:
post218921.html?hilit=peanut%20picture#p218921
I dispatch newborn kits by putting them in a paper bag and whacking it (hard!) against a solid surface. It causes trauma to the head and spine, killing them instantly, and you don't have to see them when you do it. There usually isn't any blood. I then feed them to our barn cats so they are not wasted.
MaggieJ":1tewp0uv said:
MaggieJ is right- peanuts only occur when a kit gets two copies of the "dwarf" gene. One of our members Ladysown has posted some pictures of peanuts here:
post218921.html?hilit=peanut%20picture#p218921
I dispatch newborn kits by putting them in a paper bag and whacking it (hard!) against a solid surface. It causes trauma to the head and spine, killing them instantly, and you don't have to see them when you do it. There usually isn't any blood. I then feed them to our barn cats so they are not wasted.
You can also slit the throat or fully cut off the head with a sharp set of shears. A bone notch in the shears is good to lock the head in place and go all the way through the spine without it sliding out of the shears. That's how we would do quail. Some with better aim and knives than me will take a meat cleaver or similar and chop the head off. I found rodents too wiggly for such methods.
Usually, a kit with behavior like your describing is already past saving. If it does pull through, please tell us about it!
It might be too late to help but: formula-feeding-baby-bunnies-pics-vids-t3691.html
It might be too late to help but: formula-feeding-baby-bunnies-pics-vids-t3691.html
