5 week old kit very tiny

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

Kitty's kits are now 5 weeks old and most of them are the same size as Mama's litter (almost 6 weeks old) or bigger by now. All except for one. The remaining runt of the litter is this tiny little guy. He's spunky, but is literally a miniature version of his siblings. At yesterday's weigh in he had gone from 8oz to 10oz in a week. The rest of the litter is coming in well over a pound each. For the last week the runt and the next smallest of the litter have been alone with Kitty. I've been free feeding pellets, oats, alfalfa cubes, and grass hay. Each day they both were getting some mana pro and BOSS. The only one who doesn't seem to be gaining is the runt. The other kit is ready to go to the growout cage (isn't even trying to nurse now, just eats the feed), so this would leave the runt alone with Kitty. I was weaning in pairs because Kitty is producing so much milk, but I think she's starting to slow down and she does have a litter due on the 17th.

I've been tempted to supplement the runt with the formula I made up for them when they were little, and then to bring him into the house during the day to get free access to pellets with no competition (though every time I'm out there he's eating), and then put him back out with Kitty at night. I worry, though, that he'll get cold. I also worry that I'm being too paranoid.

I don't see any signs of enteritis. He's well hydrated, eats like a horse, poop and pee are normal. He's just super small... freakishly, almost. He's a spunky little bugger, too. He's constantly playing with the cat toys in the cage, and he works hard to try and nurse off of Kitty. It's like all the food he's eating is going towards chasing the cat toys and trying to nurse.

 

[Northwinds Rabbitry]

Mmmmmm well i have 2 litters now and one in each are so small. You would think they are from a separate litter one of the litters is 9 weeks old and the runt is half the size but she is doing just fine.
So imo only I think it sounds fine
I hope that helps ya a bitand again this is my opinions only

 

[ladysown]

is there a reason why you are trying hard to help the runt?

Some kits just never thrive and fighting to save them or help them tends not to do a lot of good.

I'd be checking his teeth to make sure they are aligned right, particularly if "one who doesn't seem to be gaining is the runt". That tells me either his gut is off, or his teeth are off, or there is something just "wrong" with him".. spunky fellow or not...

 

[MaggieJ]

My feeling is that at five weeks, having made the transition to solid foods, it might be a mistake to put him back on formula. I'd be inclined to treat him like all the others, just making sure he has a fair chance at the food. If you have a spare cage, you could keep him and his one sibling together for company.

I can't remember what breed you are raising but sometimes a runt makes an appealing pet.

 

[Desert Rose Rabbits]

is there a reason why you are trying hard to help the runt?

Some kits just never thrive and fighting to save them or help them tends not to do a lot of good.

I'd be checking his teeth to make sure they are aligned right, particularly if "one who doesn't seem to be gaining is the runt". That tells me either his gut is off, or his teeth are off, or there is something just "wrong" with him".. spunky fellow or not...

Two main reasons that I'm trying are a little bit of Bleeding Heart Syndrome, and the fact that I already have money put into him. His teeth were one of the first things I checked. don't know about his gut since he seems to eat just fine. His poops are normal, too. As of yesterday, he's just a little over 10oz, so he is gaining, just not as quickly.

My feeling is that at five weeks, having made the transition to solid foods, it might be a mistake to put him back on formula. I'd be inclined to treat him like all the others, just making sure he has a fair chance at the food. If you have a spare cage, you could keep him and his one sibling together for company.

I can't remember what breed you are raising but sometimes a runt makes an appealing pet.

I was wondering about causing problems by reintroducing formula, so I opted for adding a few more bowls around the cage, and took to placing him IN one of the bowls when I feed so it's harder for him to be pushed away from the food. I'm going to see how he does. If he still doesn't seem to be gaining then I'll bring him inside the house and we'll go from there.

I don't have any specific breeds going on. He's just a meat mutt runt, but he's a cute little bugger. Dam was a Chin/Cali cross, and sire was NZR. These two made some pretty babys. They're a soft pumpkin color with with smutty noses, a couple have a few brindle lines, and I think one even has dark points on the ears. They really are cute! I don't have any room for pets, though, and with my issues with pasteurella in the herd (apparently... and yay) I don't feel comfortable giving him to a pet home.