Things to watch for in a runt?

[Miss M]

Pearl's 3-day-old litter of 8 has some size variety, which I figure is probably normal. There is one little popple that is smaller than the others. He hasn't looked emaciated, but not nearly as full as everybody else. Still, he's just as wiggly as the largest of the bunch, if not even more so.

As long as he's active and not emaciated, is there any real concern?

 

[Brody]

nope - not in my experience

my littlest popple (now known as Popple) is actually the second biggest of his litter (all bucks) now

 

[Miss M]

Cool! That's good... he does seem to be alright for now, I'll just keep an eye on him. Thank you much!!

Love the name, that's really funny he ended up named Popple! :lol:

 

[Brody]

He's a funny one ... oh yah - he was supposed to be a she and go live with Ann .. but no HE couldn't oblige me - he is darling though - I wish I needed a bunch of bucks .. he'd stay
(as would Piffle too)

 

[MaggieJ]

He is probably fine, but might benefit from an extra feeding or two if your doe is cooperative. If she will let you turn her over and you place the kit at one of her teats, it will have a chance to drink its fill without being pushed aside. Midday is usually a good time for this, since it is between most does' normal morning and evening feedings. Even just doing this for a couple of days can be helpful. It all depends on the doe... some just will not tolerate it, so if it is too much hassle, don't worry about it. He will likely manage just fine on his own.

 

[ladysown]

as long as they are eating...I live them be. Even if they worry you. 9 times out of 10 they do just fine. and by the time they hit 8 weeks you can't tell who is who any more (Unless you have colour in your litter).

 

[Miss M]

If she will let you turn her over and you place the kit at one of her teats, it will have a chance to drink its fill without being pushed aside.

Do you mean the hypnotizing kind of flipping over?

I might give this a try, but I think it will fail, because she loves to be petted, but doesn't like being picked up much at all... might end up doing like Ladysown said and let him be.

But I guess there's no harm in trying... as long as my daughter and I wear long sleeves...

 

[MaggieJ]

If you know how to do the hypnotizing thing, that should work well. You don't have to do this, you know... Runts with a strong will to live usually survive and the rest just fade. Some people feel it is best to let nature take its course and others feel they must do more. There are no "shoulds" in this situation.

 

[Miss M]

Okay... you know, I think I'll take that course, and just see how it pans out. I think the little popple will make it. He's a pretty feisty little thing whenever I handle him. A little digging and nuzzling machine, really.

Maybe if he starts showing some signs of getting weak, I'll try getting him a couple extra feedings.

Popple and Piffle, Brody? That's cute!! :lol:

 

[Brody]

Popple and Piffle, Brody? That's cute!! :lol:

blame Ann :roll: I do!!!!

 

[Anntann]

Well piffle Every one blames me for popple names!

 

[Miss M]

Well piffle Every one blames me for popple names!

:lol:

Well, the little runt was a little bit rounder yesterday morning, so I guess he fought his way to a bigger breakfast. This morning, he's absolutely rotund! :1pig: :1pig: :1pig: I think he's going to be okay.

He's milk chocolate colored, so he's really cute. I'll post another pic in a day or two... we've got quite a bit of color!

 

[Anntann]

OOOOo. I'm soooo jealous! COLOR in a litter! so far all of mine are black or white..and white is rare. (Not tht I've had hundreds of litters...actually I have had no litters..the rabbits do..but...okay, getting confusing)

Maybe I need more rabbits...something other than FLB(black angora), Mama-san(black newzealand), Peter (black NWZ) and Chuck (white angora) as parents? :lol:

 

[Miss M]

OOOOo. I'm soooo jealous! COLOR in a litter! so far all of mine are black or white..and white is rare. (Not tht I've had hundreds of litters...actually I have had no litters..the rabbits do..but...okay, getting confusing)

Maybe I need more rabbits...something other than FLB(black angora), Mama-san(black newzealand), Peter (black NWZ) and Chuck (white angora) as parents? :lol:

Yeeeeesss... It's my understanding that you stand a better chance of color variety if you start with color variety... :lookout:

I'm not touching the bit about "your" popples... :rotfl:

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

What type of rabbit are they?

 

[Miss M]

What type of rabbit are they?

They're mutts... Dad's a minilop as far as I can tell (he was a rescue... someone abandoned him outside when they moved out... I think he was an Easter bunny. Timing would have been about right, as he was not quite finished growing). He's what I think is called sable... he's colored like a wild rabbit. Threw my husband off at first, he thought he was a wild rabbit. Then he realized wild rabbits don't have lop ears! :shock:

Mom was sold to us as a Flemish giant cross... she had bought her as a Flemish giant, then realized as she grew that she didn't have the mandolin shape. The lady knew she wasn't all Flemish, but didn't know what she was crossed with. At the time (~3.5 months old), she was all white, with black eyes. Later, in bright light, we realized she had what looked like a very faint tea-colored stain on her back, and she had a slight bit of grey on her ears, and a grey hair here and there on her face.

Now she has a pattern like a somewhat faded broken Rex... so we wonder if that is what she was crossed with. When I post a new baby pic, I'll post good pics of Pearl and Thumper, too.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Just asking in case they were carrying the dwarf gene. In that case the peanut or runt won't live more than a couple weeks. dependining on the size of the minilop he may carry a dwarf gene but from the sounds of the other one the mom wouldn't so it shouldn't be a peanut then

 

[Miss M]

Oh, I see... I remember reading about peanuts a while back. Pearl I am sure would have no dwarf gene, so we shouldn't get peanuts from her. This little one is about half the size of the larger ones in the litter, but he does seem to be growing.

Thumper is just under 5 pounds, so not very big, but not particularly small either, I suppose. I have no idea if he is purebred or anything, unfortunately, since he was abandoned.