Spring Creek Gems® Netherland Dwarf Rabbits "The Gem of the Fancy" East Tennessee ARTICLES 1.1.09 Abnormal Kits Babies Breeder vs HRS Breeding Color ~ Breeding Color ~ Kits Color ~ Recognized Color ~ Unrecognized Feeding Glossary Grooming Nestbox Pet Care Problems Rabbitry Shows Training Home Bucks Does Nestbox ForSale Barn Shows Blog Random Shots Links E-M@IL

ABNORMAL KITS There are some genetic abnormalities that can occur in Netherland litters. These are unfortunate consequences of the dwarf gene. Not a lot is known about them or why they happen. Mostly we speculate from our own observations. Some might appear in other dwarf breeds due to ND's being used to develop them. PEANUT The normal True Dwarf (the show bunny) will have one (1) copy of the dwarf gene. There's a 50/50 chance a kit will get this gene. If it doesn't, it will be the large unshowable False Dwarf. Two (2) True Dwarfs can each give the gene to a kit. It will have two (2) copies of the dwarf gene and be the lethal Double Dwarf, or Peanut as they are commonly called. Peanuts are very small with bulging heads and under-developed hindquarters. Peanuts won't live past 3 days. It's thought their digestive system is undeveloped which would be a reason they don't survive for long. Most breeders immediately remove them from the litter. They are so small, they can easily become lost in the nest, and begin decomposing which would endanger the rest of the litter. There have been reports of grown peanuts, but I have my doubts that these were true peanuts. They may have just been runts, or yet another dwarf gene abnormality. Peanuts are proof that both parents are True Dwarfs. MAX FACTOR This is a mutation that showed up in the offspring from an imported Netherland named "Max". It manifests as kits born with their eyes open, and deformed hind legs and feet. Sometimes called "frogs" for the flipper-like feet, "aliens" for the eerie appearance of the open eyes, or simply "maxes or MF". Severity of deformities varies, and it may not display all of them, although open eyes are almost always present. Max Factor kits can survive but it's best that they don't. Euthanasia is recommended. They are usually blind due to the open eyes at birth, and the eye infections and skeletal deformities will degrade quality of life. Fur may be wispy and fine in texture. The Max Factor gene has been passed down through generations of Netherlands, and has appeared in other dwarf breeds that used the ND in crosses. It seems to be a recessive gene (both parents carry it). Oddly, while the gene is bad when expressed, it's said that MF carriers can produce the best type and fur. MF carriers often have thicker fur and a long tuft between the ears. This gives the appearence of bigger head, shorter ears and heavier bone. This MF was alive when these photos were taken. It was the only live kit in the litter, and died in the nest by the next day. HIPPO It is unknown where this mutation came from, but it seems to be a recessive related to the dwarf gene. It might be another form of dwarfism or Max Factor. It's a relatively new mutation, only showing up in the last few years. It's becoming almost as common as Max Factor. Its most obvious deformity is the lack of a tail. The short wide head, stubby legs, and folds of skin are probably how it got its name. It just looks like a hippopotamus. Hippos are usually born dead. Some mistakenly believe a hippo is a type of peanut, but it seems to be independent of the double dwarf syndrome. Both Max Factor and Hippo can also be peanuts, or they can be runts or normal size. This smoke pearl hippo lived for almost 5 days. I wanted to see if it could survive, and what it would look like later so I allowed it. It came from 2 new rabbits that were brought into the barn from other breeders. The dam's breeder has seen them quite often, and the sire's lines were common to her herd as well. I had never seen it before. It didn't grow much so I believe it died of malnutrition, maybe because it was too small and weak to compete with its littermates. FADER I'm including faders on this page because they are another dwarf gene casualty. Faders, or wasters as they are sometimes called, are usually the smallest (and sadly often the most desired) kit in the litter. They seem normal up until about 4 weeks of age. They don't make the adjustment to solid food and begin to waste away. They sit hunched up and listless away from the rest of the litter, won't eat or drink, and rapidly lose weight. They often walk with a wobbly tippy-toe movement, and grind the teeth. Death usually within days of first signs. There's speculation that this is a degree of dwarfism a step above a peanut with an under-developed digestive system. Another school of thought suggests it's due to enteritis, although they might not exhibit the diarrhea usually associated with that. This wasting syndrome can happen as late as 6-12 weeks. In those later cases, I assume enteritis was the cause as the bunny had been eating well until then. I've come to think faders may be inherited. I've seen more faders from certain rabbits than others. Since I hate when a kit dies with the litter, I remove a fader to what I call the "hospice". This is a small cardboard box where I hold the fader until it dies naturally. On the offchance it could rally, I don't put them down. By the time I'm positive it's a fader, death is not far off anyways. I make it as comfortable as possible in the hospice. I don't go out of my way to save a fader. I believe that allowing nature to weed out these weak constitutions makes my herd stronger. RUNT Runts happen, even in non-dwarfed breeds. In my litters, I've seen that they can survive to live out a full life. It's possible that some kits I assumed were peanuts were actually runts. If they were born dead, I might not have looked at them too closely. In the cases that thrived, the runts exhibited odd characteristics such as long ears out of proportion to their tiny size, and less than ideal body type, sometimes coupled with a spinal abnormality. Their True Dwarf littermates were normal in all those respects so I think it was due to being runty. Runts might be another form or degree of dwarfism. Runts will never be show bunnies or useful for breeding so I pet them out or put them down. This was one of my runts at about 4 months of age. He was much smaller than his True Dwarf siblings. Related Info: Glossary; Links; Problems * DISCLAIMER * This article was written from personal experience and opinion, and some input from other breeders. It is intended as a guide only. Other breeders may disagree or have other methods. This article or any part of this site may not be reproduced without permission.

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