My holland doe gave birth to 6 healthy kits 2 weeks ago, but today I noticed that two of them had odd, crossed hind legs. The other 4 are completely normal and healthy. Can someone explain why this happened and give advice on how (if possible) to fix this? Their eyes haven't opened, unlike their littermates.
2 week holland kit has odd legs
- Thread starter Venessa
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Mariam+Theo
Well-Known Member
Deformed hind legs, bulging eyes, also dome shaped head, small and undersized, can all be signs of a kit being a peanut (double dwarf gene). If this is the case, rarely do peanuts survive longer than two weeks.
If they aren't peanuts, then it would be another genetic issue causing the deformity. Which likely means a deformity of the bones. So then it becomes a question of determining how well they can cope with the deformity and if they still have a good quality of life. If they do, then I would not recommend repeating that breeding, and the two kits would need to remain pets either with you or finding a home where the people are made aware of the medical issue and can deal with the likely medical care the rabbits will need in the future.
Whether or not anything can be done medically to try and correct the deformity, a knowledgeable rabbit vet would need to be consulted.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
If they aren't peanuts, then it would be another genetic issue causing the deformity. Which likely means a deformity of the bones. So then it becomes a question of determining how well they can cope with the deformity and if they still have a good quality of life. If they do, then I would not recommend repeating that breeding, and the two kits would need to remain pets either with you or finding a home where the people are made aware of the medical issue and can deal with the likely medical care the rabbits will need in the future.
Whether or not anything can be done medically to try and correct the deformity, a knowledgeable rabbit vet would need to be consulted.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
Reese_loves_her_bun
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If you have Facebook join “Holland Lop Show Central” or “Holland Lop Breeders” or “FBI Holland Lop Show Room” there is a lot of very knowledgeable breeders in those groups that could probably help you.
Sounds genetic and I would not repeat that breeding again. The other siblings, though normal, might carry this to their offspring and I would hesitate to use any for breeding. If you sell or pet out any of them you need to disclose this.
