HELP!!!! I am so confused....Has anyone ever seen this before?

[mewlingcricket]

Hello everyone. I have a litter of 4 lionhead kits that just turned 3 weeks old. I ended up with one sable point (who is adorable), one black tort (who is a real cutie) and 2 lionheads that are completely different from anything I have ever seen. They have no hair on their heads, extremely long ears, and their fur is dense and short (not lionhead like at all) I have the complete pedigrees on both the sire and dam, and they are both Pure bred lionheads so I know there is nothing unusual in their background. Has anyone ever seen this? Does anyone know what it is???? (PS have already checked form mites and such there is no obvious issue)

HELP!!!!!!!!

 

[wooly_queen]

Woah.... that is... odd. XD

I hope somebody gets on and can help ya!

 

[BabyMei]

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

I didn't read too much on it, but maybe this site will help.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=61965&forum_id=8

I think this is somewhat related to your problem. I hope the babies will get better D:

 

[mewlingcricket]

Thanks for the link. I scanned through the info. My biggest concern is that they have looked like this since their fur started coming in around day 3. They have never had fur in these places, and their body fur is I hate to say wrong because it sounds almost mean, but it is the wrong length and texture for a lionhead. I don't know, I really am very confused !:?

 

[TinysMom]

Yes - I have seen it before. It doesn't happen a lot - but it can happen to lionheads. I forget the term for it. I want to say it is "astro-something"....

Here are photos of my "alien baby" as we called him for a while - his fur didn't really fully come in until he was 45 days old.

When it happened (years ago) - I wrote to Glenna Huffman who wrote the genetics book that so many folks use (she's since passed away) and she was fascinated by the photos. She stated that to her it appeared to be a weird genetic mutation caused by both parents carrying hidden genes which affected the fur. I forget exactly how she put it.

Whatever you do - do not keep the baby as part of your breeding program...of course. I'm not sure I would breed both parents together again either.

Then again - some people find it fascinating.

I had this happen a second time in another litter and a breeder bought the offspring to breed - but she could not get the fur to pass on to another generation....

 

[BabyMei]

You're welcome :bunnyheart

 

[TinysMom]

I forgot to add - Pedro lived probably 2 or 2 1/2 years and always stayed smaller than most of my lionheads.

one day I went out to feed and he'd passed away during the day - no signs of illness - he just was gone.

 

[mewlingcricket]

Wow, okay then. Thanks so much I will definately make sure not to breed those two together again! (and I will be looking for good homes for them when they are older too) Thanks for your help

 

[mewlingcricket]

Just read the second part, wow. sorry to hear he had such a short life, but is sounds like he was definately loved.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Looks like astro rex. The fur looks kind of curly - is it curly in person?

They definitey don't have the heads of lionheads, do they?
Strange.

Emily

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

I've known a fellow mini rex breeder who had two kits come out this way-odd hair and bald patches on their heads. It didn't seem to affect them in any way, but I agree with the above posts-it has to be a genetic thing, and one that must not be passed along further down the lines. But it is certainly fascinating and rare to say the least.

As for the issue with the fur, I known that the term "Astrex" or "Astro Rex"is used when mini rex are born with this type of fur-very short and slightly wavy in appearance. From the little research I have done on this type of fur, it's a genetic trait that goes way back to the very first mutations that appeared when rabbit breeds were being created. The trait was found to be undesirable and was immediately bred out of any strains. However, very very rarely, the mutation will randomly occur in litters today.

Hope this helps

 

[Nela]

:shock:Odd-looking. Hehehe. Kinda reminds me of an armadillo. Do they always look very different when older? Will you keep the lil guy? They're original and need a homeanywayKinda hoping to watch them grow up :biggrin2:

 

[mewlingcricket]

We will definately be keeping them for a good while, in order to watch them grow and make sure all is well with them. We may at some point pet them out, but for now they will be staying with us I will post more pics as they get older. Thank you everyone for the information. I was really really stumped.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Even when they have a pedigree, you still don't know what genes are lucking in the helix waiting to make an appearance. When I bred my dog 3 decades ago, it was to another Black and Tan Doberman. We ended up with 5 the same color, two Red and Tan and one Fawn--needless to say I was surprised.