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what size should a netherland dwarf be at 6 weeks????

ecudc

Warren Veteran
Forgive me for asking this slightly random question but as you may know I am looking after some nethie cross breed does and their litter. Mums are fairly big, not really neddie like at all, probably around 2 kg. Most of the litter are around 600 - 700g so doing really well.

Thumbelina is the size of a tennis ball and weights 150g. She is fairly round and I joke that she is a wide as she is long. She isn't underweight but just doesn't seem to be growing.

Given that her mums have neddie in them I wondering if the dwarfing gene has come out strong in her BUT even if she is almost all nethie then shouldn't she be maturing faster than brothers and sisters so keeping up with them???

If anyone has any experience with nethie kits and knows rounghly how much they should weigh at 6 weeks it would be very much appreciated. I'm wondering if she is a peanut but they are surely supposed to last only a few days, not 6 weeks (and she is very bouncy)
 
I think pictures may be helpful. I'm wondering if you have a rare long surviving peanut, or if she is a slow catching runt.

Nethie babies vary VERY greatly, especially when there is a cross in a mix.

I know a nethie breeder who had the teeniest, tiniest bunny in comparison to her brother, and she grew up fine and was just small overall.

There are apparently hundreds of different types of dwarfing gene and they can apprently inherit different types, which may also play a factor.
 
I got Charlee at 8 wks and she was 800g.

I'm no expert, but I would assume that so long as she was gaining weight (and not losing weight) - that she should be fine. Especially considering that there are no "real" weights for any bunny, just the weight that suits them best. Though 150g is TINY!!
 
When I got mine 3 of them were babies - 8 - 12 weeks approx, and varied from 700g - 900g. Blackie has always remained much smaller than his 2 brothers (but with twice the energy!!!!)
 
My first bun was a pure nethie (back in 1990) - we got him at 6 weeks and he fitted on the palm of my mum's hand (she has average size adult hands). We've probably got his weight somewhere at my parents house if you need me to look.
 
I wonder is he is a max factor baby?



aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw! Looking at the pictures he is gorgeous. He may just grow up to be a miniature. His size different looks similar to what my friend had with her two babies. There may obviosuly be a reason though. The only thing you can do is feed him up and keep him as healthy as possible.
 
I wonder is he is a max factor baby?


i did wonder about that too but I spoke to a nethie breeder today and he said that mf babies often don't last beyond 2/3 weeks and skeleton wise she is pretty normal although her teeth aren't great (her uppers look to me like they might be slightly crossed), she is pretty fluffy and she does have eye problems which can be problems associated with mf. She doesn't have their frog like appearance though and her eyes were not open at birth because her eyes were the last to open in the litter.

She has never had anything seriously wrong with her. We noticed that she was falling well behind the others when she was about 10 days old and still in the nest. when she left the nest she was the size of a mouse. She doesn't seem to have many problems except for an eye infection which is being treated and possibly teeth problems, although this doesn't affect her eating.

She actually is about palm size. I describe her as my tennis ball with paws. That is about her size.
 
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Hmm. She looks like a beautiful little miniature too, which would also rule out a peanut.

Maybe she is just a teeny bunny.
 
You may find that she is the weakest of the litter.
Lily (my little one) is about 600g....at 16 months.her brother is a staggering 1.4kg.......
 
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