Max factor bunnies????

I didnt want to clog up Sams thread so I thought I would start a seperate one. Does anyone know anything about "max factor" nethies? From what Sam described about the one at GBH he has similar problems to a nethie I took in last week. I would appreciate any info on why they are born like that, potential probs etc. Mr Crisp (named by Jay :lol: ) was born with twisted back legs, his back end is smaller and closer together than it should be and his tail is very short. He is 4 1/2 months old and has no testicles. He had a nasty urinary infection and was caked up with urine and feaces on arrival. Although the urinary infection has cleared up now, because of how deformed his back end is I have to bath him daily as he gets covered in his own urine. He is on a timothy hay only diet as anything else is giving him soft poos at the moment. He is currently on Septrin and Metacam and I am using GG cocoa butter cream around his rear end after bathing.
If anyone has had one of these bunnies before or knows anything about them any help would be appreciated.

This is Mr Crisp, photos taken the day I took him in, havent got any updated photos yet as my new camera is still on the blink :roll:



How dirty his rear end was because his owner hadnt cleaned him regularly. When his legs are sitting in their natural position they are nearly crossed over.

I have googled it :lol:

Roger Roth wrote the first article on Max Factor, published in the July 1996 edition of the Dwarf Digest. He and others have spent much of their time documenting the existance of the Max Factor gene. Back in the 1980's a group of breeders went through the complete process of documenting the animals that carried the gene and followed the normal mendal ratio procedure and proved the existance of the gene. The name "Max Factor" was given to this gene after finding an imported Dwarf buck named Max appeared to be the original carrier.

Max Factor acts like a normal recessive gene. This means both parents MUST carry the gene for it to express(show in the litter). These Max Factor kits are sometimes call "frogs".

Max Factor is a different recessive gene from the Pituitary Dwarfism (peanut) gene in rabbits. After many years of documenting the reaction of both genes they are different genes with different expression in the young kits. The double Dwarf gene gives us what many call peanuts with underformed rear quarters, large head and small in size. Max Factor will usually give you ones born with their eye slits open, and some form of deformation of the feet. Many times the front feet will be just "flippers" with no toes and sometimes you will get one with extra toes. The hind feet usually are turned "upside down" or turned inward. The eyes will usually be infected due to exposure in the birth canal. The double Max animals will have a different type fur also, seeming more like hair than fur.

I've been doing some research on little Pebble and his 'condition.'

Peanuts (those that inherit the double dwarf gene) don't last any longer than 2 weeks because for some reason they are unable to digest food properly.

A frog (Max factor) is different to a 'peanut'

A netherland dwarf is a mutant of sorts because it has a dwarfing gene. A normal dwarf will have one dwarf gene and one normal gene. if they do not get a dwarf gene then they will be too big. If they get both dwarf genes, this is fatal and the babies are refered to as peanuts and they usually dont live any longer than a few days.

This Max Factor gene is to do with the bunnies fur and coat. A normal dwarf may or may not carry the gene at all. If they dont carry it then their fur will not be as full. You can tell if a rabbit has this gene by looking at the fullness of the fur between the ears. It makes the head look bigger and the ears look smaller.

The problem starts when both parents give one of the two genes, thus the rabbit having 2 Max Factor genes. These Max Factor rabbits will have a baby fluff coat, problems with eyes and legs. All these things Pebble has!!!! One gene gives you full nice fur, 2 gives you too soft.

Pebble will probably not live as long as a normal bunnie would, and not much is actually known about how long these Max Factor bunnies live. As Pebble is already 6 months old and doing well perhaps he will live 1 - 2 years and maybe more!

It is also for them to have eye problems? are his eyes ok? does he have his baby soft fur still??

Sam x

They are also smaller than 'normal' nethies. And pebble has no testicles either!!

he still seems able to jump about and move but not as quickly as a normal bunnie.

If only he was a she cheryl - i could've housed them together

missblondebunny said:

They are also smaller than 'normal' nethies. And pebble has no testicles either!!

he still seems able to jump about and move but not as quickly as a normal bunnie.

If only he was a she cheryl - i could've housed them together

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We could always meet up to see if they get on together!!! ive bonded male couples before - and if they both have the same condition maybe they will 'tolarate' one another???????? who knows!!!!

let me know what you think....

Sam

Thanks Sam. He doesnt have any eye problems yet, its the back end of his body that causes the most concern. I will see if I can borrow mums camera later to take updated pics so you can see what I mean. He is about the size of an 8 week old nethie so tiny for his age. He seems to crave company so I am sure he would get on well with another bunny. My vet asked me to take him back if the urinary problem didnt clear up so I will take him in a few days and see what he says. Once we have sorted that out I would be happy to try the 2 together if thats what you want

Didn't Jay take on a couple of bunnies with similar leg issues?

I got the impression that the eye issue was something they were born with so hopefully if he's clear now it's not something that will develop.

Best wishes,
Tamsin

Isn't it sad that humans meddling has caused rabbits to suffer. Its so sad that the peanuts don't last beyond a couple of weeks

I agree. But it is the same with a lot of domestic animals. My Jasper was a nethie and he suffered from malloclusion of his incisors. They had to be clipped regularly or they would get too overgrown. Poor thing.

i dont think he is a Max factor as such as those types of nethies always have eye problems!!

Does he have baby fluff??? Thats another sign of being a Max factor - i cannot tell from the photos.

Post some more pics Cheryl

missblondebunny said:

i dont think he is a Max factor as such as those types of nethies always have eye problems!!

Does he have baby fluff??? Thats another sign of being a Max factor - i cannot tell from the photos.

Post some more pics Cheryl

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Any news on this little guy Cheryl????

missblondebunny said:

missblondebunny said:

i dont think he is a Max factor as such as those types of nethies always have eye problems!!

Does he have baby fluff??? Thats another sign of being a Max factor - i cannot tell from the photos.

Post some more pics Cheryl

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Any news on this little guy Cheryl????

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give me a chance :lol: . I have been so busy today I havent had time to take any pics of him. As soon as I have taken some more I will post them. He does seem to have baby fluff hair still :wink: