Other Pets » Baby Rabbits not growing since 4 weeks old, why?

KMC	Baby Rabbits not growing since 4 weeks old, why? My Doe pebbles had a litter of 7 kits on 13th Nov, 2011. All doing well until 4 weeks when they stopped growing, they're about the size of a large hamster. 5 kits died between 7-8 weeks of age, we have 2 bucks remaining and are now 9 weeks. What would have caused them to stop growing? and for the 5 to die? All were feeding and drinking and bouncing around right up until they died. There was no obvious signs of illness to indicate Mixi or VHD etc. If they were deformed I would have considered Peanut Syndrome however they all looked perfectly normal just very very small. (the picture shows one of the remaining bucks taken at 5-6 weeks of age, they haven't grown since this pic) 11/1/12 Answer this question
stuart	wow OK honesty time. i haven't a clue! My first thought is that the bucks in the photo are fairly big and well grown for 5 weeks of age yet a bit small for 9 weeks so that leads me to suspect some glandular dysfunction probably congenital such as underdeveloped thyroid or hyperactive pancreatic function(over production of insulin) or even a growth hormone deficiency. Such defects could be hereditary or congenital associated with some viral infection during pregnancy. I do have to say that i am fishing in the dark and I don't fish I do g hope that someone can shed some light on this. Please do post it on as many rabbit forums as possible and please please do let us know if anyone does come up with the answer 11/1/12
TonyT	http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/ 12/1/12
Viktorlias76	I think he is just a normal rabbit growing in his own passe but just to make sure search on google.... Thanks for asking very happy you did!!!! 16/1/12
Viktorlias76	What rabbit kind of a rabbit is he/she? because if it was a different rabbit it would have a different size of the normal range in size and growth! Just to be for sure go to the vet. 16/1/12
KMC	Ok thanks for the details. Since posting this, one of the bucks has been having seizures every couple of days. It will last about 1 minute maybe 2 then they struggle with balance for about 30 minutes after and then are fine again. I've booked him into the vets to see what's wrong. I'm taking the other buck also for a check up. They're still eating and drinking fine but still very small. They've not grown at all. They're a cross breed rabbits. I think both parents carry the dwarf gene but none of my rabbit breeder friends (including my uncle who has bred show rabbits for 45 years) has ever seen rabbits like them. 24/1/12
Scarlet budgie	sorry i had not been here since a while . The size depends on what type of rabbits but the seizures have you called th vet . but ya i think the parents carry the dwarf gene casing them to be small 24/1/12
Scarlet budgie	the rabbits death know idea 24/1/12

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