Thursday, February 10, 2011

Chinese New Year Kits

Pines' very 1st Holland Lop litter of the year came with 3 healthy baby rabbits and a peanut. Peanut is an underdeveloped kit that lack growth tissue due to the presence of 2 dwarf genes. A peanut never survives and would usually live for 2-3 days, rarely longer than a month.

Physically, a peanut is markedly smaller in size in comparison to a normal kit. It has a bulging skull, ears that are set further back and underdeveloped hindquarters. Besides, they are weak and listless.

For the past 3 days, we tried nursing it. We wanted it to wither away naturally for we had not the heart to put an end to its life. However, our effort was futile. We see it deteriorating day after day. In the end, the husbandman decided euthanasia to relieve little P's intractable suffering.

Holding little P in the palm, there was a pinch of sadness and a funny sourish feeling tugging and twisting in the heart to put an end that little life. Really, it was heart wrenching. But again, it was the best for little P and everyone at Pines. Therefore, Little P, R.I.P.

Comparing a healthy baby rabbit to a peanut

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