# Peanut or runt?



## Lazy Rabbits (May 16, 2020)

Hello, I have a litter of lionheads and I'm wondering if this kit is a peanut or just a runt? Here are photos at two days of age.


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## Bunnylady (May 16, 2020)

Doesn't look like a peanut - may be the only one of the bunch that got the dwarfing gene. Peanuts are only about 2/3 the size of their littermates, have oddly shaped heads (I had a friend who called them "camel babies," because the head shape reminded her of a camel), and have little or no control of their back limbs, which typically appear underdeveloped and disproportionately small. It looks like that small baby has a full tummy in a couple of those pictures; because their digestive systems usually aren't complete, it's extremely rare for a peanut to look like that.


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## Lazy Rabbits (May 16, 2020)

Bunnylady said:


> Doesn't look like a peanut - may be the only one of the bunch that got the dwarfing gene. Peanuts are only about 2/3 the size of their littermates, have oddly shaped heads (I had a friend who called them "camel babies," because the head shape reminded her of a camel), and have little or no control of their back limbs, which typically appear underdeveloped and disproportionately small. It looks like that small baby has a full tummy in a couple of those pictures; because their digestive systems usually aren't complete, it's extremely rare for a peanut to look like that.


Hello, thank you very much. It's hard to tell from the photos, but it is about 2/3 the size of it's litter mates. It has a smaller head and it's fur is not coming in at the same rate. 

Everytime I check on it, it has an empty tummy so every twelve hours, we bring the mother and the kit inside for an extra feeding.

When it was born, it was about half the size of it's litter mates but it's been catching up a little bit. I don't think there was anything different about it's back legs, but I'll have to check.

That's wonderful news if it's not a peanut. (Cautiously optimistic!)


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