Peanut or runt? Also with eye injury

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Jennifer Nendza

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Waupaca wi
Hi. My netherland dwarf first time mom gave birth to 4 kits June 13, 2019. Two have survived since then. I thought they were peanuts honestly and didnt expect them to make it this long. At 4 days old, mama bunny accidentally clipped baby boy bunny eye with her nail, and his eye never healed. I was told to boil water and drain it once a day, and he always let me never showed discomfort. The eye drains a thick white milky substance. Then it scabs over and we do the whole process again. Still he ate and was just as active as his sister. But 2 days ago I noticed a difference in their sizing of the two. Sister has gotten pretty plump and bigger. He doesnt look like he is keeping up. Her eyes opened last night. And I helped his eyes open. Which naturally his eye that has had substance and such issues is barely there and what I did she is extremely cloudy looking. But the other eye is blue and beautiful. But o was worried that now sister is hogging all the milk so I'm making sure mom is feeding him twice a day, which mom is a champ letting me assist him. I was told to get neosporin now over his eye. But everyone is treating it like its nest box eye and I dont thinknthats it at all. But since the neosporin started this morning. No more drainage and he is active for the most part. But no where near ready to leave the nest box where I feel his sister is. Is he in fact a peanut and not meant to make it. I've gotten so attached to him just because I cant imagine how painful it was to get cut and live through and have to have it drained every day and he takes it with no cry or buck up...and gladly eats from momma right after. Advice please and thank you...or information on how to know I wont just walk out tomorrow and he isnt breathing. Thank you so much
 
Whoever told you to use water to wash out an infected eye gave you bad information. Pus coming out means that there is an infection, and water isn't going to clear that up. That rabbit needs to be put on antibiotic eye drops/ointment and possibly also the appropriate rabbit safe systemic antibiotic. Neosporin is not intended for use in the eye and could just cause further damage(if there is any chance of saving the eye at all). You need an ophthalmic antibiotic eye ointment/drop. If you had been given this information at the start then the eye could possibly have been saved, but at this point there is a good chance it would need surgical removal by an experienced rabbit vet.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
 
Without seeing photos of the two kits we can’t tell you whether he’s a runt or a peanut; however, peanuts don’t normally live longer than 4-5 days.
I will gladly take a few pics now and post back on here! Thank you so much. I can say both babies are doing good still. I am a bit concerned that they are a little behind with some of their milestones, in the bunny world that is, but my injured eye kit, whom we named BATMAN, is still up and alive, and his eye has stopped draining all together and we see the vet on Monday.
 
I would also like to know when should I remove kits from their mother and allow them to each have their own hutch/cage?? And I had another doe who gave birth on June 6th, only one baby survived and is thriving, she is a prize and we are so pleased and proud of, but was wondering if I could allow her and the other two kits to have maybe some playtime together in our home in a safe baby bunny safeguard area with us??
 
I keep the male kits with their mom for about 10-12 weeks (they mature then, risk of a baby bunny flood), the females stay with mom for max 5 months (if not absolutly sure about sex - do get a second opinion, and recheck after a week), I also keep one of the girls when their mom is single, all my rabbits live in duos, that way I circumvent most bonding problems.
Note, my hutches are big enough so they can get out of each others sight any time.

Once separated, putting them together later can raise issues, that's when all this hierachy, terretorial, and bonding stuff may become of interest.
 

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