A...kind of nut?? Actually, no. In the rabbit world, a peanut means something totally different. Basically, a peanut is an abnormally small dwarf rabbit that dies within its first two weeks of life, but usually within several days of birth. This is not to be confused with a runt. Runts can survive and live normal, healthy lives, while peanuts do not survive under any circumstances.
What does a peanut look like? Along with being abnormally small, peanuts often have bulging skulls, underdeveloped hips, and tiny ears that are set further back on the head. They have difficulty sitting upright like regular kits. Their back legs will often cross due to the hips not being developed enough. Some breeders will humanely euthanize peanuts at birth, while some will allow the peanuts to live out their natural lifespan. It is entirely up to the breeder to decide which option they prefer.
What causes peanuts to be so tiny? Biologically speaking, the kit's pituitary gland in their brain is not able to produce enough growth hormone to let it grow properly or carry out normal functions. So while their siblings grow and thrive, a peanut will not grow a sufficient amount of growth hormone to survive.
There are numerous dwarf breeds, all of which produce peanuts because they possess the dwarf gene. Some of these breeds include the Holland Lop, Netherland Dwarf, Mini Rex, and Jersey Wooly.
Let's take a look at peanuts on a genetic level. A peanut has two copies of the dwarf gene (dwdw). A true dwarf has one copy of the dwarf gene and one copy of the non-dwarf gene (Dwdw). A false dwarf has two copies of the non-dwarf gene (DwDw). A true dwarf is a dwarf-breed rabbit that has dwarf-like characteristics. These make the best show animals. A false dwarf is a dwarf-breed rabbit that is slightly larger and flatter in shape, without the small, dwarfy appearance of a true dwarf. These rabbits may do well on the show table as juniors, but as seniors are often over the breed weight limit. These rabbits often make very good mothers because of their wider hips and additional length in their midsection.
Some breeders call false dwarfs BUDs and BUBs. This means 'Big Ugly Doe' and 'Big Ugly Buck'. They don't mean that the rabbits are actually ugly, they just mean that they will not be good show rabbits.
So where do peanuts come from then? Well, remember how I said each true dwarf has two different dwarf genes (Dw dw)? If you bred two Dwdw rabbits, about 25% of rabbits from those matings will be peanuts. That's called Mendel's Law of Segregation. So basically, you can only get peanuts by crossing two true dwarfs. A false dwarf can never produce a peanut because they only have non-dwarf alleles to give.
What does a peanut look like? Along with being abnormally small, peanuts often have bulging skulls, underdeveloped hips, and tiny ears that are set further back on the head. They have difficulty sitting upright like regular kits. Their back legs will often cross due to the hips not being developed enough. Some breeders will humanely euthanize peanuts at birth, while some will allow the peanuts to live out their natural lifespan. It is entirely up to the breeder to decide which option they prefer.
What causes peanuts to be so tiny? Biologically speaking, the kit's pituitary gland in their brain is not able to produce enough growth hormone to let it grow properly or carry out normal functions. So while their siblings grow and thrive, a peanut will not grow a sufficient amount of growth hormone to survive.
There are numerous dwarf breeds, all of which produce peanuts because they possess the dwarf gene. Some of these breeds include the Holland Lop, Netherland Dwarf, Mini Rex, and Jersey Wooly.
Let's take a look at peanuts on a genetic level. A peanut has two copies of the dwarf gene (dwdw). A true dwarf has one copy of the dwarf gene and one copy of the non-dwarf gene (Dwdw). A false dwarf has two copies of the non-dwarf gene (DwDw). A true dwarf is a dwarf-breed rabbit that has dwarf-like characteristics. These make the best show animals. A false dwarf is a dwarf-breed rabbit that is slightly larger and flatter in shape, without the small, dwarfy appearance of a true dwarf. These rabbits may do well on the show table as juniors, but as seniors are often over the breed weight limit. These rabbits often make very good mothers because of their wider hips and additional length in their midsection.
Some breeders call false dwarfs BUDs and BUBs. This means 'Big Ugly Doe' and 'Big Ugly Buck'. They don't mean that the rabbits are actually ugly, they just mean that they will not be good show rabbits.
So where do peanuts come from then? Well, remember how I said each true dwarf has two different dwarf genes (Dw dw)? If you bred two Dwdw rabbits, about 25% of rabbits from those matings will be peanuts. That's called Mendel's Law of Segregation. So basically, you can only get peanuts by crossing two true dwarfs. A false dwarf can never produce a peanut because they only have non-dwarf alleles to give.