Our Mischief was born on October 31. Out of a litter of 5, she is the only survivor. We lost the other four to the cold, despite our best efforts. Anyway, we brought Mischief and her mom, Midnight inside before she was a week old. Mischief gets all sorts of attention and spends time both in and out of her cage daily. Here\'s the problem, her little legs are not under her body for hopping, but are out at her sides like a seal or frog. She gets around well, but not like a rabbit at all. She scoots all over the place and lives up to her name. Has anyone ever seen or heard of this happening before?
Thanks for any insight!
Cris & crew
This malady is very often seen in young birds (poultry), but can occur in rabbits as well. It is known as \'Spraddle Leg\'. The cause can be from a dietary deficency, a genetic defect, or very often, living on a slippery surface which does not allow the initially weak muscles of the kit to develop properly.
Mischief is 5 weeks plus in age, so there is clearly a problem here that is not going to resolve itself on its own. With day-old chicks, a bandaid wrapped around the legs to bring them closer together would usually solve the problem in a few days. I\'m afraid it might take more intervention in Mischief\'s case at this late date. You might try binding the legs closer together with something non-constrictive or non-adhesive (fur issues), but if it\'s a genetic problem, there won\'t be much you can do. It may already be too late for the binding technique period, as the bones and joints are not in the elastic state as they were earlier in life. A vet may be able to give you better insight through an examination.
Good luck.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com