Runty, a very special baby - pics

[Holly]

I've been worried about this little guy (actually probably a gal) for what seems like forever but she's battling on and on - she's half the size of her siblings at 19 days old but is always one of the first in the food scrum.

The thing is that she looks quite odd - because she's got very little fur :? ... actually virtually no hair at all around her face and the back of her neck, there's more on her rump but it's still very sparse. I think she's supposed to be a BEC, maybe a satin, but she's actually PINK :shock:

These pics were taken this morning at 19 days:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1104.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1105.jpg

She's incredibly special to us, we've watched her battle and we love her very much so she'll be staying with us whatever. I'm just wondering if any other breeders have experienced this in a runt - she looks like she's developmentally delayed, except that even 10 days ago the other babies had more fur than her. I've seen runts as small as her in comparison to their littermates but I don't think I've ever seen one with virtually no hair at this stage :?

I just hope she's going to make it - surely, with each day that passes, she's more likely to?

[souffle]

Aww Holly so glad she will stay with you. I am not sure about the hair issue but I think she will grow on a bit. She may be a satin too so that the fur will be thinner and with her being less forward in growth will come later. She is a fighter for sure. I guess it is possible she does have something wrong but I hope not and she catches up. My 'Runty' sable was as small as this at this age and his eyes did not open till about 21 days. He caught up by around 6 months so it can take a while. He was never as big as the other though. Go little 'Runtina' :lol:

[chase]

AWWW so sweet I have never bred syrians YET :!: so cant help U much but sure she will grow 2 b a little fighter.
She looks absolutely adorable & I'm sure her coat will catch up with all her other siblings. :D

[cloptonite]

Hi Julie,
I have experienced hair loss in a runty rex rabbit.
It was mums first litter,and one was half the size of his siblings.
He went on to lose fur on the top of his head and around his neck area :shock: But ,by the time he was old enough to go, he had just as much fur as his siblings and had pretty much caught up in the size department too!
I think it must be something to do with the body discarding some hair ( which takes up nutrients to grow?? ) in favour of using all nutrients for internal organs and general growth etc.............
Well, that's my explanation for it anyway :oops:

[Holly]

Thank you for being so kind, you two - Runty really appreciates it.

She is adorable and seems to be up with the rest of them except for her appearance. Her eyes opened at the same time as the others (you can see them open in the second picture) but when they are closed they look like undeveloped eyes.

I'm so hoping she makes it, Will and I are incredibly attached to her, every time we come into the room we look for her and we are alwasy ecstatic when we see her still doing ok. I think Will will take it very badly if she doesn't make it - after everything else that's happened his joy that she's doing ok is so nice to see.

[Holly]

Hi Julie,
I have experienced hair loss in a runty rex rabbit.
It was mums first litter,and one was half the size of his siblings.
He went on to lose fur on the top of his head and around his neck area :shock: But ,by the time he was old enough to go, he had just as much fur as his siblings and had pretty much caught up in the size department too!
I think it must be something to do with the body discarding some hair ( which takes up nutrients to grow?? ) in favour of using all nutrients for internal organs and general growth etc.............
Well, that's my explanation for it anyway :oops:

That's interesting - thanks :)

I wondered if her umbilical cord had been squashed or something before birth. I guess I won't know but I certainlyhope she's like your bunny and she does ok.

[Bourne Valley Hams]

I have had it happen too with runts. Often they seem to grow some fur but then it falls out for a week or two, particularly underneath and round the back of the neck.
Fur has usually grown back fine by the time they are 8 weeks old, at which point they usually look like a normal 5 week old. Sometimes runts remain quite small but often will grow as big as their siblings and live just as long.

[Holly]

Hurrah! Thanks so much, BVH - (can't get used to calling you that when I know you :? ), I can't wait to tell Will when he comes home tonight.

The babies are all awake and playing so I think it's handling/photo time :wink:

[Spuds Mum]

She certainly looks pink doesn't she? I think she looks healthy enough, and just like the runts of my litters who seemed to develop slightly later. I don't know on the hair bit, she will probably catch up though, but am wondering about possible recessives having an impact on her colour-wise. I guess time will tell.

I'm sure she will do well, and that you are doing everything right for her. I'm sure that she will become a wonderful and very special reminder of this litter for you and Will (and when she's 260g you will know she has definitely caught up)

:x

[internet_nobody]

Aw bless her, I hope she catches up soon!

[Tammy22]

First we had Pink Robos and now Pink Syrians, whatever next? :wink:

Glad they are all doing ok - they all look great :)

I'm sure Runty will catch up soon :)

Tammy x

[Yaffle]

Little Runty is adorable :D

[Matty Day]

s/he will pull trougth she looks active enougth :x

the other look gorgous and can see there all buties and yes i have spotted my cream :wink:

[Hammihog]

Oh bless her, she is so sweet :D ... they all are :wink: I really hope that she is okay, fingers and paws crossed for her :D

[Holly]

Well she's still with us this morning - and is looking a little bigger, though she's still pink (more piccies to follow on my website :wink: ). Runty is the tamest of them all so far - probably because everyone wants to hold her. Last night she nestled into my cupped hand and sort of settled down there (she's lively enough in the cage though).

[Spuds Mum]

I think the reason these runts are so small is that they put all their energies into growing big beautiful personalities! :D Glad Pink is doing well, and lovely to hear about her snuggling you - awww :D

[Holly]

Her name is .....wait for it......Oodie!

Those who know their Doctor Who will know why (she's going to be a Who Ham) :wink:

I love it! Does this mean we can expect some Daleks or a Davros later on this year?!! :wink:

[agatecrystal]

Glad you are keeping her. I've not seen this before ina hammie hopefully shes just a slow developer :D
Hope she catches up to her littermates soon!

[Holly]

Quick Oodie update!

Apart from turning into a bunny overnight (see ears!) she's doing brilliantly - her fur is coming back especially on her face and she seems to be growing - here's a couple more piccies:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1280.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1287.jpg

[Spuds Mum]

Oh Oodie is definitely filling out - fantastic! I always think its strange that the last place they seem to put on weight is their faces!
She looks absolutely adorable, its lovely to think of her now getting her lovely fur but I do hope she never loses the size of her ears :wink: The other photos you posted made her look like a cute little mini aardvark! :shock:
I do hope she finished the whole plate of rice pudding to herself! :x

[Mollz]

Oh wow, she looks to be doing wonderfully Holly. I'm so glad you are keeping her, she seems to have such a strong personality and is a very special little ham.

[souffle]

Awww look at her. She is definitly growing that fur. I can see some quite long bits on top. She will probably be a stunning LH in a few weeks. She is full of cuteness and character and I think she is now a firm forum favourite :lol: (Watch out for the next photo comp young Oodie :wink: )

[pophammy]

Awwwwww, Runts are always special in some way aren't they? :wink: She is gorgeous, you need to knit her a jumper ASAP!!! :lol:

[Basia]

She is just so cute. Watch out - she will probably grow into those ears. :wink:

[Bunsey]

she's absolutely gorgeous1 she looks like she'll have a great personality. a little cheeky gal :D

[Jane]

Awwwwwww she is so adorable! Not surprised she's staying :wink:

[Gust0o]

She does look very rat-like - in a good way, obviously! :)

[Yaffle]

I think she looks like Piglet off Winnie the Pooh .... adorable :D

[Holly]

Thanks guys, she's doing good, isn't she? She seems to change quite a lot every day.
I'm beginning to relax and think she actually WILL be ok, she's going to have a great life here, whatever :wink:

[Hammihog]

I'm so glad to see that Oodie is doing well, she sure is starting to grow :D

[sarahh]

Hi ya I have just seen this thread. Aww bless her Oodie is looking alot better and I'm sure she will get there and with lots of tlc from you she will be fine.

Fingers crossed take care of the little one.

Sarah x

[Holly]

Erm.....I can't believe how much she's growing and changing day by day (well hour by hour really) :shock:

Anyone notice a certain Satin girlie with hair in this piccy?? :shock:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1304.jpg

[Spuds Mum]

Bless her she has changed so much in just two days - it even looks like her face is starting to fill out now - I am so pleased - and you never know, Oodie, if you keep eating like that, you may just win a BIS or BOS at a show in the future :D And wont we all be absolutely thrilled :x

[souffle]

They are such a beautiful mix of colours and Oodie is really coming on well. Now you listen here Oodie - Your great Auntie Red was the smallest in the litter and look what happened to her :wink:

[Basia]

Oh, they are such lovely babies. Malteser and Mars certainly did you proud and she is catching up rapidly now.
I notice our little runt almost grows before my eyes too.

[sarahh]

Awww bless a little one now has hair bless her she is doing well. The little one will be as big as the rest in no time. Our little runt and the rest of the litter are now 5 weeks 2 days and our runt has grown you wouldn't even know now she ever was.

Sarah x

[Holly]

Just a quick Oodie update - this is her this morning:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1332.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1334.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1335.jpg

I can't believe how she's growing and changing, she's starting to look like a "normal" hamster - I have a feeling she might just turn into a beautiful Satin Cream girlie as Will has a knack for picking them :shock:

[Bourne Valley Hams]

She is certainly making sure she gets her fair share of the porridge!! :lol: :lol:

[ami_j]

i remember the runt i had he had bags of character lol
shes looking great bless her :)

[Holly]

She certainly is always in the thick of everything and she's very bossy - she thinks she's as big as the others (or bigger!).

I think the force of her personality has enabled her to thrive, like a lot of runts I hear about!

She looks great. She's starting to look like a proper little hamster now. I'm so pleased! :D

And what a beautiful little sable in those pictures too. :wink:

[souffle]

Aww she is fantastic. I love the ones with character and she has bucketloads. Great Auntie Red was alwys in the food bowl too!! :lol: If she keeps hogging the nosh she will end up bigger than the rest before long!! The others are gorgeous too. Proper little hammies now :lol:

[sarahh]

Bless her she's definatly looking more like a little hammy now isn't she so cute.

[Spuds Mum]

awww where be the pink hamster? :shock: she looks like she has come on in leaps and bounds.

Maybe you ought to inform her though that to grow big and strong she needs to eat food, rather than swim in it! :x

[Holly]

Oodie at 4 weeks of age!

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o209/Holly_Day/IMG_1499.jpg

She's still a fair bit smaller than the others but she's growing madly - and she's got hair and she's a lovely Cream Satin :wink:

[Basia]

Aw bless her. There is something very appealling about the little runts isn't there? She is coming on really well now and looks a placid little soul.

[Gust0o]

Now that's much more hamster-like!

She's really coming along :)

[souffle]

Aww she's growing into her ears. Bet she turns out to be a topper and they always seem to live the longest too :lol:

[Spuds Mum]

aww I miss the strange looking wee thing :( she is now turning into a beauty! But I bet you will look at her in the future and forget just how tiny she was (well apart from those ears lol) and how frightened you were for her :D

[Lolo]

Aww she is doing so well.
the rest of the litter are lovely too. :lol:

[Bunsey]

beautiful! i was just trying to work out why she had so many feet, but she has a bit of nesting on her :oops:

[Mollz]

Wow she is really thriving and coming on amazingly :D
:D What a beautiful little hamster she is becoming

[agatecrystal]

Basia is right - There always seems something so special about the little runts of the litters.
She's come on so fast now shes a sweet little thing.