I have a netherland dwarf doe with a dewlap. Since it is a dq, so I can not show her, I was wondering if there was a way I can get rid of it. Her previous owner said it could be plucked away by hand, is this true?
Also, she is not overweight.
2007-07-12 11:15:35 · 7 answers · asked by Lia's Dwarfs 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Her dewlap is larger than pencil width. She won one leg before her dewlap.
I have been feeding her kent pellets I purchased at my local feed store. Also hay daily. Before I had her she was fed nutrena.
2007-07-12 11:48:38 · update #1
The dewlap was there before I bought her. I planned on using her more for breeding than for show anyway, but her last owner said that she sometimes plucks them away completely. I was wondering if that was possible.
2007-07-12 16:32:58 · update #2
There isn't anything you can do about it. Did the rabbit have the DQ when you bought it? I've fed both Nutrena and Kent. My rabbits didn't seem to like the Nutrena. Kent worked well on my rabbits for a while, but then it was like the company changed the formula and my rabbits started getting fat and pudgy on the feed where then never used to before. Once the dewlap is there, there is nothing you can do about it. However if you feed a feed that is too high in energy that can cause the dewlap to occur. Or if you feed snacks in addition to the feed. That can increase the energy level of the rabbits diet and cause it to get fat. Then again it could also partly be due to the rabbit's genetics. Right now I'm using Heinold's 17-17 Family Ration and my rabbits seem to be doing real well on it. They are hard and firm now where they were getting soft and pudgy on the Kent.
2007-07-12 16:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you can not get rid of a dewlap. It is a normal part of the body, although I do understand that it is not desirable in the show standards dwarf breeds. How big is it? Is it actually enough to be a DQ? Some small breeds have the rule that it can't be larger than the width of a pencil.
Also, how did your doe stack up against the competition before she developed the dewlap? I'm asking because the non-dwarf Nethies (lack the dwarf gene) are more likely to have dewlaps. I have a pair of dwarf hotot sisters, one a true dwarf and one a non-dwarf. The non-dwarf has a small dewlap.
Also, what are you feeding her? My hotot girls were fed a Walmart brand of pellets and no hay before I rescued them. Along with some obvious signs of malnutrition (bad fur, diarrhea problems) the non-dwarf girl had a much more obvious dewlap than she does now. She was not fat. With limited timothy pellets, unlimited grass hay, and veggies the dewlap shrank as her signs of malnutrition decreased too.
2007-07-12 11:24:35 · answer #2 · answered by Angela L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
How do you get rid of a rabbit's dewlap?
I have a netherland dwarf doe with a dewlap. Since it is a dq, so I can not show her, I was wondering if there was a way I can get rid of it. Her previous owner said it could be plucked away by hand, is this true?
Also, she is not overweight.
2015-08-19 15:51:35 · answer #3 · answered by Miranda 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does have dewlaps, that is part of being female. As the rabbit ages, the dewlaps get bigger. I don't believe you could "pluck" it away, since it is not hair. I have never seen a rabbit DQ for a dewlap. They will also develop a skirt as they age. (at least in mini lops, which we show and breed)
Good Luck!
2007-07-12 14:07:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dewlap is a large fold of skin and cannot be removed by "plucking". It is not just hair. It is used to pull fur off of for making a nest. It is quite normal in female rabbits.
2007-07-12 11:24:09 · answer #5 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually, once a doe gets a dewlap they have it for life and will typically pass it on to their off spring.
I can imagine it being plucked by hand.
Some does just get them and others dont, sometimes its genetics
2007-07-12 13:47:57 · answer #6 · answered by hickchick210 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is one of those things, some rabbits have them others don't, as it is a fold of skin you have it for ever and it will be passed on to any youngsters
2007-07-12 11:31:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I highly doubt there is anything that can be done about it, it is part of the animal. I think its just a fat store, but my mini rex has one too.
2007-07-12 11:23:00 · answer #8 · answered by wenchgirl04 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2007-07-12 11:28:05 · answer #9 · answered by Yahoo! police 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋