Sensitive baby syndrome is a more recently described issue among fluffy ponies, but the origin goes back to before the market release of the biotoy line. Interviews with former research and developers for Hasbio revealed that the problem was initially coded into the genetics of fluffies as a means of signaling genetic degradation in breeding research subjects. To avoid unnecessary waste on raising genetically flawed litters that could not contribute to product development these “only babbies” would not mature to the talkie stage and told breeders that the mare was ready for Retirment. Retired mares would be allowed to raise their last baby that would never grow up, while also producing more milk for supporting other litters and enhanced growth programs to induce quicker maturation in foals.
This genetic signal would continue to be used in early runs of fluffies when breeding was done exclusively by the company and products were sold sterile. When the decision was made to make breedable fluffies available to the market the gene was suppressed, but legacy products still sold in only sterile forms for rarity and price point purposes continued to have the active kill gene. Some legacy breeders were lost when the Hasbio facility was broken into by activists.
In ferals the gene was rarely activated given the significantly shortened lifespan but as this gene would be related to fluffies of rare and valuable colors they would eventually find their way into domestic breeding operations. Sensitive babbies differ from the only babbies original to the program in a few key ways. The only babbie was meant to remain firmly in the chirpy stage to reduce stress on mothers and consume less milk. The sensitive baby grows from chirpy to talkie and even into walkie baby sizes. Their senses develop but neurologically they are overwhelmed by them, needing constant attention from the mother. The larger size means they consume the same amount of milk that a mother may split among a whole litter.
The same gene that causes a mare to begin birthing sensitive babies is also meant to make her more attached to it, to facilitate the Retirment process. In the wild this can lead to mothers ignoring the rest of the litter and results in the over feeding of the sensitive.
