Breeding dwarf rabbits and not using the same breed.

[TwoAcreDream]

Okay, so I seem to have a hodge modge of rabbits here.

I am trying to figure out how to get these dwarfs bred and to whom.

I have a Holland Lop Male. No female, but am looking for one.
I was gifted today with a what I think is a pure Lionhead doe.
I have a mixed Netherland /Lionhead dwarf black doe.
I was thinking of using the Holland Lop with these 2 does
and also with the the really small black mini rex doe that I have.
I am trying to keep the smallest buck with the smallest does.

I do have my mini rex purebred buck. Depending on the weights, it
is possible to use him with the dwarf size mini rex black doe. I have
6 other mini rex does close to him in size that would have priority.

I am reading about breeding dwarf rabbits. So now I am thinking
there is more to this than just matching up 2 rabbits.
I am still trying to figure out which does to keep for future
breeding with the dwarfs. I seem to be a rabbit magnet lately.
I am pretty sure it will be the lops and the mini rex that
will be my priority.

I do need to get these rabbits into a breeding schedule and I
don't want to wait till I find the same breed matchups.
Or should I wait ???

 

[Bad Habit]

I would breed mini lop to mini lop, and wait on the rest. If you have 6 mini lop does, why rush into it and start mixing your breeds?

I'm not sure what your breeding goals are, or how things are in your area, but around here, people seem to prefer purebred rabbits over mixed breeds, even for small breed pets.

In your shoes, I would evaluate my HL buck and LH doe, and find same breed mates with different(or no) faults.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

I do have 1 mini lop male and 2 does that match him.
Those are not listed in my first post.
Those I will breed true.

And my mini rex buck and 6 does, I will breed true.

It is my holland lop and the 3 smallest does I have that
I would like to match up together or maybe not.
1 lionhead doe
1 really tiny black rex doe
1 netherland dwarf/lionhead mix doe.

Yes I too prefer purebreds.
Goals are pets, breeding stock, my future stock, and a few
will go out as pet/snake food.

 

[Bad Habit]

Haha, sorry, misread mini rex as mini lop .

I would wait on them, as I said, and find them same-breed mates. You could probably use the mini rex buck on the small rex doe, though... I wouldn't sell them as purebred mini or purebred rex, because you have no way of knowing how big they will get. The F1 ND/LH can be bred back to the LH buck for F2 stock, and if continually bred back to the lionhead, you would eventually get purebred lionheads again, once the ND is off the pedigree. I myself wouldn't bother with it, and would just pet her out.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Well I only wanted 2 small breeds for my pet lines.
So it will be the mini rex, and mini lops, and I would like
to find the holland lop a girlfriend. I have a possible
one I can look at tomorrow. That is , if the price will fit
my wallet. So far, the seller has gave me little information.

My problem is I have a total of 5 bucks now.
I am trying to keep the buck numbers down.
1 mini lop,
1 holland lop,
1 mini rex,
1 calfornian
1 broken NZ buck but not sure as he still have some growing to do.
( he could turn out to be a mutt too )

I am still quite recent with rabbits.
The mini rex I got in June.
A few here and there.
And I bought 19 the first week in October. Sold 10 males from that group.
And since then a few more here and there.
The lionhead I was gifted today with, along with her cage.

Previous, I had rabbits for 10 years.
That was mainly pet and meat rabbits. A few went out as breeding stock.
I had approximatley 25 breeding does back then.

 

[ladysown]

I'd breed 'em. then sell the offspring and holland lop crosses and sell them for cheaper.

I don't have a problem though with mixing breeds as long as you are honest about it and are prepared do eat or feed any offspring that don't sell.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

I'd breed 'em. then sell the offspring and holland lop crosses and sell them for cheaper.
I don't have a problem though with mixing breeds as long as you are honest about it and are prepared do eat or feed any offspring that don't sell.

Thank you.

Those are my thoughts also. I need to get these does bred sometime soon.
If I wait months to find the right mate, then that is time loss.
No sense having extra does here and then, maybe one or two won't be a
good mom. I figure at least 2, maybe 3 tries each.
Then I will know to keep or cull those moms.
Yes the plan is to be upfront with people, and tell them the baby
bunnies are either purebreds or mixed/mutts. I have always been
honest about what information I can give to a buyer.
I want to know what I am buying and I want customers to know what
they are buying. Off spring will hopefully be pets. If not, then
snake food. I have a steady monthly buyer for a given number of
animals.

The holland lop, BJ, is quite the Mr. Personality. He is a real
cuddle bug. Very easy to handle. He just begs to be picked up.
I hope his babies carry his traits. I am supposed to look at
a HL doe this afternoon to match him. I think she is similiar in color.
Before we got all this snow on the ground, I handed him to the hubby
one day and said, please give BJ some attention. So next thing, I know
the two of them are going for a walk down the driveway. And when they
come back, BJ, has a big handfull of green grass to go back in the
cage with him. He was one happy boy. I would love to bring this rabbit
in the house, but we have 2 dogs, and the basset would not give BJ
any peace and quiet.

I am thinking , guessing that dwarf breeds don't have large numbers
of babies per litter on the average. Some of these does are just plain fat.
I am trying now to get them in shape. Plenty of nice hay for them
to munch on. I use pellets, mixed with other grains, and BOSS.

I need to get a breeding schedule worked out. Make a list of
so many does per week. That's the plan anyways

 

[ladysown]

to help them lose weight dump the BOSS.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Oh sure....take away the BOSS... :lol:

I got spoiled bunnies already. Heck first day here and they figure
out the old lady is a soft touch. Good thing they can't talk.
I was out of hay for several days for their hay racks. Not good
My son got me 2 bales of REALLY nice stuff yesterday. Put one in the
bunny room and got part of it, into the big tote. What a bunch of
excited rabbits. Once they smelled it, wowswers

They got a small piece of celery yesterday each. Today will be carrots.
And they KNOW when I walk into their room with their treats. :bunnyhop:

Supposed to pick up the HL lop this afternoon. I better not tell BJ,
or he will want to come along for the ride <br /><br />__________ Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:14 pm __________<br /><br />Okay, pics of a few of the bunnies.

Mini rex male I started with.

Lion head male. First guess was a doe. Nope. Him's a boy

Mini lop male, Barney

Holland, BJ

These are my 2 young cali girls. The buck is a match to them.

 

[ckcs]

A Holland Lop and Double Mane Lionhead worked like this for me

Holland Buck (our sweetest rabbit)


Lionhead Doe


Gave Me
G2 Buck (bigger than dad, our second sweetest rabbit)


G2 Doe (as big as dad)


Those 2 gave me
5 Lionhead Lionlops (our sweetest litter to date and we breed for temperament)
All 5 were petite like Lionhead, the 2 blue eyed white ears lopped quite a bit as did the brown one. We had a previous litter with 1 lionhead bodied rabbit and one holland lop bodied rabbit.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

CKCS...thank you for sharing your pics

I looked at your website and you sure got some cute bunnies.