Brought home more bunnies...Harlequins! POPPLE UPDATE!!

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Thank you Zass! Makes sense to me!

So is Harlequin both a breed and a color? How can you tell what's what? I know I have a NZW that has it hidden, then a harle chestnut buck and I want to put the two of them together and see what I get...
 
heritage":1a42p8c2 said:
Thank you Zass! Makes sense to me!

So is Harlequin both a breed and a color? How can you tell what's what? I know I have a NZW that has it hidden, then a harle chestnut buck and I want to put the two of them together and see what I get...

Yeah, lots of breeds carry the harlequin coat gene (ej) now days.

NZW really shouldn't be carrying it, but people cross them them just about everything and sell rew offspring as "new zealand whites."

To answer your question, we can start with how would you tell if your new zealand could be considered purebred?
The answer:
You can tell a purebred harlequin (or a purebred of any breed) by how closely it conforms to breed standards. Size, type, and coat markings.

From what I have seen of mix breed rabbits with harlequin coat pattern, it would be VERY unlikely to ever get anything that could be shown or registered from a cross. Most of their points are in those markings, and they are hard enough to get right even with purebreds. None of mine above are show quality.
I was told even crossing purebred lines was risky, and to keep my gene pool very close.

So, I'm sure lots of people would be happy to sell a harle patterned mutt as a "purebred harlequin" , but I doubt too many harlequin breeders are getting confused and mixing those mutts into their lines. :)

New zealands are outcrossad a lot though, since their breed standards are pretty easy to meet and that rew coat is easy to get and hides everything.

Since rabbits are only judged on how well they meet standards, there isn't anything wrong with that. :)
 
Zass":2mjrjxzs said:
heritage":2mjrjxzs said:
Thank you Zass! Makes sense to me!

So is Harlequin both a breed and a color? How can you tell what's what? I know I have a NZW that has it hidden, then a harle chestnut buck and I want to put the two of them together and see what I get...

Yeah, lots of breeds carry the harlequin coat gene (ej) now days.

NZW really shouldn't be carrying it, but people cross them them just about everything and sell rew offspring as "new zealand whites."

To answer your question, we can start with how would you tell if your new zealand could be considered purebred?
The answer:
You can tell a purebred harlequin (or a purebred of any breed) by how closely it conforms to breed standards. Size, type, and coat markings.

From what I have seen of mix breed rabbits with harlequin coat pattern, it would be VERY unlikely to ever get anything that could be shown or registered from a cross. Most of their points are in those markings, and they are hard enough to get right even with purebreds. None of mine above are show quality.
I was told even crossing purebred lines was risky, and to keep my gene pool very close.

So, I'm sure lots of people would be happy to sell a harle patterned mutt as a "purebred harlequin" , but I doubt too many harlequin breeders are getting confused and mixing those mutts into their lines. :)

New zealands are outcrossad a lot though, since their breed standards are pretty easy to meet and that rew coat is easy to get and hides everything.

Since rabbits are only judged on how well they meet standards, there isn't anything wrong with that. :)

I seriously doubt I have purebred anything except for maybe the Creme d' Argent and my one Chinchilla :? Starting out I had to make do with the limited funds I had available and just got what I could to get started. DH is pretty well on board now so I am trying to decide where I want to go with my rabbits... I know NZW are kind of the "face" of meat rabbits, but it's so much more fun having a little color in the litters. I am liking the Chinchillas that I have, but not sure yet performance as meat rabbits. The harlequin coloring is fascinating to me and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it (not having a clue what it was... never had seen it before!). Seriously contemplating the harle rexes that another member was talking about, and they are definitely within driving distance for me. Not sure about the Rex breed though. I know they are popular, just need to weigh the pros and cons with them.

Don't want to hijack your thread... I personally don't see myself showing, but I know it opens up a whole new market if I can reach that standard. Who knows what the future may hold! Meat is for sure #1, but it would be nice to sell a few here and there to help offset costs a little.
 
Hhhhnnggg!

HHHhhnnngggg!

HHHHNNNNNGGGG!

I. We..EH *sputters*


:|

But seriously xD. Every time I see Zass's Harles I have a heart attack because they're so darn pretty! I love my Harles that look like oversized brindle mice, but darn it, I'd love to have an actual Harlequin to muck around with lol.
 
That chocolate!!!
We have harle coloured mutts, but my daughter picked up a purebred magpie doe this fall.
Storm-- she's a doll.

Today I almost snagged a purebred jap harle buck, but decided to wait until spring. I was very very well behaved!!
 
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