Hello, so I'm new to the rabbit habit with only one broken black MR buck to my name, but I'm hoping to get a pair of very complimentary ladies to start my launch into breeding rabbits.
:x I'm mildly terrified. I have done research--read books, articles, and talked to breeders, I have done maths, I have an idea of what I want, etc. I have done so much planning.
Now I'm about to step off into the chasm, and I'm more than a bit concerned. I know I want one senior doe and one junior doe, one a BUD (no peanuts, use in other project) and maybe one show quality (so I can actually attend shows with a doe). I'm planning on starting with selfs and broken selfs in all four colors with a potential expansion later on.
Luckily for me, my other project of interest is the lovely American Astrex. It is a new breed project being worked on by a few people, however, and all I'm looking for is: crimped fur into adulthood. Fingers crossed to get up-eared, black/blue/chocolate/lilac/REW, 5 1/2-6 pound buns. Dealing with more than one fickle hair genes is enough to keep me occupied with that, but Mini Rexes don't have a work in progress standard, they have a standard. There are a lot of them. It's tough to win shows with them.
So, therefore, I'm coming here to try to a) calm myself and b) get useful advice.
I'll get a picture of my junior buck up soon (he only wants to pose when it’s dark out, sigh), but I have a pretty good idea of his pros and cons.
Pros: Head (nicely shaped and sized), eyes (big and bright), fur (density and overall look--springy, velvety, and almost upright), fine-medium boning, color (black with blue sheen), and hindquarters and shoulders.
Cons: Longer than is deep, longish midsection, fur (not entirely upright--very close, but only looks like “shaved mink pelt” on his belly), does not bounce back after handprint/smooshing), and pattern (booted/blanket pattern with scattering of white hairs on forehead).
At three months, his fur is about half a dime deep in general and 2/3 of a dime deep at his mid-back, his ears are about an inch and a half (using middle finger bone measurements and I have long fingers, need to get a tape), and I think he’s beginning to hit puberty if we’re including yesterday with all the angst.
He’s been very healthy. His eyes were a little cruddy and since the food changeover was abrupt from his former pellets (breeder forgot to bring some to tide him over), he had a little bit of loose stool the first few days. Now his fur is sleek, his eyes are clear and bright, and I’ve seen no sign of other health problems, though I admit whenever he forgets his nose isn’t supposed to go into the bowl and he sneezes (this has happened, like, twice) I panic.
Otherwise? He is very even-tempered, a mix of playful, inquisitive, and friendly. He gets into my lap for pets, comes when I call him, is cage-trained, and has allowed small children (with my supervision) to handle him.
See? I made a good choice. (That was mostly self-reassurance, as you can tell. I’ll get a picture of him soon. I’ll play with him early tomorrow and see if I can get a snap when the daylight is good.)
I know I’m looking for a doe with as many of the same good traits but also as many pros where he has cons. She needs to be good and deep, have a short midsection, have upright, bounce-back fur, and either be solid or closer to English Spot/charlie when it comes to pattern. I know the rules of color crossing and plan to get him either a chocolate, blue, or lilac self/broken self lady friend. I know my buck carries -e or -ej and may carry dilute.
I guess I’m just wondering if you all have any advice for picking out his lady friends if I do have to get a pair of juniors, or even one junior? There’s basically only two breeders in driving distance that aren’t sketchy and flaky as all get out. They have good rabbits. My buck’s maternal grandmother got first place at a large fair and BOB at a local show. But I want to know what problems are hardest to fix, so what I should border on extremism when looking for in his lady friends. Upright, bounce-back fur? Depth? Short midsection? Etc.? What pros are hard to keep that my buck, Basil, has? Or does it all depend on the genetics and I have a good of chance getting the offered does that my breeder mentors offer rather than seeing what they suggest and picking the ones I consider best?
In other news, does anyone have good pictures of young, 8-12 week old rabbits, bucks and does? I’d love to compare old photos of future show winners to get an even better eye. I can judge an adult MR rabbit fairly easily now, having looked at show winners rather obsessively, but babies? I just don’t have the experience to see more than the most obvious defects and pluses, which is okay, but I want to be able to be better.
Thanks in advance to anyone who wants to hop in.
:bunnyhop:
:x I'm mildly terrified. I have done research--read books, articles, and talked to breeders, I have done maths, I have an idea of what I want, etc. I have done so much planning.
Now I'm about to step off into the chasm, and I'm more than a bit concerned. I know I want one senior doe and one junior doe, one a BUD (no peanuts, use in other project) and maybe one show quality (so I can actually attend shows with a doe). I'm planning on starting with selfs and broken selfs in all four colors with a potential expansion later on.
Luckily for me, my other project of interest is the lovely American Astrex. It is a new breed project being worked on by a few people, however, and all I'm looking for is: crimped fur into adulthood. Fingers crossed to get up-eared, black/blue/chocolate/lilac/REW, 5 1/2-6 pound buns. Dealing with more than one fickle hair genes is enough to keep me occupied with that, but Mini Rexes don't have a work in progress standard, they have a standard. There are a lot of them. It's tough to win shows with them.
So, therefore, I'm coming here to try to a) calm myself and b) get useful advice.
I'll get a picture of my junior buck up soon (he only wants to pose when it’s dark out, sigh), but I have a pretty good idea of his pros and cons.
Pros: Head (nicely shaped and sized), eyes (big and bright), fur (density and overall look--springy, velvety, and almost upright), fine-medium boning, color (black with blue sheen), and hindquarters and shoulders.
Cons: Longer than is deep, longish midsection, fur (not entirely upright--very close, but only looks like “shaved mink pelt” on his belly), does not bounce back after handprint/smooshing), and pattern (booted/blanket pattern with scattering of white hairs on forehead).
At three months, his fur is about half a dime deep in general and 2/3 of a dime deep at his mid-back, his ears are about an inch and a half (using middle finger bone measurements and I have long fingers, need to get a tape), and I think he’s beginning to hit puberty if we’re including yesterday with all the angst.
He’s been very healthy. His eyes were a little cruddy and since the food changeover was abrupt from his former pellets (breeder forgot to bring some to tide him over), he had a little bit of loose stool the first few days. Now his fur is sleek, his eyes are clear and bright, and I’ve seen no sign of other health problems, though I admit whenever he forgets his nose isn’t supposed to go into the bowl and he sneezes (this has happened, like, twice) I panic.
Otherwise? He is very even-tempered, a mix of playful, inquisitive, and friendly. He gets into my lap for pets, comes when I call him, is cage-trained, and has allowed small children (with my supervision) to handle him.
See? I made a good choice. (That was mostly self-reassurance, as you can tell. I’ll get a picture of him soon. I’ll play with him early tomorrow and see if I can get a snap when the daylight is good.)
I know I’m looking for a doe with as many of the same good traits but also as many pros where he has cons. She needs to be good and deep, have a short midsection, have upright, bounce-back fur, and either be solid or closer to English Spot/charlie when it comes to pattern. I know the rules of color crossing and plan to get him either a chocolate, blue, or lilac self/broken self lady friend. I know my buck carries -e or -ej and may carry dilute.
I guess I’m just wondering if you all have any advice for picking out his lady friends if I do have to get a pair of juniors, or even one junior? There’s basically only two breeders in driving distance that aren’t sketchy and flaky as all get out. They have good rabbits. My buck’s maternal grandmother got first place at a large fair and BOB at a local show. But I want to know what problems are hardest to fix, so what I should border on extremism when looking for in his lady friends. Upright, bounce-back fur? Depth? Short midsection? Etc.? What pros are hard to keep that my buck, Basil, has? Or does it all depend on the genetics and I have a good of chance getting the offered does that my breeder mentors offer rather than seeing what they suggest and picking the ones I consider best?
In other news, does anyone have good pictures of young, 8-12 week old rabbits, bucks and does? I’d love to compare old photos of future show winners to get an even better eye. I can judge an adult MR rabbit fairly easily now, having looked at show winners rather obsessively, but babies? I just don’t have the experience to see more than the most obvious defects and pluses, which is okay, but I want to be able to be better.
Thanks in advance to anyone who wants to hop in.
:bunnyhop:
