Help & Advice please - Silver Fox buck has come to us

[paul1610]

Help and advice really appreciated here! Firstly we know very little about rabbits. The extent of our knowledge is we took 2 from local rescue centre to join our family and we love them to bits!

This week we just happened to see another small rabbit in our garden, just sat there looking lost! We have taken him in and put the word around the neighbourhood incase someone has lost him but no one has come forward.

Taken him to the vet today to have him checked over / sexed / scanned for a chip etc. Her reaction on seeing him surprised me as she said that to have him just turn up in the garden lost was quite a blessing! She explained that she thinks he's a Silver Fox. He is an unneutered male of around 4 / 5 months.

Now we were in the world of purely giving him a loving home should no-one claim him, but we are now wondering whether while we of course will proved this for him, it may be worth breeding / showing him?

Problem is we know NOTHING about this, and wouldn't even know whether 1) he is a silver fox, and 2) if so how 'good' a silver fox is he given his markings.

Any advice / thoughts welcome!

Thanks,

Paul & Alison,

Nottingham, UK>[/size]

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

welcome to rabbit talk.. He looks like a black otter mix

 

[ZRabbits]

Welcome to Rabbit Talk. Agree with Maryann. Not a true Silver Fox, but he is a lovely boy. Love his facial markings which otters have. Lovely boy, got lucky finding someone nice like you.

Karen

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:welcome:

Hi Paul and Allison! Welcome to RabbitTalk.

What is known as the Silver Fox in the UK is known as the Silver Marten in the US. Here is a link to a page that has the breed description:

http://www.furrycritter.com/resources/r ... Marten.htm

If there are any upcoming shows in your area you could enter him and see how he does, or at least go to view the animals being exhibited.

Make sure to keep him quarantined from your other rabbits for at least 30 days. Although he appears healthy, he could be a carrier of diseases that your rabbits have no immunity to and vice versa.

 

[phillinley]

Paul, for showability concerns, there are a couple of rabbit forums out there on your side of the pond that are filled with UK breeders who work under the BRC (British Rabbit Council) standards. The majority of the users on this site work under the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders of America) standards. So yes he looks like a UK Silver Fox, but for show advice, you might want to go to those forums to and ask the same question. They may be able to tell you better if his markings fit the BRC Silver Fox standards.

 

[skysthelimit]

this is still the wrong color for a sliver martin. martins have white at the back of the neck, this one has tan at the back of the neck, characteristic of an otter.

 

[paul1610]

Thank you all for your advice. I will check the UK side of the forums.

 

[phillinley]

She's right on that coloring. From the BRC standard:

Markings - The chest, flanks and feet to be well and evenly ticked with silvertipped
guard hairs. Any extension of the ticking up the side and/or over the
back to be considered a beauty and not a fault. The eye circles as neat as
possible, a pea spot in front of the base of each ear, inside of ears, line of jaws,
underside of tail and belly, all to be white. Undercolour permissible. Triangle
behind ears to be white but as small as possible. Eyes brown or grey.

 

[skysthelimit]

I hope you are keeping him, if his people don't show. He is very handsome.

 

[Miss M]

He is a beautiful rabbit, whether he's showable or not. So glad you rescued the poor lost bun!

This is what Silver Fox is in the U.S.: http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/silverfox.html

It is true that your Silver Fox is the same as our Silver Marten.

Welcome to RabbitTalk! You will find many people here who will help catch you up on what you need to know about rabbits.

:welcomewagon:

 

[ZRabbits]

Now know the difference between an Otter vs Marten.

Would definitely look into the British Rabbit Council on the standards of that Handsome Boy. Definitely different than the US. Heck I think I read that Lion heads here are called Teddy Bear rabbits in parts of the World.

Hope you post what you find out about him. And if he can go to the show. If not, still a very handsome rabbit and could be a pleasure to have around.

Karen

 

[skysthelimit]

He is a beautiful rabbit, whether he's showable or not. So glad you rescued the poor lost bun!

I meant if is people (his owners) don't show up looking for him