Himalayan Junior

[MeadowView]

This is my favorite himmie, from Teri Peterson. I messaged her months before the show I planned to pick up stock at and she told me she didn't have anything to sell. A few days before the show, she sent me a message asking what color/sex I wanted, and sent her along. I think I really lucked out on this one! She's about three months old. Her ears are still coming in, hence the white patches, but so far I love how she's developing.

I managed to find a buck locally that's out of my old most winning rabbit so she's going to have a date with him in a couple months. I couldn't be more thrilled or excited.

I know what I think about her, anyone have any thoughts to share?

 

[SarniaTricia]

I don't know a lot about the Himalayan Breed... but she is beautiful!

Can you give us a little BIO on the Himalayan?

I'm thinking this breed might be a good breed for a junior rabbit keeper?

My step daughter is interested in having "her own" breed to show - she has just turned 17 and attended her first rabbit show 8July .... I told her she has a year of attending shows, looking at breeds (and needs to get a job) before she can select a breed.

 

[Sagebrush]

The Himalayan breed is a very docile breed. SableSteel turned me onto them when I was looking for a house bun a few months back. I can tell you that my two young boys, ages 11 and 8, are able to hold him without much trouble.

 

[SableSteel]

They're a very good breed for youth; that's one of the things are they known for (I know some pretty big breeders who have their own breeds, then get Himalayans for their kids to work with). Very tame & friendly. They're also the smallest breed that is indisputably non-dwarf, so you get the small size without the hassle of breeding dwarf breeds.

Meadowview, your doe looks very pretty, I especially like her midsection, its length and even-ness. I like Teri Peterson's bunnies, such a nice lady too.

 

[MeadowView]

Yep, I agree with what the others have said! I have noticed that, like any breed, temperament is highly dependent on how much time you spend working with them. When I get rabbits from big rabbitries, they seem more likely to be aggressive. When I get rabbits from small rabbitries, super sweet. I had a himmie doe so mean I had to put her down because I couldn't even reach in to feed her without fearing for my fingers. My brits were easier to deal with than that.

They're fun because they're unique and for the most part, friendly. They present unique challenges because their markings and condition swings wide depending on the temperatures they're kept in. Smut is the most common DQ and at winter shows you can almost count on half the table being sent away for it. It's hard keeping them where I live because I can't throw frozen water bottles in with them in the summer to keep them cool unless I don't want to show them for while. I have always told new breeders to focus on type first because the markings are largely environmental. If they're cold in the winter, you'll get rich, dark color. If they're hot, you'll get mottled color and streaks of white through their leg markings.

As far as breeding goes they're so so easy to breed and they breed so true and mature so typically that you can usually pick your keepers at four weeks if you have an eye for it.

Lots of people consider them a youth breed and I resent that. :lol: I have more fun showing himmies than I have with any other breed! But, you know, I've just found my niche, I guess.

And thanks, Sable! I didn't actually get to meet Teri, she lined up transport with someone who was showing some of her rabbits for her, but I hope I get to meet her so I can thank her in person. I feel like I ended up with some really nice foundation stock. I just wish I could show her a little more before I breed her, but. C'est la vie.