Mini Lop Doe Eval??

[Susie570]

I think she looks pretty darned nice and I'm super tempted even though she's a broken chestnut...
This is what I was told on her background "She is out of chestnut, chin, blue, gold tipped steel, silver tipped steel, opal and black" and I was told that her dam produces a lot of black chin.

I posted in my 'daydream' thread, but getting impatient I want to tell this gal whether or not I want her.

She's asking $100 and I would have to arrange transport down from NY (about 7 hrs away)

Not the color I want (does she look like a broken chestnut to you folks??) but dang I think she's pretty...

 

[DBA]

In my anything but expert opinion, yes, she is a broken chestnut. From what I can see, her body type looks good and round. Solid head, good crown, good ears.

Yeah, she looks good to me.

 

[Susie570]

Anyone else?? I need to give this gal an answer tomorrow. She has her 'pending' for me.

Loplover? Dood? Others?

 

[Dood]

I think you need to remember you're breeding her to your buck who is not pedigreed or a good example of the breed and if $100 is worth it?

You said you weren't interested in showing - has that changed?

If you go ahead you need to prepare yourself to loose that money if she comes down with something in quarantine or dies in birth or gets out and the dog eats her

Personally I'd never spend that much on a rabbit - they are just too delicate IMHO

The most I paid was $50 for a pregnant doe with an terrific pedigree and a grand champion mother and a father with 3 legs

 

[MamaSheepdog]

$100 is pretty standard for a nice quality showable bun on the west coast.

If you are going to spend that kind of money on a new doe though, you ought to be prepared to spend twice that on a herd sire.

If you just want to use the buck you have and breed for pets, I wouldn't bother spending that kind of money (plus transport!) on a rabbit.

 

[Susie570]

Yeah, she seems expensive and no, I don't plan to show. I've been told that decent rabbits (particularly MLs, because they're not so common around here) can easily go for that much and more.

My main concern would be the transport.

I can, if I wait, get another one from the pet store where I got my boy. They only get them in every so often ad I would have no choice of color, no idea of background, probably no better quality structurally speaking and I would have to pay $40 for her (also taking the chance that she would, likely, be bred to some other random rabbit because they just keep them all together and I've seen sexually mature rabbits in there before).

Although I don't like spending that much on a doe, I would rather get a NICE doe (for as little as possible) than a seriously faulty doe for half as much. Who knows, I may end up with a nice buck later.

It concerns me that rabbits are certainly delicate. There are no guarantees. Even if she were a proven doe, she might not produce healthy kits for me. The breeder said she has never had P in her barn, but would cull if she did. She said she treats for... something like cocci? On a regular schedule but does not vaccinate for P. She said her rabbits are all handled regularly by her 3 kids and have good personalities, but it still concerns me to pay that much for a rabbit I've never seen in person.

I realize it's a gamble (and I have no idea how much I might have to pay for transport). If she plans to go to OSRBA, I might be able to get transport from there... but it seems like a long way out of the way.

But ultimately, I have two big concerns. Is she a nice doe (she seems to be to my untrained eye) and how would I get her here.

Of course she's closer than many of the other does I've considered (up in Maine for instance, or Kansas).

She's willing to hold onto the doe for me, until I find a way to get her here if I decide to get her.

I was considering going to the big show to look at does, until I found out they regularly cost twice that much or more. :/

 

[DBA]

I would go to the show first. You never know what you will find.
At shows around here mini lops can go for anywhere from $20 to $500 and up.

 

[Susie570]

The most I paid was $50 for a pregnant doe with an terrific pedigree and a grand champion mother and a father with 3 legs

I wish there were those types of opportunities around here, but I haven't seen them.

The breeder said "her sire has 1 BIS 3 RIS and was 5th place ssb in youth this past convention"

She also said her sire is a GC. I don't know what any of that means, but it all sounds impressive.

I suppose I could ask to have her bred if I wanted to... :shrug:

You folks are my sounding board though. I'm trying to make a sensible decision. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Apr 07, 2015 8:04 am __________ <br /><br />

I would go to the show first. You never know what you will find.
At shows around here mini lops can go for anywhere from $20 to $500 and up.

$500 and up?!? :x :x

Problem is... If I went to the show, first it's a long way (4 +hrs), second I was told that decent rabbits there run $200 - $300 (or more) and to expect to pay at least that much. Third, I'm afraid I would end up sucked into an impulse buy for an overpriced doe without even the chance to consult my gurus at RT...

So going to the show doesn't seem like a good gamble to me.

 

[jeannie]

She sure is pretty!
But if she is not the color you are really wanting, I would wait to pay that amount for something you really want ~ but you said they are few and far between

I paid that for brood does, but they were exacting what I was looking for in my program ~ and I get awesome kits, so it was worth it. I traveled 7 hours one way for these two and we (hubby and I) looked at the trip as a great time to spend together.

Then again, I have paid that price and got "brood does" that weren't worth a flip ~ it's a gamble.

 

[Susie570]

She sure is pretty!
But if she is not the color you are really wanting, I would wait to pay that amount for something you really want ~ but you said they are few and far between

I paid that for brood does, but they were exacting what I was looking for in my program ~ and I get awesome kits, so it was worth it. I traveled 7 hours one way for these two and we (hubby and I) looked at the trip as a great time to spend together.

Then again, I have paid that price and got "brood does" that weren't worth a flip ~ it's a gamble.

Right. I mean, what I'm REALLY wanting is to make nicely colored Tris/Harlis and/or Frosties... but honestly if I could make kits that are colored like HER... I think they would sell. I don't know what I would end up with, color-wise. ML people are telling me over and over again that MLs give you oddball colors no matter what you do. I know that my boy carries tri/harli, but I don't know what else. I would be breeding a broken to broken, so I would end up with some Charlies. The doe has a strong black chin background (looked blue to me, but what do I know? lol) so I guess I might end up with chins, chestnut, blues, blacks... ???

I love her face...

I guess the best question for myself would be.... Would it be better to pay more for a nice quality doe with a color I could live with, or would it be better to pay less for a faulty doe with a color I really want? (Assuming this IS a doe worth that kind of money).

I've seen does that don't look nearly as nice, structurally (to my eye at least) for almost as much $$ (like around $80) and still would have to transport. :/

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The breeder said "her sire has 1 BIS 3 RIS and was 5th place ssb in youth this past convention"

BIS stands for Best in Show, which means not only did the rabbit win the breed class (against all age classes and varieties [colors]), it went up against all of the rabbits that won their breeds in that show and was judged to be the rabbit which best adhered to the breed standard out of all the rabbits exhibited. RIS stands for Reserve in Show and means that it was a close second to BIS.

5th place ssb in youth this past convention

He placed 5th in the Senior Solid Buck class and was shown by a Youth. Open classes are adult exhibitors (although Youth are eligible to show in Open if they choose), but adults may not compete in Youth.

She also said her sire is a GC.

Grand Champion. He has earned at least 3 Legs (won his class against at least 5 other rabbits owned by three different exhibitors Edit: *for each Leg earned*), has been examined by a Registrar to make sure he fits the standard with no DQ's, has a full three generation pedigree (with all ancestors of acceptable colors and within the weight range), and the paperwork has been submitted to ARBA.

it all sounds impressive

Yes it does. Even more so now that I have "cracked the code" for you, eh?

My main concern would be the transport.

You are looking at maybe $25 to $50. We do in state transport for $15 each way (and CA is BIG!), $25 for when we went to the Convention in Texas. If more than one person is involved that would add cost, I'm sure.

I suppose I could ask to have her bred if I wanted to... :shrug:

You could. The breeder will probably charge a bit more for that, since it takes time and they will also have to include a copy of the pedigree of the buck used. And of course there is no guarantee of a viable litter.

My suggestion? Ask the breeder to look around for a decent buck for you and have him transported right along with her. :twisted:

 

[Susie570]

it all sounds impressive

Yes it does. Even more so now that I have "cracked the code" for you, eh?

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:shock: :shock: oh my goodness... that price sounds more reasonable now... and $50 for transport doesn't sound high to me.

It sounds like the doe might even have good show potential herself, if I were to, perhaps, find someone interested in taking her to shows for me.

Now granted, the showring isn't something I'm interested in per se, but being able to tell folks (even potential pet owners) that their rabbit's mom has an impressive pedigree makes that sale more appealing.

__________ Tue Apr 07, 2015 10:02 am __________

I just found out she's just over 3 months old... she was born on xmas (12/25/14)

And the breeder is going to OSRBA...

I'd really like to hear from Loplover before making a commitment though, because I know how critical she is

 

[DBA]

Send loplover a pm, if she doesn't come online, it might send her an email.

 

[Susie570]

Send loplover a pm, if she doesn't come online, it might send her an email.

I did

 

[DBA]

Ok. I've been talking to her mom via email today, I will have her mom tell her to take a look.

 

[Susie570]

I just agreed to purchase her.
I would still love her opinion though <br /><br /> __________ Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:47 pm __________ <br /><br /> The little doe is now 'J.A.M Dynasty's Christmas Spirit'....

opcorn:

 

[LopLover]

IMO, that is a really nice rabbit. It is hard to tell without a butt shot but to me it looks like she could use a little more hindquarter and I would like to open her ears up a little more as well as widen her crown front to back. If you are looking to breed pet quality, I wouldn't bother spending that much on a rabbit and would crossbreed them, especially since your buck has no pedigree to rove he is a purebred. As DBA said, that is a really good price for a rabbit that nice. I only ever buy rabbits from one breeder and his rabbits normally start at $200. There are factors that can also play into the price. Does this line hold condition? How long do they take to develop? Bloodlines? The breeder they are from? It all plays a factor. Just out of curiosity, who are you getting her from?

 

[Susie570]

IMO, that is a really nice rabbit. It is hard to tell without a butt shot but to me it looks like she could use a little more hindquarter and I would like to open her ears up a little more as well as widen her crown front to back. If you are looking to breed pet quality, I wouldn't bother spending that much on a rabbit and would crossbreed them, especially since your buck has no pedigree to rove he is a purebred. As DBA said, that is a really good price for a rabbit that nice. I only ever buy rabbits from one breeder and his rabbits normally start at $200. There are factors that can also play into the price. Does this line hold condition? How long do they take to develop? Bloodlines? The breeder they are from? It all plays a factor. Just out of curiosity, who are you getting her from?

Thank you!!
Well, I feel better about the whole thing now.
I'm getting her from Heather Sheldon - JAM Dynasty out of Elmira, NY

Thing is, I can always get a higher quality buck later... but if I'm going to get a breeding doe I wanted to get a nice one. I feel good about the price now! She's just a young thing... 3 months old (I was going to ask for a breeding to one of her bucks before I got her, but she's too young).

 

[LopLover]

I saw the lines she is out of. Do you know Valadez? He has the prefix of Park Hills. He won at ARBA convention this last year so the blood is there.

 

[Susie570]

I saw the lines she is out of. Do you know Valadez? He has the prefix of Park Hills. He won at ARBA convention this last year so the blood is there.

I don't know ANY of the show rabbit lines... I just saw her and thought... colors be darned, that's a pretty rabbit!!
The price was right and I found out she was going to OSRBA, which made transport not an issue, so I decided to go ahead and jump on it before someone else did. I didn't think it was fair to make her breeder wait. I just HOPED I was making a good choice.

She has her littermate left (another doe). She's the same color, but solid.