mini rex, summer ears?

[JessicaR]

I have been looking at some different breeders websites for mini rexes and came upon the term Summer ears? What are summer ears? The one site's show results had a couple of rabbits that were DQ'd due to summer ears and another site that has a 4 moth old doe for sale says the ears are 3 1/4" long due to summer ears. Sorry to bug everyone but this term has me confused.

 

[curlysue]

Heat causes the ears too be a little bit longer than normal.rabbits cool with the ears.be careful though some long ears are just hereditary.

 

[JessicaR]

So then it would probably be ok to get one the offsprings of those rabbits if all the other rabbits in the ped. have good ears?

I am not looking to get another rabbit right now just doing some more research. I want to make sure I get a good doe.

 

[curlysue]

If the parents dont have huge ears i wouldnt worry too much.I breed does with ears a bit long too bucks with small ears.

 

[5dognightfarm]

Even summer ears from small eared parents shouldn't be TOO bad. If the ears are still beyond the required length, it may have something to do with genetics too.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Some people here would say "Summer Ears" is the equivalent of an Old Wivez Tale, and others would say it can be proven. If the pedigree gentics are for good ear length, and the ears of the soe you like are just a tad long, I would say chance it, and make sure you use a buck with short ears.
In Nature, there are animals that do show the effects of weather on their outward appearance. Several peole here have experienced the effects of extremely cold rabbits on the new coat growth of white kits-- it causes the fur to come in dark on the tips...first molt, it all goes away. Some rabbits may , when exposed to very warm temps as they are kindled and mature to the weaning stage, may very well possess some genetics that 'turn on' a genetic switch that tells the ears to lengthen a bit while they are growing. Nature is funny--we do not know al her secrets-- who knows-- summer ears may just show that a mini rex is not carrying dwarf genetics-- this is what I was told by a well established MR breeder-- longer ears+ no Dwarf genes-- which reduces/eliminates the chance of peanuts in the next litter...

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

If they were DQ"D it was because the ears were to long according to the standard, it doesn't matter what caused it they are unshowable. Summer ears do not "shrink to the right size when its cold, so I would actually pass on a rabbit with huge ears in the Mini Rex breed. Sometimes if the lines are small to begin with a MR born without a dwarf gene might still mature the correct weight of the SOP but chances are that its ears will be out of balance with its body anyways.

 

[JessicaR]

Do they actually measure their ears at a show? I know with shelties (I show them) if a dog looks to be too big or too small the judge will measure them and if they are measure out by 3 different judges then they are permently DQ'd. The reason I ask is that same rabbit won BOV in show A but was DQ'd in show B.

The kit I was looking at that was said to have summer ears, had ears that are 3 1/4" and is 3 pounds, she will be 4 months old Oct. 28th. Does it sound like she will be a good size or will she be oversized? I am not going to get her I am just trying to learn about sze and rate of growth. This is why I like shelties!! You measure them at 8 weeks and for the most part you can tell if they will be too big or small.

I am looking at as many different sites as I can because I may someday want to show rabbits so if I get another one i want to be sure it is of good show quaility. For now though I am concentrating on my new show puppy, she has her first show in November

 

[curlysue]

If buying show quality i definetly wont buy something with big ears.brood does i can let slide some.i feel its both hereditary and a tiny bit weather.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Yes they do measure ears at a show, they will also check weight too. Every judges' table has a scale and a ruler. Can't DQ something or let it pass without definitive proof. Our rule of thumb here for us is if something can't be shown on the table then it also can't be used for breeding. So called "brood" animals can be hard to tell if their oversized ears are from lack of a dwarf gene or the line just has huge ears. We no longer have a problem with ear length in our program. Sometimes a brood animal may be used if its something like a pulled toenail that's missing or an injury produced white hairs or something along those lines.<br /><br />__________ Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:15 pm __________<br /><br />Yes they do measure ears at a show, they will also check weight too. Every judges' table has a scale and a ruler. Can't DQ something or let it pass without definitive proof. Our rule of thumb here for us is if something can't be shown on the table then it also can't be used for breeding. So called "brood" animals can be hard to tell if their oversized ears are from lack of a dwarf gene or the line just has huge ears. We no longer have a problem with ear length in our program. Sometimes a brood animal may be used if its something like a pulled toenail that's missing or an injury produced white hairs or something along those lines.