mismatched toenail?

[Anntann]

Hello, you genetics and show geniuses! I have a question about toenails.

Blue buck...American breed. Blue back as far as I can look on his pedigree,and all of them were shown successfully (some better than others, of course). He has 1 white toenail, so is DQ'd for showing. SO!

Where did that toenail come from? Is it something that hides? Is it something that will show up in his offspring more often now that it's shown up in him?

 

[moonkitten]

The same thing happens in blue NZ quite frequently. An old time breeder once told me that there is no hereditability, it's jut something that pops up now and then. Other breeders have attributed the occasional white toenail to that dreaded "white spotting gene" that also occasionally causes white snips, blazes or white toes.

I'm not sure what I believe, but I tend to lean more towards the white spotting gene theory since I know from years with japanese harlequins how that one can show up here and there with no seeming predictability and is almost impossible to pinpoint and eradicate from a herd without culling everything.

You will also get people who claim it's a result of crossing whites into the bloodline, but I definitely don't believe that (other than the fact that the white could be carrying that spotting gene without anyone being aware).

 

[Anntann]

ahhhhh.....okay. I can follow that. Thanks, MK. My broken black angora doe (FLB) has ONE small white paw. But it's enough for her to throw that to about 1/2 of her offspring. Now..she was bred to BE broken black, so there's a lot of it in her background. With this buck it just showed up in him from out of nowhere.

It's an interesting trait. The skin/toe is blue. Just like all the other toes. It just has this white toenail sticking out. :roll:

I've only been able to look at toenails from one litter so far, and they all have black or dark toenails, so at least I know he won't throw it to EVERYONE.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I was checking toenail colors on Marsha last night- after all, why knowingly breed in a DQ from a mutt? ( I may have found a pedigreed AmChin buck for her)

 

[moonkitten]

It's an interesting trait. The skin/toe is blue. Just like all the other toes. It just has this white toenail sticking out. :roll:

I've only been able to look at toenails from one litter so far, and they all have black or dark toenails, so at least I know he won't throw it to EVERYONE.

Yup. that's exactly what happens in blue NZ as well -- just the nail and on a random one out of every few litters. Also check closely for white hairs. In the NZ, three white hairs in the same place is considered a "spot" and it is REALLY common at the bellybutton. If the doe nips the umbilical cord a bit too short, you can get three or four white hairs growing there and that is a DQ as well. I've seen judges hold the rabbit up and blow on the belly to check there for white hairs. :roll:

The Blue NZ didn't pass at convention the last 2 years due to a white spot. You would think that a breeder working on a COD would go over the selected rabbits with a magnifying glass, but apparently they missed a white spot on one rabbit 2 years in a row. So even the best breeders can miss those white hairs now and then!

 

[Anntann]

gee...the white hairs from a scar like that shouldn't be a DQ Maybe a FAULT on an otherwise showable animal. It's not like the animal is going to pass along the SCAR to it's offspring! :lol:

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

gee...the white hairs from a scar like that shouldn't be a DQ Maybe a FAULT on an otherwise showable animal. It's not like the animal is going to pass along the SCAR to it's offspring! :lol:

How does one prove it is a scar, though? Unless there is 'proud flesh' under the fur. Or perhaps the judges should be thnking about umbiical cord issues when they see white hair on the bellybutton. Granted, if something shuld happen to the rabbit, and youhave a vet stich it up--then, you would have a medical excuse!!!

 

[Shara]

But even if they have scars, aren't they unshowable? That was my understanding...

 

[moonkitten]

But even if they have scars, aren't they unshowable? That was my understanding...

Yes, that's correct. The judging is based on how perfect a representation of the written standard the rabbit is at that moment in time. It has nothing to do wih what will or will not be passed to offspring, it is strictly an evaluation of that rabbit at that moment.

Which is hell on breeders of coloured rabbits at times :lol: You've got to be sure to separate into individual cages (that don't share a wire wall) BEFORE anyone starts getting snippity. All it takes is one scuffle between maturing littermates to permanently mark your rabbits with white hairs! :roll:

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

[ All it takes is one scuffle between maturing littermates to permanently mark your rabbits with white hairs! :roll:

Then, would it be prudent to raise white hares?

I dont see how a scar would affect the structure, weight, etc. Granted, in a pelt class, a bunch of white fur in the middle of the prime pelt area on a dark animal would be bad,,, but still....

 

[Anntann]

I asked about why something insignificant to breeding, or something that had nothing to do with structure or fur would be a completely DQ, instead of just a fault, and the answer was "rabbits are so plentiful, that you have to find SOME way to limit the numbers on show tables".

Which, when I thought about it, made sense. (I still think the white hairs around the navel as a DQ is silly tho :razz2:

 

[moonkitten]

I think the white hairs at the navel is a silly DQ too and it irks me when judges search really hard to TRY and find that white hair. But I guess you're right, they do need a way to eliminate rabbits on the show table.

And yes, from the stray white hair, white toenail, white spot/snip/blaze aspect of things, showing REW rabbits is much easier. The competition tends to be exponentially greater tho, at least in NZ

 

[curlysue]

Im raising Blue Netherlands if an animal has one white toenail i breed it see if i get more usually no.if it has two or more white toenails i wont use it for breeding.

 

[Anntann]

I'd wondered about that...a single mismatch/white toenail could easily be from an injury early in life. More than one on bunny is probably genetics at work. So far, my litters have had dark nails on everyone. With the white doe bred to the blue buck I'm nervous about what's going to show up. If nothing else, they'll be BIG.