My Mini Lops (pics) feedback?

[rittert3]

This is my first litter of mini lops at 12 days with pics of the parents too. She had 8 but lost 3 at 3 and 4 days old, they came out of the box with her and froze. Please give me some feed back.

Buck

Doe

Buck kits

Doe Kits

The Runt (Doe)

If you're wondering, I sexed them using the method shown in a thread around the time they were born (Sexing newborn kits). I also have a youtube channel for the rabbits and birds under user name rittert32005, if you are interested in seeing the rest of my rabbits/ animals and my set up. Please leave me some feed back, thanks. ETA the does littermate sister is due this weekend to the same buck, the does are almost identical.

 

[curlysue]

Adorable!

 

[Peach]

Nice healthy kits what's the color of your doe? Pretty

 

[rittert3]

I have no idea,some variation of frosted. I will get pics of her sister at some point too. That one is red frosted but not to the extent of this one. Her pointing is still grey but not as dark but she has a little better type than this one. If it wasn't for their color I would not have bought them. They came from an auction and are not pedigreed my other doe and my buck are but I don't have the papers yet. I also bid on a dark siamese sable doe from the same breeder but didn't get it. I really want to have more rabbits but I've been told I can't have any more where they are now.

 

[SatinsRule]

The doe looks almost like she has some sort of Chinchilla color in her background.

Looks to me like you have something to work with there, but it's kind of hard to tell. I do like the big, bold heads you have on the buck and doe, but pay particular attention to their eye colors and toenail colorations.

 

[rittert3]

the does head is actually really narrow, her sis's is a little better. The buck was a 1 1/2 yo cull out of a top show herd, the doe from that herd isn't performing well and lost all her condition when she lost a litter. I bought the 2 "frosted" does because the my other doe is related to a granded smoke pearl buck that they have priced at $400.

 

[SatinsRule]

Ritter, one thing you can just about guarantee yourself of is that when a doe loses her prime conditioning after a litter, she will never get back to where she was. She'll likely get some of the conditioning back, but she will most likely never be the same. I know it's always been true with my rabbits.

I just ain't seeing the narrow head, but they're your rabbits and I'll take your word for it. Might just be the angle she's got her head turned in the pic.

 

[rittert3]

Satins, it is the angle. that doe dosn't have the massive blocky head like my buck (and actually my buck fell short for the breeders standards of head size) her head is long and narrow for a mini lop. Her sisters isn't as much and dose have more of the blocky shape. BTW her sister had a litter lastnight/ this morning... 7 live 3 still born, hopefully I don't lose any of those. I will take some pics of them in a few days when they get some fur.

__________ Sun May 06, 2012 1:05 pm __________

And a pic of THAT doe (I will try to get a better shot of the first doe too)

 

[Peach]

Well I really do like your buck. Even if he fell short for the top breeder's program, doesn't mean he isn't that exceptional quality. Breeders will always keep the best for themselves and get rid of the ones that just are a little less nicer. Good to know that you have the genes in that buck that has the potential to make some really nice beginning stock. Post some posed pictures of your foundation stock!

 

[rittert3]

Here you go, Peach and Satins, some more pics of the older rabbits, I still have one more doe to get pics of, will do that later this week.

Louise (dam to the 2wk old litter)

(Notice how her head looks "pinched" just in front of her ears and crown?)

This is Thelma (litter mate to Louise, just kindled last night and was antsy so I only got 1 shot)

Thelma and louise are not pedigreed, I need to figure out how to show that they are litter mates on my pedigrees while I'm developing full pedigree stock. I really hope I can contact "buster" and "babs" breeder for their pedigrees, he disconected his phone and was asking $30 for the pedigrees on top of it :evil: .

Just for fun, I got this 4 mo old pedigree REW NZ Buck the other day with a cage I'm trying to sell him for $15.

I hope you enjoyed the pics, feedback is more than welcome, and I will try to get more up in 3 or 4 days. I look forward to visiting in the mean time .

__________ Mon May 07, 2012 12:56 pm __________

So this is a line breeding question, Thelma and Louise are sisters and were bred to the same buck, can I save a buck from thelma and a doe from louise and breed them to each other?

__________ Wed May 09, 2012 8:51 pm __________

Bump... for peach and satins<br /><br />__________ Thu May 10, 2012 7:09 pm __________<br /><br />Ok this is "babs" the last of my brood stock that you havn't seen.

And heres a pic of Thelma 3-4 day old litter. They kept burrowing in the shavings so it's not a very good pic.

 

[SatinsRule]

Okay, I see it now.

 

[Peach]

I can't tell too much of your rabbits because they need to be posed correctly BUT some really good advice that I received from the breeder I've been learning closely from was.... Set some goals. There are no perfect rabbits. Out of everything of most things to fix,the head is the easiest. It's good to focus on just getting a nice type overall on your rabbits. (Shoulders, straight hind feet, Nice hindquarters...things like that)

My goals right now: Improve hindquarters, shorten & deepen my rabbits. My herd sire lacks in loin and has slightly pinched hindquarters...so I figured those would be a nice place to start and have does that would really compliment his weaknesses.

If you pose correctly you will be able to recognize more things in your rabbits. How do you get a good pose from your rabbits? Practice,practice,practice. I'm not a master, but I am a whole lot better than I used to be. I have one doe in my rabbitry that just won't pose no matter what I do...she just pushes her head under my hand and sprawls out. Flattering that she trust me so much but not when I want to get new pictures on my website! The only person who has really posed her well was her previous owner and of course the judges at the rabbit shows ( they must have some super power). She looks a whole lot better posed up with the judge than what I can manage to put together lol I still practice though. Hopefully one day she will jut pose just long enough for me to catch some nice shots!

I had a liter and practiced everyday from 3 weeks on their posing...now I have a jr.buck that will pose no problem. He is also very friendly and easy to handle. I'm sure judges will appreciate a rabbit like that on the table. I'm sure if two rabbits are tied, the well mannered will probably have a really good chance at being favored by the judge.

Thething I hate that the breeder did for you was not give you a pedigree. I am giving a pedigree with all my rabbits unless there is seriously something (helicopter ears..things like that) which is not desirable. I think that you shouldn't have to build up 4 generations....that will take as long as 2-3 years....

As for your line breeding question.... it isn't something I have tried, but I'm planning to give it a shot. I cull harshly for the best of a liter. My limited amount of cages force me to especially.<br /><br />__________ Fri May 11, 2012 11:02 pm __________<br /><br />http://www.hoppinherdofhares.com/miniloptype.html : How to pose and evaluate type

 

[rittert3]

I wish you were closer my buck has alot by way of your goals and your buck has the head size I need. I'm really not good on eye and need to see more. The good rabbits are the only thing I have by way of showing, no experience at all. Buster and babs breeder charges an extra 30 ea for pedigrees and his phone is disconnected now, he is trying to sell out now that his daughters are in college and has a very good reputation as a breeder but did seem like a jerk. Buster snaps into pose when I touch his face, babs will to when I hold her face and she not in one of her moods, but the other two push my hand out of the way, lift their heads high, and try to wonder off.<br /><br />__________ Sun May 13, 2012 1:25 am __________<br /><br />After browsing over that info thelma and louise both have low set ears and pointed faces. I copied to SOP off your page to use as referance and and I will try to get some better pics this week. I just got some carpet and am working on making a show/ grooming/ whatever table. Looking over it all my rabbits have faults but I think I'd have to spend alot for any better type than my buck has and babs isn't far behind him, if she will produce for me.

 

[ladysown]

colour of the kits - broken black and broken and solid chestnut agouti.

given the colour of the buck and doe that is predominately what you'll get for colours.

if the other frostie is a reddish one, then you might reds.

 

[rittert3]

What is the grey color that I'm getting, ladysown? You are right those are the 3 colors I am getting from both does and about 1/2 are broken. I got all the same colors from both of those does. I'm interested to see what colors my "blue steel" doe will throw, if she will give me a live litter this time. She's due the 27th.

 

[LindseysWoolies]

What is the grey color that I'm getting, ladysown? You are right those are the 3 colors I am getting from both does and about 1/2 are broken. I got all the same colors from both of those does. I'm interested to see what colors my "blue steel" doe will throw, if she will give me a live litter this time. She's due the 27th.

The greyish one is called Opal.

 

[rittert3]

I wasn't sure what it was going to be, I've seen adult opal but thought they might be blue steel like my other doe. I've gotten brokens that color too but lost them. My new borns really like to hold on in the 2nd and 3rd day and get drug out of the box