netherland, mini rex, or cavies?

[akane]

I need to pick a main small breed to concentrate on then cull the others to only what's necessary and I just can't decide.

I have my little group of not so great quality mini rex but they have some potential and I was thinking of bringing in a pair of BEW from someone nearby who brought back her stock from nationals only because she found such good stock. Otherwise she wasn't going to ever touch BEW. She wants $50 each.

or I have 2 very nice netherland bucks who I got cheap due to minor color flaws that may not pass on at all and will only pass on to certain colors. 1 moderate quality doe that turned out so far 1 really nice show quality himi and 2 so so. Then shimo's offspring who are just fun to play with the colors. I could bring in another better quality doe and work on sables and chinchilla with himi as a side effect.

or I plan to get at least 1 pair of show quality pigs and for now the rest are planned to be nothing but meat animals. However I have someone nearby with most of the colors I like and I could find the others easily enough so I could do all show quality pigs and actually show once a year. We had guinea pigs from the time I was born until I went to college and I do really miss wheekers. In fact my little boar I got is being taken care of by the people I bought him from because he developed a respiratory infection and I keep finding myself quite sad he's not here. My husband can't understand putting up with the poop and pee but little boar was last sharing my electric blanket helping me pick which movie to watch. Wheekers are only $20-$30 each for show quality or $10 for pet quality from the nearby person.

For my small critter project I have inside 2 30x36" cages, 1 30x42", and I can make another slightly short 30x36" (it would be the width of 2, 2x4's short to fit under the frame of the other 30x36" cages) plus anything adjusted to the outdoors I have a 24x24 wire floor or 24x48 solid floor cage to use in the stable.

 

[Smith's Rabbits]

I would say that you should choose the one you enjoy the most. I understand how hard it is. I have three breeds of rabbits, wish I only had one, but I can't seem to get rid of any of them. I love all three breeds. My mini lops are my favorites, but I love the color/fur and personality of my mini rex, My satins are my big beautiful bunnies, they are so calm, I couldn't imagine not having them. So instead of having a lot of any one kind I have a few of three different ones and go crazy at shows trying to show three breeds! lol

Good luck in your choice, have to say I tried the guinea pigs and it just wasn't for me, way to loud. I love the quiet of the rabbits.

 

[skysthelimit]

Wish I could help you on that one. My main breed is Rex. My first love. But I've recently began getting emails for pets, and no one wants large rexes, they want dwarfs. So I got the hollands, which I discovered are even harder to get litters out of than even I thought. So with 4 dead litters, I think I want them, gone, though I have a nice buck that already has a leg. Then I got two mini rexes off of CL. I don't think I want more than one breed to show, maybe the hollands, but dwarf breeds have more faults and DQ's than larger breeds. Perhaps I can get my nieces to pick up one of my other breeds.

 

[Peach]

Stick to what you love. Know that one breed will probably have more popularity than the other. I love my Mini Lops even though the amount of people showing them weren't as vast as the Flemish or English lop breeders in GA. This one lady I spoke with at my first show (I was shopping for Mini Lops) told me that the Mini Lops come in and out of style over here. Unfortunately,that might deter someone to get into a breed.(Didn't stop me ) Just find what fits you and understand if the market will be slow with your breed. I've had the same problem that Skysthelimit. I have to explain to people that Mini lops and Holland lops are a different breed when they ask me if I have dwarfs. Although I have SO much information on my website that lets them know the size of the Mini Lop they aren't turning the lightbulb on to read

 

[ladysown]

does it have to be either or?

Can you do your cavies (you know you love 'em) and then some other type of rabbit?

Do you want to be stuck with rabbits that don't sell or do you have an out for them?
if you have a way of managing the culls (or the don't sells) then pick which ever meets your heart fancy the most. IF you don't have a way to manage culls well then pick the one that sells the easiest in your area.

 

[Honorine]

I have to say Mini Rex, because their more useful than Netherlands. You can work on your show stock, eat your false dwarves and vienna carriers, and sell as pets too, Mini Rex are always in demand. I'm at the same crossroads, in August I'll be cutting the herd drasticly- Florida Whites will be going, Standard Chins, Palominos, New Zealands, and the brown Silvers too. Only keeping the best of my BEW Mini Rex and Black and Fawn Silvers. Its hard making the cut.