New to Belgian Hares

[DoberSphynxT's]

Hi everyone, I am venturing into the world of rabbits and just had a few questions about this lovely breed.
I have fostered rabbits before so I am not a complete novice but I am thinking about getting a pet Belgian Hare to start with and then eventually venture out into breeding for show when I get to know the breed better. My interest in breeding honestly stems from first adoring the breed and originally wanting simply a pet then finding out they were a bit rare. I would love to help this breed maintain a healthy breeding population (not to mention I love genetics and how that plays into breeding).
So a bit of background:
I love leggy, athletic, active, intelligent critters so I feel that the Belgian is right up my alley.
I currently have an awesome red and tan doberman (I love brown coat colors)and I will probably be getting a new one in 3-4 years from Europe as I want to get a great working dog but I won't be doing any shows but hopefully will use him for search & rescue (and perhaps schutzhund). I have a show quality sphynx and am starting to get involved in showing. I have found I really enjoy cat shows and showing my critters but breeding cats is just not up my alley.
I have however been eying Belgians for 3 years now and have come to adore them. However, they are so darn hard to find. This year, I finally talked to the breeder who comes every year to our state fair and told her what I want to do. She has extra does right now that will meet the freezer soon if no one buys (understandable but I need to make a decision soon since that is the case).
I can either get one now or wait till she breeds again in April. However, I may be moving to FL this spring and considering how hard it was to find a breeder up here, I worry about trying my luck in FL without a mentor to get me started. I just want a pet for right now but will be seriously considering breeding them in the future (if all goes well). So let me know what you guys think on that front. If I get one now, it will be a spur of the moment kind of thing and my life is chaotic until about mid December. I have to let her know very soon though.

My other question is: why aren't the black and tans accepted? I love the reds but the black and tans are gorgeous. The breeder I'm in contact with only has reds (to the best of my knowledge) and I honestly don't see why breeders here would keep black and tans anyway since they can't show them. If I breed, I want to show so that limits me to the one color. However, I would love to be able to have both if the was a good reason for it (perhaps popular as pets?). If that is a possibility, where would I find them. I've had a horrible time even finding Belgian breeders as it is; so finding breeders (preferably on this side of the country) with black and tans might be more difficult. Any thoughts/pointers on this would be appreciated.

I will note that I am a novice in this so I have a lot of questions. I hope to get a lot of help from this breeder but it is also nice to have additional sources. I fully plan on doing my research and getting to know the breed and proper breeding practice, etc. before I undertake breeding.

On another note, I also foster a variety of animals and usually handle animals with behavioral issues or special needs. I'm also a tarantula hobbyist and will be starting up a breeding program with T's soon. So I'm quite adept at handling/caring for a menagerie of critters.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Zass]

I'd recommend nabbing the best of hers for a pet if your sure your allowed to have one where your moving to. If you get into them later, it will save you a potentially LONG trip for an unrelated doe.

Of course that's the perspective of someone recently diagnosed with Rabbitosis Acquiritis, my opinion might be biased...

 

[DoberSphynxT's]

Took your advice. Going to go pick out my doe tomorrow
So excited!
Still would like to know about black and tan color though......

 

[Zab]

Show it! Pictures! We all need pictures

I love the looks of belgian hares and recently started concider to get one for my meatmutts (they're heavier than my current base-stock anyhow) and sooo pretty. Plus, I'd love to watch them hop around in the colony and show off their prettyness. I've heard they may be a bit unhappy about being held and cuddled, but I don't really mind that. (Maybe they're more tame across the pond, I wouldn't know)

I can't help you about the tan.. as far as I know it's an accepted colour in Sweden, where I live. But I'm not into the showing world so I could be wrong.

 

[tailwagging]

Took your advice. Going to go pick out my doe tomorrow
So excited!
Still would like to know about black and tan color though......

I have been told that some breeders are working with it but that is all i know.

:congratulations:
one day i will have BH.

 

[Peach]

The Tans are being worked on but the breed itself is very tricky.

We have 2 breeders in Georgia and one was selling them knowing sick/came from a parents and sold most of them off at convention. So warning from anything coming from this way!

I know someone that has a buck here that's healthy for sale and he's beautiful. I

Also, email Jamie Green the ARBA judge in GA. He has a lot of knowledge of the breed but I'm not sure if he still raises them.

The downside to this breed is that they are VERY difficult to get litters from, so getting good one might be hard to come by because some people are keeping alive whatever they can even the ones that come down with snuffles. Not all but some. Some people are even outcrossing to checkered giants to expand the gene pool.

It is a beautiful breed but not without it's difficulties. I think the breed requires a lot of commitment and focus.

I know several people that have had the breed for years and couldn't get babies :/

 

[DoberSphynxT's]

I will post pics as soon as I get her later today
Like I mentioned, I've been eying them for 3 years now but it will definitely be a change. I've mostly fostered New Zealand's up until this point (and actually have adored them over the few others I've had).
Though not a novice when it comes to high maintenance critters since I am a tarantula hobbyist and I have a show sphynx (love her to death but she sure keeps me on my toes).
I've heard all that about the Belgian's which is why it has been so hard to find a breeder. Everyone I have contacted has gotten out of showing/breeding at all. Thus my plan to get to know the breed first Who knows, I tend to handle the animals with behavioral issues and have become the go to person for rehabbing certain animals before adopting them out, so maybe I can get into their heads, lol
I am also a zoology major with an emphasis on conservation and animal behavior so maybe that will help.
We will see though as I am definitely a novice. If all else fails, at least I still have a gorgeous Belgian Hare as a pet.
I will keep in mind the possibility of poor breedings/sick ones. Thanks for letting me know. I will check out the ARBA website for the judges contact info and shoot him an email when I get closer to breeding.
Off hands is cool with me as rabbit and cat fur do make me itchy for some reason (not allergic though) hence my hairless cat (get all the cuddling I need from her). Although, strangely enough, the New Zealands never made me itchy. I could put them right up to my face and everything. To be fair though, they could have been mixes of some kind but New Zealand was my best educated guess.
In any case, I am just hoping they are as intelligent as everyone says they are. I like smart critters hence my sphynx and doberman. I am hoping at some point the Tans are more common but I guess the breed overall definitely needs some work first.
Well I'll let ya'll know soon! I haven't told my family yet but I don't feel guilty since my b-day is tomorrow! Although I have a feeling they will be more peeved about the new Tarantula I am getting this weekend