Ramblings of a Madwoman: Rex genes

[dfr1973]

If it wasn't for our climate difference, I'd send you a pair just to make sure you don't have to mess around.

Whether aimed at me, Sali, or both of us ... that is a wonderfully generous offer!
:bunnyhop:

 

[skysthelimit]

I sent a pair down to NC two years ago. Unfortunately the person dropped off the face of the planet, or I would recommend her. So far I've seen about four people on their way to FL on the Rabbit Relay page, I will keep tracking their plans. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:23 am __________ <br /><br /> Being completely ignorant of distance, there is a show soon in Panama City that should have few Rex breeders.

 

[dfr1973]

I sent a pair down to NC two years ago. Unfortunately the person dropped off the face of the planet, or I would recommend her. So far I've seen about four people on their way to FL on the Rabbit Relay page, I will keep tracking their plans.

__________ Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:23 am __________

Being completely ignorant of distance, there is a show soon in Panama City that should have few Rex breeders.

Rabbit relay page? Or is that on FB? I am not on FB. Panama City is more towards the panhandle, whereas I am about an hour inland from the Atlantic.

Being somewhat (ok, a lot) new to rabbits in general and Rexes specifically, how hard are self-blues to find? Breed? I just adore that color bestest.

 

[Deer Heart]

no mini rex uses the dwarf gene or again I have to go to my "all dwarf genes may not be created equal" because I never saw a peanut from a MR or heard anyone talk of any.

Back when I bred MR, I would get a peanut every now and then from my MR and these were not super small does either (they were brood doe sized). Their pedigree was from show lines and the does were all bred to a grand champion buck... so yes, peanuts in MR are very much out there. This buck was not mine, but he was used pretty regularly in show breedings as well.

As for offers of deliveries - yes please! Pensacola is very very far for me, 6 hrs driving far. Florida is huge and long.

 

[Ramjet]

Being somewhat (ok, a lot) new to rabbits in general and Rexes specifically, how hard are self-blues to find? Breed? I just adore that color bestest.

I've got a few blues .... but had to coax them out of other colors (black , lilac , chocolate) ..... but unless you can arrange transport , I'm too far away to do you any good.

As to their rarity , I only know of one other breeder in Texas that might have blues ... every other breeder I've come across has brokens , cali marked or rex furred rabbits of questionable origin.

It took me two years to locate my original trio .... and the person I got them from had shipped them in from California , Wisconsin & Iowa.

 

[dfr1973]

I've got a few blues .... but had to coax them out of other colors (black , lilac , chocolate) ..... but unless you can arrange transport , I'm too far away to do you any good.

As to their rarity , I only know of one other breeder in Texas that might have blues ... every other breeder I've come across has brokens , cali marked or rex furred rabbits of questionable origin.

It took me two years to locate my original trio .... and the person I got them from had shipped them in from California , Wisconsin & Iowa.

We could both live in Texas, and still be too far to do any good! :lol:

In all honesty, I could probably be quite content with rex furred blue rabbits "of questionable origin" as long as they bred true for both the blue and the nice coat. These will be mainly for us here, although I am certainly not adverse to the idea of corrupting the youth .... errr, donating to an enthusiastic 4Her or FFAer for the county fair.

 

[Deer Heart]

I also feel there may be a bit of confusion for what I am after. I'm looking for meat with rex fur pelts for my personal use. I am NOT looking for anything to show and especially not sell to anyone alive. Most of these genes will never leave my farm. I'd prefer proper standard rex as I imagine there'd be a lot more consistency in the pelts if I sell their pelts off unmodified (not made into dolls) but if that's not available I'm wondering about making due. I'm all for paying for delivery, but we're talking basically Ocala shows only as that is the closest I can reach.

 

[Ramjet]

We could both live in Texas, and still be too far to do any good! :lol:

In all honesty, I could probably be quite content with rex furred blue rabbits "of questionable origin" as long as they bred true for both the blue and the nice coat. These will be mainly for us here, although I am certainly not adverse to the idea of corrupting the youth .... errr, donating to an enthusiastic 4Her or FFAer for the county fair.

I really don't like the thought of that .... What you end up with is someone selling Rex coated mutts and calling them Rex rabbits ... even if you don't.

I also feel there may be a bit of confusion for what I am after. I'm looking for meat with rex fur pelts for my personal use. I am NOT looking for anything to show and especially not sell to anyone alive. Most of these genes will never leave my farm. I'd prefer proper standard rex as I imagine there'd be a lot more consistency in the pelts if I sell their pelts off unmodified (not made into dolls) but if that's not available I'm wondering about making due. I'm all for paying for delivery, but we're talking basically Ocala shows only as that is the closest I can reach.

5 stars to the bold .... if you don't find the pure standards you want.

 

[Deer Heart]

I also feel there may be a bit of confusion for what I am after. I'm looking for meat with rex fur pelts for my personal use. I am NOT looking for anything to show and especially not sell to anyone alive. Most of these genes will never leave my farm. I'd prefer proper standard rex as I imagine there'd be a lot more consistency in the pelts if I sell their pelts off unmodified (not made into dolls) but if that's not available I'm wondering about making due. I'm all for paying for delivery, but we're talking basically Ocala shows only as that is the closest I can reach.

5 stars to the bold .... if you don't find the pure standards you want.

Haha yes, I feel like a lot of these posts felt like people thought I was trying to recreate a standard rex and sell it/show it as a standard rex. No. I just want to make blankets and stuffed animals(which rex type fur works better for as normal rabbit fur tends to need to be shaved for stuffed animals) with the leftovers from edible rabbits. So the only thing with "rex fur" people would get from me would be inanimate objects. I might sell non rex furred babies but purely as meat mutts and clearly labeled as meat mutts. But even that's not likely unless I somehow got 100% overwhelmed. Meat mutts in this market go for $5. I could make the meat stretch beyond what $5 would buy. :lol:

 

[dfr1973]

I really don't like the thought of that .... What you end up with is someone selling Rex coated mutts and calling them Rex rabbits ... even if you don't.

That thought had not occurred to me. Hmm ...

Like Sali, I am mostly interested in meat and fur. It's just difficult for me to resist the idea of helping out an enthusiastic youngster, as really no one encouraged me in my youth (yet the enthusiasm definitely persists to this day).

 

[Ramjet]

I really don't like the thought of that .... What you end up with is someone selling Rex coated mutts and calling them Rex rabbits ... even if you don't.

That thought had not occurred to me. Hmm ...

Like Sali, I am mostly interested in meat and fur. It's just difficult for me to resist the idea of helping out an enthusiastic youngster, as really no one encouraged me in my youth (yet the enthusiasm definitely persists to this day).

If you give that youngster a rex coated mutt for 4h purposes .... what are they going to show it as ?

Its Not a rex .... there is a lot more to the breed than just its fur tho fur is the major contributing factor. Body type , head shape , ears & dew lap all factor in.

I've dabbled in rex crosses (xNZ & xAltex) in the past and all are terminal from day one ..... sure they have rexxed fur but otherwise look nothing like a rex rabbit - selling or showing them as such would be unethical in my opinion.

 

[Zass]

Like Sali, I am mostly interested in meat and fur. It's just difficult for me to resist the idea of helping out an enthusiastic youngster, as really no one encouraged me in my youth (yet the enthusiasm definitely persists to this day).

IMO, if you want to help out some youngsters, take some time and source quality rex, keep careful track of weights and pedigrees, and donate a few of those.

 

[Ramjet]

Like Sali, I am mostly interested in meat and fur. It's just difficult for me to resist the idea of helping out an enthusiastic youngster, as really no one encouraged me in my youth (yet the enthusiasm definitely persists to this day).

IMO, if you want to help out some youngsters, take some time and source quality rex, keep careful track of weights and pedigrees, and donate a few of those.

As I've stated before , it took me a full two years to locate my starter trio of Rex .... prior to that I had mutts (NZB x Altex). I can definitely understand the frustration of finding quality Rex .... but the end result was well worth the wait & effort.

I really appreciate OAF doing all the leg work bringing in stock from all over the country .... and knowing that my stock originated from reputable , ethical breeders.

 

[dfr1973]

If you give that youngster a rex coated mutt for 4h purposes .... what are they going to show it as ?

A mix. Our county allows that - I have seen it in chickens and rabbits. I would be completely upfront about my stock: while the kits may look like one, the parents may (or may not) look like one, the fact will remain these are not pedigreed and have the possibility/likelihood of being mixes. The idea of committing fraud regarding the rabbits is a foreign concept to me, but I suppose I could take this as an oblique warning to be on the lookout for it before buying.

 

[Ramjet]

If you give that youngster a rex coated mutt for 4h purposes .... what are they going to show it as ?

A mix. Our county allows that - I have seen it in chickens and rabbits. I would be completely upfront about my stock: while the kits may look like one, the parents may (or may not) look like one, the fact will remain these are not pedigreed and have the possibility/likelihood of being mixes. The idea of committing fraud regarding the rabbits is a foreign concept to me, but I suppose I could take this as an oblique warning to be on the lookout for it before buying.

Absolutely take it as a warning prior to purchasing potential stock .... A pedigree is only as good as the ethics and record keeping of the breeder who creates it. They could literally write anything on it ... there is no governing body like with dogs , cats or other critters.

Many other breeds have the same issues , Flemish Giants are another breed notorious for being genetic junk .... Try to find the real thing .... 90% of what you will come across are mutts. Some will be smaller than they should , others will be colors they shouldn't .... I have a friend who bred what was suppose to be a pure pedigreed FG , that she paid a very tidy sum for , to her Rex buck .... and came out with Rex furred kits. For that to happen that rabbit had to carry the Rex gene meaning it couldn't be a pure FG.


I actually had a breeder shaft me on a dog , my wife's Maltese .... The breeder had one AKC registered female and several other females that weren't ... and would register those "others" litters as if the AKC registered female had produced them .... Somehow she got caught and lost the ability to use the AKC for life .... But I took a hit too in that my dogs future litters cant be registered and at $1800-$2400 a pup ... that hurt.

It may seem kind of silly , its just a rabbit .... but where $ is concerned , people throw their ethics out the window and its the buyer (or someone down the line) who pays for it.