Snowballs

[Havana]

Hi guys!
I raise Havana rabbits and I have a litter right now that has a few lilacs in it, however, all of them are snowballing. I know it will molt out when they get older, but I can't find any information on why they would get this way. Is it something genetic? Or pure chance?
Thanks! :bunnyhop:

 

[SableSteel]

Supposedly it's genetic, as they tend to show up in specific lines, but I haven't for the life of me managed to figure out what determines it. it's not a simple single gene, we know that much ; ) and it shows up more in dilutes.

 

[WyoWool]

Ditto what SableSteel said.


I only raise Jersey Wooly, and we do get (on regular occasion) snowball babies. I have been unable to pinpoint the cause in my rabbitry as well, but for sure the dilutes carry (or cause it to express) more so than the selfs in my rabbitry. I look forward to hearing more comments on this question, as snowball is an up hill battle I would rather cull from my herd.

Sometimes my bunnies molt it out; sometimes they do not. It’s not bad for fiber as it is rather pretty when incorporated into yarn~ it makes a pretty heathered look. But DQ on the show table.

 

[Havana]

In the rabbits I have had snowball, all of them molted it out, and some ended up with really nice color compared to some other Lilacs I have. Thank you! I'll let you guys know what happens with their coats!

 

[Ferra]

I have a snowballed red french angora. It hasn't molted out on her, and she's about a year and a half old. (but after a molt, she does look more red. Her guard hairs still have color, but her undercoat is whitish).

In her case, when bred to an unrelated buck, I found that it was around one in ten kits who took after her and also snowballed. I had a chocolate snowball kit in one of the two litters she had.