So who do i keep?

[coffeenutdesigns]

WWWWHHHHHYYYYYY do you have to make a decision? Why can't you just keep them a while and see which ones produce the prettiest babies and/or the gentlest dispositions if you are going to pet them out. (I told you I would be no help!)

 

[Andrei]

Just get MORE cages.

 

[Mrsmegary]

WWWWHHHHHYYYYYY do you have to make a decision? Why can't you just keep them a while and see which ones produce the prettiest babies and/or the gentlest dispositions if you are going to pet them out. (I told you I would be no help!)

LOL!
Well, I am keeping them in a colony, (at least for now until i see if that works for them) and im worried about the bucks fighting. If i have to separate the 1 buck from the does that wont be a problem, but keeping 4 guys separate wont really work with my set up. And all the lops that we got are SO sweet and gentle. I hope it is a breed trait!

 

[Marinea]

If I'm not mistaken, mini lops don't get that big. So, if they're going to end up on a plate, you'll have to raise them to adulthood. That means extra money in food, cages to prevent injury and breding, and time. They're not a meat breed I would choose, personally. It also means that the meat would likely have to be slow cooked to be tender, limiting your recipes.

However, they are a great pet rabbit. Getting more popular out this way. If you want to try and breed some for pet sales, you could possibly make enough to pay for their feed. In that case, I would keep one of the bucks (maybe the older one) and two does for a breeding trio. If you have some good looking kits, keep back a buck down the line to replace the one you kept.

The one in the pic you posted is useless. To save you from having to raise it any further, I would reluctantly take it in and give it a home

 

[Miss M]

1. Should not be any stigma since Adam & Eve started human kind thru incest.
2. If one study animal world will see that they have very strict rules to prevent inbreeding. A virgin bee queen will fly farther then the drone just to make sure she does not mate with her half brother.

1. :?
2. There are plenty of animals with no rules. Dogs, cats, rabbits, just to name a few.

The one in the pic you posted is useless. To save you from having to raise it any further, I would reluctantly take it in and give it a home

:lol:

You do not have the proper facilities to care for that buck, Marinea. (I can't think why, but does it matter? ) I will have to care for it myself here. I will suffer for the good of this poor, poor (gorgeous) buck. :mrgreen:

 

[Marinea]

The one in the pic you posted is useless. To save you from having to raise it any further, I would reluctantly take it in and give it a home

:lol:

You do not have the proper facilities to care for that buck, Marinea. (I can't think why, but does it matter? ) I will have to care for it myself here. I will suffer for the good of this poor, poor (gorgeous) buck. :mrgreen:

Hey! I called first dib...I mean, I volunteered to suffer through helping first! Go be nice to someone else!

 

[Andrei]

2. If one study animal world will see that they have very strict rules to prevent inbreeding. A virgin bee queen will fly farther then the drone just to make sure she does not mate with her half brother.

2. There are plenty of animals with no rules. Dogs, cats, rabbits, just to name a few.

A cat or a dog will take their litter far from place of birth and abandon them when time comes. Rabbits are not social creatures and as soon as they can run and care for themselves they spread out.
Natural rules are Stronger then human ones.
Just observe them.

 

[WildWolf]

A cat or a dog will take their litter far from place of birth and abandon them when time comes. Rabbits are not social creatures and as soon as they can run and care for themselves they spread out.

Um, that doesn't happen with the huge number of stray cats in my neighborhood (when we can't catch one, we can't neuter/spay it). And I've never heard any dog breeders tell about how the mom will try to take the babies somewhere else... And rabbits are pretty social- have you seen rabbits in a colony set up?? Sure, they like their space. And they get into fights. But they also establish a hierarchy, and groom each other, and nap next to each other...

There are some things that prevent inbreeding- like how *some* of the pups will run away (not get abandoned) from the wolf pack or the stallion will chase off the colts and (we don't know whether it is on purpose or not) the fillies. But there are no strict rules about it. If it wasn't natural, then why is it so easy to convince animals to inbreed?? usually when things go against an animal's nature, the animal won't do it- just like you said "natural rules are stronger than human ones"

Either way, whether or not inbreeding animals is considered "natural" is rather nit-picky and subjective. No matter what, inbreeding RESPONSIBLY (cull/spay or neuter bad ones, make good matches, figure out your rabbits' recessive traits, have a goal in mind, ect.) leads to better rabbits. Sorry for the long post, but a lot of us inbreed our rabbits, and have very good success.

 

[Andrei]

My arguments were in a Natural environment and not the forced human one.
Yes, I have seen "my" stray cat taking her grown kitty's and come back with none never to see them again.
Yes, I have seen in the wolf pack how they chase away the males at puberty.
I have never seen a rabbit colony in a Natural environment. Our rabbits have no choice.
Line breeding and inbreeding are different from genetic transfer point of view and should not be any confusion.
What we do in our cages and pens is not what is happening in Nature.

 

[WildWolf]

My arguments were in a natural environment as well...
The only argument that was oriented around people was the colony set up. I had a colony set-up on the ground, and it was about as natural as you can get with keeping rabbits. They weren't even that people-friendly. Besides,you're able to observe it in nature too. just google search "wild rabbit social behavior" and you'll get lots of sites saying how they are socially complex and build colonies with hierarchies.
Line breeding and inbreeding are different genetically, but not different when talking about whether or not it is natural!! It is the same concept- mating two related rabbits.
Also, I'd like to point out that your one stray cat did what none of the dozens of stray cats in my neighborhood do. And yes, we can observe them- our neighbors leave food outside for the stray and domesticated cats wandering our neighborhood. Besides, what if your cat's kittens were killed or picked up by a rescuer? There are other factors involved.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have had great success inbreeding and linebreeding my rabbits, and have seen great improvement in their conformation. With a limited gene pool you are able to select for the qualities you want without throwing "wild card" genes into the mix.

All domestic animals and plants have been developed in this way.

There is an enormous difference in size between the wild European rabbits that our domestics are descended from. We also have great variety in structure, size, coat, and color. This would not be possible without extensive inbreeding and linebreeding.

Yes, I have seen "my" stray cat taking her grown kitty's and come back with none never to see them again.

I have had barn cats for 14 years. They are also heavily line and inbred. The kids are always appalled when they see brother/sister father/daughter mother/son breedings, but it happens all of the time. Occasionally stray toms will add their genes.

My cats do not take their kittens away. It is only when they are one to two years old that they might venture outside of our fence line and sometimes fall prey to the local wildlife.

 

[Sinnfox]

ok, I have been thinking this every time I look at the pic...but didn't want to say it. The pictured rabbit almost looks fake...like a toy or a needle felted bunny...I think that's what makes him look so interesting...the is it real? factor of the pic. might be due to the lighting and the shape of his face? either way he looks awesome so if you don't end up keeping him that pic would..(and already does based on some replies) have people stumbling over each other to get him from you I know if my poor husband wouldn't skin me for getting another bunny I'd want him to ..>.> or if you were closer bribe you with cookies or something to take all the pics of my for sale bunnies >.>

 

[Mrsmegary]

ok, I have been thinking this every time I look at the pic...but didn't want to say it. The pictured rabbit almost looks fake...like a toy or a needle felted bunny...I think that's what makes him look so interesting...the is it real? factor of the pic. might be due to the lighting and the shape of his face? either way he looks awesome so if you don't end up keeping him that pic would..(and already does based on some replies) have people stumbling over each other to get him from you I know if my poor husband wouldn't skin me for getting another bunny I'd want him to ..>.> or if you were closer bribe you with cookies or something to take all the pics of my for sale bunnies >.>

Thanks! yea isnt he so cute! Funny thing is before i decided to ask the forum about inbreeding I had posted him and his brother for sale, on FB and craigslist with no takers!
Heres his bro

And a pic of them together

 

[Wyldrose]

Why would no one want them? They are beautiful but then I have a soft spot for lops

I had a badly inbred cat, George, had crooked legs, couldn't meow right, acted more like a dog, loved to give hugs etc (He was one of the best cats ever!) I use to say his Dad was his brother and uncle too

 

[dayna]

Uh, I would so take them!

I just bred a daughter to her father. She created some beautiful babies, and is a fabulous mother.

 

[bowbuild]

I think it is done when one plans to create a champion and maintain/concentrate certain quality of the parents.
But it is not Natural.

That statement is VERY inaccurate. I have been inbreeding for yrs, never a issue. Think about animals in the wild.....if related animals are close they will inbreed, they are not going to ask.....who was your parent?

Bowbuild

 

[WildWolf]

Everyone has said very true things about linebreeding/inbreeding... I'd just like to comment on Wyldrose's comment: If you inbreed irresponsibly, and match up rabbits that have the same bad traits, then you're going to get bad results. But, if you consider the faults of each rabbit, and consider how this ___ will affect that ___ in the offspring, then you will get beautiful rabbits. In the wild, the rabbits with major inbreeding faults get eaten by predators. Also- you'll notice that domestic rabbits are in MUCH better health than wild rabbits... and most people inbreed/linebreed their rabbits.