Standard Rex Pedigree Lines

[feraltydreaming]

Good afternoon, everyone.

I was wondering if one can give me a few lines that are known to breed good quality (meat and body type) and/or a few lines that I need to avoid due to poor breeding qualities, poor body type, etc.?

I will be going to get my Standard Rex rabbit soon, and I would rather be advised on what names to look for in the pedigrees instead of just "getting a bunny" as it were.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,
RW

 

[caroline]

My opinion is that you look at the individual rabbits and ask to see relatives. I would talk to the breeder and ask about good and faulty traits in their stock. An ethical breeder will tell you about what they are working on and what they are trying to correct. If the breeder is not trustworthy, you can't trust the paper either.
It doesn't matter what names are on the pedigree. It matters what your individual rabbit carries.
I also don't think that this forum is the place to bad mouth lines of rabbits. I would be surprised if someone posted information about "breeders to avoid" publicly here.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Good advice, Caroline! Just because someone starts with good stock is no guarantee of future quality- without careful assessment of the stock, it is just as easy to breed poor quality animals. My primary reason for showing my rabbits was to learn how to judge their good and bad characteristics so I wont inadvertently ruin the line.

I have carefully avoided mentioning my breeder by name so as not to impugn her reputation, and would hope for the same consideration myself. Due to the sheer numbers involved, there will always be problems encountered in any operation, and people tend to spread the "bad news" while remaining silent about the good. Additionally, in any competitive sport, there are those that will belittle others to make themselves appear superior.

I imagine ARBA lists the top winning animals in their show results, so that may be a good place to start your search.

 

[feraltydreaming]

My apologies if I worded my last post in a way that made it seem as if I was trying to "bad-mouth" specific breeders, Caroline; such was not my intentions. Instead, I was simply requesting information regarding commonly known breeders of Rex that I would do better to consider or avoid based on what I was and was not looking for. If, for example, a particular breeder was heavily on a rabbit's pedigree that bred for a particular fur type (Astrex, for example) that I am not looking fur right now (I might actually need that in the future), then that would be a rabbit that I might not want to consider right now. The same would go for a breeder that was breeding only for body type but was not breeding for temperament (some breeders do not breed for temperament in all cases...not a bad thing just something that I would like to start with).

I will definitely talk to the person that I am getting the rabbit from. As I said, however, I like to know what I am seeing when it comes to a pedigree. Those of you who have far more experience with Standard Rex and rabbits in general than I do have the benefit of looking at a pedigree and knowing more so of what you are getting (overall), hence my question.

I apologize once again for it seeming as if I was bad-mouthing. Thank you for bringing such to my attention so that I could explain my intentions further.

Respectfully,
RW<br /><br />__________ Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:25 pm __________<br /><br />Thank you for that advice, MamaSheepdog.

Respectfully,
RW

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Good luck! I am so new to this myself that I have no idea who has the best lines. As you say, different breeders emphasize certain qualities while ignoring others. You are approaching acquisition of your stock in a very intelligent manner- knowing what you are looking for in advance will make your ultimate decision so much easier!

You mention getting your standard Rex singular... perhaps I misunderstood, but I would recommend getting at least a trio so you can maintain a line or better yet two of pure Rex to pull into your experimental program. That will also insure that if you lose your original animal you wont have the delay of finding a replacement. Also, as you already suspect, some breeders will be horrified by your plan to crossbreed, and may be unwilling to part with good quality stock. If they know you will still be continuing a purebred line they may be more accepting of your project.

 

[Honorine]

Go to the National Rex clubs website and see if you can access their points list. Whoever is highest on those lists is actively showing and placing well on a regular basis. That will answer your question as to whom to try and get stock from, or whose lines to look for. As your in Florida, and asking about Standards I can't help you, if you wanted Mini Rex and was in the NE I could suggest a lot of people, based on what color you wanted. Of course what the points system can't tell you is if the breeder is an honest upright person, and many breeders will not bash other breeders even if its deserved. I won't, not in public, although I will warn my 4H parents off of certain breeders. Rex tend to have good temperaments, its New Zealands and Satins that you have to worry about having a 'commercial' temperament.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Of course the higher on the "points" list the higher the price of the rabbit.. its all relative. Also the points list is just a straight up list, it does not make allowances for how many show rabbits a breeders is showing, or how many shows that breeder attends in a season. One must look at the number of shows attended in order to get a better view of why they have the number of points they do. Another thing to consider is the compatibility of the breeding stock you put together, two great rabbits won't necessarily produce greater rabbits if their lines don't mesh. Attending shows and watching what wins on the table is the best thing to do. See what makes a good Rex, and make your decision from there with what appeals to you! You will be creating your own lines and what name is on a pedigree isn't necessarily going to guarantee instant success! I will however say I have yet to meet or hear ANY breeder say they don't care about temperament!!

 

[Honorine]

Heh heh, too true, big names means big bucks, it does go hand in hand. Starting with the best stock possible though is always good advice, even if it is expensive. When I first got into Mini Rex my first ones were Kings lines, and it paid off, those original rabbits are behind my BEW's and moved my breeding program forward faster than I could have built it on my own with lesser rabbits. There's no shame in building on top of someone esle's success, always get the best stock you possibly can, it may save you years. Lauren brought up an important point, good rabbits not meshing well, I always suggest getting linebred stock from a good breeder, in rabbits being linebred is a good thing, if its been done properly. I wish we had some Florida forumers who could point the Op towards some good local breeders.

 

[feraltydreaming]

Well, my visit today left me without a rabbit but that is a positive thing in this case. I will be attending the Perry, GA show on February 18th. So, if anyone will be there who sells Standard Rex, please let me know. I would be glad to consider stock (high-quality brood stock at the very least) of a few different colors (lynx, amber, and chocolate), but my preference is red. Feel free to send me a message on RT.

I will not be interested in showing the offspring of this cross, but show stock will be just as highly considered *smiles*.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice, everyone.

Respectfully,
RW

 

[lonelyfarmgirl]

Dennis Roloff, north-central wisconsin

The Olsons (somethin' jumpin' rabbitry), Central Indiana

Chance Brewer, Southern Indiana

Me, East-central wisconsin

these are all people I know personally, and they all have excellent stock. There are others, of course, and I don;t know any names your direction. Get on the National Rex Rabbit Club site and look at the show points totals, as others have said.
However, do discount someone low or not on the list. People who are high on the list show ALOT. There are plenty of people out there that have outstanding stock that don;t show very much.

Secondly, the best thing you can do is learn the breed standard so you know what you are looking at, or take someone with you who does when you buy. It would also help to know what variety you want. Most rex people only raise a few varieties.