Talk to me about Standard Rexes please

[lidtfedtkanin]

Hi everyone,

Please talk to me about rexes. I am looking at getting a trio of standard rexes to play with. Is there anything about the breed that are pitfalls? Are rexes pretty healthy over all? I have heard mixed reviews of their personalities what are you thoughts on the matter. Are they less prone to wool block because of their shorter coat?

Thanks!

 

[Ramjet]

None of mine have a sour attitude tho I do have one that absolutely HATES to be picked up , very sociable otherwise. All the others are easily handled by my 8 & 9 year old kids.

Haven't had any issues with wool block , then again I've only had them a few months. They have also handled the Texas heat pretty well.

 

[caroline]

I have standard Rex & I love them. I have never had wool block in any of my animals.

Most of mine have very gentle, even affectionate, temperaments. But then I cull for that. I had a buck who jumped at my hand when I went to take the doe he was breeding out. The second time he did it I butchered him.

Very infrequently I will have an over protective mom, who lunges at me when I reach in to check the kits. If it lasts for more than a few days, I cull her when the kits are weaned. This almost all my rabbits are easy to handle and I enjoy that.

The only pitfalls that I have had is that there are SO MANY beautiful varieties that I have had to expand, and expand and ... well you get the picture. I've tried to limit myself to the brown based varieties, but I just can't resist, opal & blue otter, and chinchilla. I am making my reds, brown based though

 

[skysthelimit]

I am on my way to year 4 of Rex. I have had a lot of problems with temperament. Rex are hard to find, but once I got over that and just started culling anything with a temperament I did not like, that stopped. I will cull 8 week old kits that flail too much when I take them out the cage. I've been handling them since birth, I expect them to be used to me. But this also means they have a lot of personality.

As far as I know, Rex do not get wool block. They don't shed long hairs like the wool breeds. I guess any bun can get it, but they aren't prone to it.

But they are prone to sore hocks. The softer fur and thinner feet are problematic. If you are using them for just meat, try to get ones with wider feet and coarser fur.


Mine have big litters, and are good mothers, but not the best breeders. And I think that has a lot to do with me shifting foods every couple of months. I went to TSC and yet again, there was no MannaPro. I had to get TSC brand, and they only had two bags. A second trip to another TSC across town, and still no MannaPro. With the exception of losing the new buns on the feed shift, I have not lost one of mine any time I changed feeds. That's quite a bit of shifting, so I'd say Rex are pretty hardy.

 

[3mina]

I'm very pleased with my Rex, except for the slower growth rate and some size issues I'm having. Both are conditions easily corrected though, it'll just take a few generations.

My Rex are mostly easy to deal with and the few that aren't don't last long, temperament is a cull point for me. I deal with uncooperative animals all day at work, I don't need attitude from my own critters afterwards.

Buy your animals from a breeder with the same goals as yourself, it will save you a ton of aggravation in the long run. If you want a meat herd, buy from a breeder who also breeds for meat; same for showing.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

I started back up this summer with 3 mini rex. Our's have a sweet
personality. Easy to handle, etc.

Years ago, we had standard rex. My kids used to show them at 4H.

I recently bought a red rex doe with 2 others that I know to be minis.
Not sure of the red's weight yet. She maybe a standard weight. Plan
is to breed her soon to my only rex male. The black and white broken mini.

 

[Peach]

I owned one Rex (for meat) and she was pretty bad lol she wasn't handled ever so I don't blame her.

but my friend,where I had gotten her from, had some others that were sweet depending on how much they where handled. One very much looked like a blob with how she slacked and she was very over weight. They didn't really like handlin them though, so most where pretty crazy.

With litters, from what I noticed, you'd have some be big and beautiful and some that wouldn't cut it with weight. Meeting weight is probably the main problem that I noticed.

 

[lidtfedtkanin]

That is good to know. Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I do think I will move forward with the rex plan I have. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have caught rabbitosis and must expand my herd. My FA just aren't enough any more.

 

[caroline]

I got 2 Rex bucks via convention last year from a Rex breeder in WI
Let me know if you want contact info.

 

[lidtfedtkanin]

Sure could you PM me? I am not sure what the policies are about posting that information on the forum. I have contacted a couple of people but more points of contact is always good in my opinion. Thanks!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

We have Rex. Being in Texas, I had to get them from WI and CA....I love my Rex, nice temperament and of course, so pretty and soft.

 

[lonelyfarmgirl]

Its been my experience that the whites and the chinchilla have the most problems with sore hocks. Dilutes always have density problems with fur, compared to non-dilutes. Castors, whites and blacks will have the best fur overall as a breed, with black otter following a close second.
Castor was the original color. They wont grow as fast as other meat breeds. No wool block problems. Finding good reds anywhere is impossible unless you know the right person to ask (hint hint).
Be careful not to breed the wrong colors to each other or you will have problems.

 

[skysthelimit]

Its been my experience that the whites and the chinchilla have the most problems with sore hocks.

Be careful not to breed the wrong colors to each other or you will have problems.

I am seeing this problem first hand, but since chin only comes in one accepted color, I haven't figured out what to do about it.

 

[Ramjet]

We have Rex. Being in Texas, I had to get them from WI and CA....I love my Rex, nice temperament and of course, so pretty and soft.

Yeah , thanks for doing all that legwork ..... saving me from having to make trips to WI and CA!

 

[lidtfedtkanin]

It is interesting that there seems to only be pockets of rex across the US. I luck out that the upper mid west is one of those pockets.
Those are some cute babies Ramjet!

 

[AprilW]

Glad to see this post as I am interested in getting Rex. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a significant population of Rex in Georgia so I will have to go out of the area for some.