Trying to get the sable and california color in standard Rex

[skysthelimit]

I'm still trying to get the sable or California color in Standard Rexes. I've contacted people from coast to coast. There are very few Rex breeders this side of the States, and I'm not sure how many there really are altogether, but very few are breeding anything other than white, black, blue and broken. Castor, Chin, Sable, Opal and Cal are hard to find, with Sable and Cal being nearly impossible. Is there any other breed or that I can get these colors from? And if so, how do I keep the colors until I have a three gen. Rex pedigree again?

 

[Random Rabbit]

I'm still trying to get the sable or California color in Standard Rexes. I've contacted people from coast to coast. There are very few Rex breeders this side of the States, and I'm not sure how many there really are altogether, but very few are breeding anything other than white, black, blue and broken. Castor, Chin, Sable, Opal and Cal are hard to find, with Sable and Cal being nearly impossible. Is there any other breed or that I can get these colors from? And if so, how do I keep the colors until I have a three gen. Rex pedigree again?

Here is a link to the National Rex Club... They have a breeder listing, and at least one lists Sable. I would think that they also could help You locate some other breeders of the colors You are looking for..

http://nationalrexrc.org/

 

[akane]

If true light chin exists, not just lighter chins but chins light enough to be a different gene, then that is the sable gene. It just has an agouti gene on it. If you breed those to self colored rabbits and get rid of the agouti gene you get seals and then would need a lower C locus gene (himi/cali or rew) to get the sables.

 

[skysthelimit]

I'm still trying to get the sable or California color in Standard Rexes. I've contacted people from coast to coast. There are very few Rex breeders this side of the States, and I'm not sure how many there really are altogether, but very few are breeding anything other than white, black, blue and broken. Castor, Chin, Sable, Opal and Cal are hard to find, with Sable and Cal being nearly impossible. Is there any other breed or that I can get these colors from? And if so, how do I keep the colors until I have a three gen. Rex pedigree again?

Here is a link to the National Rex Club... They have a breeder listing, and at least one lists Sable. I would think that they also could help You locate some other breeders of the colors You are looking for..

http://nationalrexrc.org/

Already tried that. Many people do not respond to the emails, either they don't work or they don't respond. The few that have don't have anything, or are no longer breeding. I asked several breeders at the Rex show, and they were discussing how rare it is to find any Cals, no one hardly breeds them anymore.<br /><br />__________ Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:22 pm __________<br /><br />

If true light chin exists, not just lighter chins but chins light enough to be a different gene, then that is the sable gene. It just has an agouti gene on it. If you breed those to self colored rabbits and get rid of the agouti gene you get seals and then would need a lower C locus gene (himi/cali or rew) to get the sables.

And that is the hard part. I am a member of the clubs, so naturally I looked there first. I cannot find anyone by website or word of mouth that has any Cals. I will try at the next few shows, then I want to set about trying to bring the color in by using another breed, which will be complicated at best.

 

[akane]

Since the body type is the same I would think bringing in a cal would be fairly straight forward. There'd be little to cull for since both are judged by the same or nearly the same body type. You'd just have to set the coat back in there with dense enough quality and watch the size. It might improve the production qualities of the rex while you are at it and once you get the rex coat back there are no surprises. Rex is recessive so you won't get non rex down the line or anything. Most cals are plain black himi with no surprises except maybe the odd blue either. You could claim purebred relatively early with no worries of anyone getting anything else but a rex coated rabbit of an acceptable color.

 

[JessicaR]

There is a breeder in Findlay Ohio that breeds himi colored mini rexes, could you maybe breed a larger mini to a standared to introduce the color?

 

[curlysue]

The only trouble i see with using mini rex is getting the dwarf gene which you dont want.i think the larger ones shouldnt have it.

 

[skysthelimit]

There is a breeder in Findlay Ohio that breeds himi colored mini rexes, could you maybe breed a larger mini to a standared to introduce the color?

I thought about that, but was very worried the dwarf gene would be hard to breed out, and I would get buns that wouldn't make senior weight.<br /><br />__________ Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:38 am __________<br /><br />

Since the body type is the same I would think bringing in a cal would be fairly straight forward. There'd be little to cull for since both are judged by the same or nearly the same body type. You'd just have to set the coat back in there with dense enough quality and watch the size. It might improve the production qualities of the rex while you are at it and once you get the rex coat back there are no surprises. Rex is recessive so you won't get non rex down the line or anything. Most cals are plain black himi with no surprises except maybe the odd blue either. You could claim purebred relatively early with no worries of anyone getting anything else but a rex coated rabbit of an acceptable color.

Sounds like a plan. Now to find a Cal breeder in NE Ohio. I'm thinking maybe a doe, since I have a chin buck that might have the chl gene, his sire had it.

 

[akane]

There are multiple dwarf genes so it will take awhile to get them all out and have all rabbits making weight. It's not a simple there or not there gene like the rex coat or himi gene. It's a combination of things we don't understand that make the various sizes and sometimes peanuts. That makes it impossible to know exactly how many generations it would take to stop getting smaller rabbits.

 

[JessicaR]

There is a breeder in Findlay Ohio that breeds himi colored mini rexes, could you maybe breed a larger mini to a standared to introduce the color?

I thought about that, but was very worried the dwarf gene would be hard to breed out, and I would get buns that wouldn't make senior weight.

__________ Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:38 am __________

Since the body type is the same I would think bringing in a cal would be fairly straight forward. There'd be little to cull for since both are judged by the same or nearly the same body type. You'd just have to set the coat back in there with dense enough quality and watch the size. It might improve the production qualities of the rex while you are at it and once you get the rex coat back there are no surprises. Rex is recessive so you won't get non rex down the line or anything. Most cals are plain black himi with no surprises except maybe the odd blue either. You could claim purebred relatively early with no worries of anyone getting anything else but a rex coated rabbit of an acceptable color.

Sounds like a plan. Now to find a Cal breeder in NE Ohio. I'm thinking maybe a doe, since I have a chin buck that might have the chl gene, his sire had it.

It was just a thought Oh well good luck finding a breeder.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Breeding a Mini Rex to a Rex would only be a possibility of 25% dwarf. Thats a lot easier to deal with than trying to get the Rex coat back. If one lucked out and found an actual non dwarf mini rex, then getting the size up should be even easier. Peanuts are the result of two dwarf genes. Actual "dwarf" rabbits have not only a smaller stature but also the tiny ears. There are many Mini Rex about that obviously don't have a dwarf gene even though they are "smaller" than a Standard. Just check out the ears... Look at it this way if one can breed a whole new breed of "Mini Rex" out of the Standard Rex then I think it should be just as possible to breed them back the other way!

 

[akane]

Peanuts are the result of two dwarf genes

Personally I do not think it is that simple. Having bred small rabbits to big rabbits in various sizes and made various sizes I do not think we have 2 dwarf genes. I don't think we even have 4 dwarf genes. I think there are many with modifiers that can make various sizes with some being more likely to create peanuts from even moderate or beyond SOP size rabbits while another pair of smaller rabbits do not produce many or any peanuts. It is not so predictable. I don't think breeding it out would be so predictable either. My 3rd generation bred to large rabbits still come out the same size as my first generation which is 2-4lbs lighter than the large breed used despite only breeding to 10-13lb rabbits besides the first generation cross.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

The dwarf gene can be randomly present in any rabbit regardless of breed. It was the way all the dwarf breeds were created in the first place, the dwarf gene started as a random mutation much like the Max Factor and the Rex and Lion Head coats did.The incidences of peanuts is actually the luck of the draw "for EACH kit" same as with any inherited characteristic. There is a big difference between having a dwarf gene and having small stature. Sometimes its not always so easy to tell what is what from just looking at size. I also don't think its that simple either, however, its also a fact that Mini Rex were created out of two smaller Rex to begin with so the odds that the dwarf gene is already randomly present in the Rex population is pretty high anyways. I am just saying that its a lot easier to go to the Mini Rex than introduce a whole new breed and then have to work back into correct body type, nevermind fur type(which is a biggy on the table)The odd undersized kit can be sent to FC, the peanuts don't even live anyways so its no big deal as its a self limiting trait to begin with. The big difference is Mini Rex breeders will breed the smaller dwarf-type and cull the big eared type and the Standard Rex breeder just does the opposite!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Try Tara Keener, Cottin Pickin Rabbitry in Florida. Also, www.dollyrockfarm.com in WI

 

[skysthelimit]

Try Tara Keener, Cottin Pickin Rabbitry in Florida. Also, http://www.dollyrockfarm.com in WI

I have no way to get a rabbit from Florida or WI to Ohio, and that is half the problem, or by the time I got it here, it would be so expensive.<br /><br />__________ Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:16 pm __________<br /><br />

Peanuts are the result of two dwarf genes

Personally I do not think it is that simple. Having bred small rabbits to big rabbits in various sizes and made various sizes I do not think we have 2 dwarf genes. I don't think we even have 4 dwarf genes. I think there are many with modifiers that can make various sizes with some being more likely to create peanuts from even moderate or beyond SOP size rabbits while another pair of smaller rabbits do not produce many or any peanuts. It is not so predictable. I don't think breeding it out would be so predictable either. My 3rd generation bred to large rabbits still come out the same size as my first generation which is 2-4lbs lighter than the large breed used despite only breeding to 10-13lb rabbits besides the first generation cross.

From my understanding, the sable gene came from trying to get a rex coat on an American sable, and there are American sable breeders in my area. I don't worry getting the coat back as much as I do size and body, I already have a line that throws prominent guard hairs, so I have a very nice REW buck that has fur more like a satin than a Rex, but his body and quick growth pattern is too nice to cull. Using him is going to require crossing, and crossing again, culling and culling...

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Sure you can, I got my Rex from Dolly Rock and I live in Texas. You just have to be able to arrange some transport. There is a FB group called Rabbit Relay that you might be able to find some transport on.

 

[skysthelimit]

Sure you can, I got my Rex from Dolly Rock and I live in Texas. You just have to be able to arrange some transport. There is a FB group called Rabbit Relay that you might be able to find some transport on.

I belong to that group. I did try that. I haven't been able to get anyone to come as far as Ohio.

Besides there are no sables at Dolly Rock.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Where in Ohio? Maybe we can get something arranged between us RT folks to get one to you if you find one...

 

[skysthelimit]

Where in Ohio? Maybe we can get something arranged between us RT folks to get one to you if you find one...

I am in NE Ohio, right on the lake. The first part would be finding them, I only know one person who even has them in this country, and that is Marsha (sp) Adams in WI. She has not responded to emails, and may not be breeding them anymore. The club site also has a list for a rabbitry in MI, but I haven't received an answer. The TNT website doesn't work. There is someone with Cals in Kentucky, and they haven't responded to email either.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Check with Amanda at DollyRock Farm...I am pretty sure she has a breeding pair. She is lonelyfarmgirl here and on Homesteading Today.