A breeding question

[TinysMom]

I have a question about breeding and genes,etc. However, I'm asking this ONLY because I'm curious - Idon't plan to breed.

When I bought my two lionheads, I knew that they were pet quality dueto white toes or white mittens, etc. That's fine with me - Iget a fun pet for a lot less money....and I understand that they aren'tshow quality.

However, couldn't the breeder have used them (or sold them) to breedother bunnies? Or is there some gene that causes the whitefeet/toe and therefore it would be passed on to futurelitters?

I'm asking because the brother in the litter is purebred quality....andI was just wondering the breeder didn't keep these two (although I'm soglad she didn't).

By the way - since I can't recommend my breeder enough - and I know sheworks with Cimmaron (the Gibbons who have the 2nd certificate todevelop the breed), I thought I'd share her link - especially if thereare those in Texas who are wanting lionheads.

http://www.savannahlionheads.com/contents.htm



Here is also a great link about lionheads....



http://lionheadrabbit.net/



Peg

 

[Buck Jones]

I don't breed either, but I believe the answerto your question is yes, especially if there are other qualities in thebuns that another rabbitry was trying to enhance in its own line.

Some breeders prefer to make sales quickly rather than hang on to lessthan show quality rabbits because of the expense incurred caring forthem. More than one breeder I have met has sold rabbits thatthey thought were "marginal" in terms of showing, only have those samerabbits grow into fine specimens and beat their own rabbits on the showtable.

Some breeders will sell show quality rabbits at reasonable prices toenthusiastic new comers in an effort to develop the breed forall. These breeders may have a sufficient stable of championsand do wish to incur higher costs of maintaining a largerherd. Sometimes space is simply the problem.

Some of our breeders here may have more and greater input for your query.

Buck

 

[pamnock]

The blue-eyed white gene is most likely whatproduced the cute little white mittens and white spots. Thebrother may also be carrying the gene (it may not be obvious in hisappearance).

The most successful breeders have specific goals in mind.They keep the rabbits that they feel meet the standard to help themachieve their goals, and this is generally only a small percentage ofthe rabbits actually produced.

Pam

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks Pam. Here's yet one morequestion because I don't know anything about breeding but find thegenetics portion of it fascinating (I loved genetics in high school too- years ago).

What if they were to breed with a black mate? What would thetort/black combination look like? The white/black?

I'm assuming that the black genes would be dominate - but I have NO idea!

Peg

 

[pamnock]

The BEW (blue eyed white gene "v") inheritedrecessively can produce various mismarkings on the rabbits and well asblue eyes or mismarked eyes.

Rabbit coat color is primarily determined by a series of 5 genes - A BC D E. There are also a number of coat pattern genes.

Breeding a "normal" tort (not carrying BEW) to a black will produceprimarily black due to the fact that the tort's non-extension gene"e"is recessive to the black's full extension gene "E".

Other colors may be produced depending on what recessive genes the pairmay be carrying. For instance, if the black recessivelycarries "e" non-extensions, then tort could be produced with thatbreeding.

Unless actually working with the BEW gene to create blue eyed whites,most breeders avoid this gene due to the mismarks itproduces. The harlequin gene is another "trouble maker" thatpops up in the Lion lines, producing unshowable colors.

Pam

 

[TinysMom]

Wow - that's so fascinating!

Thanks Pam! You're such a wealth of information - not only on health issues and identifying breeds...but genetics too!

Peg

 

[irishmist]

Is is common for english spots to have lavender eyes!

Susan

 

[pamnock]

Depends on the color of the coat. Isuppose the Lilacs eyes look sort of "lavendar" because of the rubycast to them. Chocolates may also have a ruby cast that cangive them a lavendar look.

Black, gray, tortand gold English Spots have dark brown eyes. Blue Spots have blue-gray eyes.

The standard calls the Lilac Spots eyes "blue-gray", however, it is not the same blue-gray as the blues have.

The lilac Spots are one of my favorite varieties -- We have a chocolatedoe, 2 black bucks and one beautiful lilac doe. I had judgedher at a show, and really loved her -- found out after the show that mydaughter had purchased her after the judging was over

Pam

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

I would say no, because some dq's are heredetaryand can be passed down the next generation. A few years back, I washaving problems with white toenails in my Stnadard chins. I had tocarefully breed the line that was producing that, and breed out thegene that was producing the white toenails by selection. Right now Iaccasionally get babies with slight dutch markings on the head. And amtrying to nip that in the bud by not breeding anyone who is marked likethat. but its only rarely that I get babies like that.