yamaya17
Well-Known Member
I want to breed my himalayin doe to my friends mini lop buck but I was wondering if the mini lop breed was to big for a himalayin?:bunnyheart
can you breed a Himalayin and mini lop?
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naturestee
Well-Known Member
A mini lop is huge compared to a himalayan and has a much larger/rounder body shape and a huge head too. I'd be worried about the doe having stuck kits. That would require emergency vet care, possibly surgery, and can be life threatening for mom and kits.
Why would you want to anyway, even if it was safe? You'd probably end up with a generic mutt bunny, uppy eared and no Himalayan (siamese-type) color points. I have nearly a dozen of those at the shelter here. Want some? There'll be another dozen to replace them soon.
What do you want the babies for? I'm all for breeding for show but ifyou just want cute babies it's not a good idea. It will be harder to find homes for mixed breed babies (trust me on that too!) and you can't show them at all unless the local 4H group has a pet/mixed breed class. If you really justwant cute babies to raise talk to local shelters and rescue groups. I've had two litters (one still here at them moment) and a pair of orphan babies this summer.
Edit: I'm not trying to be harsh, we're just having lots of shelters overflow with rabbits at the moment and I'm fostering babies for my local Humane Society right now... and there's no room for them at the shelter when they get bigger. I'm all for breeding for a set purpose, such as ARBA/4H shows or working on a genotype.
Why would you want to anyway, even if it was safe? You'd probably end up with a generic mutt bunny, uppy eared and no Himalayan (siamese-type) color points. I have nearly a dozen of those at the shelter here. Want some? There'll be another dozen to replace them soon.
What do you want the babies for? I'm all for breeding for show but ifyou just want cute babies it's not a good idea. It will be harder to find homes for mixed breed babies (trust me on that too!) and you can't show them at all unless the local 4H group has a pet/mixed breed class. If you really justwant cute babies to raise talk to local shelters and rescue groups. I've had two litters (one still here at them moment) and a pair of orphan babies this summer.
Edit: I'm not trying to be harsh, we're just having lots of shelters overflow with rabbits at the moment and I'm fostering babies for my local Humane Society right now... and there's no room for them at the shelter when they get bigger. I'm all for breeding for a set purpose, such as ARBA/4H shows or working on a genotype.
BSAR
Well-Known Member
If the girl is bigger than the boy then I guess it would be ok. You just don't want stuck kits. That would be cool to have himilayan colored lops!!!
Unless they all ready have some, which it seems to me they do. but im not sure
Unless they all ready have some, which it seems to me they do. but im not sure
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Quick Google search on rabbit genetics showed this:
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/CGene.htm
To sum up in case you haven't studied genetics, the himalayan/pointed color gene is one of the least dominant color genes in rabbits. To get that color you either need one Himalayan color gene from eachparent or one himi gene and one red eyed white gene. Any of the other color genes would repress or cover up the himi gene and you would see the other color gene and no himi points.
Lop ears work somewhat similar although I'm betting there's more than one gene at work. In my foster buns, mom is uppy eared and dad is slightly helicopter eared. Both are mini rex/lop mixes (both with normal fur) because theyhave one of each type of ear gene. The babies are generally loppy or helicopter eared because of the high chance that they got one or more lop ear genes as both parents carry them.
What I'm saying is that breeding a himi and a mini lop= "Heinz 57" or typical-looking mutt bunny. You'd have to breed those babies back to each other (eww inbreeding) to get a chance at any of the distinctive traits of the two original parents.
Hope that clears it up!
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/CGene.htm
To sum up in case you haven't studied genetics, the himalayan/pointed color gene is one of the least dominant color genes in rabbits. To get that color you either need one Himalayan color gene from eachparent or one himi gene and one red eyed white gene. Any of the other color genes would repress or cover up the himi gene and you would see the other color gene and no himi points.
Lop ears work somewhat similar although I'm betting there's more than one gene at work. In my foster buns, mom is uppy eared and dad is slightly helicopter eared. Both are mini rex/lop mixes (both with normal fur) because theyhave one of each type of ear gene. The babies are generally loppy or helicopter eared because of the high chance that they got one or more lop ear genes as both parents carry them.
What I'm saying is that breeding a himi and a mini lop= "Heinz 57" or typical-looking mutt bunny. You'd have to breed those babies back to each other (eww inbreeding) to get a chance at any of the distinctive traits of the two original parents.
Hope that clears it up!
polly
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't advise it using a doe that is smaller than a buck.
Anyone I know who is working on new colours or breeds has to work extremely hard for many many years to get them presenting the traits they want properly its not an easy job or decision to make!! Also have a fantastic genetic knowledge
Anyone I know who is working on new colours or breeds has to work extremely hard for many many years to get them presenting the traits they want properly its not an easy job or decision to make!! Also have a fantastic genetic knowledge
BlueGiants
Well-Known Member
Breeding a smaller doe to a much larger buck may endanger the mother's life. She could end up with babies that are too large for her to pass. She could be dead before you know anything is wrong.
If you are reallyset on breeding your doe, look for a buck of the same breed. Himalayans have a distinctive body type... different than any other breed...you should respect that.
If you are reallyset on breeding your doe, look for a buck of the same breed. Himalayans have a distinctive body type... different than any other breed...you should respect that.
Starlight Rabbitry
Well-Known Member
BlueGiants wrote:
Perfectly said!!!
Sharon
Perfectly said!!!
Sharon
