Creating Chocolates?

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

I've been dying to get some chocolate ND's since I started. They're soooo pretty!

So I just found some lilac's... I was so excited! I don't specifically like the lilac color, but I know if I take out the dilute (a rather simple step, other than having it carried for multiple generations), I can get some chocolates. Once I get chocolates, hopefully I can start working with the other two/three chocolate breeders around here. (Whom rarely have anything to sell. They're so rare, yet wanted, and it seems like they just can't keep up with the demand atm.)

So basically all I have in my herd is a bunch of shadeds, and one black doe I was using to clean up my sable points. I'm not sure if I'm getting the lilac buck or doe yet. Probably the doe, since she's already proven, and I'd rather keep my shaded girls working on their own non-weird litters.

I plugged it into evans, and came up that I'd get a round of blacks.
aa Bb Cc[sup]chl[/sup] Dd Ee. (unless my sable point buck carries b, c[sup]ch[/sup]/c, or d. which doesn't change the outcome too much.)

Now if I took a doe from that litter, and plugged it back into the sable point, that probably wouldn't do much to get chocolates. 'Specially since I'm betting he doesn't carry any of the genes I really need.

However, if I took a buck, and bred it back to mom... I should start getting chocolates pop up, correct?
aa Bb Cc[sup]chl [/sup]Dd Ee
aa bb C- dd E-
Doesn't that look like I should get either 50/50 (chocolate/lilac), or high numbers with something else odd thrown in?

The other question is, will the sable point greatly effect the coloring of the chocolates? Is it a horrible decision to use them for one generation, just because I need a buck? I don't see me running out and buying /another/ buck just for the sperm. I could use a black himi, but it'd be four months or so before he'll be able to breed. I may ask her to breed the doe before she leaves... That'd be a huge help, but idk if she will.

Oh. Last question. I know you should pick type before color, but to bring genes in, is it alright to make an exception, and use a brood doe with not so nice head and ears, just to get the color genetics? I'm not sure what I could use to breed back in the nice head and ear I have going around here... Perhaps I shouldn't try to pick up chocolates without actually having chocolate stock... But between the two breeders, and the one just starting... Stock is so rare... And when it exists, it's at higher prices than I can afford. (And I'm use to 80-150 for a show quality sable point... But bejeebus.)


Thankies!

 

[whaleyk98]

I hear you! I got into NDs because of the chocolates. I have a chocolate otter doe and a broken chocolate buck right now and they are my starting foundation for my chocolates. Im not so great with the genetics part so I cant help you there but I just wanted to say good luck! They are very pretty and I hope to have more soon!!!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I don't think you're going to want to breed the chocolate into your shadeds. This could cause chocolate shadeds down the line which are not accepted in any breed, to my knowledge.

I would breed another self to the lilac. Black would work the best, I think and a buck would also be the best (reason coming in a moment). Breed the black to the chocolate. Then each baby will have a 50% chance of carrying chocolate. So if your buck is the lilac, you could keep all the does out of the litter and breed them all back to the buck and you will most likely end up with some chocos. But say your doe is the lilac...you have to choose one buck from the litter and hope it's one that carries chocolate. See the problem there? You can get chocolate faster, in a generation or two, if your buck is the lilac.

 

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

The thing with chocolate shadeds is they would satisfy the pet craving around here. I have a huge waiting list for both pet bucks and does, that I just can't catch up with. I'm so rarely thrown a doe that's not brood quality, and I just haven't gotten that many bucks yet. (4 out of 14, I believe.)

I don't know what I'm doing. I most cetainly don't have space for selfs in the rabbitry. Every hole is already filled with shadeds. (And no dilutes! haha!)

I just realized, the buck is an otter. But he's got a crazy nice head and ear. He's just not posed in the photo, so I can't tell past that.

I think I'm going to reserve the buck... I'll have to find a new brood doe for him, since this black doe (who's managed to miss three times in a row... >.> needs to go. Ah, well. The search begins for yet another doe I don't really want/need. XDD

Perhaps when I spring up to the 20 cages I'll feel less cramped. lol.