nasty white gene/baby bunny pic.

[Bunnybarn123]

Oh Okay, Thank you for the explanation. I wasjust learning something new. We have had several "Pet" rabbits over theyears, but since last September have been breeding Lionheads and morerecently have added Jersey Woolies. I know there are a lot of peopleout there who do not believe in breeding, but our rabbits are for themost part kept here at our home. Occasionally we have some we sell atshows or I do have a local feed & supply store I occasionallysell my culls to(now before everyone gets upset) the gentleman who runs& owns this store has been big in our local area 4H and FFA. Ihave heard him turn people away trying to sell him bunnies that are tooyoung. He is very meticulous with his husbandry of the rabbits, and hisstaff is very knowledgeable about all the animals in his store frombunnies, chicks, birds, reptiles. I guess I should say that he is theonly retail type outlet that I use. Also, when I sell my bunnies at ashow or from an ad which I have only done once the purchaser fullyunderstands that I will take the animal back at anytime should theydecide they no longer want the animal or can no longer keep the animal.I am ranting. Sorry!! I feel as a breeder you know your animals andcommunity and it is your decision and only your decision to cull youranimals any way you see fit for the betterment of your herd and theherds of future breeders. Okay I am done,LOL.

Pam W.

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

Sounds like the tsc tractor supplies in thearea. The one we have is very good with rabbits, and was sellingpurebreds to the 4-h community. I wouldn't sell to them becausepersonally I like knowing where my animals go and end up( trust me,there are bad pet owners you will run into out there! And somebreeders!).

Now for the other farm store I buy my feed from. ugh. They get anythingand everything that people bring into them. No matter how old it is.Ive got a little buck thats cal/himi/ or whatever mixed thats a petthat I took in from them. They get alot of whats considered backyardbred, and mill bred rabbits in. This guy I got from them was 4 weeksold, and sick with coccidia, and M.E. actually there was 2 that Ipicked up that were sick from it. But the other died even though shewas on meds for it.

I don't sell to the farmstores because you never know who gets them. Orwhere they could end up. I know some places aren't like this. But alotfeed off impulse buyers. Those are people that either take care of theanimal. Or they don't. The ones that don't usually grow tired of themand dump them in places like rescues and animal shelters. They areeither adopted out through them, or euthanized. A good store will usetheir gut feelings on people, and won't sell to impulse buyers oranything they get a bad vibe from. A have a breeder friend that worksfor a tsc up by detroit. They go with their feelings on people. Andturn down sales if that have to.

Just some food for thought on farm stores. But if you offer a take backpolicy with them and their buyers, and leave your phone number withthem just in case someone runs into trouble where they can't keep yourrabbit. You should be ok.

 

[pamnock]

Blackthorn45 wrote:

There aren't enough "good homes" out there. A breeder cullingfor meat if she has to cull and cannot find suitable pet homesthemselveswith a spay/neuter contractis much, MUCHmore responsible than a breeder dumping their culls in ashelter. She wouldn't be doing ANYONE any favors,there. Not even the rabbits. There are enoughabandonedrabbits in the shelters already who are alreadysocialized and accustomed to being pets.

AMEN!

 

[rabbitgirl]

Sounds much like the Palomino breeding situationhere. Rare breed, deliberate crossbreeding way back, and Flemish-typebabies popping up. Not enough to DQ, but definitely traceable in headand shoulders and size.

Occasionally true albinos pop up in Pal litters--never had one, though. Is that what you mean by the "white gene"?

Seems a shame to lose good possibles for a white baby.....too bad!Sorry to hear--I ran into genetic probs (serious ones) with my lovelyHolland doe. Medical issues, not just faults. Didn't realize what shecarried, breeder never said. I now have two handicapped four-year-olds.

Good luck! If white's recessive, couldn't you take a chance withanother buck or doe when the babies come to breeding age? Some wouldnot be carriers, am I right? Hmmmm.....

Good luck,

Rose

 

[dootsmom]

Wish I lived closer :?, would have them spayed & neutered & adopt them out.

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

If I may offer a suggestion...

It may be a blessing in disguise... Use that white baby to youradvantage. I'd keep it to use as a test breeder to test breedyour other Chins (and those others that you aquire down the line) forthe white gene.

Since it has to carry two copies in order for it to beexpressed... you should only need to testbreed one time to knowif the Chin in question is recessive for it. Then just cullout that test litterto yourprocessorsinceyou KNOW they are carriers regardless if it's expressed or not.

Why take the chances of the roll of the dice with each Chinthat comes into your herd? You'll always worry about itunless you can set your mind at ease that it's NOT there... this wayyou can move forward instead of standing still biting yournails...lol.

Just my opinion & what I would do / have done in your shoes.
Sunshine

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

SunnieBunnie Rabbitry wrote:

If I may offer a suggestion...

It may be a blessing in disguise... Use that white baby to youradvantage. I'd keep it to use as a test breeder to test breedyour other Chins (and those others that you aquire down the line) forthe white gene.

Since it has to carry two copies in order for it to beexpressed... you should only need to testbreed one time to knowif the Chin in question is recessive for it. Then just cullout that test litterto yourprocessorsinceyou KNOW they are carriers regardless if it's expressed or not.

Why take the chances of the roll of the dice with each Chinthat comes into your herd? You'll always worry about itunless you can set your mind at ease that it's NOT there... this wayyou can move forward instead of standing still biting yournails...lol.

Just my opinion & what I would do / have done in your shoes.
Sunshine

Thats a good idea. But cage space also plays a factor into it too. Icould always test breed one of my florida whites with them for thegene. But I prefer more of a purebred breeding. Cause then Id have toneedlessly cull the babies no matter what. but Its a good suggestionill keep in mind. If i had more space, I'd do it for sure.

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

A few years back I was running into self blackchins. Because someone bred a havana into them. and it wasnt just me.It was everybody. But we all bred them out over the past five uears. Orat least we think they are bred out. waiting for that gene to rear itsugly again too.

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

pamnock wrote:

AMEN!

I was hoping you'd have some advice on it. lol

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

You had mentioned in your first postthat you were wanting to keep a baby from the litter... so I justthought that there was a cage available. If you keep one ofthe other ones, you'll be gambling with the unknown that is more thanlikely there, but won't show for some time. I just figuredyou could save yourself the trouble of culling out numerous litters andmaybe even a few generations and just use that one and testbreedeverything. That way there's not as harsh of a setback.

I recently did this with my line of Lynx Mini Rex. Ihad a fawn and a Chocolate based Red pop up in a litter - blew mymind! I then test bred everything for non-extension and I amcautious about who to breed to whom and all my keepers are thentestbred first time around. So far, so good - 2nd and 3rdgenerations are 90% non-extension free.

~Sunshine

 

[cirrustwi]

Oh, that's a tough call. I don't thinkI could personally ever cull for meat, but I do understandit. I'm just too much of a softie. I would try tosell them as pets with a notarized spay/neuter contract and then ifthey don't sell, well, I guess I'd cull them for meat.

I wish I were closer, I'd take one of those babies in a second.

Jen

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

Well it is an idea i am gonna consider. Its justthat i bred this litter so I could cull out the doe and keep one in herplace. Ive only got about 25 holes with two breeds and a couple ofmixes. So when I breed i have to pick and chose who goes, and who stays.

Problem is Im getting a white out of a buck I do not want to cull. He'sgot quite a show record up here with two runners up for bestin 4-class, a besy in group win that went up to runner up for best inshow, 2 legs, and quite a few BOBs. (I think at least six of those)Very hard to accomplish for a rare breed. With him Ill have to pick andchose who i breed to. Ive got daughters ive held back from otherbreeding that are just outstanding. so its a tough call on this.