posing baby mini rex

[kwilds]

At what age do you start teaching mini rex to pose? I have 2 litters that are both nearly 6 weeks. I am keeping at least one buck that I would like to show and maybe a doe. They are all showable though. They have been handled daily since they were born (and we're starting to play with them a bit now that they are older.) all arepretty friendly. The one I am keeping is VERY laid back and just seems to pose naturally! Is it too early still to practice posing? Is there any benefit to starting now?

When you do start posing how do you teach them?

Karin

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

I usually start with my Mini Rex around 3 weeks, although I just play with them and get them used to being touched. I don't really set them up in their breed pose till about 4 or 5 weeks.

Showable has nothing to do with how friendly they are, nor how much they are handled. It has to do with their conformation.

Since they are 6 weeks old, I would start right now. The sooner the better.

Emily

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

I start posing mine at about 4 weeks old. I place them on the table and let them explore a little and get used to it. The will usually fight you at first just be patient and make them place all 4 feet on the table at the same time for a start and then work from there. Most of my show rabbits will pose automatically after they have been shown for a while.

Roger

 

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

I start playing with mine at week 2, once the eyes are open. Sitting on the table, little 5 second poses. Generally long enough to snap a photo.

We actually start working on posing about week 4. I expect them to pose for a solid 10 to 20 seconds. If they do it wrong, they do it again. They do it right, they get "relaxed" by picking them up, and setting them back down on the table without posing. It's what my favorite breeder taught me to do, and it's been working. They pose when they're expected to, for the most part.

 

[kwilds]

Well, I played with babies this evening! I was actually amazed how good most of them were. Only two made any fuss at all, the others all relaxed right into a pose. I got some prettygood pictures of a few of them. I'm sure they weren't all correct but the fact they all patiently sat there on the tablewas enough for me for the first try!

Emily - I realize that showing is all aboutconformation butwouldn't a friendly, well handled rabbit be easier to show? Even with the 9 babies I have now some are more skittish and others are really laid back. The laid back ones just seemed to naturallygo into a relaxed pose and hold it for quite a while. The more skittish ones fought against me and it was difficult to get them to even sit still long enough to see their conformation!Are judges at shows able to pick the good rabbits even if they are not quiet and well handled?

Here's a few pictures - most of them were too blurry!

Broken chocolate buck

Broken lilac doe

Broken blue doe

Black otter buck

 

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

I agree completely!

A rabbit that naturally pops into position gets a TON of brownie points from the judge! Plus, there's little chance of the rabbit ending up unposeable on the table, and getting placed much lower (or in RARE cases, higher) than it should.


Now don't take it to heart. My only experience with mini rex was playing with Emily's while I babysat them at convention... But I don't like the black otter at all.

In fact, the order you posted them, is the order that I like them. How silly!

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Oh definitely, kwilds! A bunny that is used to posing will be much easier for the judges to handle, which also makes for a less grumpy rabbit, which will be good for both the bunny and the judge, as well as you!

I have to agree with Megan - the order you posted them in is the order I like them. After the broken Chocolate (although he looks a bit undercut, but that might be because his back legs are pushed just a tad too far up. ), they all start to get quite long in the shoulders. The broken lilac doe looks a bit flat over the HQ. The broken blue doe looks like she has a flat HQ as well, and she's quite long in the shoulders. The broken otter is my least fave.

(P.S. Megan played with my bunnies at convention!? haha. jk.)

Emily

 

[kwilds]

Thank you so much for your comments both of you! The otter has been one of my favorites since he was born but the older he gets the less I like him too. He used to sit in my hand like a tiny little ball but he was one of the ones who fought every second of the posing! He's actually one of the more laid back ones normally so I was surprised but he pushed against me the whole time.


The broken chocolate at the top is definately my favorite and has been since the day they were born! I was concerned for while that his fur would be less than ideal (it seemed to be getting long and almost curly) but that has improved a lot and at this time he has great fur.

The does that all the brokens are out of has a slightly flat hindquarter though I have seen a few of her babies with really nice hindquarters. The sloping shoulder is in my opinion the biggest fault in my herd as a whole so my goal at the moment is to fix that!

Anyway, thanks again. I am certainly not making any big decisions on who to keep and who to sell yet as they are only six weeks old but its been really neat watching them all develop!