MelissaPenguin
Well-Known Member
Can I get a photo example of a shaded color and a agouti color please?
Should I breed?
- Thread starter MelissaPenguin
- Start date
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woahlookitsme
Well-Known Member
Shaded mini rex colors:
http://natalieshobe.tripod.com/id21.html
Smoke Pearl::
Agouti mini rex colors:
Lynx, opal, castor, chinchilla, squirrel
Castor::
Opal::
Lynx::
http://natalieshobe.tripod.com/id21.html
Smoke Pearl::
Agouti mini rex colors:
Lynx, opal, castor, chinchilla, squirrel
Castor::
Opal::
Lynx::
TinysMom
Well-Known Member
MelissaPenguin wrote:
When I first started breeding - I was working with lionheads. I made sure to get a wide variety of rabbits but I went with "known breeders" who were known for their stock. Some of their rabbits were great- others - not so great. It isn't that they weren't good breeders or that their rabbits weren't good....and it isn't that they were deceiving me.
It is that every litter there are the "keepers" (aka "show") and the "brood" quality and the pet quality. And even though the rabbits may all come from the same lineage - that doesn't mean that they will give you the exact same quality of rabbit all the time.
Because of this -and after being mentored by other breeders who really wanted to see me succeed - I learned an important lesson.
Before you EVER look at a pedigree - you need to look at the rabbit in front of you. If possible - you need to put your hands on it and examine it against the standard for the breed. Of course, this means you need to know the standard for the breed that you want to breed - which is why I recommend you buy ARBA's "Standard of Perfection" from their website (or at a show from a supplier).
I've seen rabbits that were duds that had great pedigrees - and rabbits that were great that had pedigrees where I knew no one on the pedigree - but the rabbit itself was great.
You see - the pedigree is basically a record of the "past"....but it isn't a predictor of the future.
Another thing that I've learned about legs is that they're....well...I don't want to offend anyone - but to me they're almost a "joke".
Let me explain. A rabbit earns a leg based upon who it went up against on a certain day at a certain time and who was doing the judging.
I've been to double shows where one judge dq'd my rabbit - and the second one gave it Best of Breed. Which judge was right?
I've also been to shows were there was an awesome rabbit being judged...but it was a low turnout and there weren't enough competitors for the rabbit to earn a leg - even though it definitely deserved one.
Now with that said - I will say that last year I was at a rabbit show where my holland lop doe, Cindy, took Best of Breed in BOTH the shows under two different judges. Both of them made almost the exact same comments about her "promising show career" and "wonderful pose" and "great crown". In that case - I do tend to cherish those legs because it was under two different judges but they shared the exact same comments (even though they didn't see each other judge). In addition - when she went up for Best in Show for one of the shows - the judge kept going back to her and the other two rabbits that eventually won. When I picked her up he said she was "outstanding" and it was a very tough choice for him.
The funny thing is - Cindy came from a new breeder and had nothing impressive in her pedigree. But when I, and other holland lop breeders - put our hands on her and they were teaching me what to look for - they all agreed I should get her (or they were going to buy her).
Funny thing - she cost me $40 - the least of all the rabbits I bought that weekend. The others - with better pedigrees - have been dq'd at shows even.
So my point?
Get to know your breed's standard VERY VERY WELL. Have another breeder walk you through how to judge a rabbit - preferably hands on. Ask them what makes a rabbit good and see if they'll even compare rabbits for you.
Then - go looking for your rabbits. While you may want to buy from this breeder you've contacted (and I'm not knocking anyone) - you may also want to save some money and go to a large show (preferably a state show) and see about buying a rabbit from there also.
Just my .02 based upon my experience!
Peg
Hi! I wanted to share my thoughts on a few things that you've shared. First a bit about me - I mainly have experience breeding lionheads, holland lops and flemish giants. I've had well over 100 litters in the five years I've been breeding even though a couple of times I've taken breaks from breeding for a few months.The two I am getting from a breeder (not sure if she's on here... haven't seen her) seem to have great backgrounds, and wonderful coats. Their family histories have legs and very promising bloodlines. Most (if not all) of her breeders have legs. I would say she is more into showing her rabbits, rather than breeding, but I am very excited to be getting two very adorable rabbits from her.
I am in the midst of setting up my cages and things of that nature, before I try to get really serious about breeding for pedigrees and possibly showing. I was just curious if there were any two particular rabbits that I have, that would be better of being bred, rather than another two. Of course, Miss Priss and Sparkles will be mainly just pet bunnies since I have no real clue of their backgrounds.
When I first started breeding - I was working with lionheads. I made sure to get a wide variety of rabbits but I went with "known breeders" who were known for their stock. Some of their rabbits were great- others - not so great. It isn't that they weren't good breeders or that their rabbits weren't good....and it isn't that they were deceiving me.
It is that every litter there are the "keepers" (aka "show") and the "brood" quality and the pet quality. And even though the rabbits may all come from the same lineage - that doesn't mean that they will give you the exact same quality of rabbit all the time.
Because of this -and after being mentored by other breeders who really wanted to see me succeed - I learned an important lesson.
Before you EVER look at a pedigree - you need to look at the rabbit in front of you. If possible - you need to put your hands on it and examine it against the standard for the breed. Of course, this means you need to know the standard for the breed that you want to breed - which is why I recommend you buy ARBA's "Standard of Perfection" from their website (or at a show from a supplier).
I've seen rabbits that were duds that had great pedigrees - and rabbits that were great that had pedigrees where I knew no one on the pedigree - but the rabbit itself was great.
You see - the pedigree is basically a record of the "past"....but it isn't a predictor of the future.
Another thing that I've learned about legs is that they're....well...I don't want to offend anyone - but to me they're almost a "joke".
Let me explain. A rabbit earns a leg based upon who it went up against on a certain day at a certain time and who was doing the judging.
I've been to double shows where one judge dq'd my rabbit - and the second one gave it Best of Breed. Which judge was right?
I've also been to shows were there was an awesome rabbit being judged...but it was a low turnout and there weren't enough competitors for the rabbit to earn a leg - even though it definitely deserved one.
Now with that said - I will say that last year I was at a rabbit show where my holland lop doe, Cindy, took Best of Breed in BOTH the shows under two different judges. Both of them made almost the exact same comments about her "promising show career" and "wonderful pose" and "great crown". In that case - I do tend to cherish those legs because it was under two different judges but they shared the exact same comments (even though they didn't see each other judge). In addition - when she went up for Best in Show for one of the shows - the judge kept going back to her and the other two rabbits that eventually won. When I picked her up he said she was "outstanding" and it was a very tough choice for him.
The funny thing is - Cindy came from a new breeder and had nothing impressive in her pedigree. But when I, and other holland lop breeders - put our hands on her and they were teaching me what to look for - they all agreed I should get her (or they were going to buy her).
Funny thing - she cost me $40 - the least of all the rabbits I bought that weekend. The others - with better pedigrees - have been dq'd at shows even.
So my point?
Get to know your breed's standard VERY VERY WELL. Have another breeder walk you through how to judge a rabbit - preferably hands on. Ask them what makes a rabbit good and see if they'll even compare rabbits for you.
Then - go looking for your rabbits. While you may want to buy from this breeder you've contacted (and I'm not knocking anyone) - you may also want to save some money and go to a large show (preferably a state show) and see about buying a rabbit from there also.
Just my .02 based upon my experience!
Peg
TinysMom
Well-Known Member
Color crossing rules for mini rex rabbits
Much of this can apply to other breeds also - I used to have one of these bookmarked for Nethies - I'll see if I can find it.
Lop color guide
Much of this can apply to other breeds also - I used to have one of these bookmarked for Nethies - I'll see if I can find it.
Lop color guide
Toastasaraus
Member
I just have to ask.. you said that your rabbit was a Mini Lop? If that is indeed a "mini lop" I would not recommend breeding it. It's type is all off. Now if it is a Holland Lop and was posed differently I could give you another opinion.
woahlookitsme
Well-Known Member
Oh for agouti shades in your holland lops that would be a chinchilla, chestnut agouti, Chocolate Agouti, Chocolate Chinchilla, Lynx, Opal, and Squirrel (Blue Chinchilla).
MelissaPenguin
Well-Known Member
Toastasaraus wrote:
Thank you everyone for all the very useful information! I have been writing everything down and have quite a book going. lol
She is a HOLLAND Lop. I tried to edit the original post after I realized what I did, and it had been too long since I originally posted to edit it. That being said, she was also only something like 4-5 weeks in the photo. I pick up both my Holland Lop and my black Mini Rex this weekend and will attempt to get some new photos. =3
Thank you everyone for all the very useful information! I have been writing everything down and have quite a book going. lol
