The dwarfing gene

[TinysMom]

I was going through old pictures tonight and found this one from my first four litters.

These babies are 3 days apart in age - the larger one is the older one. The mama for the 2nd baby was known for carrying the dwarfing gene.

The smaller baby was given to another breeder and she told me about 2 years later that he never made it above 2 or 2.5 pounds but she used him a lot in breeding because he kept such a nice mane and he had the dwarfing gene like his mama - which helped her lines a lot.

By the way - for those who know my rabbits - the bigger one is my sweetheart Harriet...hard to believe he's already 4 years old!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

TinysMom wrote:

The mama for the 2nd baby was known for carrying the dwarfing gene.

Aren't those Lionheads? They are a dwarf breed, so at least one parent in every cross should be dwarfed. If not, the kits produced will not be within the show weight limits.

 

[paul2641]

The bigger one looks a few weeks older not just 3 days older :coolness:.

 

[TinysMom]

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

The mama for the 2nd baby was known for carrying the dwarfing gene.

Aren't those Lionheads? They are a dwarf breed, so at least one parent in every cross should be dwarfed. If not, the kits produced will not be within the show weight limits.

I've had many rabbits whose parents didn't carry the dwarf gene and neither did they - but they were shown and won ribbons, etc. anyway.

With lionheads there is a certain size limit (weight) which is the big factor. I want to say the maximum weight is 3 1/2 pounds....which Harriet was when I showed him. (I was new to showing and didn't know at the time how long in the body he was). So he fit the standard as far as being under the maximum weight.

The other buck topped out at 2 or 2 1/2 pounds....and didn't do as well on the show tables even though he actually had nicer type. The judges around here tended to want the lionheads (at that point in time) to be closer to the weight limit than smaller like that buck.

But I find that with the weight limit of 3 1/2 pounds...you can get rabbits in that size without the dwarf gene.....sometimes.

 

[CKGS]

I know nothing about the dwarfing gene just wanted to say they are adorable.

 

[polly]

I think with the lionheads also it depends what breeds have been used also. There seem to have been a few different breeds put through not all carry the dwarf gene.
Peg you are def. right on the weight for over here I would guess arba is the same

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

TinysMom wrote:

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

The mama for the 2nd baby was known for carrying the dwarfing gene.

Aren't those Lionheads? They are a dwarf breed, so at least one parent in every cross should be dwarfed. If not, the kits produced will not be within the show weight limits.

I've had many rabbits whose parents didn't carry the dwarf gene and neither did they - but they were shown and won ribbons, etc. anyway.

How do you know they didn't carry the dwarf gene? I breed Hollands and have never had a non-dwarf within the show weight limit. Being dwarfed is what allows them to be that way.