Blues, to breed or not to breed

[polly]

Hi guys would like some advice from other breeders, as you know i had some trouble with my first few litters.

I am trying to sort my colours out and would like to breed opals and blues ( blue rabbits are my favourite colours) Nethies in case any one doesn't know

I spoke to some scottish breeders at the show on sat and you can't get blue self or otters up here, they said they are a difficult colour to breed and you won't win anything but colour with them as REW always win unless you go to england where they are getting bored with the REW winning everything so are putting colours up instead. so my q's are

1. is it a difficult colour to work with?

2. If i breed them do you think no one up here will want them?

3. Is it the same in America?

4. What would you do in my posistion? (i don't care about winning best in breed if i have to breed REW to get it as they are a harder colour to sell on as pets)

Please help

 

[TinysMom]

Blue is becoming very popular here - at least in lionheads right now. What you need to remember is that it is hard to breed for a couple of reasons..

a. It is a dilute - so you must have two dilute carriers or two dilutes or a dilute and a dilute carrier in order to get any blues. If the breeders there have bred out the dilute gene .... then it will be hard to get blues!

b. I hear two different views on breeding blues.

a. breed blue to blue all the time (the downside is that you may get nails that are too light for the color standard)

b. breed blue to black that carries dilute - this way you will still get approx. 1/2 dilutes (and all will be carriers) but the nails won't become too light.

I think the key thing is - you're going to have to find dilutes or dilute carriers in order to breed them.

Peg

P.S. You don't need REW at all for blues...

 

[bluebird]

I breed opals,they are a dilute of chestnut.watch for white toenails dont use rabbits with these white toenails.get an opal or chestnuts that carry it.blue is a dilute of black .breed for dark toenails.it can be done.some take a supposed shortcut by breeding too black.I find that the pet people like colors that are not popular at shows,black is a popular show color but not very popular as pets.opal is becoming more popular here.brokens seem too be taking shows by storm and are super popular as pets.breed the best you can find keep the ones with the best type.chestnuts in this country are very nice and tend too have good type.bluebird

 

[TinysMom]

This is probably going to sound really strange and I'm not sure I can explain myself well - but here goes.

I'd breed what you love. If it is showable....great. If it isn't....but you still can find pet homes for them ... do it.

I've done the "breeding for show" routine and sold to other breeders -only to have does go to two or three different homes in a year and have a litter at each home only to be moved on somewhere else.

I'm tired of breeders and some of their breeding practices. Yes, I know it is done a lot and it is common. But that doesn't always make it right.

So I've decided that in cutting back on my breeding - I'm going to breed what I love. I'm going to work on chocolates and brokens. Yes, I'm going to try to breed them for type and mane so they are show quality even if not show colors.

But I'm going to focus on what I love (and the rest of the lionhead community can go float for much of what I care...there are only a handful of breeders I'll ever deal with again).

If I were you, I'd do a couple of litters and see - do customers like those colors? Who knows...if those colors aren't popular there - it may be because they're not available yet?

If I remember right - you breed Netherland Dwarfs...which to me seem to produce small litters....so it isn't like you're going to have 20 bunnies every month to rehome...know what I mean?

Anyway, that's what I've decided for me - to breed what I love and not care anymore what others think. (Folks love the brokens anyway and someday I may pull a certificate on the chocolates).

Peg

 

[polly]

That is so true Peg, i want to breed for MY love of the breed first and for show 2nd, I have found a girl who is studying genetics and she will help me with my colours but now she has told me to geta couple of agoutis as my opal and chin are on the same lines.

When i had the litter of agoutis last time i was a bit like oh no cause i didn't think they would be popular but funnily enough they went first lol so i guess its not a bad idea.

And its true nethies have small litters unless you are Flashy lol.

The girls that are in the BRC have said it will take a while before breeders would buy from me anyway, but that is more to get known with people so i can get good stock instead of the rabbits that are more pet quality. which is what i have been getting

 

[Flashy]

polly wrote:

And its true nethies have small litters unless you are Flashy lol.

lol, but I never had that litter, no bunny babies popped out of me :shock:, it was all down to Sandy, lol.

 

[polly]

Shame i would rather have something baby bun sized than baby human size lol

Also i am gonna get a lot of qs as we went to see about a new car today and are thinking of getting a volvo so EVERYONE is gonna think i am pregnant lol (i'm not though :shock

 

[polly]

Just thought i would let you know that i am waiting for a phone back from a breeder in Wales she has blue ready to go so everyone cross their fingers:biggrin2:

 

[Flashy]

Ooooooooooooooooooooh, exciting

Are you going to go and collect? Or what? If you ever collect anyone in my direction, let me know!