Breeds I'm deciding between

[Jess_sully]

Okay, here's the deal. It's been almosta year since our nine year old mini lop Hamilton passed away, and I'm getting the bunny-itch and am really sick of being bunny-less! I've been researching all different breeds and talking to breederssince January. Originally, I knew I wanted a large bunny. I just like what websites have to say about their personalities... lazier, snugglier, etc. Plus, I'm just a fan of larger animals, in all species. However, I started considering some smaller breeds (dutch, mini rex) when my parents were iffy about getting a large breed. Well, I've gone back to my original plan and am DETERMINED to get a large breed again.

I'm very limited to breeds and things of that nature due to my location. The closest rescue or shelter with bunnies is a SIX HOUR round trip, and since I don't even have a car at the moment (it got totaled in an accident a month ago), I have to rely on my parents or friends for transportation, and neither of them are willing to drive that far to pick up a bunny. Likewise, most breeders are far away, too. However, I've foundthree breeders of large breeds that I like that are either somewhat closeby, or willing to drive to meet halfway.

Creme D'Argent- very nice breeder, president of the Michigan Creme Club. She's willing to drive halfway, but it will still take two hours to get to where we're meeting, and then we have to turn around and drive two hours back. Cremes are GORGEOUS, but they can be skittish and highly-strung because they are so limited in gene pools and bred mostly for appearance, not temperment. However, the breeder assures me that she would only give me a baby from one of her better pairs as far as personality goes. This breeder absolutely does not release babies until they are three months old, because she has to assess them for showing type at that age. She will have two litters, born on May 19th and May 16th, available in the end of August. They would be fifteen weeks old (3 1/2 months).

Champagne D'Argent- this is the only breeder close to me... actually, she's in the next town, just a twenty minute drive away. I've heard nothing but good things about Champagnes... that they're big snuggle bunnies, etc. I've visited her rabbitry twice, and all of hers are very friendly, and her rabbitry is SOOO clean! She only has a total of eight breeding Champs and then she breeds a few Californians too, so she has a lot more time for them than many large rabbitries. However, she only breeds twice a year. There are three bucks available that were born on May 7th, so they would be around sixteen weeks old when I got one (4 months). However, she will have babies (young ones) available in the end of October.

Satin- wonderful breeder that I've been in close contact to since January. He has several litters right now (just born to four months old), so there would be some young (8-10 weeks) babies available in the end of August. I'm waiting for his response to see if FOR SURE if he'll have young ones available. If not, the other litters would be the same age as the other breeds... 3-4 months. He breeds black, red, and broken Satins, but I'd be getting a red or broken red, because they're GORGEOUS!

Sooo... all three breeds are basically the same size. They're all gorgeous breeds (in my opinion). Now, I just can't decide which one I really want! I have to wait until the end of August because of a Young Statesman program I just got accepted into at Georgetown University. I was really hoping for a baby so I could take pictures of him growing up, but then again... wouldn't personalities be more apparent with the older (3-4 month) babies? And, they'd still be young... I just can't decide. If I got one of the older ones, I'd probably have him neutered right away... maybe a week after getting him. Hopefully that could curb the terrible teens a bit. They'd be right smack in the middle of THAT, too.

Should I wait to get a young (8 weeks) baby? It's such a long time away, except possibly for the Satin. Or would getting a three-four month one be okay? I just don't know what to do :S

 

[Elf Mommy]

Personally, I'd probably wait for a baby. That's just me, though. I LOVE the look of the red satin!!!

 

[pamnock]

I love the dispositions of the Satins, and the reds are absolutely stunning!

Pam

 

[Jess_sully]

I love the Satins too... and that's the only breed I -might- be able to get an eight week old baby from in August. Hmmm.

 

[HoneyPot]

I love them all- but that Satin is gorgeous!!

__________
Nadia

 

[rabbit_whisperer]

Oh! that satin is soooooo beautiful!

 

[Bassetluv]

It's always great to get them at a young age and watch them develop, but older bunnies can be just as endearing too. Actually, I did have to make a similar decision when I had decided to get an English lop. I'd had my heart set on getting a baby, but could find no one who had any litters. Very few people raise them in this province, and so I was looking everywhere...I was also limited to finding a breeder who was willing to ship. It took me months before I finally found a breeder who had any E-lops available at all, and the only one she had for sale was already 5 months old. I was a bit disappointed over that initially, but decided to purchase him rather than keep on searching. And despite discovering (after he arrived) that he had genetic problems, Raph captured my heart immediately.

As for the breeds you're considering, I can't say I've had any experience with Rexes (but have always admired their beauty ). But I did own a Champagne d'Argent back when I was a teen - bought her at a fair, where they were selling them as meat rabbits. (Of course how I wished to buy them all, just to rescue them from their fates...don't we all?)D'arcy turned out to be a treasure, very friendly and easy to handle.She had one of the most amicable personalities I'd seen in a bunny, and I never regretted having her as part of the family.

Whatever breed and age you decide upon, I'm sure you will be happy with your choice. Best of luck to you in finding your new heart bunny!

 

[Jess_sully]

Thanks for the replies

I've heard nothing but good things about Champagnes. Since sheis the only breeder that's close to me, it's the only one where I would really be able to meet the different babies and parents and make a good decision based on that. I met the older babies thatare available nowwhen they were five weeks old, and boy were they DARLING! There are only three bucks out of thirteen babies total in both litters (go figure), but all three were completely wonderful and really wanted attention, as with the parents. I'll be bluntly honest here... I think I'm a bit more attracted to the color of the Satin, but that's not what really counts, right? Champs sure are beautiful, too. One of the reasons why I wanted to get a young one, though, is so that I could watch the color change... they're still almost completely black at eight weeks, and by five months the silvering is nearly complete.

I love Raph! I'd love to have an english lop, and there is a breeder relatively close to me, but I'm just not too sure about those long ears. They seem like they would get in the way of everything! A breeder near me even has broken orange, can we say AWWW? What genetic problems does Raph have?

 

[Bassetluv]

Well, I must admit that when I first had Raph, I had to be very wary of him...he used to follow me around the house, and he'd lie at my feet whenever I was on the computer. The first couple of times he did this I didn't realize he was there, and unfortunately rolled the chair over the tip of one of his ears. He wasn't hurt, but I imagine it must've felt stung! (I know I felt horrible for doing it.)

Raph has what's called 'luxating patellas'. His hind legs slip out of joint very easily, as the grooves that run through the top part of the bones (the 'knee' area) are almost totally flat. His front legs are also somewhat crooked as well...they were fairly straight when he was young, but they've now got a curve to them. The breeder claimed she knew nothing of his condition when she sold him to me...but by then what could I do? I'd had him flown in from the southern part of the province, and I certainly couldn't put him through the added stress of shipping him back. Besides, I fell in love with him the moment I laid eyes on him. So now he has problems keeping his balance...he falls over sideways a lot because his hind legs go out from under him as soon as he begins to turn.

Raph also has aggression issues now. He's an unneutered male and I have a spayed female housed next to him. I've been wanting to get him neutered, but truthfully am gunshy about it, as I did lose a rabbit to a neuter a year ago. Plus, Raph is a bit unusual as his testicles never descended, so I'm not sure whether that would make surgery any more complicated for him. I'm planning on taking him to a different vet this fall (a more rabbit-savvy one) for an assessment...I don't know if neutering will be an option if his legs are going to shorten his life span...I've already noticed a large difference in him from six months ago to now...he tumbles much more often. The last assessment I had done, I was told it would cost a minimum of $500 per leg to correct, and that is if the spine is not also affected.

However, I have heard nothing but absolute praise for E-lops so far as temperament and ease of handling are concerned, and I do know that before I got Anna, Raph was more like a puppy than a rabbit....a big big suck who followed me everywhere. (hehe...putting in my vote for E-lops here!)

As for Champagnes, D'arcy was the only one I'd ever owned, but she was wonderful. I've heard a lot of great things about Rexes too, and Flemish and New Zealands...

If you're leaning toward the Satins (not sure why I thought you said Rexin your first post)for their beauty, if there's any way of getting to meet/handle a few before deciding, maybe that would help. I thinkmost times wetend to select breeds based not only on what we want in temperament, but also looks.

And you know you will have to post pics of your new bunny when you do find him/her!

 

[Jess_sully]

Oh don't worry... I'm sure I'll end up posting TOO MANY pictures and you'll all get sick of them. I'm very sorry to hear about poor Raph's legs! If it makes you feel any better about neutering, when we lived in NY a rescue was nearby that probably had around 500 bunnies a year neutered and never lost one due to the surgery. Then again, I'm sure the testicle problem could prove difficult!

Hmmm... I have to admit I'm a little intrigued by e-lops. They're just so beautiful! The breeder has a broken cream and two broken orange brood/pet quality babies available, which probably means that their ears were shorter than 23"... which is FINE with me, lol! They are beautiful. I don't know, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable getting a bunny when I can't really see the rabbitry, meet the parents, all the siblings, etc. Maybe I should stick with the close breeders? The e-lop breeder is only a half hour away along with the Champ breeder, she's close, too. Hmmm. Maybe tell me some more good things about e-lops and I'll get one

 

[Bassetluv]

Oh don't worry... I'm sure I'll end up posting TOO MANY pictures and you'll all get sick of them.

LOL...I doubt anyone here would ever get sick of new bunny pics! Can't wait to see when you do get your bunny and can post some.

Yep, I know that a good rabbit vet will have a great track record with rabbit neuters and spays...I just am fearful of going through the same thing again. When I lost Scooby it was just so unexpected, and so painful to lose him that way...and Raph is such a special guy to me. When Anna was spayed she came through that so easily, you would never have known she'd had surgery. Yet I still have that fear. However, I think my mind will be put at ease once I've talked to another vet (my brother has recommended one at a clinic near his house who supposedly specializes in rabbits). I just don't trust my vet with my bunnies...he's great with my dog and cats, but with bunnies, I am now very hesitant.

And I understand your concerns about not being able to see the breeder's rabbitry, etc., before purchasing a rabbit. That was how I wound up with Raph...I purchased him online from a breeder. I saw his picture posted on her site, along with her other rabbits, and - because I don't have transportation - was limited to buying sight-unseen if I wanted an English lop. Had I been able to see Raph ahead of time, I'm not so sure I would have taken him. Though his legs looked okay when he was shipped to me, he was very clumsy, and just seemed 'not right' somehow. And while I'd like to think that all breeders are honest and forthright, unfortunately some aren't.

What can I tell you about English lops? Well, I can tell you what Raph was like when I first got him. As I said, he followed me about the house everywhere. He loved my cat Fritz, and if he wasn't following me he was Fritz's shadow. In the evenings when I'd watch tv Raph would wander into the living room and hop up on the sofa with me, stretching his body out and shoving his nose under my hand so I would scratch him (he absolutely melts when you give him nose scritches!). When I was feeling sick he would come and cuddle next to me. Every time the refridgerator door opened, it would be a race for me to get the food out before Raph made his clumsy way over, as he'd push his body past me and almost climb onto the bottom shelf - he knew where the Romaine was kept, and felt it was his own stash. And while he couldn't *binky* the same way most other rabbits do, he did have his own method, back when his legs supported him a bit better: he'd be hopping along and suddenly twist his head and do a semi-hop off the ground. LOL...those ears of his were like helicopter propellers! I've never seen such a cute maneuver in a bunny. Oh, and he also learned to use the cat's door to go in and out of the kitchen. Here's a pic of him entering the kitchen:

It's also quite funny to watch him when he can't quite figure out why, every so often,his legs will go forward but his head stays put. Sometimes he'll have one of those big hind legs of his accidentally stepping on one of his ears, and he doesn't understand *lift foot to release ear, then hop*.

And to show you just how addictive an English lop can be, when my son came home last year for the summer he met Raph. Now, Stephen could really care less about rabbits...when I had another rabbit several years ago he never bothered with him. But for thefinal part of August last year Stephen was helping me construct an outdoor rabbit hutch. Raph was running loose in the yard while we were working, at both of our heels constantly and getting into everything. One day as we were taking a break (and Stephen was scratching Raph on the nose for the umpteenth time) he stopped and said, 'You know, he's a pretty cool pet - for a rabbit'. Coming from my son, that was quite a compliment!

Anyway, for me....the English lop is definitelymy bunny of choice. Despite all of Raph's problems, I am so grateful for the day he came into my life...

 

[Jess_sully]

Raph sounds like an amazing rabbit, just what I'm looking for. I'm sorry about his tempermental problems with the new girly. I'm sure, once you get the courage up, he'll be better once he's neutered, if you decide to do so. Losing a bunnyto a neuter would definitely be heartwrenching... becauseit would be so unexpected! I'd be just as apprehensive.I really want to be able to see the rabbitry, it's important to me. Knowing my luck, something similar to what happened to you would happen to me, and that would be totally devastating because I've waited so long to get another bunny. I definitely think I have to go visit that english lop rabbitry and have a look at those babies. You never know, I just might end up coming home with one!

 

[rex_rabbit_luver2010]

i personally would go with standard rexes even tho they werent on ur list in my opinon standard rexes are very friendly than the other breeds i have owned but neways does ne1 want a baby rex cuz i have 5 buck kits for sale