Locking Carriers???

[LavenderLopLover]

So i was wondering other breeders opinions on this? Do you lock your carriers at shows?? I have some very nice stock and i have heard some horror stories of people grabbing rabbits and opening up carriers and even using your rabbit as a stud when you aren't there Rabbit shows slightly freak me out anyway since there are alot of diseases and stuff... Have you ever had experience where you wished you locked a carrier up or you did and you were glad?? The new buck im picking up soon is very beautiful and is a pretty rare color to get a hold of... I might not even show him.. I'll see

 

[Bunnylovr]

So i was wondering other breeders opinions on this? Do you lock your carriers at shows?? I have some very nice stock and i have heard some horror stories of people grabbing rabbits and opening up carriers and even using your rabbit as a stud when you aren't there Rabbit shows slightly freak me out anyway since there are alot of diseases and stuff... Have you ever had experience where you wished you locked a carrier up or you did and you were glad?? The new buck im picking up soon is very beautiful and is a pretty rare color to get a hold of... I might not even show him.. I'll see

I personally havent had any trouble but I go to small shows. What's your Rabbitry name I want to see pics of your new buck

 

[LavenderLopLover]

I personally havent had any trouble but I go to small shows. What's your Rabbitry name I want to see pics of your new buck

Ah okay I raise Purebred Colored Holland Lops which are definitely a challenge and are pricey rabbits and I've heard some bad stories. I'm somebody who is easily worried too. I haven't gotten him yet though we are picking him up this week from another state. i'll get photos asap lol

 

[SableSteel]

I haven't really heard of locking carriers. I have heard of people locking their coops at cooped shows (like ARBA nationals - using zip ties to lock them up at night is common), though, and for overnight shows bringing their carriers in their hotel room instead of leaving them at the show room at night for fear of stealing.
I have seen & heard of rabbits being stolen at shows but never from the carriers... more often with transporters, or cooped shows or while they're coming down from the table. Overall, something so very uncommon it never even crosses my mind to worry about (if you want something to worry about at shows, try this new RHDV2 thing). I bet a lot of the 'stolen' rabbits come to down to miscommunication or misidentification as well... when there's 30 tortoise sr buck holland lops up on the table it could be very easy to accidentally grab one that isn't yours.

 

[SableSteel]

As a judge, I try to minimize any risk of diseases being spread at my table. If I come across a rabbit that is showing symptoms of a disease (usually nasal discharge or ear mites are the two contagious diseases I worry about most that have visible symptoms) I DQ them and them make sure to wash & sanitize my hands, and disinfect the table & hole it was in before any other rabbits go in there. It might take a bit of extra time, but if those were my rabbits it were what I would want.

 

[SableSteel]

Also, be careful when breeding colors in holland lops... I have only personally seen TWO colored holland lops that even come close to the quality that is commonly seen in tortoises. (One was a black otter and one was an opal, both were out of California). A lot of breeders that breed colored holland lops breed for color above type, and above health & temperament, then overprice their rabbits because they are said colors. If you are serious about breeding for unique colors in hollands you might want to find a superb tortoise and breed it into the colors to add better type... you might get some unshowable colors in the process with that but in the end you'll have better quality than if you stuck to breeding compatible colors.
BTW I used to breed Sable Point, Broken & Black holland lops, and did very well for myself with breeding them back into tortoises, they would consistently place in their classes but I never showed very competitive classes

 

[LavenderLopLover]

Also, be careful when breeding colors in holland lops... I have only personally seen TWO colored holland lops that even come close to the quality that is commonly seen in tortoises. (One was a black otter and one was an opal, both were out of California). A lot of breeders that breed colored holland lops breed for color above type, and above health & temperament, then overprice their rabbits because they are said colors. If you are serious about breeding for unique colors in hollands you might want to find a superb tortoise and breed it into the colors to add better type... you might get some unshowable colors in the process with that but in the end you'll have better quality than if you stuck to breeding compatible colors.
BTW I used to breed Sable Point, Broken & Black holland lops, and did very well for myself with breeding them back into tortoises, they would consistently place in their classes but I never showed very competitive classes

I've seen a lot of bad quality colored Holland lops too. I've been working hard on my color program The breeder I'm getting him from has beautiful Holland lops. She has been a judge since 1992 and has been very well known for her hollands. The buck I'm getting is a frosty Holland lop which i think is rare since I've actually never seen one irl and he is very beautiful. I'll probably get a tort sometime later too. I'm going to be culling heavily for type as well. Thank you for your recommendations any more is appreciated. I've been breeding them since spring 2019 and I'm planning on only raising holland lops and trying to improve the overall type and quality of colored hollands.

 

[LavenderLopLover]

I haven't really heard of locking carriers. I have heard of people locking their coops at cooped shows (like ARBA nationals - using zip ties to lock them up at night is common), though, and for overnight shows bringing their carriers in their hotel room instead of leaving them at the show room at night for fear of stealing.
I have seen & heard of rabbits being stolen at shows but never from the carriers... more often with transporters, or cooped shows or while they're coming down from the table. Overall, something so very uncommon it never even crosses my mind to worry about (if you want something to worry about at shows, try this new RHDV2 thing). I bet a lot of the 'stolen' rabbits come to down to miscommunication or misidentification as well... when there's 30 tortoise sr buck holland lops up on the table it could be very easy to accidentally grab one that isn't yours.

RHDV2 is also a worry for me its already been where i am....

 

[LavenderLopLover]

As a judge, I try to minimize any risk of diseases being spread at my table. If I come across a rabbit that is showing symptoms of a disease (usually nasal discharge or ear mites are the two contagious diseases I worry about most that have visible symptoms) I DQ them and them make sure to wash & sanitize my hands, and disinfect the table & hole it was in before any other rabbits go in there. It might take a bit of extra time, but if those were my rabbits it were what I would want.

Thats great by the way i'm glad you clean up when a rabbit is sick since i always worry! Do you often see rabbits with VD? I've heard some people say it often gets passed around via shows too

 

[SableSteel]

Thats great by the way i'm glad you clean up when a rabbit is sick since i always worry! Do you often see rabbits with VD? I've heard some people say it often gets passed around via shows too

Not often tbh. I see a lot that have pimples on their privates that could be DQd with VD but almost none with the crusty, scabby appearance that I associate with VD. The pimples are more likely just pimples imo (at least the very small, clean ones I see sometimes). There was a bad outbreak in my area about 8 years ago though. Honestly... I think the main way for VD to get transmitted at shows, imo, is all the breeding that happens there (especially as a lot of the VD is asymptomatic)

 

[SableSteel]

I've seen a lot of bad quality colored Holland lops too. I've been working hard on my color program The breeder I'm getting him from has beautiful Holland lops. She has been a judge since 1992 and has been very well known for her hollands. The buck I'm getting is a frosty Holland lop which i think is rare since I've actually never seen one irl and he is very beautiful. I'll probably get a tort sometime later too. I'm going to be culling heavily for type as well. Thank you for your recommendations any more is appreciated. I've been breeding them since spring 2019 and I'm planning on only raising holland lops and trying to improve the overall type and quality of colored hollands.

Are you getting them from Chris Zemny?

 

[LavenderLopLover]

Are you getting them from Chris Zemny?

Yes i am

 

[SableSteel]

Yes i am

That's excellent! She is such a very nice person and has gorgeous holland lops. I worked under her towards my judges's license and she taught me quite a bit about judging hollands. Probably one of, if not the, best person to buy colored holland lops from. She got national best in show a few years back, as well.

 

[LavenderLopLover]

That's excellent! She is such a very nice person and has gorgeous holland lops. I worked under her towards my judges's license and she taught me quite a bit about judging hollands. Probably one of, if not the, best person to buy colored holland lops from. She got national best in show a few years back, as well.

Yeah I'm very excited about getting him! I feel he will definitely influence my herd quite a bit, I've been looking for a buck like him for months but haven't found a good enough frosty to buy. Its very neat that you have worked under her