Opinions my Mini lops please

[Shayhara]

Here are some posed and not so posed pictures of my senior mini lops.
Let me know what you think. I know they are not great, but tell me what strengths you see as well as what their weaknesses are.

Thanks!

Mini lop bucks-
Alex - Chestnut agouti

(I thought I fixed the sideways pictures but it loaded them sideways)

Wall-E - Broken black

(sorry its sideways I thought I fixed it)

Does - Not such good pictures, they where about a week from having babies when I took them so I didn't force them to pose right. The back and face pics are good though.

Ninja - Broken Chestnut agouti

Eva - Black (possibly a self steel)

An older side picture of her, guess I forgot to take back and front shots of her.

Thanks! Sorry some of the pictures are sideways, I rotated them but when I uploaded them to photobucket they where back sideways again?

 

[TCRabbitry]

Honestly? I would sell them all and start over. There are so many beautiful quality mini lops out there.

Mini Lops are a great breed, and have wonderful people promoting the breed.

I just hate to see people start with pet quality animals, and then get discouraged and give up because they don't do well at shows.

 

[woahlookitsme]

The side pictures are no help to see how their bodies look. When u pose for a side picture make sure the tips of the front feet are in line with the eyes and the tips of the back feet are in line with the hips/knees.

With that on ninja she looks a little pinched in the hindquarters and is she overweight or is that just the picture? I can't comment on wall-e because he isn't posed right. Theres no side view on Alex. Maybe someone who knows better can give you more

 

[Shayhara]

She is pregnant in the picture. I said in the picture she was about a week from having babies. She has ten, so that's why she looks so chunky in the picture. I know they are not great. But I would rather work with what I have to make it better then to go out and spend $100 plus on new stock and selling everything I have. I am bringing in a few new awesome rabbits, and will be selling a lot of what I have. I don't however plan to sell everything I have and start completely over.

 

[TCRabbitry]

You will have a very long and expensive road ahead by starting with such poor quality stock... Go out and buy the best buck you can afford....

 

[ZRabbits]

TCRabbitry wrote:

You will have a very long and expensive road ahead by starting with such poor quality stock... Go out and buy the best buck you can afford....

I have to say this is excellent advise. If you want to breed show quality, you need to research and obtain show quality bunnies. It's tough, and it is a bit expensive to start. But it is worth it. Breeders are constantly looking for excellent show quality bunnies to help their breeding program. If you can't offer the best, not many breeders will be interested. And that's what the whole thing is all about isn't it? Breeding the best you can. The strongest line and best developed. You can't do this with poor quality. You can, but as TCRabbitry stated, it will be a long expensive road.

Good Luck. Start researching.

K

 

[Shayhara]

First I want to say that this isn't my first time at the rodeo. I have been raising rabbits for three years now. Plus many years when I was a kid. I said straight up that I knew the mini lops where not great. I also said I am adding new much better, show quality stock. I simply asked to know what good qualities the ones i Have now possess. I just started with the Mini lops last year. I KNOW they are not great. That said, I have seen worse. I have worse. Just not that I am breeding with. My worst doe I am using to breed right now is Ninja. That said I have gotten some good kits out of her and Alex.

I have a very nice broken smoke pearl buck I put a deposit on. I also plan to add another buck and two new does to my group. Most of what I have now will go. I just don't plan to get rid of it all. I want a bit of what I started with to stay in my line. I just want to make it better. That is why I wanted opinions on which rabbits where better then the others in what and why.

I guess a way to look at it is this. If it was those rabbits up against each other, who would place where, and why?

Thanks

 

[CCWelch]

I can see now that Alex's crown is back a little far...when did he get the bite in his ear?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We just enjoy them as pets--they are all gorgeous and we do love the mini lops.

 

[yamaya17]

Alex is an okay rabbit, but I cannot see his shoulders as there is no side shot, and I wish he had more width, he does have a good head however, but the highest I would place him in a show would be best opposite, as for the rest of the stock I would start fresh, why would you want to have a reputation as someone who doesn't sell quality stock? In the case of rabbits the investment is worth it, I wouldn't buy the rabbits for more then $15, however the income is a very minimal part, you would never place at shows and your reputation as a breeder will not be very good, as for the investment $100 for all of your stock will not cut it, I expect to spend at least $50 per rabbit for the quality i want, any less and the rabbit would not be worth my while

 

[Shayhara]

I am not sure if that is a bite or just the way his fur was in that picture. I will have to look closer. If it is a bite I can guarantee it happened at the same time that he got Dew's lip. Stupid cages that don't have narrow enough wire between them. Learned my lesson there. I do have a side picture of Alex I just need to find it. It's just a bit discouraging to be told that I should sell everything and start over. Kinda makes me just want to say "forget the mini lops". Luckily I have a breeder who I am getting some very nice rabbits from this spring. I just didn't realize I shouldn't keep anything I have now. Guess I didn't realize they where "unworkable"

 

[ZRabbits]

Shayhara wrote:

I am not sure if that is a bite or just the way his fur was in that picture. I will have to look closer. If it is a bite I can guarantee it happened at the same time that he got Dew's lip. Stupid cages that don't have narrow enough wire between them. Learned my lesson there. I do have a side picture of Alex I just need to find it. It's just a bit discouraging to be told that I should sell everything and start over. Kinda makes me just want to say "forget the mini lops". Luckily I have a breeder who I am getting some very nice rabbits from this spring. I just didn't realize I shouldn't keep anything I have now. Guess I didn't realize they where "unworkable"

It tough hearing something like this, but I think you are being given some honest advise. I was told if you really want to breed "show quality", you need to make the investment of show quality.

I don't think the intention here was to hurt, just to advise and really just being honest with you. I'd rather have someone tell me up front then finding out down the line that what I have is just not "top of the line".

Reputation is a big key here in this small community called Rabbit Showing.

Glad to hear you have some new bunnies coming in the Spring. Can't wait to see what you bring to your stock. Wishing you all the best and complete success.

I'm in the same boat you are. Just starting out myself. I'm going Lion Head. This breed line needs some strong backing. And I need to make sure that I don't put stock out there that will bring down what others have built up.

K