Celebrate Year of the Rabbit!
Eat More Rabbit!
Chinese Lunar Calendar and Horoscope
03 Feb 2011 to 22 Jan 2012
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Red New Zealands
QUESTION: You also raise NZR correct? Could you give me some tips on looking at stock for them? I am interested in raising them. Is it a must to breed red to red? If you breed red to white will you get brokens?
ANSWER:
My lovely wife was the New Zealand wrangler. She had Reds that would run the other colors off the show table. With New Zealands, they have Black, White, and Red. The Red was the original color. The White and Black came later.
New Zealand breeders generally keep all the colors separate, treating them almost like separate breeds. Many NZ breeders will not buy a rabbit if it has other colors on the pedigree. It should have all black, all white, or all red.
When selecting for Red, look for color that goes all the way down the hair shaft to the skin. You want a nice bright reddish color, but not dark red like mahogany. The belly can be lighter shade, but not white.
Breed Reds to Red for best results. The theory is that there are red factors that can be collected in the bloodline as you breed and weed out the weaker red colored rabbits.
Look for a rabbit top line that peaks just at the midline of the rabbit.
If you breed red to whites you will not get brokens. You need to breed a broken into your lines to get brokens.
If you breed red to white you will have to wait and see because you don't know what is hidden under the coat of the white rabbit. White is albino that covers the true color of the rabbit. When you cross the white with the color rabbit, the colors gene under the white coat will now come into play, no longer hidden by the white coat.
Broken pattern is a gene that comes from the from the English Spot rabbits, the gene is even notated as "en".
You are welcome to join the NewZealandRabbit group on yahoogroups.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NewZealandRabbitList/
Have a good day!
ANSWER:
My lovely wife was the New Zealand wrangler. She had Reds that would run the other colors off the show table. With New Zealands, they have Black, White, and Red. The Red was the original color. The White and Black came later.
New Zealand breeders generally keep all the colors separate, treating them almost like separate breeds. Many NZ breeders will not buy a rabbit if it has other colors on the pedigree. It should have all black, all white, or all red.
When selecting for Red, look for color that goes all the way down the hair shaft to the skin. You want a nice bright reddish color, but not dark red like mahogany. The belly can be lighter shade, but not white.
Breed Reds to Red for best results. The theory is that there are red factors that can be collected in the bloodline as you breed and weed out the weaker red colored rabbits.
Look for a rabbit top line that peaks just at the midline of the rabbit.
If you breed red to whites you will not get brokens. You need to breed a broken into your lines to get brokens.
If you breed red to white you will have to wait and see because you don't know what is hidden under the coat of the white rabbit. White is albino that covers the true color of the rabbit. When you cross the white with the color rabbit, the colors gene under the white coat will now come into play, no longer hidden by the white coat.
Broken pattern is a gene that comes from the from the English Spot rabbits, the gene is even notated as "en".
You are welcome to join the NewZealandRabbit group on yahoogroups.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NewZealandRabbitList/
Have a good day!
Picking an American
QUESTION: What should I look for when picking my kits? What should the body type look like? What should I look for in the fur? Obviously I should pick the deepest blue color I can find correct?
ANSWER:
Look at my rabbitgeek american rabbit webpage
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/abwrc.html
See the old book with the sideview of a blue doe?
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/abw/bluedoesml.jpg
That profile has been my goal when selecting for rabbits. I like to see that shape when I look at a rabbit that is relaxed and sitting flat in the cage. As you see the round part of the topline peaks toward the back of the rabbit. That's the mandolin type. That is different from commercial type body type where the roundness peaks more in the center.
Look at this Convention Youth Best of Breed from 2003
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/ybob2003sml.jpg
There's the topline peaking past the midline.
Check out the white rabbit from the Can-Ams
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/amrewbuck.jpg
Topline peaks past the midline.
The last two pictures on the webpage are two blue grand champions.
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/pics/dwight.jpg
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/pics/amrehgsml.jpg
The last picture is a doe that was born at my rabbitry who made it to grand champion.
Look for color that goes down to the base of the hair shaft. And look for friendly rabbits that come to the front of the cage rather than those that cower at the back of the cage.
Put your hands on the rabbits and feel for muscle tone. It would be good to feel a hefty body that feels heavy for its size.
Avoid biters.
Have a good day!
Franco Rios
ANSWER:
Look at my rabbitgeek american rabbit webpage
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/abwrc.html
See the old book with the sideview of a blue doe?
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/abw/bluedoesml.jpg
That profile has been my goal when selecting for rabbits. I like to see that shape when I look at a rabbit that is relaxed and sitting flat in the cage. As you see the round part of the topline peaks toward the back of the rabbit. That's the mandolin type. That is different from commercial type body type where the roundness peaks more in the center.
Look at this Convention Youth Best of Breed from 2003
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/ybob2003sml.jpg
There's the topline peaking past the midline.
Check out the white rabbit from the Can-Ams
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/amrewbuck.jpg
Topline peaks past the midline.
The last two pictures on the webpage are two blue grand champions.
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/pics/dwight.jpg
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/pics/amrehgsml.jpg
The last picture is a doe that was born at my rabbitry who made it to grand champion.
Look for color that goes down to the base of the hair shaft. And look for friendly rabbits that come to the front of the cage rather than those that cower at the back of the cage.
Put your hands on the rabbits and feel for muscle tone. It would be good to feel a hefty body that feels heavy for its size.
Avoid biters.
Have a good day!
Franco Rios
Friday, December 31, 2010
California X New Zealand
California X New Zealand rabbit is often quoted as the best cross breed for meat. It's almost like a magical combination in the minds of some people.
There is a catch. You must have a good Calif and a good NZ to breed together to get the best effect of the cross breed vigor.
You also have to maintain separate lines of Cals and NZ to cross for meat. So you have to select breeders from two different breeds to maintain separately for your meat crosses.
Instead, I suggest using a single meat breed of rabbit and using selective breeding to develop your own bloodline of highly productive meat rabbits.
In UK, I would look at a meat breed like the Beveren. Raise them for production standards with linebreeding and eat or sell the culls.
When you develop a line of rabbits that reliably produce large, healthy litters you will find people searching you out to buy rabbits from you for breeding.
Have a good day!
There is a catch. You must have a good Calif and a good NZ to breed together to get the best effect of the cross breed vigor.
You also have to maintain separate lines of Cals and NZ to cross for meat. So you have to select breeders from two different breeds to maintain separately for your meat crosses.
Instead, I suggest using a single meat breed of rabbit and using selective breeding to develop your own bloodline of highly productive meat rabbits.
In UK, I would look at a meat breed like the Beveren. Raise them for production standards with linebreeding and eat or sell the culls.
When you develop a line of rabbits that reliably produce large, healthy litters you will find people searching you out to buy rabbits from you for breeding.
Have a good day!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
electrolytes/vitamin
from rabbitgeek notes 8/21/07
RE: Need Advice on Rehabilitating a Badly Abused Satin Doe
Good luck on your effort to rehabilitate this rabbit.
Although the teeth may not be misaligned due to poor nutrition. It may
be bad teeth.
Litters can take a lot out of a rabbit. I would put some electrolytes
and vitamin in the water.
I use the electrolytes/vitamin powder you buy for poultry, swine,
etc. I use 1/2 teaspoon to 5 gals of water. My rabbits are on water
bottles so I fill a 5 gal water cooler and fill from the bottle from
the little spigot because it's easier than using a hose. It's also
easy to mix electrolytes in the water cooler. I fill the water cooler
with a garden hose and spray nozzle.
(note: Ray Stacy recommends 1 tablespoon per 1 gallon of water)
If you use an auto water system may want to pre-mix the powder and
some water in a plastic bottle,shake it to mix, then pour the
concentrated liquid into your tank.
The water should look like pale yellow sports drink. When water starts
appearing clear again time to add more mix.
With that many problems, I would have the rabbit put down.
Good luck!
That girl should not be allowed in animal projects unless she gets a
mentor who can visit her animal to check on their welfare. It would be
better to keep her under the 4H umbrella and teach her proper animal
care then to chase her off. It's more work, but it would be better.
Have a good day!
RE: Need Advice on Rehabilitating a Badly Abused Satin Doe
Good luck on your effort to rehabilitate this rabbit.
Although the teeth may not be misaligned due to poor nutrition. It may
be bad teeth.
Litters can take a lot out of a rabbit. I would put some electrolytes
and vitamin in the water.
I use the electrolytes/vitamin powder you buy for poultry, swine,
etc. I use 1/2 teaspoon to 5 gals of water. My rabbits are on water
bottles so I fill a 5 gal water cooler and fill from the bottle from
the little spigot because it's easier than using a hose. It's also
easy to mix electrolytes in the water cooler. I fill the water cooler
with a garden hose and spray nozzle.
(note: Ray Stacy recommends 1 tablespoon per 1 gallon of water)
If you use an auto water system may want to pre-mix the powder and
some water in a plastic bottle,shake it to mix, then pour the
concentrated liquid into your tank.
The water should look like pale yellow sports drink. When water starts
appearing clear again time to add more mix.
With that many problems, I would have the rabbit put down.
Good luck!
That girl should not be allowed in animal projects unless she gets a
mentor who can visit her animal to check on their welfare. It would be
better to keep her under the 4H umbrella and teach her proper animal
care then to chase her off. It's more work, but it would be better.
Have a good day!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Designer Yarn From Junk Wool
Betty Chu is the breeder of top of the line English Angora rabbits. She is also an accomplished spinner, knitter, weaver and designer of custom yarns.
Betty takes wool from combings and clippings that may be a little felted from the sides or bellies or armpits on rabbits and then she spins it as a lumpy yarn. Then she dyes some of it and knits hats or sweaters with it. Nothing like an angora hat to chase away the chill.
Some knitters love the yarn because it is uniquely handmade. If they want fine* yarn, they can buy commercial, but Betty's fun yarn is different.
(*Betty does know how to spin fine yarn.)
It's no secret how she does it, but it fascinating that she can take wool that many of us would throw away and make designer yarn with it.
I've seen Betty's yarns and knitted goods for years so when I wanted to find some pictures of Betty's hats, I went to the weblog she manages for Northern California Angora Guild.
Here are links to blog posts that show some hats and other goods.
You can click on the pictures for larger views.
Betty's Fiber Display at Monterey Fair
(click the pictures!)
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Betty%27s+Fiber+Display+At+Monterey+Fair+
Show & Tell at Cow Palace (see two of Betty Chu's hats)
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Fiber+Show-%27n-Tell+At+Cow+Palace+
over dyeing angora yarn - see Betty Chu's hats
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=over+dyeing+angora+yarn
Check out these dye jobs - see a Betty hat
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Check+Out+These+Dye+Jobs+
Angora caps in July
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Angora+Caps+In+July
Head for hats
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=head+for+hats
Useful empty kleenex tissue box - with a hat
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=empty+kleenex+box
Doggie fashion - a Betty Chu dog sweater
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Doggie+Fashion+
Angora dog sweater - a Betty Chu dog sweater
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=angora+dog+sweater
How many pounds of wool? Classifying angora wool.
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=How+Many+Pounds+Of+Wool+Are+In+The+Boxes%3F+
Have a good day!
Betty takes wool from combings and clippings that may be a little felted from the sides or bellies or armpits on rabbits and then she spins it as a lumpy yarn. Then she dyes some of it and knits hats or sweaters with it. Nothing like an angora hat to chase away the chill.
Some knitters love the yarn because it is uniquely handmade. If they want fine* yarn, they can buy commercial, but Betty's fun yarn is different.
(*Betty does know how to spin fine yarn.)
It's no secret how she does it, but it fascinating that she can take wool that many of us would throw away and make designer yarn with it.
I've seen Betty's yarns and knitted goods for years so when I wanted to find some pictures of Betty's hats, I went to the weblog she manages for Northern California Angora Guild.
Here are links to blog posts that show some hats and other goods.
You can click on the pictures for larger views.
Betty's Fiber Display at Monterey Fair
(click the pictures!)
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Betty%27s+Fiber+Display+At+Monterey+Fair+
Show & Tell at Cow Palace (see two of Betty Chu's hats)
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Fiber+Show-%27n-Tell+At+Cow+Palace+
over dyeing angora yarn - see Betty Chu's hats
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=over+dyeing+angora+yarn
Check out these dye jobs - see a Betty hat
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Check+Out+These+Dye+Jobs+
Angora caps in July
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Angora+Caps+In+July
Head for hats
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=head+for+hats
Useful empty kleenex tissue box - with a hat
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=empty+kleenex+box
Doggie fashion - a Betty Chu dog sweater
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=Doggie+Fashion+
Angora dog sweater - a Betty Chu dog sweater
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=angora+dog+sweater
How many pounds of wool? Classifying angora wool.
http://ncag.blogspot.com/search?q=How+Many+Pounds+Of+Wool+Are+In+The+Boxes%3F+
Have a good day!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
New Zealand Reds
(from rabbitgeek notes)This is Salem, New Zealand Red Intermediate Doe (6-8 months old)
A trio of reds, a buck and two does
3 New Zealand Bucks, Big Daddy (Black), Johnny (White), Snavely Buck (red)
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