The Nature Trail Rabbitry BLOG
Monday, April 30, 2007
Rising Standards
When I think back about some of the rabbits I worked with my first year as a breeder, I'm amazed. I remember being so excited about those rabbits. I was very pleased with them. I couldn't wait to see what they would produce. They were my pride and joy.
And they would mostly be in the pet pile if I owned them today.
As I continue to learn more and more about rabbits, I continue to become more and more picky about what it takes to be a prized rabbit in my barn. I suppose for my breeding program, that's a very good thing. But I'm beginning to realize that I will always be moving the bar ahead of me and never truly satisfied with anything that I produce!
I do need to give this idea some thought. First, if I'm too hard on my rabbits, then I'm less likely to want to show them. If I start looking at them as a compilation of faults, I might lose out on enjoying all of the things that are right about them.
I suppose that since the ideal rabbit is unreachable, I need to concentrate more on progress and meeting interim goals.
I'm also getting to the end of a very large cycle in my barn. That means that it has been a long while since I last added any rabbits to my program (especially that stayed in my program). For the most part, Merlin was the last significant addition I made - at the Providence, Rhode Island National Convention.
I think that means that I'm starting to see the same patterns and more predictability in my breedings. That's a good thing. But it's definitely not as exciting as bringing home a new rabbit that promises to really make a difference in your barn.
I remember bringing Camelot's Merlin home. I was so excited about what he could do for my herd. And he did not disappoint me. He's really shortened up my ears and is giving me the best crowns in my barn. And I have a son who may end up with an even better head, ear, and crown than he has. I continue to breed him to this day.
I expect to experience that all over again later this year. I'm looking forward to adding a significant piece and see what improvements can be made that way. Perhaps I'll be excited all over again as well. If my next addition adds half as much as Merlin has, I'll be well pleased.
But those rising expectations will make it even harder to find a rabbit that I want to introduce into my herd. I'll need a little luck to find the right animal.
Until I find that special Holland, I want to have fun with what I have and not let my rising standards get in my way of enjoying my herd. All I need to do is take a stroll down memory lane (all nicely cataloged for me in my database) and see just how far I've really come already.
Laurie ¶ 8:37 AM 0 comments links to this post
And they would mostly be in the pet pile if I owned them today.
As I continue to learn more and more about rabbits, I continue to become more and more picky about what it takes to be a prized rabbit in my barn. I suppose for my breeding program, that's a very good thing. But I'm beginning to realize that I will always be moving the bar ahead of me and never truly satisfied with anything that I produce!
I do need to give this idea some thought. First, if I'm too hard on my rabbits, then I'm less likely to want to show them. If I start looking at them as a compilation of faults, I might lose out on enjoying all of the things that are right about them.
I suppose that since the ideal rabbit is unreachable, I need to concentrate more on progress and meeting interim goals.
I'm also getting to the end of a very large cycle in my barn. That means that it has been a long while since I last added any rabbits to my program (especially that stayed in my program). For the most part, Merlin was the last significant addition I made - at the Providence, Rhode Island National Convention.
I think that means that I'm starting to see the same patterns and more predictability in my breedings. That's a good thing. But it's definitely not as exciting as bringing home a new rabbit that promises to really make a difference in your barn.
I remember bringing Camelot's Merlin home. I was so excited about what he could do for my herd. And he did not disappoint me. He's really shortened up my ears and is giving me the best crowns in my barn. And I have a son who may end up with an even better head, ear, and crown than he has. I continue to breed him to this day.
I expect to experience that all over again later this year. I'm looking forward to adding a significant piece and see what improvements can be made that way. Perhaps I'll be excited all over again as well. If my next addition adds half as much as Merlin has, I'll be well pleased.
But those rising expectations will make it even harder to find a rabbit that I want to introduce into my herd. I'll need a little luck to find the right animal.
Until I find that special Holland, I want to have fun with what I have and not let my rising standards get in my way of enjoying my herd. All I need to do is take a stroll down memory lane (all nicely cataloged for me in my database) and see just how far I've really come already.
Laurie ¶ 8:37 AM 0 comments links to this post
Friday, April 27, 2007
How Do You See Yourself?
At breakfast this morning, we were talking about our upcoming black tie ball. Andrew has purchased his first tuxedo and we're really looking forward to getting all dressed up. But every time we mentioned the tux, our youngest girls giggled. After a while, they had us all laughing. I asked them why they thought it was so funny and they told us that they just can't see their dad all dressed up. They are used to seeing him in jeans and a ball cap.
It's a good thing for me that Andrew can see himself in something other than jeans. Otherwise, we would probably never have embarked on this exciting adventure learning to ballroom dance. You see, there is very little chance of accomplishing something that you cannot even imagine.
When I first started in rabbits, I couldn't see myself as a nationally competitive breeder. Certainly I wanted to produce rabbits of that caliber, but I felt there was some intrinsic reason why that could never be me. Those people seemed too remote and lofty as to be unreachable. I thought I'd gotten too late a start in life, that my lack of previous experience would hold me back, or that I didn't have some magical touch or vision that would allow me to fully succeed.
But over time, I came to realize that there wasn't as much gap between me and the top breeders in the nation as I had originally thought . No, I wasn't going to bridge the gulf in one breeding, but neither would it take decades. That's when I dared to set my goals high and go after them.
To this day, I am still amazed and surprised to have had as much success as I've enjoyed. But I have fewer mental limitations on what I might be able to accomplish. I still need to work on believing that my rabbits can succeed - doubts still creep in. Underestimating my bunnies is a disservice to them. They deserve to shine when they can.
At a recent show, I did let the tough competition psyche me out. It was a day of show entry and I had brought along MLK, one of my favorite bucks. He's a small fellow and it takes the right kind of judge to appreciate a balanced buck. So I chickened out and didn't enter him. After the show, I asked judge Todd Naragon to take a look at him. He checked him over and said, "You didn't show this one, did you?" When I said that I hadn't, his reply was one word in a playful tone: "Idiot!" It was the nicest thing anyone had said to me all day!
But I had done MLK a disservice by thinking that he didn't have a chance against such elite competition.
In ballroom dance, one of the basic principles is that you tend to walk where you look. When you turn your head, you naturally walk that way. "Feet follow nose." It's much the same way with rabbits. Set your sights however high you want to go. Imagine success. Don't mentally limit yourself. If you give yourself enough time and put in the work, there's no intrinsic reason why you can't achieve the success you desire.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 10:07 AM 0 comments links to this post
It's a good thing for me that Andrew can see himself in something other than jeans. Otherwise, we would probably never have embarked on this exciting adventure learning to ballroom dance. You see, there is very little chance of accomplishing something that you cannot even imagine.
When I first started in rabbits, I couldn't see myself as a nationally competitive breeder. Certainly I wanted to produce rabbits of that caliber, but I felt there was some intrinsic reason why that could never be me. Those people seemed too remote and lofty as to be unreachable. I thought I'd gotten too late a start in life, that my lack of previous experience would hold me back, or that I didn't have some magical touch or vision that would allow me to fully succeed.
But over time, I came to realize that there wasn't as much gap between me and the top breeders in the nation as I had originally thought . No, I wasn't going to bridge the gulf in one breeding, but neither would it take decades. That's when I dared to set my goals high and go after them.
To this day, I am still amazed and surprised to have had as much success as I've enjoyed. But I have fewer mental limitations on what I might be able to accomplish. I still need to work on believing that my rabbits can succeed - doubts still creep in. Underestimating my bunnies is a disservice to them. They deserve to shine when they can.
At a recent show, I did let the tough competition psyche me out. It was a day of show entry and I had brought along MLK, one of my favorite bucks. He's a small fellow and it takes the right kind of judge to appreciate a balanced buck. So I chickened out and didn't enter him. After the show, I asked judge Todd Naragon to take a look at him. He checked him over and said, "You didn't show this one, did you?" When I said that I hadn't, his reply was one word in a playful tone: "Idiot!" It was the nicest thing anyone had said to me all day!
But I had done MLK a disservice by thinking that he didn't have a chance against such elite competition.
In ballroom dance, one of the basic principles is that you tend to walk where you look. When you turn your head, you naturally walk that way. "Feet follow nose." It's much the same way with rabbits. Set your sights however high you want to go. Imagine success. Don't mentally limit yourself. If you give yourself enough time and put in the work, there's no intrinsic reason why you can't achieve the success you desire.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 10:07 AM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Averages, Absolutes, and Mistakes
It's interesting to talk to different people about genetics. They vary from the almost superstitious to the highly scientific. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Even if you feel that you are very scientific, you may have the feeling that odds are going to catch up with you. That's really more superstition than science (Gambler's Fallacy).
I believe that, excepting a spontaneous mutation, there are genetic absolutes. Genetic rules may appear to be broken from time to time. But I believe it's more a matter of either incomplete understanding or an erroneous judgment somewhere.
My grandfather used to tell a joke about three men who rented a hotel room together. They each paid $10, then it was discovered they were overpaid by $5 and were due a refund. The night clerk couldn't figure out how to give $5 to three men, so he kept $2. Each man paid $9 and the clerk kept $2 which adds up to $29, not $30. By listening to my grandfather weave the story, it sounded like a dollar disappears. Sometimes I think that our genetic logic is like that. We're looking at the wrong parts or adding up the wrong pieces of information.
First of all, we may have stated the absolute incorrectly. We may say that you can never get a broken from two solids. That's not true. You can never get a broken from two genetically solid rabbits. We consider a ruby-eyed white to be a solid, but that rabbit may indeed be genetically a broken and can produce a broken with a solid mate.
It sounds like a rule is being broken when you say that you got a broken from two solids. Instead, it's that the "rule" wasn't completely stated to begin with.
Sometimes, we get offspring that are "impossible" from the parents. Perhaps you get a black from a sable point and a Siamese sable. It is impossible to get a full color (C-gene) rabbit from two shaded rabbits (sable gene). Is this a miracle? No. That black is really a seal. Check the footpads and you'll find sepia instead of gray.
Other times, reviewing the pedigree gives no clue to what might be going on. The outcome is still impossible given the family tree. But there's no guarantee that each relative's information has been recorded correctly. I saw a lilac Californian on a pedigree the other day. Oranges and chocolate oranges could be very easy to mix up. Folks are often calling blue points, smoke pearl, even when smoke pearl is a genetic impossibility.
We also see breeders considering genes from the family tree that could not possibly have been passed down.
For example, if a great-grandparent carries the steel gene, but the grandparents were all "ee" colors (like tort, blue tort, sable point, and blue point), then the steel gene did not pass through. It can't jump down to the parents' generation. You may be seeing scattered white hairs or even silvering (that's the si gene), but it's not steel, which is dominant to the "e" gene. It can't hide under an "ee" color. Nor can genes literally skip a generation.
True, two steel genes can disguise themselves, but they'd do so as an "E" gene, not as "ee."
I've talked about runts before. These kits are born about 1 oz. instead of 1/2 oz. as most Holland peanuts are. They have very small ears, but normal bodies. My experience has been that most die by weaning, though some make it to adulthood as 2 lb. pets. How easy it would be to confuse one of these runts with a peanut and declare that the parents are both true dwarfs.
Although there are some absolutes, there are many more circumstances where we talk about averages. On the average, you will get a certain result 25% of the time or 50% of the time. You can even say that there's a 2/3 chance of a gene, if you can eliminate one of the possibilities by visual inspection. But remember that those percentages will hold most true in large samples. You CAN get a litter of 5 or 6 peanuts. It's happened to me. You can have a doe who has produced 33 kits and only 3 peanuts (instead of the 8 that would have been predicted in the beginning). You can get three fuzzy Charlies in a litter! But look at your statistics once you've had hundreds of births, and you'll see them approaching the predicted percentages.
You are probably familiar with this famous quote from Sherlock Holmes: "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. " But he also said, "It is impossible as I state it, and therefore I must in some respect have stated it wrong."
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:29 AM 0 comments links to this post
I believe that, excepting a spontaneous mutation, there are genetic absolutes. Genetic rules may appear to be broken from time to time. But I believe it's more a matter of either incomplete understanding or an erroneous judgment somewhere.
My grandfather used to tell a joke about three men who rented a hotel room together. They each paid $10, then it was discovered they were overpaid by $5 and were due a refund. The night clerk couldn't figure out how to give $5 to three men, so he kept $2. Each man paid $9 and the clerk kept $2 which adds up to $29, not $30. By listening to my grandfather weave the story, it sounded like a dollar disappears. Sometimes I think that our genetic logic is like that. We're looking at the wrong parts or adding up the wrong pieces of information.
First of all, we may have stated the absolute incorrectly. We may say that you can never get a broken from two solids. That's not true. You can never get a broken from two genetically solid rabbits. We consider a ruby-eyed white to be a solid, but that rabbit may indeed be genetically a broken and can produce a broken with a solid mate.
It sounds like a rule is being broken when you say that you got a broken from two solids. Instead, it's that the "rule" wasn't completely stated to begin with.
Sometimes, we get offspring that are "impossible" from the parents. Perhaps you get a black from a sable point and a Siamese sable. It is impossible to get a full color (C-gene) rabbit from two shaded rabbits (sable gene). Is this a miracle? No. That black is really a seal. Check the footpads and you'll find sepia instead of gray.
Other times, reviewing the pedigree gives no clue to what might be going on. The outcome is still impossible given the family tree. But there's no guarantee that each relative's information has been recorded correctly. I saw a lilac Californian on a pedigree the other day. Oranges and chocolate oranges could be very easy to mix up. Folks are often calling blue points, smoke pearl, even when smoke pearl is a genetic impossibility.
We also see breeders considering genes from the family tree that could not possibly have been passed down.
For example, if a great-grandparent carries the steel gene, but the grandparents were all "ee" colors (like tort, blue tort, sable point, and blue point), then the steel gene did not pass through. It can't jump down to the parents' generation. You may be seeing scattered white hairs or even silvering (that's the si gene), but it's not steel, which is dominant to the "e" gene. It can't hide under an "ee" color. Nor can genes literally skip a generation.
True, two steel genes can disguise themselves, but they'd do so as an "E" gene, not as "ee."
I've talked about runts before. These kits are born about 1 oz. instead of 1/2 oz. as most Holland peanuts are. They have very small ears, but normal bodies. My experience has been that most die by weaning, though some make it to adulthood as 2 lb. pets. How easy it would be to confuse one of these runts with a peanut and declare that the parents are both true dwarfs.
Although there are some absolutes, there are many more circumstances where we talk about averages. On the average, you will get a certain result 25% of the time or 50% of the time. You can even say that there's a 2/3 chance of a gene, if you can eliminate one of the possibilities by visual inspection. But remember that those percentages will hold most true in large samples. You CAN get a litter of 5 or 6 peanuts. It's happened to me. You can have a doe who has produced 33 kits and only 3 peanuts (instead of the 8 that would have been predicted in the beginning). You can get three fuzzy Charlies in a litter! But look at your statistics once you've had hundreds of births, and you'll see them approaching the predicted percentages.
You are probably familiar with this famous quote from Sherlock Holmes: "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. " But he also said, "It is impossible as I state it, and therefore I must in some respect have stated it wrong."
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:29 AM 0 comments links to this post
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
DQ Philosophy
As I work with and talk with various judges, I am learning that there is a wide spectrum of philosophies on disqualifications.
On the one end, there are judges who feel that it is their job to find every disqualification possible. To them, selecting a rabbit Best of Breed that has a disqualification, no matter how remote, is the worse thing they could do.
On the far other end of the spectrum are the judges who do a routine check of eyes, teeth, nails, genitalia, and tail, and only call disqualifications that jump out at them. They feel that their job is to judge the rabbits, not pick them apart. These judges also follow the ARBA rule to give the rabbit the benefit of the doubt.
Which philosophy is right? Well, I'd say you can make a good argument either way. I know that I personally dislike losing to a rabbit that I know has a disqualification. If I repeatedly lose to a rabbit that I know has been spayed or is DQ'd for being overweight every other show, it rankles.
On the other hand, I don't want shows to grind to a halt as every judge checks out every possible source for disqualifications. Nor do I want judges to stop giving the benefit of the doubt. And I especially don't want judges jumping the gun and DQ'ing rabbits that should not be DQ'd.
In Hollands, that especially happens with ear control when the judge has not allowed the rabbit to relax (within the time that is reasonable for the class - we know that judges can't spend all day on one rabbit). If a judge gives the rabbit the chance and the ears don't go below horizontal, then they should be DQ'd. But I think they should try both some soothing with the hands and allowing the rabbit to sit quietly in the judging coop before tossing it.
We can't control judges' philosophies on disqualifications. But we can control our own. I have to decide whether I want to push it and hope the judge doesn't find a DQ I know about or doesn't weigh my rabbit. Or perhaps I want to be super picky myself and not take anything that is even remotely suspicious. Most of us probably land somewhere between those two.
For me, I won't take a rabbit that I know is going to be overweight no matter which scale you put it on. If the rabbit is close, I might show that rabbit, knowing that my scale is not perfect and knowing the rabbit may lose weight on the trip. Of course, if my 4 lb. rabbit is DQd because the judge's scale is weighing heavy, then I just have to accept that, too.
At a recent show, I weighed the same rabbit three times on three show scales. It was 4.08, 4.09, and 4.10 (it was not a Holland).
If I have nails that slightly vary in shade, I'll probably show it. If I get one with a stark nail - the kind that looks like it's made of white plastic - then it would be culled anyway.
If teeth are so close that I have to get a second opinion on them, I'll probably cull the rabbit. For white spots on dark rabbits, I'll definitely wait for a molt to make a determination on that. Anything close to cowhocks would be culled anyway.
If a rabbit has a great body and nice head, I'll show it with some ear control - if I think there's a reasonable chance the rabbit can keep those ears down for a few seconds. If we get a judge who is following the points (rather than their own personal preferences), he or she will know that the body is 32, the head, 24, but the crown is just 8 points - the smallest component of type.
No matter what your personal DQ philosophy is, you will run into judges that don't feel that way. If you think about it, though, it's probably a good thing to have different kinds of judges. Picky judges may show you problems in your herd that you weren't aware of. More liberal judges may give your rabbit the benefit of the doubt, which you may appreciate if you don't really think there's enough of a problem for a DQ. Most DQs are judgmental in nature anyway. And most, by the way, are not protestable.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:36 AM 1 comments links to this post
On the one end, there are judges who feel that it is their job to find every disqualification possible. To them, selecting a rabbit Best of Breed that has a disqualification, no matter how remote, is the worse thing they could do.
On the far other end of the spectrum are the judges who do a routine check of eyes, teeth, nails, genitalia, and tail, and only call disqualifications that jump out at them. They feel that their job is to judge the rabbits, not pick them apart. These judges also follow the ARBA rule to give the rabbit the benefit of the doubt.
Which philosophy is right? Well, I'd say you can make a good argument either way. I know that I personally dislike losing to a rabbit that I know has a disqualification. If I repeatedly lose to a rabbit that I know has been spayed or is DQ'd for being overweight every other show, it rankles.
On the other hand, I don't want shows to grind to a halt as every judge checks out every possible source for disqualifications. Nor do I want judges to stop giving the benefit of the doubt. And I especially don't want judges jumping the gun and DQ'ing rabbits that should not be DQ'd.
In Hollands, that especially happens with ear control when the judge has not allowed the rabbit to relax (within the time that is reasonable for the class - we know that judges can't spend all day on one rabbit). If a judge gives the rabbit the chance and the ears don't go below horizontal, then they should be DQ'd. But I think they should try both some soothing with the hands and allowing the rabbit to sit quietly in the judging coop before tossing it.
We can't control judges' philosophies on disqualifications. But we can control our own. I have to decide whether I want to push it and hope the judge doesn't find a DQ I know about or doesn't weigh my rabbit. Or perhaps I want to be super picky myself and not take anything that is even remotely suspicious. Most of us probably land somewhere between those two.
For me, I won't take a rabbit that I know is going to be overweight no matter which scale you put it on. If the rabbit is close, I might show that rabbit, knowing that my scale is not perfect and knowing the rabbit may lose weight on the trip. Of course, if my 4 lb. rabbit is DQd because the judge's scale is weighing heavy, then I just have to accept that, too.
At a recent show, I weighed the same rabbit three times on three show scales. It was 4.08, 4.09, and 4.10 (it was not a Holland).
If I have nails that slightly vary in shade, I'll probably show it. If I get one with a stark nail - the kind that looks like it's made of white plastic - then it would be culled anyway.
If teeth are so close that I have to get a second opinion on them, I'll probably cull the rabbit. For white spots on dark rabbits, I'll definitely wait for a molt to make a determination on that. Anything close to cowhocks would be culled anyway.
If a rabbit has a great body and nice head, I'll show it with some ear control - if I think there's a reasonable chance the rabbit can keep those ears down for a few seconds. If we get a judge who is following the points (rather than their own personal preferences), he or she will know that the body is 32, the head, 24, but the crown is just 8 points - the smallest component of type.
No matter what your personal DQ philosophy is, you will run into judges that don't feel that way. If you think about it, though, it's probably a good thing to have different kinds of judges. Picky judges may show you problems in your herd that you weren't aware of. More liberal judges may give your rabbit the benefit of the doubt, which you may appreciate if you don't really think there's enough of a problem for a DQ. Most DQs are judgmental in nature anyway. And most, by the way, are not protestable.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:36 AM 1 comments links to this post
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Summer Is Coming
We're having a nice cool morning this morning, but we've had a couple of hot afternoons. I have one of my Flemish indoors because he has the hottest cage in the barn right now (going to take care of that). And it's still April. Soon, an afternoon like yesterday will be considered cool and a break from the heat. Now's the time to prepare for hotter days ahead.
If you show during the summer, make sure you have a good supply of small and/or lightweight fans to take with you. You also need extension cord in good shape plus the necessary adapters that will allow you to share electricity both among your own fans and with other exhibitors..
If this is your first summer showing, think about your mode of transportation. Putting bunnies in the back of a pick-up truck may work in cool weather, but may be deadly in the summer.
It's past time for us to have checked our barn fans. Several bit the dust this year, so we have some purchases to make. But the ones that are still running well are in need of a very thorough cleaning - which we should have done at the end of the fall.
Our biting flies have hatched. I hate those suckers with a passion. Just when I want to wear shorts to the barn to keep cool, I also need to wear long pants to keep them from draining all of my blood. It's time to get the upper hand on the pests of summer.
Kits will fare much better during the summer. While a baby that gets separated or out of the box in winter has very little time, a summer baby may be found alive and healthy enough just to return to his place with his litter. However, good luck in getting cooperation from your does as the days get uncomfortably hot.
If you use ice to cool your rabbits, now is the time to collect containers and get them into the freezer. The first too-hot day will sneak up on us. We won't have time to wait 24 hours for a jug of water to freeze when it happens.
In our area, shows do continue all summer, but they are sparse compared to the rest of the year. Still, it's a great time to check out the show schedules and make a road trip to someplace new (assuming your rabbits can make the trip in comfort).
Enjoy your spring. I hope it is a long spring with lots of comfortable weather. But be prepared for summer. It will be here before you know it.
Laurie ¶ 9:39 AM 0 comments links to this post
If you show during the summer, make sure you have a good supply of small and/or lightweight fans to take with you. You also need extension cord in good shape plus the necessary adapters that will allow you to share electricity both among your own fans and with other exhibitors..
If this is your first summer showing, think about your mode of transportation. Putting bunnies in the back of a pick-up truck may work in cool weather, but may be deadly in the summer.
It's past time for us to have checked our barn fans. Several bit the dust this year, so we have some purchases to make. But the ones that are still running well are in need of a very thorough cleaning - which we should have done at the end of the fall.
Our biting flies have hatched. I hate those suckers with a passion. Just when I want to wear shorts to the barn to keep cool, I also need to wear long pants to keep them from draining all of my blood. It's time to get the upper hand on the pests of summer.
Kits will fare much better during the summer. While a baby that gets separated or out of the box in winter has very little time, a summer baby may be found alive and healthy enough just to return to his place with his litter. However, good luck in getting cooperation from your does as the days get uncomfortably hot.
If you use ice to cool your rabbits, now is the time to collect containers and get them into the freezer. The first too-hot day will sneak up on us. We won't have time to wait 24 hours for a jug of water to freeze when it happens.
In our area, shows do continue all summer, but they are sparse compared to the rest of the year. Still, it's a great time to check out the show schedules and make a road trip to someplace new (assuming your rabbits can make the trip in comfort).
Enjoy your spring. I hope it is a long spring with lots of comfortable weather. But be prepared for summer. It will be here before you know it.
Laurie ¶ 9:39 AM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, April 23, 2007
Parts
A couple of weeks ago, I heard the comment that you should keep all kinds in your barn for your breeding program. You never know which piece you might need in order to create a great rabbit. I've also heard the advice before to be unafraid of keeping a rabbit with a fault if it has some nice attribute.
I agree with these statements to an extent. If you only keep perfect rabbits, your rabbitry will be empty. And look at your great rabbits. I bet their parents and/or grandparents were faulted in some way.
But there are some faults that make me pet out a rabbit regardless of what else is good with it. For me, a primary suspect would be severely undercut rabbits - anything approaching a cow hock. Those hindquarters are pretty stable features of a rabbit. It's hard to breed out a cow hock problem.
I also won't tolerate pin bones. I don't mean that a rabbit is a bit rough over the pins. I mean that those bones are very sharp. If you can't feel the pins when the rabbit is in good flesh, okay. But with sharp pin bones, it almost doesn't matter how good the flesh is - they are still prominent.
Rabbits that slope badly off at the hindquarter are good candidates for pethood. Again, it's that hindquarter thing. A little slope is one thing. I really want good depth over the hindquarter, but can tolerate something less than perfect for an outstanding front end. But when the sloping is bad enough to detract from the entire appearance of the rabbit, he or she has to go.
There are other characteristics that I dislike, but will tolerate because I know that they fix easily. I hate thin, folding ears, for example, but ears and crown are easy to fix. I don't, however, tolerate those long, long donkey ears. A longish ear on a huge head may be acceptable (though not the goal), but when you see ears down to the knees, that rabbit has to go. Those ears will pop up and haunt you for years, I fear.
Another thing to consider when you decide what faults you can tolerate is to look at your barn. If you have the same strength-fault combination all over your barn, you don't need to keep another one. However, if you get a strength in something you really need, then you might be more liberal in what you tolerate otherwise on that rabbit.
Let's say that you need bone. If you produce a rabbit with outstanding bone, then you probably need to keep that one, unless it has one of those unforgivable sins.
One thing I see is that people are attracted to certain characteristics. They collect rabbits with those characteristics and then buy more rabbits with the same characteristics. That's fine for that good part, but what that often causes is a redundancy of the parts they care less about.
This practice can make those faults really strong in a line - where both the dominant and recessive genes are the same traits and there's nothing in the herd to fix it with.
I think the only thing that can help us is to get opinions from other breeders we trust. They can help point out a fault that runs across our rabbitry - one that we are blind to.
Some people use the philosophy of taking two great rabbits from other breeders and then producing a great offspring. But I think there's a lot of joy in putting together characteristics from different lines. Wouldn't I be thrilled to get a rabbit with Mercedes' coat and condition, Rio's head, bone, and cheeks, Merlin's chunky crown, short, fat ears, and short bone, Brendan's depth and top line, and May's showy attitude and full, boneless-feeling hindquarter (who produces 6 to 8 kits per litter like she does)?
The various characteristics you have represented in your barn are like a pallet of colors to an artist. Make sure you have all of the colors you need. You can't paint a true-to-life picture if all you have is blue and green on your pallet.
Work with your line for a while. Know what you have and how it behaves during breedings. Bring in the parts you need when you identify that something is missing. And celebrate when your unique combination of parts work together to create a winner for you!
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 11:13 AM 0 comments links to this post
I agree with these statements to an extent. If you only keep perfect rabbits, your rabbitry will be empty. And look at your great rabbits. I bet their parents and/or grandparents were faulted in some way.
But there are some faults that make me pet out a rabbit regardless of what else is good with it. For me, a primary suspect would be severely undercut rabbits - anything approaching a cow hock. Those hindquarters are pretty stable features of a rabbit. It's hard to breed out a cow hock problem.
I also won't tolerate pin bones. I don't mean that a rabbit is a bit rough over the pins. I mean that those bones are very sharp. If you can't feel the pins when the rabbit is in good flesh, okay. But with sharp pin bones, it almost doesn't matter how good the flesh is - they are still prominent.
Rabbits that slope badly off at the hindquarter are good candidates for pethood. Again, it's that hindquarter thing. A little slope is one thing. I really want good depth over the hindquarter, but can tolerate something less than perfect for an outstanding front end. But when the sloping is bad enough to detract from the entire appearance of the rabbit, he or she has to go.
There are other characteristics that I dislike, but will tolerate because I know that they fix easily. I hate thin, folding ears, for example, but ears and crown are easy to fix. I don't, however, tolerate those long, long donkey ears. A longish ear on a huge head may be acceptable (though not the goal), but when you see ears down to the knees, that rabbit has to go. Those ears will pop up and haunt you for years, I fear.
Another thing to consider when you decide what faults you can tolerate is to look at your barn. If you have the same strength-fault combination all over your barn, you don't need to keep another one. However, if you get a strength in something you really need, then you might be more liberal in what you tolerate otherwise on that rabbit.
Let's say that you need bone. If you produce a rabbit with outstanding bone, then you probably need to keep that one, unless it has one of those unforgivable sins.
One thing I see is that people are attracted to certain characteristics. They collect rabbits with those characteristics and then buy more rabbits with the same characteristics. That's fine for that good part, but what that often causes is a redundancy of the parts they care less about.
This practice can make those faults really strong in a line - where both the dominant and recessive genes are the same traits and there's nothing in the herd to fix it with.
I think the only thing that can help us is to get opinions from other breeders we trust. They can help point out a fault that runs across our rabbitry - one that we are blind to.
Some people use the philosophy of taking two great rabbits from other breeders and then producing a great offspring. But I think there's a lot of joy in putting together characteristics from different lines. Wouldn't I be thrilled to get a rabbit with Mercedes' coat and condition, Rio's head, bone, and cheeks, Merlin's chunky crown, short, fat ears, and short bone, Brendan's depth and top line, and May's showy attitude and full, boneless-feeling hindquarter (who produces 6 to 8 kits per litter like she does)?
The various characteristics you have represented in your barn are like a pallet of colors to an artist. Make sure you have all of the colors you need. You can't paint a true-to-life picture if all you have is blue and green on your pallet.
Work with your line for a while. Know what you have and how it behaves during breedings. Bring in the parts you need when you identify that something is missing. And celebrate when your unique combination of parts work together to create a winner for you!
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 11:13 AM 0 comments links to this post
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Columbia, SC, Show
Anna and I got up at 4:00 a.m. and drove to Columbia, SC, from our home in Virginia. We arrived just after 8:00 a.m. After schlepping all of our stuff inside, I just had time to take care of my entries and tattoo three new juniors before the show started.
We were assigned Carla Wilson for the first show. I've had her once before. I remembered that she will give a young rabbit a chance, if they show the proper characteristics and balance. She will also give a small Holland its due. She raises a mixture of rabbits and has raised some Hollands in that mix as well. I think she does a credible job with them.
You may remember that I thought I had granded MLK last weekend. Well, I KNOW I granded him this time. He was BOS in show A under Carla. Myrddin also granded with a BOSG. Rizzo, my lilac tortoiseshell, got her second leg. I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to grand her before it's time to get on with breeding her.
I showed a new junior doe, one of several that I'm excited about. She was a little younger than I usually show, but she's so cute that I couldn't resist. She got BOSG for solids. I took Panache straight out of a cage full of kits (quite old enough to wean). She, like her mother May, is very resillient. She earned her 8th leg in show A with a BOB. Lex, my broken junior buck out of Java and Lexus, earned his 5th leg with a class win. I'm so glad that Myrddin beat him for the BOSG because he wouldn't have earned a leg otherwise! (To me, it's a toss up; Myrddin has a much better head, ear, and crown while Lex has a much better coat and type.)
After that show, I registered a few rabbits and then worked with Carla Wilson on English Lops. For the first time, I actually got the ears measured accurately. Before now, I was always a couple of inches shorter than the judge and just couldn't figure it out. After working on them for a few rabbits, Carla gave me a mighty push and said, "Call out the ear number and give your comments." Since Rusty had already awakened me to that reality, I was more prepared this time. She and I discussed the comments beforehand, but it is still intimidating to say them out loud. However, by the time we got to the end of the breed, I was much more comfortable with giving the comments. They came a bit more easily and actually started to flow. It gave me some encouragement that I'll be able to do it well some day.
Of course, the breeders had really already heard the comments as Carla and I discussed them. I really appreciate their support, too, for tolerating the double dose of comments and extra time it took for me to learn. And some breeders even added some advice of their own when we were done. Thanks!
I tackled Jersey Woolies with Greg West after lunch. I had hoped to work with him on mini lops, but it was not to be. Still, it was a great experience with a nice-sized breed. At first, it just didn't make a lot of sense, at least no more than what I'd read. But then I found a white junior doe that I knew I loved. She just made things click! I picked her for breed, which was a good thing, since she was also what Greg picked! That's the only opinion that counts anyway.
There's just no substitute for getting my hands on hundreds of examples of each breed. I'm just getting started. Each time I work a breed, I understand more and learn something different. Thank you Carla and Greg for sharing your time and expertise.
I was so into the Jersey Woolies that I didn't hear them call open Hollands, reportedly multiple times. Thank goodness that Keith Burge came over and asked me if I knew they were on the table. I missed the first class, which really upset me. How many times - even that morning - have I looked up breeder names and gone looking for folks. It wasn't a rushed show and they knew I was there. It's easy when two rabbits are missing - just look for exhibitors showing two rabbits!
I'm just grateful that MLK granded that morning. If he hadn't, I probably would have been even more upset.
Our second judge was Roger Bustle. He didn't like Rizzo and put my Lark second, though it was a close call - one of those last second switches. He picked Myrddin, but there were not enough broken senior bucks for a leg. He picked Panache and Lex. I didn't show a broken junior doe that day.
Lex, who was in perfect condition and coat, was BOB this time. Panache was BOS. Panache now ties her half-sister Padme with nine legs. Both have outdone mother May, with seven legs (no, Janice, I'm not ready to sell May now).
I started packing up to go home. I had a date with my sister for a movie (nothing like burning the candle at both ends). By the time I got everything but Anna's silver fox in the car, judging for show B was almost over. I wanted Anna to get to show her rabbit a second time. And, the show was so close to being over . . . What to do. So I called and found out that the movie didn't start until 7:40. It would be close. So, I went back and took Lex out of the car and put him on the table to wait for the BIS to start. In the mean time, Anna's rabbit was judged and the youth BIS selection was made.
By then, the open BIS started. Christy Posey's mini satin was BRIS. Then Roger called out the Holland Lop for Best In Show. You know, I wonder if Roger would be amused to know that he picked that rabbit's father Best In Show at the last Columbia, SC, show!
I'm very pleased to know that Java is also going to produce nice rabbits, not just be one. He already has a grand champion daughter. It looks like his son Lex, with six junior legs, is already on his way. Java himself only has one junior leg and didn't get a BIS until he was a young senior (actually, just a few weeks older than Lex is himself).
Of course, the test will be to see how he does as a senior, which starts tomorrow. I'll show him for a while to see if he'll be one of those that can grand young. If he's not competitive right away, then I'll put him away until he's about a year old. That's when his dad's career took off. If Lex doesn't do well then, I'll put him away until he's 1 1/2. By then, he'll be in his prime.
Okay, back to the show. After the BIS, we hopped in the car and drove him. I was cutting things so close that I asked my sister to pick up Andrew and meet me at the movies. He took Anna and the rabbits home while my sister and her daughter-in-law saw the thriller Disturbia - a Rear Window-type movie on the level of Silence of the Lambs. That'll get your blood stirring!
I finally got home late and into bed - a mere 20 1/2 hours after awaking.
Laurie
¶ 9:15 AM 2 comments links to this post
We were assigned Carla Wilson for the first show. I've had her once before. I remembered that she will give a young rabbit a chance, if they show the proper characteristics and balance. She will also give a small Holland its due. She raises a mixture of rabbits and has raised some Hollands in that mix as well. I think she does a credible job with them.
You may remember that I thought I had granded MLK last weekend. Well, I KNOW I granded him this time. He was BOS in show A under Carla. Myrddin also granded with a BOSG. Rizzo, my lilac tortoiseshell, got her second leg. I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to grand her before it's time to get on with breeding her.
I showed a new junior doe, one of several that I'm excited about. She was a little younger than I usually show, but she's so cute that I couldn't resist. She got BOSG for solids. I took Panache straight out of a cage full of kits (quite old enough to wean). She, like her mother May, is very resillient. She earned her 8th leg in show A with a BOB. Lex, my broken junior buck out of Java and Lexus, earned his 5th leg with a class win. I'm so glad that Myrddin beat him for the BOSG because he wouldn't have earned a leg otherwise! (To me, it's a toss up; Myrddin has a much better head, ear, and crown while Lex has a much better coat and type.)
After that show, I registered a few rabbits and then worked with Carla Wilson on English Lops. For the first time, I actually got the ears measured accurately. Before now, I was always a couple of inches shorter than the judge and just couldn't figure it out. After working on them for a few rabbits, Carla gave me a mighty push and said, "Call out the ear number and give your comments." Since Rusty had already awakened me to that reality, I was more prepared this time. She and I discussed the comments beforehand, but it is still intimidating to say them out loud. However, by the time we got to the end of the breed, I was much more comfortable with giving the comments. They came a bit more easily and actually started to flow. It gave me some encouragement that I'll be able to do it well some day.
Of course, the breeders had really already heard the comments as Carla and I discussed them. I really appreciate their support, too, for tolerating the double dose of comments and extra time it took for me to learn. And some breeders even added some advice of their own when we were done. Thanks!
I tackled Jersey Woolies with Greg West after lunch. I had hoped to work with him on mini lops, but it was not to be. Still, it was a great experience with a nice-sized breed. At first, it just didn't make a lot of sense, at least no more than what I'd read. But then I found a white junior doe that I knew I loved. She just made things click! I picked her for breed, which was a good thing, since she was also what Greg picked! That's the only opinion that counts anyway.
There's just no substitute for getting my hands on hundreds of examples of each breed. I'm just getting started. Each time I work a breed, I understand more and learn something different. Thank you Carla and Greg for sharing your time and expertise.
I was so into the Jersey Woolies that I didn't hear them call open Hollands, reportedly multiple times. Thank goodness that Keith Burge came over and asked me if I knew they were on the table. I missed the first class, which really upset me. How many times - even that morning - have I looked up breeder names and gone looking for folks. It wasn't a rushed show and they knew I was there. It's easy when two rabbits are missing - just look for exhibitors showing two rabbits!
I'm just grateful that MLK granded that morning. If he hadn't, I probably would have been even more upset.
Our second judge was Roger Bustle. He didn't like Rizzo and put my Lark second, though it was a close call - one of those last second switches. He picked Myrddin, but there were not enough broken senior bucks for a leg. He picked Panache and Lex. I didn't show a broken junior doe that day.
Lex, who was in perfect condition and coat, was BOB this time. Panache was BOS. Panache now ties her half-sister Padme with nine legs. Both have outdone mother May, with seven legs (no, Janice, I'm not ready to sell May now).
I started packing up to go home. I had a date with my sister for a movie (nothing like burning the candle at both ends). By the time I got everything but Anna's silver fox in the car, judging for show B was almost over. I wanted Anna to get to show her rabbit a second time. And, the show was so close to being over . . . What to do. So I called and found out that the movie didn't start until 7:40. It would be close. So, I went back and took Lex out of the car and put him on the table to wait for the BIS to start. In the mean time, Anna's rabbit was judged and the youth BIS selection was made.
By then, the open BIS started. Christy Posey's mini satin was BRIS. Then Roger called out the Holland Lop for Best In Show. You know, I wonder if Roger would be amused to know that he picked that rabbit's father Best In Show at the last Columbia, SC, show!
I'm very pleased to know that Java is also going to produce nice rabbits, not just be one. He already has a grand champion daughter. It looks like his son Lex, with six junior legs, is already on his way. Java himself only has one junior leg and didn't get a BIS until he was a young senior (actually, just a few weeks older than Lex is himself).
Of course, the test will be to see how he does as a senior, which starts tomorrow. I'll show him for a while to see if he'll be one of those that can grand young. If he's not competitive right away, then I'll put him away until he's about a year old. That's when his dad's career took off. If Lex doesn't do well then, I'll put him away until he's 1 1/2. By then, he'll be in his prime.
Okay, back to the show. After the BIS, we hopped in the car and drove him. I was cutting things so close that I asked my sister to pick up Andrew and meet me at the movies. He took Anna and the rabbits home while my sister and her daughter-in-law saw the thriller Disturbia - a Rear Window-type movie on the level of Silence of the Lambs. That'll get your blood stirring!
I finally got home late and into bed - a mere 20 1/2 hours after awaking.
Laurie
¶ 9:15 AM 2 comments links to this post
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Rear View
I know that Holland breeders get really mad when a judge won't pose their rabbit correctly. It's the same in most breeds. The difference is that the Holland pose is pretty unique and fewer judges get it right. Still, you might take some comfort in knowing that a judge can still correctly evaluate quite a bit from a Holland posed in the more common on-the-table pose. We like to think that our rabbits are unique in every way, but they are not.
Today, I want to talk about looking at our rabbits from the rear. This view might actually be a little easier with your Holland resting on the table. And the same things that make a Holland hindquarter good also apply to all other breeds (except maybe Harlequin, which is all about the markings).
Take out your Standard of Perfection (alternately, go to www.arba.net and order a copy!). Turn to page 37 and let's really look at those pictures. I'm talking about the second picture in each pair, which shows the tail side of the rabbit. These pictures sum up very nicely what we are looking for in the shape of our hindquarters.
The first picture shows a rabbit whose spine is protruding and does not have the fullness to carry the rounding over the top of the hip. The shape is almost like a red barn with the gambrel roof. Here's one caution - I often see this shape in young Hollands, but it does not mean that they won't fill out as they mature. If you really like the rabbit otherwise, give him or her a bit of time to see if that portion fills in.
I have to admit that the second picture - of an undercut hindquarter - is a little harder to make out. But remember that you do not want a hindquarter that curves under as it approaches the floor. Fullness to the table is very important.
I do not actually see the valley or low point at the center of the hips in the next picture - I guess that's what the black squiggly line is supposed to be. But obviously, any hindquarter that takes sudden dips anywhere is a real problem.
I love the next picture. This is one of protruding hipbones. It also shows a flatness across the top of the hindquarter. This is something we see pretty frequently on the table. You can feel this by running your hand from shoulder to hips. Your hands will catch on those hips. You can also put the edge of your hands down in the valleys created by protruding hips. Although this can be caused by poor condition, usually it is just the structure of the rabbit. You want to cull these.
Next we tackle the hindquarter that is flat over the top of the hips. These rabbits are much wider than they are tall over the hindquarter. While we do not have the requirement that the depth equals the width as many other breeds do, we still do not want rabbits whose width far outstrips the depth. "Flat over the hindquarter" is a pervasive problem with Hollands and is one of my pet peeves. No, I haven't conquered it, but I do cull strictly for flat hips.
The last picture shows the ideal hindquarter. It looks like a nice rainbow with plenty of room at the base for two pots of gold. When you get a Holland with this sort of hindquarter, it is worth holding onto, even if there are some problems on the front end.
If you do not have a Standard of Perfection, I highly recommend that you get one. There's so much valuable information in it. This page of diagrams is just one of the tools available to you.
You've spent hundreds of dollars on cages, shelter, rabbits, feed, and show travel, you definitely do not want to scrimp on the $15 for the book that tells you what you are working toward!
I think I should started taking a look at my hindquarters from the rear at least once a quarter. I should know which rabbits in my barn have the strongest hindquarters. If they don't have strong hindquarters, then I should have a pretty good reason for keeping them anyway (there are legitimate reasons since many rabbits are here for their parts). Maybe I should start photographing all of them from the rear so that I can compare them when I make breeding plans. I think it's a very good idea.
We tend to look at our Hollands from the top when we are posing them. If we step back, we are often looking at them from the front. But really, we also need to step back and look at them from the rear. It's a really important part to get right.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 9:38 AM 0 comments links to this post
Today, I want to talk about looking at our rabbits from the rear. This view might actually be a little easier with your Holland resting on the table. And the same things that make a Holland hindquarter good also apply to all other breeds (except maybe Harlequin, which is all about the markings).
Take out your Standard of Perfection (alternately, go to www.arba.net and order a copy!). Turn to page 37 and let's really look at those pictures. I'm talking about the second picture in each pair, which shows the tail side of the rabbit. These pictures sum up very nicely what we are looking for in the shape of our hindquarters.
The first picture shows a rabbit whose spine is protruding and does not have the fullness to carry the rounding over the top of the hip. The shape is almost like a red barn with the gambrel roof. Here's one caution - I often see this shape in young Hollands, but it does not mean that they won't fill out as they mature. If you really like the rabbit otherwise, give him or her a bit of time to see if that portion fills in.
I have to admit that the second picture - of an undercut hindquarter - is a little harder to make out. But remember that you do not want a hindquarter that curves under as it approaches the floor. Fullness to the table is very important.
I do not actually see the valley or low point at the center of the hips in the next picture - I guess that's what the black squiggly line is supposed to be. But obviously, any hindquarter that takes sudden dips anywhere is a real problem.
I love the next picture. This is one of protruding hipbones. It also shows a flatness across the top of the hindquarter. This is something we see pretty frequently on the table. You can feel this by running your hand from shoulder to hips. Your hands will catch on those hips. You can also put the edge of your hands down in the valleys created by protruding hips. Although this can be caused by poor condition, usually it is just the structure of the rabbit. You want to cull these.
Next we tackle the hindquarter that is flat over the top of the hips. These rabbits are much wider than they are tall over the hindquarter. While we do not have the requirement that the depth equals the width as many other breeds do, we still do not want rabbits whose width far outstrips the depth. "Flat over the hindquarter" is a pervasive problem with Hollands and is one of my pet peeves. No, I haven't conquered it, but I do cull strictly for flat hips.
The last picture shows the ideal hindquarter. It looks like a nice rainbow with plenty of room at the base for two pots of gold. When you get a Holland with this sort of hindquarter, it is worth holding onto, even if there are some problems on the front end.
If you do not have a Standard of Perfection, I highly recommend that you get one. There's so much valuable information in it. This page of diagrams is just one of the tools available to you.
You've spent hundreds of dollars on cages, shelter, rabbits, feed, and show travel, you definitely do not want to scrimp on the $15 for the book that tells you what you are working toward!
I think I should started taking a look at my hindquarters from the rear at least once a quarter. I should know which rabbits in my barn have the strongest hindquarters. If they don't have strong hindquarters, then I should have a pretty good reason for keeping them anyway (there are legitimate reasons since many rabbits are here for their parts). Maybe I should start photographing all of them from the rear so that I can compare them when I make breeding plans. I think it's a very good idea.
We tend to look at our Hollands from the top when we are posing them. If we step back, we are often looking at them from the front. But really, we also need to step back and look at them from the rear. It's a really important part to get right.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 9:38 AM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Eye Spot Story
I have a story to tell you about an eye spot. It's just one story, so take it for what it's worth and add it to everything else you learn about eye spots.
The truth is, we just don't know enough about them. I think that when we are limited in actual knowledge, we tend to say it is genetic or treat the situation as if it were genetic. It's the conservative thing to do. Especially when we see a condition in a dam and her kits, we assume that has to be genetic. But dams also have the opportunity to share infections and infestations with their young, not just their genetic material.
And even when something is genetic, we still may want to know whether it's the vulnerability or the actual condition that is inherited. You might say at first that is splitting hairs, but would it make a difference to you if you got the best rabbit of your entire career and it just had some susceptibility versus a full-blown condition? I might be tempted to try to breed out the problem and collect up all of the good if the rabbit is not actually ill or DQ-able.
So anyway, here is my story. It starts out with me being totally dumb and then having one of those coulda-had-a-V-8 moments.
A couple of months ago, a doe of mine started having a runny eye. I treated her with Pen B but got no response, so I figured it must not be a bacterial infection. Then I decided that she was sensitive the ammonia from the build-up of manure over the winter. It took us several weeks from that point to get it all shoveled out. But when we did, it still made no difference to her.
Then I had my V-8 moment. I knew in an instant that she was developing an eye spot. I looked and she definitely had the puckers in the eyelid we associate with eye spots. I do not believe they were there when she was younger (she's 18 months old). And, looking further, she now has a white cloudy spot in the lower half of her left eye.
I remembered an article that I read which said that it is believed that E cuniculi is responsible for at least some types of eye spots (email me if you want a copy of the article). E cuniculi can be treated with fenbendazole, according to the same article. That's the main ingredient in Safeguard cattle wormer. I've had a tube in my barn for several months, but wormed last with ivermectin. So it's been a while since any of my rabbits had been treated with fenbendazole. Plus, I don't treat pregnant does, so it is possible that she missed the last dosing anyway.
So, I gave her a pea-sized portion each day. After three days, the runny eye totally cleared up! The full regimen is once a day for 5 days, then rest a week and repeat.
This was amazing to me. Remember, her eye had been teary for a couple of months. Although it could be a coincidence and this is just one anecdotal report, I think there might be a connection there.
I wish I had had my V-8 moment earlier. I believe, though I don't know for sure, that I could have prevented the eye spot from forming if I had treated her when the eye first started running.
Now, is it that rabbits with puckers in their eyelids are more susceptible to collecting E cuniculi? Or does E cuniculi attack the eyelids and damage them which subsequently causes the scarring on the eyeball? I have no idea. If it is an infection of E cuniculi, is there still a hereditary component? Eye structure? Vulnerability to E cuniculi? Or could dams be passing down the infection to their young?
Like I said, this is just one tiny piece of information. If you try fenbendazole with runny eyes and it helps, let me know. It would be great for all of us to have yet another technique we can use to keep our herds healthy and prevent nice rabbits from developing DQs.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 9:43 AM 0 comments links to this post
The truth is, we just don't know enough about them. I think that when we are limited in actual knowledge, we tend to say it is genetic or treat the situation as if it were genetic. It's the conservative thing to do. Especially when we see a condition in a dam and her kits, we assume that has to be genetic. But dams also have the opportunity to share infections and infestations with their young, not just their genetic material.
And even when something is genetic, we still may want to know whether it's the vulnerability or the actual condition that is inherited. You might say at first that is splitting hairs, but would it make a difference to you if you got the best rabbit of your entire career and it just had some susceptibility versus a full-blown condition? I might be tempted to try to breed out the problem and collect up all of the good if the rabbit is not actually ill or DQ-able.
So anyway, here is my story. It starts out with me being totally dumb and then having one of those coulda-had-a-V-8 moments.
A couple of months ago, a doe of mine started having a runny eye. I treated her with Pen B but got no response, so I figured it must not be a bacterial infection. Then I decided that she was sensitive the ammonia from the build-up of manure over the winter. It took us several weeks from that point to get it all shoveled out. But when we did, it still made no difference to her.
Then I had my V-8 moment. I knew in an instant that she was developing an eye spot. I looked and she definitely had the puckers in the eyelid we associate with eye spots. I do not believe they were there when she was younger (she's 18 months old). And, looking further, she now has a white cloudy spot in the lower half of her left eye.
I remembered an article that I read which said that it is believed that E cuniculi is responsible for at least some types of eye spots (email me if you want a copy of the article). E cuniculi can be treated with fenbendazole, according to the same article. That's the main ingredient in Safeguard cattle wormer. I've had a tube in my barn for several months, but wormed last with ivermectin. So it's been a while since any of my rabbits had been treated with fenbendazole. Plus, I don't treat pregnant does, so it is possible that she missed the last dosing anyway.
So, I gave her a pea-sized portion each day. After three days, the runny eye totally cleared up! The full regimen is once a day for 5 days, then rest a week and repeat.
This was amazing to me. Remember, her eye had been teary for a couple of months. Although it could be a coincidence and this is just one anecdotal report, I think there might be a connection there.
I wish I had had my V-8 moment earlier. I believe, though I don't know for sure, that I could have prevented the eye spot from forming if I had treated her when the eye first started running.
Now, is it that rabbits with puckers in their eyelids are more susceptible to collecting E cuniculi? Or does E cuniculi attack the eyelids and damage them which subsequently causes the scarring on the eyeball? I have no idea. If it is an infection of E cuniculi, is there still a hereditary component? Eye structure? Vulnerability to E cuniculi? Or could dams be passing down the infection to their young?
Like I said, this is just one tiny piece of information. If you try fenbendazole with runny eyes and it helps, let me know. It would be great for all of us to have yet another technique we can use to keep our herds healthy and prevent nice rabbits from developing DQs.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 9:43 AM 0 comments links to this post
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Barn In An Emergency
First of all, I hope that everyone who "weathered" this week's storms is okay. We lost power for most of yesterday, but others nearby lost it beginning Sunday and not all power in this area will be restored until sometime tomorrow.
Having the electricity off made Andrew and me think about what we would do should the power fail in July or August, when the rabbits depend on the fans to keep them cool. It's a scary thought. We don't own a generator.
We're on a well with a large pump. The generator my parents own is not strong enough to run the pump. So we would be out of water, too. Yesterday, we supplemented with several gallons of purchased water. Luckily, the new PVC-based system holds a lot more water, so the rabbits not on crocks were able to get some water throughout the day.
But a dribble of water would not be okay in 100 degree weather. And there would be no way to run the misters.
Andrew was chatting with a co-worker about the issue and he mentioned the idea of getting a turbine that generates electricity. He said they run about $600 and can run a 20-amp circuit. That's exactly what the barn is now running on. It's an idea to check into.
He also mentioned solar collectors. I'm not sure whether that would work either, but it's worth checking out as well.
A generator would be a hefty purchase, too, but we've now added it to the long list of things we need to get around to purchasing when we can.
The high winds of this week remind me that we still need to take some dead trees out that are far too close to the barn. There's always something to worry about, isn't there?
Because there have been new reports of barn fires across the country lately, that's been on my mind as well. I'm thinking that the mister system could come in handy if we caught a fire in the early stages, but the location of the valve is not convenient - it's 24 feet from the door. I should create some sort of access for it so that it can be turned on without entering the barn. We have a pressurized water fire extinguisher near the front door. I'll need to purchase another one for the new barn plus make sure the valve for the new sprinklers is easily accessible from outside as well.
I wish there were some way to have a fire alarm system in the barn. I don't think a smoke detector would work because of the high dust content in the barn - we'd probably have daily false alarms. And I wonder whether the temperature of the tin roof would set off a heat detector. The other issue is that I certainly wouldn't want the alarm to sound in the barn. Any false alarms could result in broken backs when the rabbits are frightened. Still, detecting a fire early could make all of the difference in the survival rates of the rabbits.
I know this isn't a very cheerful topic, but it is better to think about it now, in the relative comfort of not dealing with an emergency rather than to think about it when there's a problem and options are severely limited.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 4:42 PM 0 comments links to this post
Having the electricity off made Andrew and me think about what we would do should the power fail in July or August, when the rabbits depend on the fans to keep them cool. It's a scary thought. We don't own a generator.
We're on a well with a large pump. The generator my parents own is not strong enough to run the pump. So we would be out of water, too. Yesterday, we supplemented with several gallons of purchased water. Luckily, the new PVC-based system holds a lot more water, so the rabbits not on crocks were able to get some water throughout the day.
But a dribble of water would not be okay in 100 degree weather. And there would be no way to run the misters.
Andrew was chatting with a co-worker about the issue and he mentioned the idea of getting a turbine that generates electricity. He said they run about $600 and can run a 20-amp circuit. That's exactly what the barn is now running on. It's an idea to check into.
He also mentioned solar collectors. I'm not sure whether that would work either, but it's worth checking out as well.
A generator would be a hefty purchase, too, but we've now added it to the long list of things we need to get around to purchasing when we can.
The high winds of this week remind me that we still need to take some dead trees out that are far too close to the barn. There's always something to worry about, isn't there?
Because there have been new reports of barn fires across the country lately, that's been on my mind as well. I'm thinking that the mister system could come in handy if we caught a fire in the early stages, but the location of the valve is not convenient - it's 24 feet from the door. I should create some sort of access for it so that it can be turned on without entering the barn. We have a pressurized water fire extinguisher near the front door. I'll need to purchase another one for the new barn plus make sure the valve for the new sprinklers is easily accessible from outside as well.
I wish there were some way to have a fire alarm system in the barn. I don't think a smoke detector would work because of the high dust content in the barn - we'd probably have daily false alarms. And I wonder whether the temperature of the tin roof would set off a heat detector. The other issue is that I certainly wouldn't want the alarm to sound in the barn. Any false alarms could result in broken backs when the rabbits are frightened. Still, detecting a fire early could make all of the difference in the survival rates of the rabbits.
I know this isn't a very cheerful topic, but it is better to think about it now, in the relative comfort of not dealing with an emergency rather than to think about it when there's a problem and options are severely limited.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 4:42 PM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, April 16, 2007
The Difference Between Bunnies And Ballroom
As you know, I now have two hobbies - ballroom dancing and showing rabbits. I'm surprised at how many similarities there are between the two hobbies, but there are also some distinct differences.
First, both hobbies require special shoes. For dancing, I have suede-soled heels that allow me to feel the floor. For the barn, I need garden clogs or boots that keep my feet from feeling the floor (hopefully).
In both hobbies, your hands are very important. It's important to know when to be firm and when to be gentle. The difference is that all of those rabbit scratches on your arms are of no consequence at a rabbit show, but they don't really go well when you are in the arms of a gentleman in a tuxedo!
Both hobbies require special clothes. For bunnies, I have a large collection of aprons. If one is short and I turn quickly, no problem. For dancing, I have a growing collection of tea dresses and ball gowns. If one is short and I turn quickly - well, let's just say I'd better have something cute on underneath!
After a rabbit show, I might be required to break down tables and put away chairs. After a dance, I might help out fold down tables and put away chairs. But in ballroom dancing, the tables are not coated with fecal matter.
Both hobbies provide ample opportunities to travel. There are many opportunities to spend a weekend doing what you love. However, in rabbits, I can sell part of my hard work to pay for the weekend. While in dancing - believe me - no one would pay to see the results of my hard work there!
When you get started in bunnies, you depend on strangers to help show you the way. It's the same thing in dance. The difference is, you may end up stepping on the foot that leads you in dancing. I'm pretty sure helping out a new dancer is much riskier than helping out a new rabbit exhibitor.
We often go out to eat after dances and after rabbit shows. And I'm starving after each. But with dancing, I've had the opportunity to burn quite a few extra calories. Even so, I don't cheat on my diet after either.
In both rabbits and dancing, you meet lots of different people. Some are very friendly and eager to welcome you into the hobby. Some take a little more effort to get to know. And some, well, you probably are better off not knowing. Most people are in each hobby to have fun. A few people are highly competitive. If you don't watch out, they'll run you over. The difference is, in dancing, that means you could literally end up in the floor if you get into the way of the wrong couple!
Both hobbies have their own language: whisk step, hocks, Corte, kindle, bronze level, legs. This time, there's no difference. You just have to ask someone what that means until you catch on.
Both hobbies are really good for making you feel loved. With rabbits, you get bunny love. Ballroom dancing, on the other hand, can spark your human romantic life. It's win-win either way.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:52 AM 0 comments links to this post
First, both hobbies require special shoes. For dancing, I have suede-soled heels that allow me to feel the floor. For the barn, I need garden clogs or boots that keep my feet from feeling the floor (hopefully).
In both hobbies, your hands are very important. It's important to know when to be firm and when to be gentle. The difference is that all of those rabbit scratches on your arms are of no consequence at a rabbit show, but they don't really go well when you are in the arms of a gentleman in a tuxedo!
Both hobbies require special clothes. For bunnies, I have a large collection of aprons. If one is short and I turn quickly, no problem. For dancing, I have a growing collection of tea dresses and ball gowns. If one is short and I turn quickly - well, let's just say I'd better have something cute on underneath!
After a rabbit show, I might be required to break down tables and put away chairs. After a dance, I might help out fold down tables and put away chairs. But in ballroom dancing, the tables are not coated with fecal matter.
Both hobbies provide ample opportunities to travel. There are many opportunities to spend a weekend doing what you love. However, in rabbits, I can sell part of my hard work to pay for the weekend. While in dancing - believe me - no one would pay to see the results of my hard work there!
When you get started in bunnies, you depend on strangers to help show you the way. It's the same thing in dance. The difference is, you may end up stepping on the foot that leads you in dancing. I'm pretty sure helping out a new dancer is much riskier than helping out a new rabbit exhibitor.
We often go out to eat after dances and after rabbit shows. And I'm starving after each. But with dancing, I've had the opportunity to burn quite a few extra calories. Even so, I don't cheat on my diet after either.
In both rabbits and dancing, you meet lots of different people. Some are very friendly and eager to welcome you into the hobby. Some take a little more effort to get to know. And some, well, you probably are better off not knowing. Most people are in each hobby to have fun. A few people are highly competitive. If you don't watch out, they'll run you over. The difference is, in dancing, that means you could literally end up in the floor if you get into the way of the wrong couple!
Both hobbies have their own language: whisk step, hocks, Corte, kindle, bronze level, legs. This time, there's no difference. You just have to ask someone what that means until you catch on.
Both hobbies are really good for making you feel loved. With rabbits, you get bunny love. Ballroom dancing, on the other hand, can spark your human romantic life. It's win-win either way.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:52 AM 0 comments links to this post
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Weekend In Taylorsville
This weekend, the show was a working show for me more than a show where I was an exhibitor. It started for me on Friday around 1:00 p.m. when Anna and I left the house - an hour late. We arrived at the showroom at 3:00 p.m. Set-up started at 2:00, so Roger Bustle asked me if Virginia was maybe in a different time zone than NC. He has such a wit!
So, we set up tables, awards, and judging coops. I got the raffle table started. Then we had a few minutes to rest.
At 6:00 p.m., Anna and I attended the first educational clinic put on by the Sandhills Rabbit Fanciers. Cathy Patrick demonstrated handling and posing on various breeds, and we talked about evaluating the hindquarter. It was a hands-on session. Cathy helped Anna flip her Silver Fox doe, who is starting to get some size on her. I think Anna was very pleased to be involved. It was a great opportunity and I'm so glad I went. I'm looking forward to the next one.
I had the padlock and instructions for locking up, so I was one of the last three to leave. Luckily Sarah Shumate and Kelvin Puckett were still there so that I didn't have to walk through a dark building alone. Anna was outside with Deidre.
We hopped into Deidre Edder's van and headed off for Hickory and a delightful meal at Tripp's. I had never been before; it was an absolute delight! We had a waitress with a personality and well, if you know Deidre, you know she has one, too. They were our dinner entertainment. Good food and good company; who can ask for more?
We got up at 6:00 a.m. and headed back for the showroom, arriving at one minute before 7:00 a.m. - just in time to be the first ones in the door. It was so nice to have had my rabbits already set up. It freed me up to sort out the paperwork for our show, putting each breed into a folder. I was supposed to be the show superintendent, but since our show secretary had not yet arrived, I started accepting entries.
I did get a chance to show my own rabbits in shows A & B, but when it came time for Show C, I had to depend on the good will of the wonderful Holland breeders to help me out, which they did. Thanks so much! I really appreciate it.
Judy Bustle was so good to tutor me on what to do - check to make sure the judge's name is recorded, make sure the BOB and BOS are opposite sexes, record the BOB ear number for the Best In Show competition. That kept me busier than I thought it would.
The show moved very quickly and we were done around 3:00 p.m. Of course, then it was time to sweep up, break down, and load up. Unfortunately, my back was killing me by the end of all of that. I sat down as we finished. Within about one minute, five different people asked me if I felt well. I must have looked like crap!!
It looks like the show was a success for our brand new club. There were no major problems. It looks like now that we made a small profit that we can use to put on our own show in the not-too-distant future. We were very fortunate that Hannah Bennett and family ran our raffle table (they worked all day at the raffle table and then swept the whole showroom!). As usual, that was probably the difference between losing money and making a little bit.
I showed four rabbit; three of whom won legs. Merlin was BOG in show A. Lex took his class all three times (he's a Mercedes' grandson and has her fabulous fur and body). MLK got a leg. I thought it was his third, but it is his second. I thought he had a junior leg, but no. He's having to grand the hard way just like his daddy Merlin - with all senior legs. He's actually a bit ahead of Merlin, though, because Merlin was 25 months old when he got his first leg. MLK was 9 months old when he got his first leg - and is still nowhere near 25 months old.
Laurie
¶ 10:22 AM 0 comments links to this post
So, we set up tables, awards, and judging coops. I got the raffle table started. Then we had a few minutes to rest.
At 6:00 p.m., Anna and I attended the first educational clinic put on by the Sandhills Rabbit Fanciers. Cathy Patrick demonstrated handling and posing on various breeds, and we talked about evaluating the hindquarter. It was a hands-on session. Cathy helped Anna flip her Silver Fox doe, who is starting to get some size on her. I think Anna was very pleased to be involved. It was a great opportunity and I'm so glad I went. I'm looking forward to the next one.
I had the padlock and instructions for locking up, so I was one of the last three to leave. Luckily Sarah Shumate and Kelvin Puckett were still there so that I didn't have to walk through a dark building alone. Anna was outside with Deidre.
We hopped into Deidre Edder's van and headed off for Hickory and a delightful meal at Tripp's. I had never been before; it was an absolute delight! We had a waitress with a personality and well, if you know Deidre, you know she has one, too. They were our dinner entertainment. Good food and good company; who can ask for more?
We got up at 6:00 a.m. and headed back for the showroom, arriving at one minute before 7:00 a.m. - just in time to be the first ones in the door. It was so nice to have had my rabbits already set up. It freed me up to sort out the paperwork for our show, putting each breed into a folder. I was supposed to be the show superintendent, but since our show secretary had not yet arrived, I started accepting entries.
I did get a chance to show my own rabbits in shows A & B, but when it came time for Show C, I had to depend on the good will of the wonderful Holland breeders to help me out, which they did. Thanks so much! I really appreciate it.
Judy Bustle was so good to tutor me on what to do - check to make sure the judge's name is recorded, make sure the BOB and BOS are opposite sexes, record the BOB ear number for the Best In Show competition. That kept me busier than I thought it would.
The show moved very quickly and we were done around 3:00 p.m. Of course, then it was time to sweep up, break down, and load up. Unfortunately, my back was killing me by the end of all of that. I sat down as we finished. Within about one minute, five different people asked me if I felt well. I must have looked like crap!!
It looks like the show was a success for our brand new club. There were no major problems. It looks like now that we made a small profit that we can use to put on our own show in the not-too-distant future. We were very fortunate that Hannah Bennett and family ran our raffle table (they worked all day at the raffle table and then swept the whole showroom!). As usual, that was probably the difference between losing money and making a little bit.
I showed four rabbit; three of whom won legs. Merlin was BOG in show A. Lex took his class all three times (he's a Mercedes' grandson and has her fabulous fur and body). MLK got a leg. I thought it was his third, but it is his second. I thought he had a junior leg, but no. He's having to grand the hard way just like his daddy Merlin - with all senior legs. He's actually a bit ahead of Merlin, though, because Merlin was 25 months old when he got his first leg. MLK was 9 months old when he got his first leg - and is still nowhere near 25 months old.
Laurie
¶ 10:22 AM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, April 09, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Easter
We had snow this morning. It wasn't much and it didn't stay around for long, but it certainly came on a day that feels much more like Christmas than Easter. Dani Cole of Cole Run came today to bring back Merlin and pick up Boris (sniff, sniff). They had four inches of snow this morning.
I'm not sure how long rabbits have been associated with Easter. It's been a long time, I'm sure. But until I got into breeding, I really didn't personally have a strong connection between the two. Just like Santa, the Easter Bunny was never something that I believed in. Easter was about new clothes, certainly, but the main things were Sunrise Services and hearing the Easter story - usually several times and in several ways.
I wish each of you a wonderful Easter. Enjoy your chocolate eggs (I plan to stay on my diet). Have fun with your Easter egg hunts. And when you feed your bunnies, pay some special attention to those babies - because in one very special way bunnies do represent Easter very well - as a symbol of new life.
Laurie ¶ 5:59 PM 0 comments links to this post
I'm not sure how long rabbits have been associated with Easter. It's been a long time, I'm sure. But until I got into breeding, I really didn't personally have a strong connection between the two. Just like Santa, the Easter Bunny was never something that I believed in. Easter was about new clothes, certainly, but the main things were Sunrise Services and hearing the Easter story - usually several times and in several ways.
I wish each of you a wonderful Easter. Enjoy your chocolate eggs (I plan to stay on my diet). Have fun with your Easter egg hunts. And when you feed your bunnies, pay some special attention to those babies - because in one very special way bunnies do represent Easter very well - as a symbol of new life.
Laurie ¶ 5:59 PM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Monkey On My Back?
I'm taking a break from cleaning the barn. I'm exhausted and I still have about 40% of it left to do. It's not that the pressure washing itself is all that hard. It's really not. It's just that I have to move everything on top of the cages, put bunnies in carriers, moving the ones with litters and nest boxes into other cages, and remove manure from under the cages so it doesn't become a heavy, soggy mess. Whew!
So I've been doing a whole heck of a lot of shuffling rabbits back and forth. I try to keep my mothers and litters as comfortable as possible, letting the juniors and bucks sit in the carriers.
While transferring one litter of 8-week-old kits, I got myself into quite a fix. I was taking two kits at a time to a cage on another row. I put the first kit in with no problem, then turned my hand out for the second one to jump the 2 inches onto the cage floor.
But instead of doing what 99% of all other kits in the same situation would do, he turned, ran up my arm, and got onto my back. Now I realize that I didn't help the situation by instinctively bending over so he wouldn't fall. Now I'm standing in my barn, bent over like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame, hoping no one walks in and finds me in this ridiculous situation.
Why, I don't know, because I knew right then I was going to tell you all about it anyway.
So now the little fellow decides to start running around on my back. It tickled, in a sort of painful way, as his little nails pricked my back, up and down, side to side.
I tried reaching over my shoulder. No go. I tried getting him down to my waist so I could grab him. He wouldn't cooperate. I might have been tempted to dump him in the floor, but he's a broken black. I just couldn't do that!
So I sort of crab walked my way to my work table, figuring that if I put my shoulder down near the table, this time, he would do the right thing and take the tiny 2-inch plunge to safety. And for a moment, it seemed that it would work. He came over to that shoulder and started down.
Then at the last second, he turned, ran down my other arm, and plopped on the floor!
Lucky for me, he was a little stunned and didn't go anywhere. This time, I scooped him up in both hands and placed him squarely on the wire of his temporary cage - safe and sound.
Well, folks say that I'm easy to talk to. And I'm told that for someone who does place nationally, I'm extremely approachable. After all, how could a person like me become uppity when all a new person would have to say to bring me back to earth is, "Hey, aren't you the one with the rabbit stuck on your back?"
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 11:50 AM 0 comments links to this post
So I've been doing a whole heck of a lot of shuffling rabbits back and forth. I try to keep my mothers and litters as comfortable as possible, letting the juniors and bucks sit in the carriers.
While transferring one litter of 8-week-old kits, I got myself into quite a fix. I was taking two kits at a time to a cage on another row. I put the first kit in with no problem, then turned my hand out for the second one to jump the 2 inches onto the cage floor.
But instead of doing what 99% of all other kits in the same situation would do, he turned, ran up my arm, and got onto my back. Now I realize that I didn't help the situation by instinctively bending over so he wouldn't fall. Now I'm standing in my barn, bent over like the Hunch Back of Notre Dame, hoping no one walks in and finds me in this ridiculous situation.
Why, I don't know, because I knew right then I was going to tell you all about it anyway.
So now the little fellow decides to start running around on my back. It tickled, in a sort of painful way, as his little nails pricked my back, up and down, side to side.
I tried reaching over my shoulder. No go. I tried getting him down to my waist so I could grab him. He wouldn't cooperate. I might have been tempted to dump him in the floor, but he's a broken black. I just couldn't do that!
So I sort of crab walked my way to my work table, figuring that if I put my shoulder down near the table, this time, he would do the right thing and take the tiny 2-inch plunge to safety. And for a moment, it seemed that it would work. He came over to that shoulder and started down.
Then at the last second, he turned, ran down my other arm, and plopped on the floor!
Lucky for me, he was a little stunned and didn't go anywhere. This time, I scooped him up in both hands and placed him squarely on the wire of his temporary cage - safe and sound.
Well, folks say that I'm easy to talk to. And I'm told that for someone who does place nationally, I'm extremely approachable. After all, how could a person like me become uppity when all a new person would have to say to bring me back to earth is, "Hey, aren't you the one with the rabbit stuck on your back?"
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 11:50 AM 0 comments links to this post
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Necropsy
A necropsy is the animal equivalent of an autopsy. I've never had one performed on any of my animals, but I've decided that I will make it a part of my practices in the future, should the situation arise. I'm a data-driven individual; why shouldn't I make cause of death part of the data I operate on?
Obviously, I won't bother with newborn deaths or deaths associated with aging. A single pre-junior death would not cause me alarm either - some are just naturally unthrifty.
But should I have a series of pre-junior deaths again like I experienced a couple of years ago, I will head straight out the door with the bodies to find out the reason rather than guessing.
Likewise, should an adult fall ill and die, I plan to have both the feed and animal tested.
I spend a lot of money on my animals. Sure, I haven't added new stock to my barn for quite some time (over two years), but just the cost of housing, feeding, cleaning, and showing is enormous. Why would I get cheap when it comes to finding out what is going on with my herd?
But I must admit that I am clueless about how to actually have this procedure done. When I head out the door with the bodies, where am I going?
I could go to my local vet. I expect that would be the priciest and least satisfying option for me. He doesn't know a great deal about the rabbits while they are alive, by his own admission.
I could travel a bit further and go to a vet that has some experience with rabbits. That might be a little better. But I'd probably do best to search out some veterinary teaching hospital or see what services my local agricultural department might offer.
I read on the internet that necropsies range from $20 to $75, possibly more if the cause of death requires numerous tests to make the determination. But I know a breeder who is able to have them done for $8. She says for her $8 she gets a wealth of information. Sounds like some research can pay off big time.
Some people, of course, will perform their own necropsies. This is called gross examination, not because it is gross, but because all you can do is make larger observations such as twisted intestines, tumors, and enlarged organs. In many cases, that may be enough to determine the cause of death or at least contributing factors.
I don't think that performing my own necropsies is for me. It's not because I can't handle the gross part (and I do mean gross this time), but rather because I don't know enough about what a healthy rabbit looks like inside. I worked with rats in college, but I honestly don't remember what the inside of a healthy rat looks like either!
However, if you are interested in performing necropsies, you can get a book called Laboratory Anatomy of the Rabbit. You can get it from Amazon.com (don't forget to purchase it through my website!) It's $56.25, but that can save you money in the long run if you find yourself in need of multiple necropsies.
My final thought about necropsy is that it can help you find closure when you lose a very special rabbit. I can't say that I feel equally close to every rabbit in my barn. I'm especially UN-close to the one that raked me across the neck yesterday. But you already know the ones that are near and dear to my heart. I will grieve and feel great loss when they die. And if it's from anything but old age, I don't want to have the nagging question in my mind, "Was it something that I did?" "Did I miss a sign I should have seen?"
Likewise, if you have a pet customer who feels the loss of their rabbit especially intensely, you might want to suggest they have a necropsy performed. It can help them gain closure and perhaps save the life of their next pet or other rabbits in the household.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 8:30 AM 0 comments links to this post
Obviously, I won't bother with newborn deaths or deaths associated with aging. A single pre-junior death would not cause me alarm either - some are just naturally unthrifty.
But should I have a series of pre-junior deaths again like I experienced a couple of years ago, I will head straight out the door with the bodies to find out the reason rather than guessing.
Likewise, should an adult fall ill and die, I plan to have both the feed and animal tested.
I spend a lot of money on my animals. Sure, I haven't added new stock to my barn for quite some time (over two years), but just the cost of housing, feeding, cleaning, and showing is enormous. Why would I get cheap when it comes to finding out what is going on with my herd?
But I must admit that I am clueless about how to actually have this procedure done. When I head out the door with the bodies, where am I going?
I could go to my local vet. I expect that would be the priciest and least satisfying option for me. He doesn't know a great deal about the rabbits while they are alive, by his own admission.
I could travel a bit further and go to a vet that has some experience with rabbits. That might be a little better. But I'd probably do best to search out some veterinary teaching hospital or see what services my local agricultural department might offer.
I read on the internet that necropsies range from $20 to $75, possibly more if the cause of death requires numerous tests to make the determination. But I know a breeder who is able to have them done for $8. She says for her $8 she gets a wealth of information. Sounds like some research can pay off big time.
Some people, of course, will perform their own necropsies. This is called gross examination, not because it is gross, but because all you can do is make larger observations such as twisted intestines, tumors, and enlarged organs. In many cases, that may be enough to determine the cause of death or at least contributing factors.
I don't think that performing my own necropsies is for me. It's not because I can't handle the gross part (and I do mean gross this time), but rather because I don't know enough about what a healthy rabbit looks like inside. I worked with rats in college, but I honestly don't remember what the inside of a healthy rat looks like either!
However, if you are interested in performing necropsies, you can get a book called Laboratory Anatomy of the Rabbit. You can get it from Amazon.com (don't forget to purchase it through my website!) It's $56.25, but that can save you money in the long run if you find yourself in need of multiple necropsies.
My final thought about necropsy is that it can help you find closure when you lose a very special rabbit. I can't say that I feel equally close to every rabbit in my barn. I'm especially UN-close to the one that raked me across the neck yesterday. But you already know the ones that are near and dear to my heart. I will grieve and feel great loss when they die. And if it's from anything but old age, I don't want to have the nagging question in my mind, "Was it something that I did?" "Did I miss a sign I should have seen?"
Likewise, if you have a pet customer who feels the loss of their rabbit especially intensely, you might want to suggest they have a necropsy performed. It can help them gain closure and perhaps save the life of their next pet or other rabbits in the household.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
¶ 8:30 AM 0 comments links to this post
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Planning A New Barn
I'm planning to build a new barn. I am so excited! I've been trying to figure out for a while how I could expand. I've got a shed on one side of the current barn. The garden is on another. Trees surround the other two sides. But my friend Linda helped me brainstorm this past weekend and I've finally figured it out. I'm going to give up half of The Nature Trail Jungle for the new barn - and connect both barns with a short passage.
So, I've drawn out my new barn on paper and love the design. You may recall that I once wrote about my wish list for a barn. This barn will incorporate most of what I said I would do if I had it to do over again - except that I won't have funds to build a visitor room - that'll have to wait until I win the lottery!
The purpose of the new barn will be two-fold: it will be the home of my show rabbits and juniors that I'm growing out and it will be the home of my other breeds that I'm bringing in to learn more about.
I will have 45 hanging cages separated by hay racks for show Hollands and juniors. The beauty of this cage design is that rabbits cannot ruin each other by biting through wire. And if I have a particularly messy bunny, I can insert some cardboard into the hay area and keep everyone clean. I don't tend to keep sprayers, but I have the option just in case.
Additionally, I'll have four 48" cages, seven 36" cages, and six 24" cages for other breeds. I'll be getting some Flemish Giants this year, for example, and will need some big cages for them.
I'm definitely putting in a wider aisle so that I have more room for packing for shows. Most of the rabbits going to shows will be in this barn anyway, so this is the barn that will need the wider aisle anyway. I can quit complaining about my narrow aisles in my old barn now. (The other barn will be mostly my nursery).
I will have three sets of opposing "windows." These windows are just openings in the barn that I cover with hardware cloth and mosquito mesh. I plan to have higher windows and want to mount sealed fans across them above my head level. I hate stepping over fans on the floor.
I'll install the high output fluorescent lights again. I've never had any problems with them starting, even in the coldest weather. I was fortunate that the electrician was on duty at the home improvement center when I picked out my lights for the old barn. He's the one who gave me that tip.
We'll install the PVC water system with heat cables from the very beginning this time. We'll have to make taller risers, though, because the new design will require the water to go up and over a door. The risers will have to be taller than the door (there will have to be enough water pressure it get it over the door, but not to the top of the riser - the heat cable comes out the top of the risers). And we'll put in the mister system from the beginning, too.
I'm going to spend a lot more time and attention to the drainage under the floor. Experience is a great teacher. Now I know what I want to do.
I'll also put my dry wells under the four spigots I have planned. That should keep my floors a lot dryer, too.
This year will be a building year for me. If you've been reading a while, you know that I tried to live within the confines of my current cages. I hate having temporary cages set up everywhere to deal wtih overflow, but I also find that I don't like having so few producing does (which is how I gauge the size of a herd). It worked so well as long as production rates were good. But now that I've lived through a low production period, I realize that with a small group of does, I can fall below the level needed to maintain a constant flow of nice juniors for the show table. I didn't like that either.
I have no doubt that I'll be getting over my current slump soon (I already have the babies in the barn - just waiting for them to mature). But with my new barn plans and better production rates, I expect to come back better than ever. This year, I'll be regrouping. Next year, I hope to see the fruits of my labors. I can't wait!
My first hurdle was getting Andrew on board with the idea. He's starting to refer to the barn as the "old barn," so I think I can check that off of my list. Now I just have to figure out how to pay for it all. I guess I would sell Rio, Java, and May.
Nah, I don't think so!
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:13 AM 3 comments links to this post
So, I've drawn out my new barn on paper and love the design. You may recall that I once wrote about my wish list for a barn. This barn will incorporate most of what I said I would do if I had it to do over again - except that I won't have funds to build a visitor room - that'll have to wait until I win the lottery!
The purpose of the new barn will be two-fold: it will be the home of my show rabbits and juniors that I'm growing out and it will be the home of my other breeds that I'm bringing in to learn more about.
I will have 45 hanging cages separated by hay racks for show Hollands and juniors. The beauty of this cage design is that rabbits cannot ruin each other by biting through wire. And if I have a particularly messy bunny, I can insert some cardboard into the hay area and keep everyone clean. I don't tend to keep sprayers, but I have the option just in case.
Additionally, I'll have four 48" cages, seven 36" cages, and six 24" cages for other breeds. I'll be getting some Flemish Giants this year, for example, and will need some big cages for them.
I'm definitely putting in a wider aisle so that I have more room for packing for shows. Most of the rabbits going to shows will be in this barn anyway, so this is the barn that will need the wider aisle anyway. I can quit complaining about my narrow aisles in my old barn now. (The other barn will be mostly my nursery).
I will have three sets of opposing "windows." These windows are just openings in the barn that I cover with hardware cloth and mosquito mesh. I plan to have higher windows and want to mount sealed fans across them above my head level. I hate stepping over fans on the floor.
I'll install the high output fluorescent lights again. I've never had any problems with them starting, even in the coldest weather. I was fortunate that the electrician was on duty at the home improvement center when I picked out my lights for the old barn. He's the one who gave me that tip.
We'll install the PVC water system with heat cables from the very beginning this time. We'll have to make taller risers, though, because the new design will require the water to go up and over a door. The risers will have to be taller than the door (there will have to be enough water pressure it get it over the door, but not to the top of the riser - the heat cable comes out the top of the risers). And we'll put in the mister system from the beginning, too.
I'm going to spend a lot more time and attention to the drainage under the floor. Experience is a great teacher. Now I know what I want to do.
I'll also put my dry wells under the four spigots I have planned. That should keep my floors a lot dryer, too.
This year will be a building year for me. If you've been reading a while, you know that I tried to live within the confines of my current cages. I hate having temporary cages set up everywhere to deal wtih overflow, but I also find that I don't like having so few producing does (which is how I gauge the size of a herd). It worked so well as long as production rates were good. But now that I've lived through a low production period, I realize that with a small group of does, I can fall below the level needed to maintain a constant flow of nice juniors for the show table. I didn't like that either.
I have no doubt that I'll be getting over my current slump soon (I already have the babies in the barn - just waiting for them to mature). But with my new barn plans and better production rates, I expect to come back better than ever. This year, I'll be regrouping. Next year, I hope to see the fruits of my labors. I can't wait!
My first hurdle was getting Andrew on board with the idea. He's starting to refer to the barn as the "old barn," so I think I can check that off of my list. Now I just have to figure out how to pay for it all. I guess I would sell Rio, Java, and May.
Nah, I don't think so!
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design ¶ 9:13 AM 3 comments links to this post
Monday, April 02, 2007
Shepherdsville, KY, and Piketon, OH Shows
I was talking with a breeder from Oklahoma this morning on the phone. He called to see how the weekend went and how I did. Several words came to mind: stank, bombed, the pits, total zero, and much more. I also briefly considered just saying, "What show?"
I'm at a point where I have just two types of rabbits in my barn. There's the pregnant/nursing group and the blown coat group!
The best answer turns out to be that I had a great time with friends and I got a chance to work a couple of breeds. I learned a lot. I did get some comments that confirmed what I think about some of my bunnies. That's worth something.
I showed four broken does with some very nice parts. They are the generation that you breed through to get to the better things to come, though. I'll be looking for better replacements pretty quickly on them and then pass them on for someone else to use. It was nice to hear the comments that let me know that I'm thinking about them the right way in terms of their strengths and weaknesses.
I showed about three rabbits in the first show and then scratched my entry. I could see how it was going (though I forgot about a broken junior buck that probably would have faired well under that judge). Anyway, I enjoyed writing for Todd Naragon, watching the American Chinchillas being judged, and working with Todd on the Satins instead.
Finally, at the end of the day (and I mean the end - about 8:30 p.m.), I finally took a class. It was with that broken junior buck. His name is Lex (and he's Crazy Bentley's brother, Joan). So at least I got a small party favor to take home.
One of the nice things about the Saturday show was seeing so many different people doing well. Roman Kulesza continues to do very well on the table. Go Roman! The competition was outrageous and he, still relatively new in the breed, really held his own.
I did hear that The Nature Trail's Hunnicutt took his class in youth. Good boy!
Linda and I had arrived in Shepherdsville a little after midnight on Friday night. We made it to Piketon, OH, a little after 1:15 Sunday morning. We had another crazy day. Stink, stank, stunk still describes how I did on the table.
I did pick up one leg and it was a good one. Java got Best Four Class in Show A. You won't be seeing him on the table probably until fall because he's just about to give up his coat. He's been going strong since November and he's earned a good rest. He started this current run on November 18. At the time, he had four legs. He now has 17 legs, including his class win at Nationals, 10 BOBs, 5 Best In Shows, 1 Best Reserve, and 1 Best Four Class. He's not quite 18 months old. Hopefully, he'll come back better than ever.
I also got a chance to work with Stacy Easton on Flemish Giants and Satins. Stacy is a satin breeder, so that was especially helpful. Thanks Stacy.
Linda and I got back to my house at 12:30 this morning. It was a long weekend, but fun. I can't pull one of those stunts very often, but every now and then, it's fun to do.
Laurie ¶ 9:30 AM 0 comments links to this post
I'm at a point where I have just two types of rabbits in my barn. There's the pregnant/nursing group and the blown coat group!
The best answer turns out to be that I had a great time with friends and I got a chance to work a couple of breeds. I learned a lot. I did get some comments that confirmed what I think about some of my bunnies. That's worth something.
I showed four broken does with some very nice parts. They are the generation that you breed through to get to the better things to come, though. I'll be looking for better replacements pretty quickly on them and then pass them on for someone else to use. It was nice to hear the comments that let me know that I'm thinking about them the right way in terms of their strengths and weaknesses.
I showed about three rabbits in the first show and then scratched my entry. I could see how it was going (though I forgot about a broken junior buck that probably would have faired well under that judge). Anyway, I enjoyed writing for Todd Naragon, watching the American Chinchillas being judged, and working with Todd on the Satins instead.
Finally, at the end of the day (and I mean the end - about 8:30 p.m.), I finally took a class. It was with that broken junior buck. His name is Lex (and he's Crazy Bentley's brother, Joan). So at least I got a small party favor to take home.
One of the nice things about the Saturday show was seeing so many different people doing well. Roman Kulesza continues to do very well on the table. Go Roman! The competition was outrageous and he, still relatively new in the breed, really held his own.
I did hear that The Nature Trail's Hunnicutt took his class in youth. Good boy!
Linda and I had arrived in Shepherdsville a little after midnight on Friday night. We made it to Piketon, OH, a little after 1:15 Sunday morning. We had another crazy day. Stink, stank, stunk still describes how I did on the table.
I did pick up one leg and it was a good one. Java got Best Four Class in Show A. You won't be seeing him on the table probably until fall because he's just about to give up his coat. He's been going strong since November and he's earned a good rest. He started this current run on November 18. At the time, he had four legs. He now has 17 legs, including his class win at Nationals, 10 BOBs, 5 Best In Shows, 1 Best Reserve, and 1 Best Four Class. He's not quite 18 months old. Hopefully, he'll come back better than ever.
I also got a chance to work with Stacy Easton on Flemish Giants and Satins. Stacy is a satin breeder, so that was especially helpful. Thanks Stacy.
Linda and I got back to my house at 12:30 this morning. It was a long weekend, but fun. I can't pull one of those stunts very often, but every now and then, it's fun to do.
Laurie ¶ 9:30 AM 0 comments links to this post
