Anybody else with Silver Foxes?

[Tracey]

Whitmore farms?? Must be a man thing, as my husband said the same. It's about 6 hrs for us and he says, oh, it's ok we can visit Gettysburg. Boys!

I saw your other post re black/blue genes. They way I see it is just like brown and blue eyes in people. So Black/Black mixed with another bunny would only produce black, and you need 2 blue genes to get the blue kit. And blue and blue rabbits couldn ONLY produce blue, as they both have to have 2 blue genes to start with - no brown. Best might be to get your son a black rabbit that had either a blue mom or dad?

Cheers!

 

[20kidsonhill]

Whitmore farms?? Must be a man thing, as my husband said the same. It's about 6 hrs for us and he says, oh, it's ok we can visit Gettysburg. Boys!

I saw your other post re black/blue genes. They way I see it is just like brown and blue eyes in people. So Black/Black mixed with another bunny would only produce black, and you need 2 blue genes to get the blue kit. And blue and blue rabbits couldn ONLY produce blue, as they both have to have 2 blue genes to start with - no brown. Best might be to get your son a black rabbit that had either a blue mom or dad?

Cheers!

My husband said, " Did you tell her I don't mean any of this half a day crap either. I mean the whole day." I asked him how would we have time to go see the rabbits and he said, " we will stay over night."

 

[Tracey]

he!he!

Oh well, at least you get your bunnies

 

[20kidsonhill]

he!he!

Oh well, at least you get your bunnies

Have you actually gone to the farm, yet?

I can't get a good feel from their website about blood-lines and how many silver fox they actually have.

at first I was thinking 1 buck and 2 does, now I am thinking 2 bucks and three does, but that will mean more cage building for us. Sure husband will be thrilled.

Oh, but you will love this. He calls me this morning and says I was talking too.....
and then starts telling me how we should do worm farming with the rabbits and that way we can sell, rabbits, worms and worm cast(droppings). WOW!!! He was actually talking about and thinking about a farm project at home. Now don't get me wrong he is no city boy, born and raised on a farm, going on call with his father a large animal vet. We met working at 1,000 sow hog operations and he now works for Cargill Turkey. Nothing non-farm about him, but he hates all my little projects that I try to start with the kids at home. when he gets home from his 12 hour day, he really doesn't want to start helping me with yet another project, he would rather watch T.V. Drives me crazy.

take care

 

[Tracey]

Not sure, but from their pictures it looks like they have quite a few. I e-mailed to check they came with pedigrees and they were quick to respond. I know they had litters due late april and were taking reservations.

We're a bit like you, not sure how many silver fox' to start with. I had put a depost on three from a local farm - one is the doe I already have. Think I'm going to stick with them this year, and try pick up some new lines once the first lot are established and breeding.

The worms are a great idea - we keep four worm bins and they do a wonderful job of converting kitchen scraps and rabbit manure into compost. We mostly feed them bunny berries and coffee grounds - the end result is better than anything I can buy in the stores. I can normally find a buyer for my surplus worms through craigslist, though the demand at a local level is not great. Haven't tried selling the vermicompst yet though - too good not to use on our own garden

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Tracy,

If you're in Northern Ohio, you're likely close to me. I have several litters right now, though most aren't weaned yet. Blacks and some blues. I do have a weaned litter with 5 bucks in it, though... I'm only about an hr. north of the OH border here, located centrally in MI. I do meet people quite often, and willing to drive part way.

Here's one of the dams of one of the litters. Elvira, two BOB legs on her. BIG girl, over 11lbs!:

This is Isabella, one BOS leg on her at her first show, an Emma x Tempest breeding:

Pictures of all my SF and other rabbits can be seen on my website : www.capriceacres.webs.com

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As for downfalls of the breed - they aren't QUITE as good as NZW's, Calis, or crosses of Cali/NZW. Common issues with them seem to be weak hindquarters, narrow loins, smaller than standard weight, and poor fur. But there will be things to work with in every breed. To me, the fact that my does don't try to dismember me whenever I do chores is a good thing. I've tried New Zealands and they were just downright VICIOUS. My silver foxes are teddy bears.

I also haven't seen blues priced higher than blacks, here. I like the blues - but they just have a Certificate of Development on them (COD), and cannot be shown in actual competition for legs. They can be SHOWN and placed as a separate variety with no awards given, which is helpful to evaluate breeding stock. I try to keep a couple blue does and I have a blue buck. Most of my does carry blue, so I get them often. But, I also have bucks who do NOT carry blue, so I can get all black litters which are showable for award.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

I saw your other post re black/blue genes. They way I see it is just like brown and blue eyes in people. So Black/Black mixed with another bunny would only produce black, and you need 2 blue genes to get the blue kit. And blue and blue rabbits couldn ONLY produce blue, as they both have to have 2 blue genes to start with - no brown. Best might be to get your son a black rabbit that had either a blue mom or dad?

Just saw this, you're correct. Thought I'd help to clarify blue/black genetics as to newbies they can be confusing!

Blue is a recessive trait, called a dilution. You do need two doses of the dilution to cause the blue color, one from each parent. HOWEVER, black animals can carry the diution as one copy of the gene, and still be black. Any rabbit that has a blue parent WILL carry blue, no matter what.

A black rabbit that does NOT carry blue will ALWAYS produce black offspring no matter who it's bred to - even a blue mate.

If a black rabbit has blue offspring, both rabbits MUST carry blue.

If you breed a carrier to a carrier, 25% will be blue, 50% will be blue carriers, and 25% will be black, not carriers.

If you breed a carrier to a blue, 75% will be blue, 25% will be carriers.

I keep blacks mainly, but most of my girls are blue carriers. I also keep a blue buck. I also have two black bucks that do NOT carry blue. The main reason being is that blues are not part of actual show competition. You can put them on the table for eval (have a copy of the working standard with you, though) but they are not truely accepted. I always suggest to people that they keep a blue buck and a buck that does NOT carry blue, to use on blue carrier does. That way they can get any color they want as demand requries.

 

[Genipher]

Here in Oregon, on the coast, I just got some Silver Fox Rabbits. One of the does and the buck have a bit of silver in their fur. The other doe is black. Not registered but they are tatooed. The does have had a few litters and I just stuck Sunny the Bunny (the lighter doe) in with Abbot the Rabbit (the buck) so (fingers crossed!) we'll have kits the beginning of November.

Someone said this breed is rare?
The lady I bought these guys from had them coming out the you-know-what!

Ours are for eating but I wouldn't mind selling some babies, too...just as long as I don't make more than $500.00/year, right?

 

[Caprice_Acres]

As long as you don't sell more than 500.00 per year to business such as TSC, pet stores, etc.

They are rare, in the grand scheme of things. There are some big breeders BUT compared to many other breeds - very rare.

Rabbits aren't registered regularly. They are often sold with a pedigree, which is just the breeder's record of the lineage. Usually people only spend the money to register them if they win at least 3 GCH legs, and can then be a recorded grand champion.

If you decide you like these rabbits enough to expand or decide you want to start raising them for quality breeding stock as well as meat, you can LIKELY go back to the breeder and get pedigrees on your rabbits. Where an adult SF doe without a pedigree will often sell for 20.00, the same rabbit with a full pedigree would probably be priced around 45.00 if she's average (around here). Litters are about the same price IMO. You can see obviously why getting the papers on them makes sense in the long run, if you plan on selling any as breeding stock. If you stick to JUST meat, then the pedigrees aren't necessary for anything.

 

[Genipher]

So if I wanted to sell a couple Silver Fox babies as pets (or breeders, etc.), $20 would be a reasonable rate to charge? I don't think I would be interested in putting forth the effort to get pedigrees though...