When Can I Tell The Quality Of My Mini Rex Rabbits?

[MiniRexGirl]

Hi,

I own a new rabbitry and am wondering at what age I can evaluate my babies and list them as ether "pet" quality or "show/brood" quality. I got one of my rabbits at 6 weeks and she was listed as show. So does that mean I should be able to tell at 6 weeks? Or should I give myself 8 weeks?
!Expert Advice Appreciated!

 

[woodleighcreek]

At 6 weeks you should be able to get a general idea. You need to check the teeth first for malocclusion. If he has one, it is unethical to sell it. Then check the toenails. They should be the right colour for the colour of the rabbit and all the same colour. Then check the coat colour to make sure it is a showable colour. Last, check the body type to see if it corresponds with the standard of perfection.

I hope that helps!

 

[Connorrm]

This is probably the best article I've ever come across for evaluating mini rex from birth to show

http://cottonwoodfarms.tripod.com/pencil.html

 

[crazyturkeydesigns]

I know this is a little old, but my sister and I were talking about this the other night (along with culling). We've raised Mini Rexes for about 10 years (mainly for 4-H, but we've done some showing too) and as a general rule: if a rabbit's not up to par when it's weaned it's never going to be. We look at ours when we wean, which can be anywhere from 5-8 weeks. We slate for show, breeding, and pet at that time and separate accordingly. You have to be careful when posing the little ones though because they can tense up their muscles, making them peak early, and have a tendency to put their little hind feet waaaaaaaay past their hips which makes for a weird rump.
That pencil test is the best- it made it so much easier for us in the beginning and after awhile you can look at a rabbit and use your "mental pencil" to evaluate it.

 

[M.R. Lops]

I think someone already mentioned this site, but I use it to evaluate my Mini Rexes. http://cottonwoodfarms.tripod.com/pencil.html
As other people have mentioned, when they are weaned you should have a good idea of their quality. Check for any disqualifications for the standard first. And then you can use the pencil test to evaluate their body.