Almost Show Quality Pet Rabbits
Rabbit breeders that breed for showing are working with the most beautiful rabbits in our country. They have been bred for beautiful fur, bold eyes, full bodies, health, great personalities and much more. Rabbits that do not meet the standards for the breed are often sold as pets. And they can make wonderful, well-above-average pet rabbits. But occasionally, you can get a pet rabbit that only missed being a top show rabbit by one tiny thing. Those pets are exceptional.
Missing toenail - a show rabbit's career can end in a second if a toenail is pulled out. These rabbits can be exceptionally beautiful. You will never miss the toenail, but a rabbit judge would.
Missing tail, crooked tail, missing portion of tail - a rabbit judge can often tell if the very end of a tail is missing. Most breeders can't even tell if just one piece is missing. But if a rabbit begins to be disqualified for the tail, that rabbit may become available as a pet. Believe it or not, from time to time, rabbits are put on the show table with no tail at all; the breeder hasn't even noticed. So a little tail problem is not likely to mar your pet rabbit's beauty much at all.
Wrong eye color, unacceptable fur color, wrong markings, not enough spots - there is a standard for each part of a rabbit. If the rabbit does not have an acceptable eye color, for example, he or she cannot be shown no matter how beautiful he is or how good her condition is. The funny thing is that these rabbits are often the most interesting ones. The black rabbit with the white foot, the blue rabbit with the brown eyes, and so forth, can often be much cuter than the one that meets the standard.
Too small, too big - each breed has an acceptable range of weight. Within that range, there may be a narrower range that is competitive. If a rabbit is a couple of ounces smaller or bigger than either range, the breeder may decide to make the rabbit available as a pet.
Fur too long, fur too short - some breeds have a minimum length. Other breeds fault longer fur. When rabbits exhibit fur of the wrong length, they may become wonderful pets.
Split Penis - sometimes the penis of a rabbit does not form completely. Instead of being tube-shaped, there is a slit somewhere along the length. Oftentimes, these rabbits are confused with female rabbits until the testicles descend. Occasionally these rabbits are winning on the show table as girls and suddenly are discovered to be boys. In an instant, they are for sale as a pet instead of bound for grand champion status.
Butting teeth - especially in breeds with large bulldog heads (Holland lops, for example), teeth may not overlap properly. If the teeth meet and are not growing long, the rabbit is an excellent candidate for a pet rabbit. Some that have teeth that are not wearing and must be clipped can be pets for just the right family. If you are the type of family that thinks nothing of taking your dog to have his nails clipped, then you could be a great family for a rabbit that needs teeth clipped.
Each part of the rabbit has a standard for its breed: muzzle, eyes, ears, nose, chest, feet, bone, fur, markings, shoulder, loin, haunch, tail, genitalia, and much more. Breeders are working for excellence in every area. When a rabbit fails to meet the standard in any characteristic, the breeder may allow that rabbit to become a pet rabbit.
Laurie Stroupe
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun
Missing toenail - a show rabbit's career can end in a second if a toenail is pulled out. These rabbits can be exceptionally beautiful. You will never miss the toenail, but a rabbit judge would.
Missing tail, crooked tail, missing portion of tail - a rabbit judge can often tell if the very end of a tail is missing. Most breeders can't even tell if just one piece is missing. But if a rabbit begins to be disqualified for the tail, that rabbit may become available as a pet. Believe it or not, from time to time, rabbits are put on the show table with no tail at all; the breeder hasn't even noticed. So a little tail problem is not likely to mar your pet rabbit's beauty much at all.
Wrong eye color, unacceptable fur color, wrong markings, not enough spots - there is a standard for each part of a rabbit. If the rabbit does not have an acceptable eye color, for example, he or she cannot be shown no matter how beautiful he is or how good her condition is. The funny thing is that these rabbits are often the most interesting ones. The black rabbit with the white foot, the blue rabbit with the brown eyes, and so forth, can often be much cuter than the one that meets the standard.
Too small, too big - each breed has an acceptable range of weight. Within that range, there may be a narrower range that is competitive. If a rabbit is a couple of ounces smaller or bigger than either range, the breeder may decide to make the rabbit available as a pet.
Fur too long, fur too short - some breeds have a minimum length. Other breeds fault longer fur. When rabbits exhibit fur of the wrong length, they may become wonderful pets.
Split Penis - sometimes the penis of a rabbit does not form completely. Instead of being tube-shaped, there is a slit somewhere along the length. Oftentimes, these rabbits are confused with female rabbits until the testicles descend. Occasionally these rabbits are winning on the show table as girls and suddenly are discovered to be boys. In an instant, they are for sale as a pet instead of bound for grand champion status.
Butting teeth - especially in breeds with large bulldog heads (Holland lops, for example), teeth may not overlap properly. If the teeth meet and are not growing long, the rabbit is an excellent candidate for a pet rabbit. Some that have teeth that are not wearing and must be clipped can be pets for just the right family. If you are the type of family that thinks nothing of taking your dog to have his nails clipped, then you could be a great family for a rabbit that needs teeth clipped.
Each part of the rabbit has a standard for its breed: muzzle, eyes, ears, nose, chest, feet, bone, fur, markings, shoulder, loin, haunch, tail, genitalia, and much more. Breeders are working for excellence in every area. When a rabbit fails to meet the standard in any characteristic, the breeder may allow that rabbit to become a pet rabbit.
Laurie Stroupe
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun
posted by Laurie Stroupe at 6:01 PM
1 Comments:
Sadly, not all rabbit breeders sell their *less than perfect* rabbits as pets. Some, dare I say many, send them to slaughter. You might mention this in your blog. Three of my current house rabbits were recued from the slaughterhouse, my Flemish Giants because they have crooked tails, and my Checkered Giant because she is smallish. As you say though, they are beautiful, wonderful rabbits despite their perceived *faults*.
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