# san juan



## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

what is asan juan and where can i find info on the breed?


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## dlwelch (Aug 26, 2002)

Your favorite search engine should turn up a few things.



> The so-called San Juan rabbit is a "Belgian hare" which has reverted
> to type and threatens to become a serious pest. A lighthouse keeper in
> Puget Sound released a few on his island as a source of fresh meat.
> Eventually they stripped it of vegetation, spread to other islands of the
> ...


There are two pictures posted on our website forum.

http://www.texasrabbitconnection.com/forums/

Go to a *"Collection of Photos*"

and *Tammy's San Juan Rabbits*

I believe San Juan's have dark meat instead of the white/light meat
we are accustomed to in our domestic rabbits. Perhaps someone else
can clarify that for us.

Hope this helps a bit.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

"Your favorite search engine should turn up a few things"
it did. way too many. most were alarmist reports.
as bad as the san juan appears to be, perhaps they should exerminate it in europe. the rrabbit itself only appears native to spain, the mountains stopped it from expanding until it was transportied into the rest of europe.
is it any worse than the native prarie dog or cottontail?
there was so much info o f this type i couldnt wade thru it all, thank you for the facts. i am dissappointed with the dark meat aspect. i guess this rabbit is not really a good tasting type?
and thanks for the picuter i couldnt find it either


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Linda, is this (Texas Rabbit Connection) a new forum? I'd like to find a mini-rex breeder to buy a pet or two from near Houston.

Thanks!

Pam


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## Tucker (Jan 4, 2005)

dlwelch said:


> Your favorite search engine should turn up a few things.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 :haha: Yes Linda ,, the 5 young of that pair did dress out dark meat ,, I gave the pair back to my uncle when Tom offered me the 6 adult WNZs (thats all she had ,, maybe they tend to small litters ,, uncle has 4 other does he claims are San Juans and he says all of them only have 3 - 5 kits  

I have been 'told' that technically its against the law to own san juans ,, :yeeha: 

and that there are some people that have heinz's that are the natural aguti (sp?) color that will pass them off as san juans ,, 'uncles' are all different shades of mm blended coats ,, 1 what I would call a dark sable blend and 1 is almost a blond/brown mix ,, I'm probably not describing it well but shades of 'blended' coats ,, 
uncle says he sells $5 the young 'fryers' to hunters for stocking hunting lands ,,, which is why its probably illegal ,, since their being turned loose ,,
but with them only having a few kits in their litters I'd think it would be hard to make anything off them enough to help pay for feed let alone if your butchering for home use ???

Tammy
NC


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

San Juan are a smaller breed much like the cottontail. They are about comparable to the dutch we all probably know. As far as their mixing capabilites, I honestly do not recall wether they will successfully breed to the domestic rabbit or not. If not, they should in fact breed with the cottontails. I have had a few and all seemed to be high strung, very un calm. In my NZ experience they are much nicer, and have a better growth rate. San juan would however make a good breed for dog training. Also if one were to work with it, a chestnut ND crossed to a NZ will in a few generations of selective breeding result in a rabbit very similar to the "san juan" if in fact color genetics work out. I do not recall the color genetics of the SJ's, but I'd be willing to bet the white wouldn't fully mask it.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

"San Juan are a smaller breed much like the cottontail. They are about comparable to the dutch we all probably know.... I have had a few and all seemed to be high strung, very un calm. In my NZ experience they are much nicer, and have a better growth rate. San juan would however make a good breed for dog training. "

thank you- there is so little info on these animals. they are not available around here, but htere are beagle training breeds- wondering if they must also be a smaller size rabbit too?
was also wondering if they would reproduce in a hutch style setup. at 3-5 kits thats not much.are they raised exclusively in hutches?
have had NZ and was very pleased with meat rabbit production off this one lady but the one doe ate me out of house and home.


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

Rabbit will eat you out of house and home if allowed to. Please before I go any further, these are my opinions and have worked for me. Begin critisizing them for what they are and I will delete it all together. I feed all of my does, except my ND's(which get 4 ounces) 6 ounces of feed. I have Mini Rex, Holland Lops, Florida Whites and Dutch. When free fed, they will eat twice as much as necessary-or more. Also, a good quality feed works wonders. Pay the extra $3 a bag and buy a local, dust free feed. You will get better performance. Please keep in mind I breed for show and my culls make it to the pet market. When I had NZ, they would get 8 ounces for the des and 6 for the bucks. I also practice the feed 6 days a week and fast the seventh. Does lactating or carrying do get the same ammount of oats as they would feed on the seventh day. All animals get hay and often a piece of fruit or veggie. I like to use this as a way to flush their system per say. I know there is a problem when one of my rabbits isn't by the door when I enter the rabbitry. After I check the waterer and see it works, they are moved out ASAP. I will not have a sick animal in my rabbitry. As far as hutch raising or I'd immagine you were referring to colony, I'd do hutch. Also, I have had a few cottontails and founf them to be much like the san juans, often MEAN to the point they BITE. Not something I need around.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

"Please before I go any further, these are my opinions and have worked for me. Begin critisizing them for what they are and I will delete it all together."

huh? if i offended im sorry. anyway- thanks for the rundown of ounce by ounce.it was helpful.

i had a local NZ and i fed her about twice what you did. i measured it out from a scoop so not sure. 
the big rabbit was calm and a wonderful mother- but as she was soo large i used a crossed fancy of undetermined breed to raise further meat rabbits. the white rabbit i had previous was eaten by a fox.
she raised off as many as 11 meat rabbits at one time and then a fox took the lot. but before that time, i had her in a 7 x about 3 hutch that i eventually divided in half.
i liked the rabbit breed, friendly enough and i had her out on the lawn (to hop around supervised) about once a week in nice weather when not with babies.
drawback was her size. however the doe didnt get sore hocks, i foudn the rabbit boards i used to pack rather firmly with manure and they were hard to thouroughly scrape out without soaking or sundrying- so i rotated boards. if the fox hadnt gotten her i would probably have wanted to build a solid bottom cage eventually for her.
i wished to try a smaller animal. if they taste like wild rabbit thats great too. im not looking for great production.if they are anywhere as mean as the old low quality netherland dwarfs in our area used to be- well- i can handle it.


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

inc, you have said nothing, i know how some here will get when show breeders talk of feed. This is not a show board and i respect that. Having raised for meat as well, I can bring both world and tie then in together. The ND i have never had a problem with. I do keep a nationally recognised line, which is culled hard. Wether this has anything to do with it or not, i don't know. Also, as far as a meat breed, I like the French and English Lops. I also have had some Giant Angora and they weren't bad. Also, Satins make good meat rabbits. Good ole rex are nice as well as the larger boned breeds, These are Flemish Giants and Checkers. Also, the medium boned spots aren't bad as they have a nice pelt.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

"inc, you have said nothing,"

no, not yet


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

since they are/were essentially feral european rabbits, it seems to me san juans would be a great choice for colony raising. if "hybrid vigor" is desired a person could release only SJ does & other breed bucks.
the reason it is illegal to release them is prevent exposing the native cottontails to disease.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

Pops2 said:


> the reason it is illegal to release them is prevent exposing the native cottontails to disease.


i was plannng on using a 3 hole hutch. the wire is standard heavy gauge 1" x1" and the holes are roomy.
number one- i havent ever seen a wild cottontail aroudn here but they are some abotu a half mile away- how are my rabbits going to cause a disease problem with cottontails?
do san juans carry some horrible disease that i dont know about?????


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

some european rabbits & the domestics descended from them are carriers of myxmitosis (help w/ the spelling would be GREATLY appreciated)
additionally they are better survivors because cottontails don't generally warren but tend rather to use a hare like form under very dense brush piles & such. there is also the possibility that being selected for higher production they could outbreed them. also they may attempt to breed the cottontails which would prevent the cottontails reproducing. since they are european rabbits they cannot interbreed w/ cottontails (i was told by a very knowledgeable person that they are too unrelated & it causes spontaneous abortion if they even conceive.


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## inc (Dec 24, 2004)

well thanks-i will assume that the 'san juan' ad the common domestic(say NZ) would be about equivalent in their ability or likelyhood of carrying myxomycosis...
the other factores are possibilities, but surely the states have a REASON that they have outlawed the 'san juan'? if so i have not found it stated in a quick search.. sure its out there.
in any case it probably would be prudent to stay away from the 'san juan'- however perhaps there is a similar small active breed that would be similar.
hey- you have brought up anohter ?-have the san juans been raised in warrens? or are they cage raised like ordinary rabbits?


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