# Jersey Wooly/Dwarf crosses?



## rabbitgal (Feb 12, 2005)

I'm thinking of a pet-type cross. A lot of folks like the looks of an angora, but don't want to deal with the grooming needs. What would the kits from a Jersey Wooly/Netherland Dwarf or Polish cross OR an Angora/normal furred cross look like? Do you think the fur length and texture would be somewhere between the two breeds, or would some kits be longhaired and others normal-furred? Could a crossbred kit have shorter, easier-to-groom fur but still retain the cute fuzzy look?


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

What you want is basiclly the American Fuzzy Lop or the Jersey Wooly. Neither of those breeds require more than a monthly comb through after senior coat has been grown out. 

I am not sure I'd breed these specificlly for the pet market though. Many people will buy these because they find them so cute, but most people have some allergy toward animal hair, so I don't see these as the ideal pet rabbit. Also, most pet rabbits are kept inside, both breeds(as all wooled breeds) shed. I can say(after having both breeds) that they are a real mess inside. Even a day when I'd breed a doe I'd end up covered in hair. Grooming was a pain, I'd spend 90% of the show grooming, and what didn't get done didn't get shown. I, several times, missed getting my other breeds on the table after grooming my JW's or AZL's. I can say though, both breeds hold a special place in my herds.


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## Xandras_Zoo (Jul 21, 2004)

I have a purebred show jersey wooly doe inside. She is an extremely special little beast, my dad thinks of her as a third child (down to the fact that we're not allowed to insult her in any way  ). 

There seem to be two kinds of Wooly- the fluffs (angora-ish wool), and the simples (VERY easy to care for coat, lots of guard hair, little shedding). Apollo (RIP) was a fluff type, and Roxx is the simple type. Roxx is an excellent rabbit, as low matinence as a Netherland Dwarf. We purchased Roxx from Leapin' Laura's Jersey Woolies . Great stock. 

Good luck!


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

A pet peeve of mine in wooled breeds is too many gaurdhairs. 

The site pictured had a few nice animals, but most were average. JW's are not a high end breed, so the prices sh had on the website were not very accurate(at least not here). I can get a granded doe for under $125. I was selling young broodstock for $25, and all I breed(from my line) are granded rabbits. 

I really like JW's. They can be very tempermental. Had one that went to attack my hand one day as a new mom, I sprayed her with the hose(summer). Ever since that she wouldn't even let me get her unless I talked to her first.

I never did get awesome brokens from my JW's. I granded few, but most brokens were bony. Not sue why that was, but others have also said that of thier lines.


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## natybear (Mar 26, 2005)

here in oregon, a rabbit that isn't purebred doesn't sell for much, and the stores won't buy them either. If you sell a purebred anything, even New Zealand, people want that more than they want the cutest of mutts. I would sugest breeding pure JWs or ND or polish, but don't x 'um, you don't even have the chance of getting show quality ones if you don't breed pure. there's more money there if you're seeking to make back some of your feed bill.


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## rabbitgal (Feb 12, 2005)

No, I'm not planning on doing a cross like that myself, but I'm still curious about what the offspring would look like. Really, I think I'd go crazy if our rabbits were angoras rather than normal-furred breeds--grooming isn't my idea of fun! Hence the cross idea. My sisters are getting interested in showing now, and we're *thinking* about breeding and showing a small breed together. Problem is, what do you do with dwarf rabbits that don't measure up to show standards? Pets, yes, but we all know that pets are much harder to sell than FOOD. 

What are some of the problems you've faced breeding dwarf breeds? I've heard about small litters and dead kits from a "double dose" of the dwarfism gene.


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## Xandras_Zoo (Jul 21, 2004)

rabbitgal said:


> What are some of the problems you've faced breeding dwarf breeds? I've heard about small litters and dead kits from a "double dose" of the dwarfism gene.


Wolf teeth are also worse in the little guys, I think, because of the shape of their head. 

About the double dwarf gene, I'll explain it. Each normal, show dwarf has two genes, Dw and dw (Dwdw). The Dw gene causes the bunny to be small, and dw is a normal gene. Each parent contributes one gene to its offspring. Three combinations can happen.
1.) One parent gives Dw and the other give dw. This makes another normal, show dwarf
2.) One parent gives Dw and the other gives Dw. This equals a peanut, or a double dwarf. 
3.) One parent gives dw and the other gives dw. This bunny will grow larger then your normal dwarf and will have a longer face. Called "Bud"s (Big Ugly Does) or "Bub"s (Big Ugly Bucks). 

There is a way to guarentee no double dwarfs- can you see it? You simply breed a dwdw rabbit to a Dwdw rabbit. There aren't enough dwarf genes for there to be a double dwarf. BUDs are usually used, they throw larger litters and don't have birthing difficulties because you've used a small buck. BUBs usually aren't used.


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## Reauxman (Sep 14, 2002)

rabbitgal said:


> No, I'm not planning on doing a cross like that myself, but I'm still curious about what the offspring would look like. Really, I think I'd go crazy if our rabbits were angoras rather than normal-furred breeds--grooming isn't my idea of fun! Hence the cross idea. My sisters are getting interested in showing now, and we're *thinking* about breeding and showing a small breed together. Problem is, what do you do with dwarf rabbits that don't measure up to show standards? Pets, yes, but we all know that pets are much harder to sell than FOOD.
> 
> What are some of the problems you've faced breeding dwarf breeds? I've heard about small litters and dead kits from a "double dose" of the dwarfism gene.



There are smaller breeds that meet your criteria. I'll take a few I like.

Havana-4 1/2-6 pound rabbit. Very sleek looking rabbit. I like all colors these come in, which is something I can say about few breeds. 

Florida White-4-6 1/2 pounds. I really like these guys. After some time, I realized there needed to be a rabbit in my rabbitry that bred true 99.9% of the time, didn't give me problems with stary color hais and the like. I got my FW's almost a year ago and never looked back. I breed a tight ship with these guys and they keep up with no problem. Litters weaned at 4 weeks, does bred every 6 weeks. what doesn't make the cut goes in the cull pen. 

Dutch-3.5-5.5 pounds. Good, smaller marked breed. Culls make great meat bunnies. I like marked breeds as they are easy to do early culls on, requireing less time and no second guesses. 

I was getting weights ff the top of my head. All are 4-5 pounds. All dress out with a greater meat/offal ratio when compared to Cals and NZ's. Somewhere in the 60 percentile.


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