New Rabbit babies not warm enough

[KHoward]

There is one more black kit buried underneath the pile, where it's warm
We went from 40's and 50's this week to a snowstorm last night and Mama pulled more fur for them again.

4 x white and 2 x black (out of 6 white and 3 black) from a black NZ Doe and Cal buck with recessive blue genes.

 

[chickencheeper]

There is one more black kit buried underneath the pile, where it's warm
We went from 40's and 50's this week to a snowstorm last night and Mama pulled more fur for them again.

4 x white and 2 x black (out of 6 white and 3 black) from a black NZ Doe and Cal buck with latent blue genes.
View attachment 1268574

Sooooo cute!

 

[KHoward]

What's interesting is that the white kits have a slight smutty color, like Cal's do when they are born in the winter - I wonder what the white kits will end up looking like: A REW NZ or a Cal...

 

[Bunnylady]

4 x white and 2 x black (out of 6 white and 3 black) from a black NZ Doe and Cal buck with recessive blue genes.
View attachment 1268574

I'm reminded of a "Princess Bride" quote - "you keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means."

Black is always dominant to blue, blue is always recessive to black. It doesn't matter if the rabbit has one, two, or no blue genes, that's just the way they are. The gene for the Himi markings (ch) is recessive to several of the other genes in the C series, but you aren't calling your buck a recessive Cali, are you?

I'm not sure if you are trying to say that your Cali has the coloring known as a Blue Himalayan (Some might call that a Blue-pointed Cali or Blue Cali), or whether you are saying he has black points but carries one copy of the gene for blue, but saying he has recessive blue genes is a confusing and not correct way to phrase it.

What's interesting is that the white kits have a slight smutty color, like Cal's do when they are born in the winter - I wonder what the white kits will end up looking like: A REW NZ or a Cal...

If you are seeing smut, they will be Cali marked; REW's do not produce any pigment in the coat, ever. You should start seeing a little bit of color on the tails within the next few days, then the tips of the ears, etc. The nose marking will never be as large as that of a purebred Cali, and the color on the rest of the points will probably not be as intense.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

There is one more black kit buried underneath the pile, where it's warm
We went from 40's and 50's this week to a snowstorm last night and Mama pulled more fur for them again.

4 x white and 2 x black (out of 6 white and 3 black) from a black NZ Doe and Cal buck with recessive blue genes.
View attachment 1268574

I'm very happy they're doing well! I lost track of this thread, I must have missed the alert. I hope they continue to do well.

My rabbits are loose and they have their own dens. We have had baby bunnies pop out during winter months when they are about 3 inches long and fully furred. Quite amazing!

 

[KHoward]

What I am trying to say is that the buck carries a blue gene so if the doe has blue, I get a lot of blue kits.

I'm reminded of a "Princess Bride" quote - "you keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means."

Black is always dominant to blue, blue is always recessive to black. It doesn't matter if the rabbit has one, two, or no blue genes, that's just the way they are. The gene for the Himi markings (ch) is recessive to several of the other genes in the C series, but you aren't calling your buck a recessive Cali, are you?

I'm not sure if you are trying to say that your Cali has the coloring known as a Blue Himalayan (Some might call that a Blue-pointed Cali or Blue Cali), or whether you are saying he has black points but carries one copy of the gene for blue, but saying he has recessive blue genes is a confusing and not correct way to phrase it.



If you are seeing smut, they will be Cali marked; REW's do not produce any pigment in the coat, ever. You should start seeing a little bit of color on the tails within the next few days, then the tips of the ears, etc. The nose marking will never be as large as that of a purebred Cali, and the color on the rest of the points will probably not be as intense.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

What I am trying to say is that the buck carries a blue gene so if the doe has blue, I get a lot of blue kits.

It is true, however sometimes we assume that everyone would know what we mean even though we unintentionally made it unclear or confusing. As I write this myself, I realize that I am quite guilty of doing the same so please try to see it from a different point of view...like a perspective of someone who knows little about rabbit genetics and is trying to understand.

From the description, it seems that every reader should know what color the Cali buck is, but in truth a Cali carrying blue could be black or chocolate, even though the standard is black. Since you did not mention that you could get chocolates if the doe carried it, I would deduce that your Cali is black, but in truth there is also the possibility, even if unlikely, that both carry "b" chocolate alleles as well. (I have learned to not assume with genotypes recently when I bred a NZW with my Blue Silver Fox and found a chinchilla kit in the kindle, the chin coming from my SF.)

 

[balloonflower]

Little bit of a thread hijack. At what age does anyone stop worrying about temps? I breed year round (SF) in my garage. When temps are cold, I just bring the nestbox in.

My recent litter is now 10 days old. Doing well, but on the smaller side as there are ten kits. Debating on bringing them in for the night-outside temps will be low single digit, but I'm not expecting garage to drop below 28ish. I'll probably bring in just to have one less worry, but was just curious about opinions.

 

[Tale of Tails Rabbitry]

I would be worried about ALL my rabbits at those outside temps! However, to answer your question generally once their eyes are open and they are able to get in and out of the nest, I worry a lot less. Still, I have warming pads in my cages and before that we used warming lights and nesting boxes for all the rabbits when temperatures dipped down.