A Visitor...

So for the last month, my rabbitry has been getting a visitor.... Someone's pet rabbit that must have gotten loose (or was set free...). He's a chestnut colored crossbreed, with a white stripe down his nose, so he either has Dutch or the vienna gene behind him. The little mooch has been enjoying the feed that drops on the ground, and all the hay under my hanging cages. He's also made several borrows under my hanging cages. He's even accidently gotten locked in with my rabbits over night a few times, as he hides behind the cages till we're gone. He's also been driving my dog, Roxy, crazy, who keeps trying to let me know that there is a rabbit loose.
Today, while I was feeding, I saw him hop into one of my buildings to escape the snow (yes, it's April, and it was snowing here today...). I quickly shut both doors, and got a flashlight. Took me a bit of manuvering, however I managed to catch him! Since he's been on his own for the last month and really wild now (has been chased numerous times by Roxy), my dad took him not far from our home, and set him loose in the woods.

ERBA Show

The ERBA show in Yelm was last Saturday. Other than it being freezing cold, it went well (took forever to unfreeze from it!). My rabbits did a lot better than I was expecting! I was not expecting anything with the Dutch, and only took four of them, but was very happy with their results.

Rodeo (Black Sr Buck)- 1 of 2 both shows
DDSC (Black Jr Doe)- BOSV of 3 both shows
Ariel (Blue Sr Doe)- Not sure what she placed in show A, I think she was third, but in show B, she was Best of Breed for her third granding leg!
Pipsqueak (Blue Sr Doe)- my biggest surprise of the day, in show A she was Best Opposite Sex (second leg), and show B was 2nd to Ariel. Not bad for a doe who was just skin and bones two months ago!

Then the Silver Martens also did very well, which Nicole and I have three really nice ones coming up.

Arson (Black Jr Buck)- Best Opposite Sex both show for his first two legs
Maddy (Black Sr doe)- I think she was 1st of 2 in the first show... Show B she was Best of Breed for her second leg!
Flame (Blue Jr doe)- Not sure how she did... I think she might have been second both shows.

For only taking 7 rabbits, not bad getting 2 BOB's, and 3 BOS's! Since this was the 60th anniversary show for the ERBA, they had cool prizes. BOB got glass beer steins, and BOS got glasses.
I judged the youth show during show A (and partly into show B), so saw several breeds. BIS went to a gorgeous White Mini Rex (not sure of the owner's name), with RIS being a really nice Black Polish of Jessica's (Jan's grand daughter). Show B, I judged a bunch of smaller breeds. I was extremely impressed with the Florida Whites that I judged, and it was really cool to see the one I picked go on to get BIS in show B, owned by Maryann. RIS show B went to the Silver that I also judged, which was also really nice. It was owned by Patsy.

Baby wise, I have four litters due on March 23rd, they are:
Stryker x Jill's Wild Blue Venus
Rodeo x Revlon
Desperado x Sasha
Bazooka x Zoe

Current litters are doing well. Looks like there are some nice show prospects for state convention :)
Next show isn't until May 2nd, the NWRB, which I'm judging at. The next day there will be a Dutch specialty. After debating over it for quite awhile, my dad and I decided to skip the Yakima show, including the specialty the next day.
I know it's been awhile since I've updated my website (so much easier to just update this). An update should be coming hopefully in the next week.

Baby Explosion!

With all the recent problems here, I was afraid that none of my does would take. I'm happy to say of my 8 does that were due this last Friday, 6 of them took! These are going to be my older juniors for State Convention (will be almost 5 months old at the time). There are several nicely marked rabbits, so hopefully I have a few big winners! The litters are:

Born on 2/5/09
Sasha x Desperado- 2 Blacks, 2 Blues
Ladybug x Stryker- 4 Blacks, 1 Blue
Piper x Revolver- 3 Blacks, 5 Blues

Born on 2/6/09
Maybelline x Stryker- 7 Blues
Cover Girl x Rodeo- 2 Blacks, 3 Blues

Then Zoe had 3 Blacks, however they all dead. Sushi and Aurora are both due in a couple of weeks. Hopefully come May, I'll be able to get my show Dutch numbers up. Hope everyone else's nestboxes are full!

Updates

It's been awhile since I've updated this. Things have been busy here. Reading my last blog, quite a bit has happened since then.
Starting with bad news, sadly, Bentley is gone. This is a big set back for my rabbitry, as he was my best herd buck, being the sire of Stryker (RGC/20 legs, 3 BIS), Brody (RGC/9 legs, 1 RIS), Ladybug (RGC/6 legs, 1 RIS), Desperado (RGC/7 legs), Ricochet (RGC/5 legs), Sophie (RGC/5 legs), Shadow (RGC/5 legs), Blue (RGC/4 legs), Spice (RGC/3 legs), etc. A couple of his more noteable grandchildren are Vixen (RGC/12 legs, 1 BIS, 3 RIS) and Rimfire (RGC/14 legs, 1 RIS).

He'll be remembered in his numourous offspring that he has here in the NW (and a few over in New Jersey) for my rabbitry and many others.

For more on Bentley, his page on my website is: http://www.geocities.com/doubledutchinfo/mrbluebuckbentley.html

For the feed problem, after switching feeds, and letting the effects of the other one wear off, my rabbits have not had any problems. I did lose three Silver Martens recently, a week after they came to live here, however they were on the brand that I had problems with up until they came here.

Purina labs have confirmed that it was indeed pig food mixed in. As this was one of their lesser used brands, I do not know many people who use it, only two others. One of which lost 9 rabbits at the same time as me. After I started losing rabbits, I was told of a breeder who lost over 100 rabbits last summer on this brand. One of Purina's other brands had issues with chicken food mixed in it, which it was said that there was a hole in one of their mills. Not sure if this is the same reason for the pig food or not... However to be on the safe side, I will be sticking with a different brand. I did really love the brand that I had problems with. I've used it for 8 years, and always had great condition on my rabbits, and the rabbits loved it too.

Everyone else is doing well. Pipsqueak is back outside, and starting to fill in quite a bit. She looks like she might be able to go to the Yelm show in March.

I had stopped breeding for awhile with all the feed issues going on, so will not have anything to show for awhile. I finally just got back to breeding all the rabbits. The following does are bred:

Due February 6th:

Zoe x Stryker

Jill's Wild Blue Venus x Bazooka

Ladybug x Stryker

Sasha x Desperado

Maybelline x Stryker

Cover Girl x Rodeo

Revlon x Revolver

Piper x Revolver

Due February 20th:

Sushi x Bazooka

Aurora x Stryker

My only litter right now is about 4-5 weeks old out of Trelawn Ruby D x Bentley. There are only two, and both are showable. I have a nice looking little Black buck, other than being close to having tied elbow (doesn't quite touch) and a little Blue doe with a narrow blaze. I will be keeping both, since they're the last Bentley babies. When I rebreed Ruby, she'll be bred back to her sire Bazooka most likely.

I do not currently have anything for sale, because of the lack of litters. I sold my last two for sale rabbits a few weeks ago.

Merry Christmas!

Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! It's going to be a white Christmas here, as we have about a foot of snow on the ground, and it's snowing yet again. It's been snowing since 4 this morning, so needless to say my family is snowed in for Christmas.
In litter news, I had three does due yesterday. Only Trelawn Ruby D bred to Bentley has had a litter. She had five, but sadly three of them were frozen by the time I found them yesterday morning. The two remaining were almost frozen when I found them, however after having them on the heating pad for a couple of hours, I was able to revive them. They are living in the house, except to be taken out for 10 minutes each morning to be nursed. They both look showable. Not the best, but regardless I will most likely keep both of them for breeding, as I've been having trouble with getting anything from Ruby since she came here last June. Also, especially since this will be my last litter from Bentley :(
Bentley has not improved any, and will not eat feed. He's been drinking and eating a bit of hay though. He still does not have any movement in his legs.
On the bright side, Pipsqueak is doing great. She's still slowly filling in. You can't quite tell by looking at her anymore, unless you pet her along her back for how skinny she is. She loves getting her nose rubbed whenever my mom or I go by her cage.
Hope everyone is staying warm with all of this snow, and once again, have a very Merry Christmas!

I hate snow

So we've had snow on the ground for about a week now, it never lasts that long where I live. It was going away Wednesday, then decided to snow again that night. We're suppose to get more tomorrow. I've been bringing the water bottles in every night, as it's been down to the teens at night, and have had to check several times a day to make sure everyone still has working water bottles. The little doe that is living in the house (whose been renamed to Pipsqueak) is no longer the only rabbit in the house. Yesterday I noticed Bentley dragging his legs. I'm not sure if something scared him, causing him to pinch a nerve or what. I have him in a carrier packed with hay, to prevent him from moving. This morning I moved Sushi's litter in, as one of them was looking a little small, and seemed to be having trouble with it's eye. Sushi has already lost three to the cold this week (two of which were showable), so want to prevent losing this one. It was 15 degrees when I took the water bottles out this morning!
I have three does (Sasha, Maybelline, and Trelawn Ruby D) due on Tuesday. They will be getting their boxes today. Hoping all goes well with these litters, as I have no good upcoming show prospects... If it's still this cold when they're born, I will be bring the boxes in the house.
On the feed front, since we hadn't heard anything back, we did some calling the other day ago. The people at the headquarters were very concern over this when talking with them. Then when we talked to the rep who sent our sample back to them, he said it's defiently not rabbit food. It's his guessimation that it's cross contamination with another feed (as we were thinking).
I haven't been completely happy with the new feed. The rabbits haven't been finishing it up like they were with the other, plus it's so expensive. Once I use up what I have right now, I will be going back to my former feed. I will just be examing each bag big time before feeding it to my rabbits.

Here's a picture of Pipsqueak just three days before she became sick. She's doing a lot better, and is now eating a day's worth of food, plus unlimited hay. She's slowly starting to gain weight again. Only time will tell if she'll be able to get back into shape to show again. My next show is not until March, the Yelm show. I had been debating about going to the Saint Helens show next month, but with all the bad luck happening here, and the fact that I now don't really have anything to show, I'm going to skip it. Even at Yelm, I will probably only have a couple of Dutch to show. I should have several Silver Martens though, as Nicole and I have 6 young juniors coming up.

Feed Change & Mount Vernon Show

So a lot has happened since I last blogged. Two days after the last post, my best upcoming junior and only offspring from Belle Starr went off feed. She had all the same signs as the other three that dead. I called up a few breeders that lost a lot of rabbits last year to feed problems (the one is still losing rabbits) to get advice. Mine had all the same signs as what their's did, going off feed, bloating out, grinding their teeth, etc. I was told by one to use Terramyacin and pineapple juice, to help break up the blockage. Nicole told me to use pedialyte, since she was dehydrated from not drinking. Two days later Aurora, who had a week old litter at the time, started having the same signs, and the next day DDT5, a Blue jr doe that I was getting ready to sell, had the signs too. Between a mixture of what I was already syringing them, plus this Critcal Care that Nicole sent me (for rabbits that go off feed), Aurora was back eating within 5 days. Didn't lose any babies in the meantime (other than one that came out of the nestbox too early...). DDT5, sadly dead the same day Aurora started eating. The night before, her stomach was bloated out too much, and I could not get her to take any of the liquids. Then Belle Starr's baby, my little fighter, has stuck it out. She's all bones, and it's been two weeks, but Wednesday night, she touched her water bottle on her own for the first time, and just yesterday she finally touched her food for the first time in two weeks! Very relieved, as she's finally looking like she's going to make it! Needless to say, the last two weeks have been very stressful. Little Calamity Jane is currently living in the house, and becoming a bit of a spoiled house rabbit. Will be hard for her to readjust to life outside, however that's a ways off until she puts on some weight.
We took some of that weird looking feed into my feed store, and it's been sent off to a rep for the brand, to be tested. Still have not heard back... We did take some of it last weekend to the show, and I had several breeders say it looked and smelled like pig food... So this makes me think that my theory is correct, to cut charges, they are not cleaning their mills inbetween different feeds, hence my bag having all this weird stuff in it. My brand puts out 5 different feeds (that I know of) for just RABBITS, plus they have all the other animals. I think they're sacrificing quality for quantity.
In the mean time, I have switched feeds for now, might be permanent though. It's only been a few weeks, so hard to say if I'm happy with this feed yet. It cost $5 more per bag than what I was paying. My former feed, I had used for 8 years, and had been very happy with it up until recently, as I had the condition I wanted on my rabbits. Only time will tell with this feed. However, since changing, I haven't had anyone else get sick.
Moving on, last weekend was the Mount Vernon show, a single show. I judged the Mini Rex specialty, which was fun. There were several very nice rabbits. I didn't have much to show, only 4 Dutch and 4 Silver Martens. Everyone was either a first or second in their class. For Dutch, Revolver was BOV and BOS for his 5th leg. Jan won BOB with her really nice Blue doe.
For Silver Martens, our Black jr doe was BOV Black for her first leg. Stormy won BOS, but there were not enough for a leg. Not sure who the owner of the BOB rabbit was. Our other Black doe left at this show to go live in BC Canada with Sunny Brook Rabbitry, as they start up in the breed.