Pearls (and Stuff)

This has been a rabid, insane week, which hopefully will come to an end soon:-). Our whole barn has been taken apart and scrubbed from top to bottom, cages have been pulled out and disinfected, babies have been weaned and tattooed, show rabbits have been entered and groomed for the VT show this weekend, and I have been studying my HEART out for this Registrar's Test I am taking this Saturday after the show. Just a word of advice for anyone who has ever considered studying for a Registrar's test, btw---do NOT try and do it in one month, or 3 weeks, or even 2 weeks (like I am trying to do right now-!!!!!!---not smart, practical, or even responsible:( ). There is a ton of information to know here, and hundreds of details that you would never have thought meant anything except that they really do--especially to those who work like crazy trying to raise and perfect all these breeds. There are tons of details as well as requirements/measurements to remember/DQs/class rules, faults, and colors. I will do the best I can but it may not pan out. I'll probably be repeating the same rant in another 6 months when it comes time to take this thing again (*grin*).

Below I have a recent picture of one of Juno's Sable Pearl babies at age 7 weeks. Below that is the original I took of the same baby at about 3 weeks. As you can see, the wool is growing out nicely now, and the cream color is beginning to show beneath the shading, and this baby (along with the others in the litter including 1 Tort) should be very nicely shaded as adults.

After reading some of the threads on the Genetics List and looking it up on my own I have come to the conclusion that what I have here is probably NOT the standard c(chl)c Pearl which is lighter in body color, but a Chin-based pearl, otherwise known as a Sallander. This particular line has definitely thrown Chins in the past which is what brought me to this conclusion, and this particular doe (Juno) has thrown heavily shaded Torts and Pearls in every litter without exception. I will have to look into this some more and work out the details, but if this is what I have then it is the ONLY way to go for Pearl, IMO:-). Despite the fact that it is not preferred according to the genetics books which advocate the c(chl)c combination, I will always love that heavier degree of shading. As long as it continues to be showable I will breed as much of it as I can:-).








More again this weekend and enjoy the spring weather!

Lotsa fun with the buns:-)