Dwarf Genes

[Kamina]

Dwarf Gene questions.
In Holland Lops
I was wondering how does a rabbit breeder or anyone for that matter know which bunnies are true or false dwarfs from a kit. And how soon can you tell which is what.

Do breeders sometimes sell true dwarfs as pets? and are they label as a different quality.

[Tessie]

Hi Kamina!
I don’t actually know I’m afraid, maybe someone else will, but we don’t discuss breeding on the site so its possible we won’t know. 

Why do you want to know? I thought you were getting a netherland dwarf?

[LBJ10]

I think they have a pretty good idea when they are really young because the false dwarfs are bigger and have “normal” proportions. I imagine it becomes more obvious once the babies start to look more like adults. Obviously I don’t know from first hand experience, this is just what I have come to understand.

For pet vs show quality, I have come to understand that a true dwarf is usually considered show quality unless there is something else that would “disqualify” them. So yes, true dwarfs are sold as pet quality sometimes.

We tend to not think about such things here on BB since we don’t discuss breeding here. I think it is safe to say that any bunny, whether it meets the breed standards or not, is deserving of a loving home.

[Kamina]

Posted By Tessie on 02/25/2014 01:40 PM

Hi Kamina!

I don’t actually know I’m afraid, maybe someone else will, but we don’t discuss breeding on the site so its possible we won’t know. 

Why do you want to know? I thought you were getting a netherland dwarf?

I have no intention on breeding I’m just curious and like to know things. I went to a breeder and she had no idea what I was talking about lol so I’m like wow

[Kamina]

Posted By Kamina on 02/25/2014 05:50 PM

Posted By Tessie on 02/25/2014 01:40 PM

Hi Kamina!

I don’t actually know I’m afraid, maybe someone else will, but we don’t discuss breeding on the site so its possible we won’t know. 

Why do you want to know? I thought you were getting a netherland dwarf?

I have no intention on breeding I’m just curious and like to know things. I went to a breeder and she had no idea what I was talking about lol so I’m like wow

That’s what I assume as well but there really isn’t a clear answer to it is there? I have read in some where else also that even true dwarfs can be over weight and bigger while false ones can be smaller etc. how can breeders know which is what while they are putting it in the market as youngest 8 weeks old?

I JUST came from a breeder that breed multiple breeds of rabbits. I asked her and she didn’t know nothing about the gene :/. She bred holland lops and nd too…

I know all rabbits deserve a loving home whether they meet what ever stand or not, believe me. I’m just curious to all this.

[LBJ10]

Yes, there is more to it than just size and weight. So a true dwarf that fell outside the ideal weight according to the breed standard would be an example of a pet quality true dwarf. Not all true dwarfs are going to be the ideal size. Some are still going to be “too big”. Likewise, false dwarfs sometimes fall within the ideal weight. But false dwarfs will lack dwarf features like the bold, rounded head and tiny ears. Their feet will be bigger too.

[Kamina]

Posted By LBJ10 on 02/25/2014 06:30 PM

Yes, there is more to it than just size and weight. So a true dwarf that fell outside the ideal weight according to the breed standard would be an example of a pet quality true dwarf. Not all true dwarfs are going to be the ideal size. Some are still going to be “too big”. Likewise, false dwarfs sometimes fall within the ideal weight. But false dwarfs will lack dwarf features like the bold, rounded head and tiny ears. Their feet will be bigger too.

I heard about the foot thing too. How many inches you think the foot has to be by 8 weeks for it to be true dwarf? either on holland lop or ND. I carried a ND which was 8-10 weeks and she was so small, which i havent come across a ND like that, i think it was a true dwarf…

[LBJ10]

I wouldn’t have a clue. I’ve just heard that dwarfs have obviously smaller (and chubbier) feet when you compare the 2 side by side.

[Elrohwen]

It can be really hard to tell. About 2/3 of hollands are true dwarfs assuming the parents are both dwarfs, but there would be an even higher percentage of false dwarf if one parent was a false dwarf, so it’s a lot. If a rabbit gets one copy of the dwarfing gene it’s a dwarf, no copy and it’s a false dwarf, but with two copies it doesn’t survive, so any litter has a 1/3 chance of false dwarfs.

Say the dad is a false dwarf and weighs 4lbs – not that big at all and pretty much within standard. Mom is a true dwarf and very little at only 2.5lbs. Both rabbits are small by nature, whether or not they have the dwarf gene, so all of their babies will probably be small too and within standard for weight. They can still be bred to a true dwarf to get more true dwarf babies, so they aren’t necessarily sold as pets. I don’t know how possible it is to tell in very small babies, but it’s fairly easy to tell by 8 weeks what the rabbit’s adult structure will be.

My holland boy is likely a false dwarf, judging from his structure and 4lb size, but you would have to look very carefully and know about hollands to know that. Some are more obvious and much larger than standard, because their parents had genes that generally made them large and without the dwarfing gene they end up at 5lbs or so.

I hope this made some sense! Let me know if there’s any way I can clear up the explanation. I find the genetics of it very interesting.

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