Standard Rex Kits are Here

Posted on March 8, 2015 by onedogrunning

Blue otter kit from last year

On schedule, Tuna kindled seven kits this morning. This is her second litter, and I was expecting mostly black otters with maybe a couple of blues, since Tuna and Timmy are both black otter. That’s what happened the first time around. This time however, she gave me all blue/grey kits. They all look healthy and I expect them to do very well. Now I’m extra curious to see what Bluefin kindles at the end of the month since she’s a blue otter too. Will there be blacks? Brokens? To those who don’t know, broken is a mottled coat pattern.

Black otter kit from last year

Narrowing Down

Posted on June 10, 2014 by onedogrunning

Black Otter Standard Rex kit, almost 6 weeks old

Today I separated out all the Standard Rex kits I have my eye on as potential keepers. Please, please don’t let all the Blues be bucks! I put them in a top tier cage where it’s easiest to give them attention. If I’m going to be keeping someone, I want them to be well socialized with me.

Tuna was also rebred to Timmy today, although she was a little cranky and only allowed him to seal the deal once. Hopefully that was enough. Rosalind was scheduled to be rebred again today too, but she’s still recovering from her mastitis, so I’m going to wait. The swelling has gone down completely and all that remains is a little hole with some cheesy discharge. I like to think that the daily fresh dandelion greens, oat grass and comfrey have been at least partially responsible for her fast recovery. I know all the rabbits have been thriving on their fresh green rations lately.

Ros can be stubborn if she’s been left alone too long, so I was really hoping to breed her while she still has kits. Oh well. I might let the smallest kits stay with her until she’s fully well and perhaps that will work best for everyone.

Blue Otter Standard Rex kit, almost 6 weeks old

Update on Rex & Silver Marten Litters

Posted on May 27, 2014 by onedogrunning

Blue Otter Rex kit, 4 weeks old

The 18 kits are all four weeks old now and still all living. One Silver Marten kit is fairly skeletal and I’m not sure he’ll make it. Other kits are smaller than they should be at this age, but that’s to be expected with the issues we had.

The Blue Otters that popped up in the Rex litter are beautiful. I hope the one I have my eye on turns out to be a doe, as I’d like to keep her. It’s interesting to see the differences in fur density and marking quality. All the Rex kits are just so friendly and the Silver Martens are taking a cue from them. I’m not used to babies seeking petting and attention and being so curious. Giving you happy/sleepy eyes when you rub their ears. Usually they all freak out and pile into a corner until the Hand of Doom retreats.

I decided once they all came out of the nestboxes that I was just going to load them up on fresh greens. They were malnourished and the mothers had been used to eating these same greens, so I took the chance. Every day they get huge bunches of grass, dandelions, chickweed, blackberry brambles and plantain. They all love it, and seem to be doing very nicely on it.