# Running Breeds?



## BrierRabbit (Apr 27, 2013)

Hiya! I've bred mini rex for about four years now but recently sold out of them. I really would love to get into another breed, something that you don't find hordes of wherever you turn  I've been salivating over running breeds ever since I got into the rabbit scene and would absolutely love to get into them. 
Long story short, are there special requirements for running breeds? Do they need to be accommodated differently? Basically, what's the lowdown on them  I'm mainly looking into Tans, Rhinelanders, or Belgian hares.


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## Blaze_Amita (Apr 27, 2013)

We've got a few tan breeders on here and they are darling looking little things! I've had English spots in the past and having the running breed means having a much more higher energy(at least my spots were) and teaching them to run properly so they actually will run on the table. 
At Ky Cup I watched and wanted to snuggle the checkered Giants too! A big thick running breed!


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 27, 2013)

I love running breeds! If you can deal with the difference in personalities from mini rex then I think they are an awesome breed to raise. They do have a higher energy level than other breeds but I find that the most appealing. They would much rather run than be cuddled and held. If they are messed with from an early age then they can be more open to being held. 
I raise tans but I also know that rhinelanders and english spots are similar in type and personality.
Belgian Hares are not a running breed. They and britannia petites are the only full arch breeds that are posed instead of ran along the table.

Have you done any research on runnning breeds? I could probably talk all day about the differences in them but is there specifically something you don't want in them? Belgians do need larger cages and also should be housed on solid flooring. Tans have litters of 2-7. English spots will have 5-9. I believe rhinelanders are more similar to english spots. I know that tans only really have a show life of until about 1 year old then after that they are retired to make babies. It is also not uncommon to have juniors beat out seniors for best of breed. Also where are you located?


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 27, 2013)

Thanks for the replies  I honestly wouldn't mind a more independent breed. I still have my little loverboy mini rex to fulfill my squishing and cuddling needs, haha. I've just started seriously looking into them (though I've admired them for quite some time). I've got plenty of time to research as I won't be purchasing rabbits until my new barn is built. Tans seem to be appealing to me the most. Belgians are gorgeous but the solid bottom only thing is a deal breaker. I'm quite obsessive when it comes to rabbitry care and I like to keep things military clean. If I can't power wash it, it's not for me :blushan: What size cages do you keep your Tans in? The barn is only going be 7x7, I don't plan to breed on a large scale.


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 27, 2013)

lol thats good and I totally understand I used to raise brits and got out of them but still have my loveable buck rocky for me to cuddle 

The bucks and juniors are kept in a 24X30 but you could probably go to 20X24 or 24X24. They need a little bit more room because they are more active and use their cage space more for running around.

I have two cages that are 30X36 for larger litters or growing siblings that are separated by sex. The rest of my does stay in 24X30. I have one doe who has always been in that size cage even through her litters and has done fine.

I dont breed on a large scale so Im right there with you. I only have about 8-9 brood stock right now and only 1-2 litters at any one time. Please feel free to show us any rabbits you are interested in buying and we can give you an idea of what to look for and critique them. Also we would be able to tell you what breeders to look for in your area. I always love new tan people! I just updated my thread with new baby tan pics if you would like to check it out. Keep us posted!


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 27, 2013)

Okay  24x30s and 30x30s are what I'd kept my mini rex in. Your tan babies are stunning! I've spent more time than I'd like to admit creeping through that thread today, haha. Thanks so much for your advice n_n l forgot to mention in my previous post that I live in eastern Kentucky.


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 27, 2013)

Oh perfect! There are a lot of good breeders close to you! Kelly Flynn is in Indiana. Elizabeth (dharmabuns) is a little further in Michigan and Jodi Hartman is further in New York. Also Maddie Pratt is in Michigan. The ohio mini convention is this next weekend in Columbus. Not to mention this upcoming ARBA convention will be in PA. Tons of opportunities for you to find stock and see tans! 

LOL thank you  I think of it more as my blog bascially Ive had it so long and creep all you want!


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## FreezeNkody (Apr 28, 2013)

What is a running breed?


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 28, 2013)

It is a breed of rabbit that is ran on a table for judging instead of being posed


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 28, 2013)

This is the basic plan that Mom and I sketched up for my new shed  Each cage would be a three hole stacker. It's to scale, so the little grid blocks each account for six inches.


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 28, 2013)

If you want to have more cage space later on you can move the running board outside. We use sawhorses and a long piece of plywood covered with indoor/outdoor carpeting 

It looks good to me 

My mom also suggested you could move the food under the window and put a 24X24 where it was for some herd bucks


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## Revverress (Apr 28, 2013)

Gotta second those Tans... I have a handful of them, and they are such a fun, active breed. Since I have so few bunnies, it's easier for me to do solid bottom cages with litter boxes, so my Tans live in 24" by 36" dog crates. I've found that the breed does better on wire, however, so using stackers is a fine idea. I like a little taller cage than average (I think most breeders do 18"-20" height...); mine are 24" high which gives them plenty of room to stretch up. Your set up drawing looks perfect for a small herd of Tans. 

I've played with Rhinelanders in the past, and while I absolutely love the breed, I won't raise them because I can't bring myself to cull the mismarks- And you get a lot of mismarks with the Rhines (not something you see in the Tans). They've got awesome, dog-like personalities, but they need a lot of space; I wouldn't do less than 40" by 40" stackers. They are a great breed if you have the space and dedication for them.

Like woahlookitsme said above, Belgians aren't a running breed, and they need to live in large cages on solid flooring. I've admired these guys for forever, and finally got my first pet one last month. They are a gorgeous breed with great personalities, but because of how rare they are, the gene pool is limited and you see a lot of health issues in these guys, namely terrible respiratory issues. They are super fine-boned, and broken legs, feet, hocks and tails are not uncommon. They are not a breed for the faint-hearted.

Woahlooksitsme gave you a few names of some awesome Tan breeders! I encourage you to join the Tan Breeders group on Facebook, as there are a lot of great members on there who would be to happy hand out advice on the breed (I don't post on there, but I do lurk!). I'm in central Virginia and will most likely be selling out this summer to go back to school full time, but if you're ever in my neck of the woods, I'd be happy to point out the breeders in my area who I like to work with.


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 28, 2013)

Thanks for the advice :thumbup I love hearing from tan breeders! I really do think that they're what I've settled on. I'll definitely look into those groups


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## Blaze_Amita (Apr 28, 2013)

Where in eastern KY if you don't mind me asking. . . I'm in Owingsville/Bath County. I have seen some smaller Tan breeders in Ohio and I'm always looking for other rabbit people near me.


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 28, 2013)

I'm in Jenkins, Ky  This is a new account (I deleted my previous email). I'm not sure if you remember me but I bought Oreo from you, the little MR buck that won BIS for me.


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## DharmaBuns (Apr 29, 2013)

Oooh, Tans Tans Tans! 

Their personalities are just so funny (it's a good thing you dont want a cuddle bunny because they're not very cuddly) and I love 'em so much. I raise Tans and English Spots currently, but started with Tans. If you want to get in to them, just make sure you're getting them from a reputable breeder. There are some people that I would NOT suggest buying stock from, and some that I would. You're going to want to start out with the very best that you can. 

If you're going to have a very small rabbitry, Tans would be a good thing. Technically, every Tan is showable (unless they've got white toenails or another DQ) unlike ES or Rhines where you could get a whole litter of unshowable rabbits. Sarah has been very lucky with showing rabbits up to a year but here in our area if a rabbit is 8 months old it's considered ancient on the show table and probably won't do very well. Here, there's like a 2 month window (between 4-6 months) where Tans are at their peak. Then, they're either sold or become brood stock.


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## BrierRabbit (Apr 29, 2013)

I'm really happy to see breeders of such a beautiful rabbit that are so nice and helpful  I met some really nice MR people but there are definitely some snots :craziness 
I've been meaning to ask, how much and what brand of food do you guys feed? Do you supplement with anything? I used mana pro but I know that tans have a much more athletic build.


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 29, 2013)

We use purina show 16% because that's what we can easily get. Other people I know also use kent. I free feed most of m tans. Usually only filling their bowls once daily. I have a couple of rabbits I have to watch weight for them only half their bowl (about 1/4-1/2 a cup) and hay. We only give oatmeal and black oil sunflower seeds as supplements. Sometimes calf mana for the picky eaters


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