Moving Forward
Something happened today that reminded me of how far we have come and why being deliberate with what you keep is so necessary.
Years ago, when we first started, we had a doe that belonged to my oldest daughter. I had a healthy distrust of this particular doe. She was one of those rabbits that never warned you when she was going to bite. She had a wicked mean streak, except when she had babies. My daughter wouldn't part with her. My last straw was when I was simply holding her in my lap while my daughter cleaned her cage. Out of NOWHERE she just turned her head and bit me hard on the arm. She had bitten my 2nd daughter prior, drawing blood through a thick coat while my daughter fed her. No digging, no warning, just CHOMP!
My oldest still wouldn't part with her...until the doe ended up biting HER unprovoked. That was it and the doe was removed from our program.
Over the years, we have tried really hard to breed that particular trait out. Today, a young doe nipped me for mo reason other than she could. I looked at her and said NOPE! YOU'RE OUT. I have enough nice rabbits that I don't need to keep one that will just turn their head and bite. This doe isn't an integral part of my program and, in the end, isn't even my best typed Jr. Won't even breed her first. Can't go backwards.
Years ago, when we first started, we had a doe that belonged to my oldest daughter. I had a healthy distrust of this particular doe. She was one of those rabbits that never warned you when she was going to bite. She had a wicked mean streak, except when she had babies. My daughter wouldn't part with her. My last straw was when I was simply holding her in my lap while my daughter cleaned her cage. Out of NOWHERE she just turned her head and bit me hard on the arm. She had bitten my 2nd daughter prior, drawing blood through a thick coat while my daughter fed her. No digging, no warning, just CHOMP!
My oldest still wouldn't part with her...until the doe ended up biting HER unprovoked. That was it and the doe was removed from our program.
Over the years, we have tried really hard to breed that particular trait out. Today, a young doe nipped me for mo reason other than she could. I looked at her and said NOPE! YOU'RE OUT. I have enough nice rabbits that I don't need to keep one that will just turn their head and bite. This doe isn't an integral part of my program and, in the end, isn't even my best typed Jr. Won't even breed her first. Can't go backwards.