It started just before Convention. Talked to my friend Brenda just before she headed to Convention. She asked if I needed anything, and I said maybe a Sable Point doe. I gave her the criteria for the doe, and told her to get Gary Smith's opinion if she found something. Talked to her while she was there (I knew right away that Blue Torts passed), and she just said Gary was working on it. I didn't know what that meant as I figured he was much too busy to put much effort into it. So anyways, nothing came of it and I didn't think about it anymore.
The Smiths called me this past Sunday afternoon. They were on their way home from somewhere up north. PA or thereabouts I think. They had gone to pick up some new chickens, visited some relatives, and apparently picked up something for me. I was to meet them in Erwin (about 30 mins from here) as they were coming down that freeway. All I knew was that I needed a cage.
I had about 3 hours to kill, so I posted that on Facebook. Brenda slipped up and gave it away that it was a rabbit. Whew! I was actually worried they were bringing me a chicken as I had mentioned I needed some Cochin hens when he had some to spare. I really can't integrate another bird into the flock right now. It's a mixed flock of hens and roosters and for now everybody gets along. I'm sure a new bird would disrupt the order, so I really don't want more until I can set up for it. I digress, but that's to give an idea of what was going through my head while I waited to meet them.
After hello hugs all around, they pulled out a 4-hole carrier.
OMG! It was full of Sable Points! 1 buck, 2 does, and a himi doe. The buck is the dark one in the lower left. BTW, I was still so rattled by the time I got them home for this photo, it didn't occur to me to open the top. I think I was worried they would try to get out while I was lining up the shot, but none moved a muscle later.
So the rest of the story came out. The Smiths knew the Zimmermans for many years and had bought lots of rabbits from them. The Zimmermans raised Sable Pts for longer than that. They were selling out due to Mr. Zimmerman's health, and had already sold what they brought to Convention. The Smiths talked them into waiting to sell any more until they could pick through them. They had already planned the trip north. Their trip was delayed a week and Mrs. Zimmerman needed them to pin it down as she had a lot of other buyers in line. The Smiths said please please wait, we are coming. The Smiths don't do Sable Point, never have since I've known them. This was all for ME! They are the best people, the best friends anyone could have!
I don't know what the deal was, but I was assured it wasn't a fortune. Gary (who is apparently good at this according to Susan) guilted them into a real sweet deal. They wouldn't take any money from me. Hell, they wouldn't even let me buy them dinner! We met at a restaurant. Oh and I had only brought one of my small single carriers assuming it was one rabbit. It was actually still in the car as I had just used it a couple days earlier to deliver a pet. So I have the Smith's carrier for now.
So more about the rabbits. They are all older, but well-proven. The buck is about 4 years. The does are between 1.5 and 2.5. The buck is Jacob's "ear#" (Mark Jacob) with pure Covert's on the dam's side. He's pretty dark and smutty but very good type. I can work around the smut. I'm just calling him Jacob since he's my only Jacob's rabbit. The does are Zimmerman's with a smattering of Covert's, Bun'nays, Blaine's, Jacob's (to name drop) and imports in the 3rd. One of the SPs is a brood doe but my taste in a brood doe as in not too big ugly. The other is a beautiful clean show doe. That's her in the upper left. The himi, also nice brood, was thrown in the deal at the last minute and she's out of the same Zimmerman lines.
I gave them a couple days to settle in and then tried breeding the does. I know that does will often breed after a major change and long car ride, and they did. So the 2 SPs are bred. MY does won't breed, but at least these would!
The himi might be a problem. Before I put her in her cage, I put her (as all of them) on the table for another look, and flipped her over for a quick exam. I noticed her hocks were a little sore. Not oozing, but bare and rough. The next day I noticed she was acting funny. It was like she had never been on a wire floor before. She seemed to have trouble unhooking her claws from the wire or something, and when she stopped moving, she held a hind foot up. So I took her out for another look and all 4 feet are sore. Poor baby! Don't know what happened to her, but she might just be one of those rabbits who don't have enough fur on her feet. Or maybe she's a picker. I gave her a resting board which she really seems to appreciate. So it might be a while before I can try breeding her. Don't want to wait too long, she's the oldest of the 3 does. Maybe I'll try some Pen G. Never tried it on sore hocks before. Haven't had many and it's usually solved with a resting board.
In other news, I think I have a couple Sable Pts in the nestbox! Chevelle (himi) x Dirty Little Secret (sable pt) had 4 (1 peanut) this morning. They were pretty cold, she didn't put them where she put her fur, but alive. They are in the heat wrap right now. Seem to have revived OK. It's possible the 2 dark ones are cold himis, but I just had a litter of those from Chevette, and these are darker and more uniform than that. And I know Chevelle carries, where I don't think Chevette does. I'm probably wishful hoping and it's been a while since I saw SP in the box so I might be seeing things that aren't there. I was kinda hoping Chevelle fumbled so I could breed her to the new buck right away, but if they are Sable Pts, I'll take it. She'll definitely get Jacob next time, so anyone waiting for her to go up for sale, you'll have to wait longer.
I got out of all shadeds a couple years ago to concentrate on the brokens. Long story that I might have told here in the blog. That included my Sable Pt lines, and I've kinda regretted that ever since. I had them for a long time, and tried for them longer than that. I missed them. They're ba-ack!
tnt
