# Polish Rabbits?



## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

Does anyone know any Polish Rabbit breeders here in the UK?


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

yes, but the majority of polish breeders dont sell rabbits to pet keepers or to people to breed them as pets.
they arnt really suitable as pets, they very highly strung, unpredictable and bite ( a lot )

when they are exhibited at shows the table stewards do a dissapearing act when its time to get the poles out.
probly `cause they like to keep their fingers and faces intact.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

pigglywiggly said:


> yes, but the majority of polish breeders dont sell rabbits to pet keepers or to people to breed them as pets.
> they arnt really suitable as pets, they very highly strung, unpredictable and bite ( a lot )
> 
> when they are exhibited at shows the table stewards do a dissapearing act when its time to get the poles out.
> probly `cause they like to keep their fingers and faces intact.



Oh yes evil little buggers they are. I remember stewarding on the Fancy challenge table once & this Pole had his teeth firmly fixed on me, no matter where i went it would escape it's steward & head straight for me :gasp:. Pure evil :devil:, they are not good for pets & many breeders will cull any excess stock for this simple reason. They are definately not for the faint hearted :whistling2:.

Oh yes & i know plenty of breeders of them too :2thumb:.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i like them, wouldnt keep them myself though, ( i wont cull perfectly healthy buns and put them in black bags )

i used to be one of the only stewards left when they would come out, funny really grown men hiding from handling a 2lb bunny.

you need to be on your toes to handle them, you have to keep them busy, one slip of concentration and they`ve got you. 

then you`ve got a pi55ed off owner giving you grief `cause you`ve bled on it :devil:

i`ve seen one zebedee 15ft through the air and attack someone before.
so funny 
pmsl


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

corny girl said:


> i know plenty of breeders of them too :2thumb:.


are you going to tell me who they are?? :notworthy:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

not if you have children and were going to get some :whistling2:


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

NaomiR said:


> are you going to tell me who they are?? :notworthy:



Check out the BRC website breeders directory.... http://www.secure-website.com/thebrc/index.htm I have no contact details for breeders as i've been out the fancy over 2 years now.


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

pigglywiggly said:


> not if you have children and were going to get some :whistling2:


I don't mean to be rude but I don't think it's any of your business :Na_Na_Na_Na:

I meerly asked if anyone knows of any breeders, I didn't ask your permission or any one elses : victory:

I'm looking for information, not opinions, the thread isn't "what do you think of Polish Rabbits as a breed" now is it??

Thanks anyway though :notworthy:


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

corny girl said:


> Check out the BRC website breeders directory.... http://www.secure-website.com/thebrc/index.htm I have no contact details for breeders as i've been out the fancy over 2 years now.


Many thanks :2thumb:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

we`ve both got experience of the breed and have given you the 'information' that they are vicious and arnt suitable as pets. 

i`m wasnt going to give you a list of breeders i know of as i dont want to get the blame when your children get mashed.

i`d go and see some at a local show first - you`ll be suprised at how quick they turn on their handlers and the damage they can do, it just takes a second inattention and the clarets squirting.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

They are soooooooooooo quick, seen them jump over stewards heads & land 6-8 feet away :whistling2:. They definately aren't a breed to be taken lightly. To be honest it will be very unlikely that you would get hold of any as most breeders sell amongst themselves due to the sheer nature of them. They don't want them falling into the wrong hands (ie the public). They do not make good pets & too be honest if anyone was to breed for sale to the public they would be very irresponsible in doing so. If you were just breeding for yourself then you would have to be prepared to cull whatever you aren't keeping & i know you wouldn't do this :whistling2:. I would stick to your Nethies as these have a much calmer temperament :2thumb:.


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## white (May 16, 2009)

corny girl said:


> They are soooooooooooo quick, seen them jump over stewards heads & land 6-8 feet away :whistling2:. They definately aren't a breed to be taken lightly. To be honest it will be very unlikely that you would get hold of any as most breeders sell amongst themselves due to the sheer nature of them. They don't want them falling into the wrong hands (ie the public). They do not make good pets & too be honest if anyone was to breed for sale to the public they would be very irresponsible in doing so. If you were just breeding for yourself then you would have to be prepared to cull whatever you aren't keeping & i know you wouldn't do this :whistling2:. I would stick to your Nethies as these have a much calmer temperament :2thumb:.


Agreed!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

isnt it kind of an unwritten rule that these and cashmeres and angoras arnt released into the pet market?


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

pigglywiggly said:


> isnt it kind of an unwritten rule that these and cashmeres and angoras arnt released into the pet market?


 
I used to have a cashmere lop, she was gorgeous:flrt: Its a shame they dont do the same with Persian cats:whistling2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

yep, potential owners should be given a toy one, and you get to upgrade to a real one when you can prove you can groom it perhaps?
:whistling2:


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

My first rabbit was a dwarf cashmere lop that I bought from a local breeder about 20 years ago. She was gorgeous with a superb coat, but you have to keep on top of bottoms - if you understand my meaning, especially with cashmeres.

When I lost her a friend, who bred and showed Polish, put me onto a Sussex Gold breeder, because I loved her Sussex Gold houserabbit.

I thought the Polish were beautiful rabbits though.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

pigglywiggly said:


> yep, potential owners should be given a toy one, and you get to upgrade to a real one when you can prove you can groom it perhaps?
> :whistling2:


 

Most definately:2thumb:


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## jazzywoo (Sep 24, 2009)

NaomiR said:


> I don't mean to be rude but I don't think it's any of your business :Na_Na_Na_Na:
> 
> I meerly asked if anyone knows of any breeders, I didn't ask your permission or any one elses : victory:
> 
> ...


 ok yes there are many breeders but as the other have said they are aggressive and nasty buggers the rew especially the coloured ones are nice theough and yes they are not a pet for a child i saw a child have the end of her finger bitten off by one !!
if for a child your better off with a nethie or mini lop :flrt:


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## swizzer (Nov 6, 2010)

I would never polish a rabbit. Much better to wash them in my opinion :2thumb:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

you`d need to fit a hanibal lecter style muzzle on it first.

:lol2:


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Strangely Wikipaedia doesnt mention any of this 



> The American Polish rabbit is generally calm and friendly, especially the bucks. Does can be territorial if not spayed. Children should always be supervised when handling rabbits, to ensure that the rabbit is not inadvertently injured.


I suppose it does state the american version but still, good job they are not out there for the unprepared to pick up...they sound like some kind of evil werebunny!!:devil:


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

Kare said:


> they sound like some kind of evil werebunny!!:devil:










:gasp:

there was me thinking the ones iv seen at shows where such cute little things :lol2:


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

miss_ferret said:


> image:gasp:
> 
> there was me thinking the ones iv seen at shows where such cute little things :lol2:



Believe me they are only cute from a distance of about 50' :2thumb:. I had a nasty experience with them when i first started in the fancy & the incident i posted up was me trying to be brave & get over my fear of them. That put me off them for life :gasp:. People think they are cute because they are small & sit perfectly on the show table but behind that "cute" look is just pure evil, they know what they want & will stop at nothing to get to it (usually an unsuspecting steward :whistling2.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Can I ask what is the point in them if they're horrid? What's the point keeping a breed going if it's only purpose is to be shown? I do get that they're a very pretty breed though.


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Can I ask what is the point in them if they're horrid? What's the point keeping a breed going if it's only purpose is to be shown? I do get that they're a very pretty breed though.


Without the existance of pure evil true goodness can not exist...so people have potted up some of the evil in the world into a handy bunny sized container.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Did anybody else read the Bunnicula stories as a kid?? :whistling2:


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Amalthea said:


> Did anybody else read the Bunnicula stories as a kid?? :whistling2:
> 
> image




No i didn't, but they must of met a pole & wrote the stories about them :whistling2:. You do get some nice ones (the coloureds have slightly better temperaments, it's the REW's that are the worse). Mind the one at the show that was after me was a Himi Pole & that was evil :devil:. People do love them, i suppose it's like everything that has it's followers.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

Kare said:


> Strangely Wikipaedia doesnt mention any of this
> 
> 
> 
> I suppose it does state the american version but still, good job they are not out there for the unprepared to pick up...they sound like some kind of evil werebunny!!:devil:


americans call bunny breeds different things to over here, so it might not be a polish like we have.

if i remember correctly they call a netherland dwarf a polish.

and a polish is a britannia petitie


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Nah... We can netherland dwarves, netherland dwarf


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

pigglywiggly said:


> americans call bunny breeds different things to over here, so it might not be a polish like we have.
> 
> if i remember correctly they call a netherland dwarf a polish.
> 
> and a polish is a britannia petitie


Sounds like the UK "Polish" is the American "Britannia Petite": 



Wikipedia said:


> The Polish rabbit was first bred in Holland. The English Polish rabbit has only recently been introduced into the USA, it has a separate classification and is called the Britannia Petite. The Polish known in the US is nothing like the Britannia Petite, which is small, full arched, and in possession of a nasty temperament. Polish are the exact opposite, having a sweet disposition.


But we definitely use the breed name "Netherland Dwarf" for the same breed in America as in Britain.

What are Himalayans like as pet rabbits?


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Ssthisto said:


> But we definitely use the breed name "Netherland Dwarf" for the same breed in America as in Britain.


Beatcha :whistling2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

himalayans are brilliant pet rabbits, ( the propper flat himalayan ones )
so placid and easy to handle. nice size for kids too

if you look on the ABRA site lots of the breed names are different in the usa.

english spot = uk english
mini lop = uk dwarf lop
holland lop = uk minilop
polish = uk nethie
brittania petite= uk polish

plus they have lots of breeds we dont have over here.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

ARBA Breeds

maybe we`ve anglicised you two? :lol2:


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

I love the little hotots!!! So cute!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

they are quite rare, i`ve never seen one in the fur.

seen a hotot minilop, was well cute


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

We had a couple come into the shop I worked at while in Texas... Very cute little things!


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

Amalthea said:


> Did anybody else read the Bunnicula stories as a kid?? :whistling2:
> 
> image


OMG I LOVE THOSE BOOKS!!!

:flrt:


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

I already have a Polish rabbit and (oddly enough) my "children" (I have 1, she's 13) doesn't go near the bunnies.

She does _help_ with the guinea pigs but only when I *force* her :whip:

I wasn't thinking of getting her a pet Polish, that would be plain stoopid :Na_Na_Na_Na: I've seen them at various shows for the last 10 years, sometimes you just don't know who you're talking to on here do you??


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

ami_j said:


> OMG I LOVE THOSE BOOKS!!!
> 
> :flrt:


 
:lol2: Not just me, then? :whistling2:


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## becki_moorcroft (Jul 13, 2009)

Can i say this attitude scares me, its kind of the same breed type thats given to staffies... i keep and breed poles and they have never bitten, they come to their name, enjoy nothing more than a good head rub and a lot of attention and i DO offer them as pets (albeit not to young children as they are very fast buns and dont really like to sit still but rather to play)
poles have a bad reputation as many breeders use this as an excuse to breed from vicious rabbits and not care, poles bred from loving parents and well handled are a delightful pet, i love my little guys, and would dare anyone to call them vicious, little spitfire wants nothing more than a nose rub through the bars when hes out at a show


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

becki_moorcroft said:


> Can i say this attitude scares me, its kind of the same breed type thats given to staffies... i keep and breed poles and they have never bitten, they come to their name, enjoy nothing more than a good head rub and a lot of attention and i DO offer them as pets (albeit not to young children as they are very fast buns and dont really like to sit still but rather to play)
> poles have a bad reputation as many breeders use this as an excuse to breed from vicious rabbits and not care, poles bred from loving parents and well handled are a delightful pet, i love my little guys, and would dare anyone to call them vicious, little spitfire wants nothing more than a nose rub through the bars when hes out at a show


could not have said it better, thank you :notworthy:


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I must admit it surprised me too. 

When I met Linda she was at university up here and she'd been breeding and showing Polish for years, which means she had to have only been a teenager when she started and when I went to her parents' to see all hers, she never mentioned anything about bad temperament and I never saw anything. Although Piggly has said some colours show more aggression than others?


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

red eyed whites are the worst temperament wise.

coloured ones seem quieter, but the ones i`ve seen at shows have been a bit smaller and not so typy.

i like them personally, have handled lots of quality ones over the years at shows, and looked after some while their owner has been away, but i still dont think they should be bred for pets.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I seem to recall the ones I saw were all dark coloured - can't remember them all now - it was a long time ago, but there were no whites at all or himmies, probably not being bred in those colours that long ago???


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

linda used to have very pretty sables, kinda a dark sepia brown but with shaded points? 

if you want to win big showing, a smart rew pole tends to do well, 
they get a lot of best in shows
`coloured` ones do look like a slightly different breed imo.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Yes, I do remember them as being dark.

I really loved them, because of my love for slim lithe type animals. I remember the breeder of my first rabbit, the dwarf cashmere lop, said she thought it was strange that I had such 'slimline' type cats and yet had gone for a chunky rabbit! :lol2:

I remember really admiring Linda's Poles because of that and the fact that they had the real rabbit ears, (which the nethies don't have imao), but I do remember her telling me that they wouldn't handle like my lop because they were very flighty and very fast.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

it is unusual to go for such different types, all my beasties tend to be chunky and square and heavy set.

appart from the great dane! but if we`d done out homework a bit more thoroughly we`d never have got her.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Well, if you look at my history, Afghan Hounds, Somalis, Orientals, siamese, yes I tend to go for long headed slimline type animals, but there's just something about a lop that so appeals to me that I absolutely _love _them, although my 2nd rabbit was a Sussex Gold and my third was a British Giant (all rescues). I think maybe my Rex was the closest in type to what appeals to me in other animals to be honest, but I do love my lops.


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

This is my "naughty" boy - Spud


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## Shadowz (Aug 6, 2008)

Thought I had heard about a killer rabbit locally LOL


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

NaomiR said:


> This is my "naughty" boy - Spud
> 
> image



I would say that this is not pure pole, looks like it has Nethie in it (type is too chunky & head too wide to be pure Pole). Here's some pics taken off the BRC website of Polish rabbits.....


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I know nothing about Poles, but even I didn't think that looked like the ones I saw years ago that I thought were lovely.

The ones I saw looked much like the ones from the website.


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## simooshy (Mar 12, 2010)

I have to say, I don't really know much about different breeds of rabbits, but this is very similar to one I saw a long while back that I fell in love with. I just love rabbits looking fit like these do, I'm not one for fluffy fluffy.


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

yes "fit" is an excellent way to describe Spud - the photo is magnified and he is a lot more lithe in appearance but yes definately not as toned as 100% pure bred Polish.

there is a very good chance he has nethie in him :whistling2:

I just love the legnth of his limbs, his body shape and narrow face :flrt:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

smooshy you`d like tans then, they`re a bit bigger and have the shiny streamlined racey look.

or propper belgian hares............


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

NaomiR said:


> yes "fit" is an excellent way to describe Spud - the photo is magnified and he is a lot more lithe in appearance but yes definately not as toned as 100% pure bred Polish.
> 
> *there is a very good chance he has nethie in him* :whistling2:
> 
> I just love the legnth of his limbs, his body shape and narrow face :flrt:


was his mom the rew nethiecross type-rabbit you had in the rehoming not long ago?


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## becki_moorcroft (Jul 13, 2009)

generally most pics of poles show them 'posed' where they are stretched up to look as tall as possible and thin and long, when they are just being rabbity they look just like badly bred nethies lol... and buck polish can have really chunky heads as they mature, ill dig out some non posed pics of my guys

i have smokes and foxes


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

pigglywiggly said:


> was his mom the rew nethiecross type-rabbit you had in the rehoming not long ago?


no otherwise I wouldn't have originally suggested I believe he's Polish, I would have said Nethie x Polish!!

and that "rew nethie cross type-rabbit" happens to be a pure bred nethie from one of the UK's top nethie breeders, I'm sure he would love your description of his stock though :lol2:
Beckie the photos of your Polish are just awesome, if you have any idea where I could get a doe in the not too distant future could you let me know?

Many thanks


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

dosnt matter how brilliant a breeder anyone is, not every animal they breed will be a show winning exhibit.

even the top breeders breed pet quaility stuff, the difference is they can pick which ones to keep and can turn them out in top class condition week in week out.
( and the pet quality tends to be available in the local garden centres pet departments )

it was you that said that your `pole` had nethie blood, not me.


Nice smokes becki, lovely type, far sleaker than any coloured ones i`ve seen before.


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

Gosh they do look like mini belgian hares, don't they! Absolutely beautiful :flrt:

I'm still undecided as to what to do about my Nethie boy who lost his brother recently - are they aggressive towards other rabbits or just to fingers? :lol2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

if you get your boy neutered he`ll most likely accept a little girl bun for a friend.
best wait till 6 to 8 weeks after the op though, or you`ll have a mini population explosion!


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> if you get your boy neutered he`ll most likely accept a little girl bun for a friend.
> best wait till 6 to 8 weeks after the op though, or you`ll have a mini population explosion!


:2thumb: Of course we'll wait that time. So you don't think a Polish doe bun would be aggressive towards him? I think my main enjoyment of my buns is watching them hopple about and nibble at grass since I have the dogs to cuddle so some bunny eyecandy would be wonderful.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

why not get another nethie in a different colour?


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> why not get another nethie in a different colour?


Because the quality of the ones bred near us is so poor that I'm really loathe to get another - my poor little man who passed away was only 7 months old.

We've looked at a couple of rescues and the idea of putting him with a much bigger doe really worries me & that seems to be just about all that's looking for homes, really.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

where about are you located?


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

pigglywiggly said:


> where about are you located?


Central Scotland, though if you could recommend a show nethie breeder near a motorway exit anywhere between Oxford & Scotland then we'd definitely travel to get a healthy bun!


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

as pigglywiggly has already (correctly) said breeders very rarely give up show quality stock, I'm just a hobby breeder but wouldn't dream of selling my top home bred rabbits - not on purpose anyway :whistling2:

I (personally) don't find the Polish aggressive, fast yes, unpredictable, possibly, but aggressive, no. Perhaps you could "meet" some and then decide? The coloured ones I've met are just lovely, the rew's have been a bit loony but mine's a himalayan and he's great :2thumb:


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## ditzychick (Aug 21, 2009)

He really is a sweetie, if a little highly strung :whistling2: but i didn't find him agressive, just a little fidgity.


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## Postcard (Aug 29, 2010)

NaomiR said:


> as pigglywiggly has already (correctly) said breeders very rarely give up show quality stock, I'm just a hobby breeder but wouldn't dream of selling my top home bred rabbits - not on purpose anyway :whistling2:
> 
> I (personally) don't find the Polish aggressive, fast yes, unpredictable, possibly, but aggressive, no. Perhaps you could "meet" some and then decide? The coloured ones I've met are just lovely, the rew's have been a bit loony but mine's a himalayan and he's great :2thumb:


I'm certainly not after a show quality animal but something that doesn't have severely misaligned teeth, a short life expectency and possible rabbit syphilis would be a bonus!

I have kept bunnies before, including a dwarf seal point doe who was sold as a generic 'dwarf' but looking at Polish bunnies now looked very Polish. She was wonderful - a grumpy sod who would grunt at you to go away and would tear round the garden like nobody's business - and I have to admit I have found the nethies so peaceful and placid in comparison I'm a little bit underwhelmed. If you really think I should stick to the nethies I certainly will, but just thought I'd put that out there as my past experience : victory:


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## becki_moorcroft (Jul 13, 2009)

thank you they are coming on well, the coloured seem to have improved a lot since i started showing (only took the poles on to show earlier this year but ive had one as a pet for the past 7 years)

my does live together and get along great so i would suspect they would be relatively easy to bond


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Yes the coloured Poles seem to be calmer, the REW seem so highly strung :whistling2:. I did get to handle some nice Poles that Geoff & Pam Honour had & this gave me back some confidence with the breed. I guess it would all come down to choosing a good breeder who was willing to allow you to handle their rabbits & see for yourself what they are like :2thumb:. I'm sure Becky can get details of "good" breeders or if not contact the BRC office direct :2thumb:.


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