October 23rd, 2003

The Mini Rex I'm currently working on is the Otters, which when recognized will be in 4 colors and judged in a group with all 4 colors competing together. The 4 basic colors are black, blue, chocolate and lilac. The Black was the first color that popped up here. This was started by accident with the fact I had 4 does to breed and only one buck which was breeding age. That buck was a Ruby-eyed White by the name of Irishcream. He had one blue otter on his pedigree but I never thought I would ever see one of those as I was not into genitics at that time. Well I bred him to my black doe, a castor doe, a blue doe and another white doe. The black is the one who gave me my first otters which was not a color I have ever seen before so didn't know what to call them. A buck was the first, his name was Sultan, and later on I got a doe which I named Princess. You can still see Princess on my New Variety page.  Blackhole which is listed on that page is the son of Sultan.  Princess was never a mother.

Then my otters took off, I had about 5 bucks and several does at that time but all where black otters. By 1999 I had my first blue otter born, his name is Conrad , you can see Conrad and his father on my new variety page as well.

Currently I have several  otter bucks, in blacks 2 solids and in brokens I have only 1. In blue otter bucks I have 3, in chocolate otter I have only 1  and no lilac otter bucks yet. Currently I have several otter does, blacks I have 5 solids and 2 brokens, In blues 2 solids and 2 brokens, chocolates 4 of them, and lilacs I only have one of.  My goal in 2004 to get a nice selection of otters to take to the local fairs and shows in all 4 colors.

October 26, 2003

I am now waiting on 4 does that are due on or just about Halloween time. They would be a Chocolate otter doe bred to a Black otter buck. A Broken Lilac doe bred to a Blue otter buck, and a couple of other does not bred to otters or out of otters. I will update this when I know what they had.

How I think I did this year, well I have more otters than I thought I would have. I started this year with 4 bucks and 5 does, ended up this year with 6 bucks, and 15 does. Of which only one doe is oversize, but she was my first broken which I can say doesn't have oversize babies, if  bred to the correct buck. So far I feel I have been doing ok, and will be ready if or when I'm called to present the otters.