Ebony grows sooooooo slowly!!

[RMC]

I have to agree with Jeff on this one.
There are numerious ebs. That show and do well at 8-12 months. If they aren't good enough quality at that time then you should reevaluate wether to keep them in breeding if you are breeding for show.
Yes oldies can sometimes do well at shows. but it would be a different situation if those oldies on the west coast were shown at a show were their were numerious longtime breeders that have done well at the nat'l shows year after year. the placings of those oldies would be quite different.

 

[shuboyje]

If you go to the national show and look at the ebs, they are not tiny, and they are not 2 years old. All ebs don't grow slow, but historically it has been an issue, but it is the type of issue we should be working away from through good breeding practices. My fastest grower of all time was a eb, who weaned at 6 weeks and over 400 grams.

 

[jags]

While I agree size helps on the show table you also have to be good in the other quality traits such as color, clarity, fur strength, and such to do well on the show table. No one quality alone will get you to the top of the table, its the whole package that does. If an animal takes two years to get to its maximum size I do not care becouse if they are not of my minimum size by a year they will not be in breeding here anyway. Yesterdays Michigan Grandshow (an Extra Dark Eb female) was born last Feb and weighed 745 grams.

 

[Anne-Lise]

I'll just be patient and see what he looks like when he's older, and then take my decision. So far, he really looks great (other than size I mean), so I just can't wait to see.... If I were a good photographer I would show you great pictures of him! But I really do suck at taking pictures....:banghead: