Fun with Breeding "Advice", "Tips", Tricks and Superstitions :)

[Kayleigh McMillan]

(10-13-2012 11:06 AM)devilness chant Wrote:  OOOOOk still on meds so you're all doomed mwhaaaa. rofl But this is starter time! woohoo! First will be the gorgeous Halloween kitties then I'm sure Callie will surprise us with more gorgeous Christmas kitties.
I just thought some good tips about starters might come in handy about now.

First I want to start my book by saying I don't believe I'm the first to have discovered a few new furs, and I don't know it all. I can only share some of my experiences and the advise that was passed on to me by some amazing breeders.

I believe Ambry was the first to discover the Bali Flame. (congrats girl ) And that Rocky probably got to the Bengal Tawny first, but that while he was sliding that paper down checking traits, I was the goof that hit chat first to ask if it was a new fur. lol (and I hope he was not only wearing his lucky pants at the time, but pants in general )

The most important and true advise I can give is don't give up! It can be discouraging, but can be exciting too. It took me over 40 days to get a lilac lynx, over 40 days to get a seal lynx, and over 40 days to get a siam seal. lol (yes a siam seal, lil buggers) lol

I try to look at that all gen box as a hopeful sign. I tell myself that it just means it's going to take a little longer, but that it can end up being the mega amazing kitty of the century. (and yes without meds I do tell myself that)
When you look at that disappointing box every week, and you're ready to send that starter off to play with tiger kitties. Look at it's cute lil face looking up all innocent. (ignore the fact that it just stuck it's tongue out at you) And give it another week.

I really can write a book on this, but want to give other breeders a chance to jump in and really don't want to bore you all right away.

Amen!
From that perspective I have much luck as well as I'm just to stubborn to give up on a starter. (but indeed I don't always share if I'm lucky )
I can only imagine how much starters are trashed out of frustration with them if they keep giving genesis.
I think quite frankly this happens frequently.
And as you do, I like to have a couple of starters always, year round.
I have some extra room in the amount of cats I have for starters they just eat and playing hard to get with us, but that is cute in a way as well, the little bratty furballs
By the way I think every dom fur from a starter is valuable as well lately as so many recessive has been released we need a proper dom as a point of reference and we can't get it as pure as straight from the starter.
When they revealed their fur I like to find a suitable partner to hide the fur behind just so I have a pure one hidden.