The Netherland Dwarf is a popular breed of domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) originating in the Netherlands. Smaller than most rabbit breeds, Netherland Dwarf rabbits weigh 1.6 to 2 kg and are usually kept as pets or exhibition animals. They are not typically used as sources of meat or fur because of their small size.
Most rabbits sold in pet stores are Netherland Dwarfs, Netherland Dwarf-derived breeds (often referred to simply as dwarf breeds), or Netherland Dwarf crosses. Their popularity as pets stems from their babyish appearance and their smaller cage space requirement compared to larger rabbit breeds. A lot of people also use Netherland Dwarfs for showing. History
| History |
The Netherland Dwarf breed was first produced in the Netherlands in the early 20th century. Small Polish rabbits were bred with smaller wild rabbits;[1] after several generations the resulting animal was a very small domestic rabbit available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Netherland Dwarfs were first imported into the United Kingdom in 1948.[1] In the 1960s and 1970s the United States imported its first Netherland Dwarf rabbits. The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association in 1969 using a modification of the British standard.[1]
Early dwarfs, even into the 1970s and 1980s, had fearful and sometimes aggressive temperaments. This was a result of breeders selecting wild breeding animals for their size. The first dwarf rabbits behaved more like these wild rabbits than domestic animals and were not good pets. However, through generations of selective breeding, the modern Netherland Dwarf has become a gentle, friendly pet rabbit, though it still retains a more energetic disposition than larger breeds.
Netherland Dwarfs' heads and eyes are disproportionately large with respect to their bodies, and their ears are tiny and carried high on the head. Additionally, their faces are rounded and shortened. These features, a part of the animals' dwarfism, cause them to look infantile even into adulthood.
Dwarf crosses frequently retain some of these characteristics, depending on the breed the dwarf is crossed with. However, crosses rarely look as babyish as the purebred dwarfs and are usually somewhat larger.
Purebred Netherland Dwarfs come in a wide variety of colors, including Himalayan, Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Smoke Pearl, Sable Point, Tortoiseshell, Chestnut, Siamese Sable, Opal, Lynx, Squirrel, Chinchilla, Otter, Tan, Silver Marten, Sable Marten, Smoke Pearl Marten, Orange, Fawn, Steel, Blue-Eyed White and Ruby Eyed White.[1] Other colors (including mismarks) exist in non-show-quality Netherland Dwarfs and in dwarf mongrel rabbits.
Netherland dwarf rabbits have the same basic behavioral traits as other domestic rabbits. They can be litter-trained but are generally not very good with cats or dogs.
They tend to have spunkier and more energetic temperaments than larger breeds of rabbit and are rarely content to sit still when outside of the cage. They are curious animals and have a tendency to nibble on nearby objects and even human beings. However, they are extremely fragile animals and easily stressed, and as such they do not make good pets for young children.
Like other domestic rabbits, dwarf rabbits consume grasses, grains, and other succulent greens. Their digestive system is somewhat less hardy than their larger cousins, and many leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage can give them health problems such as diarrhoea. In addition, sudden changes to a dwarf rabbit's diet can cause health problems. Generally hay and a pelleted feed should make up the largest portion of their diet. However, it should be noted that an excess of pellets in an older rabbit's diet can cause obesity. Alfalfa is not advised as feed for them as it is too high in protein for them. Over time too much protein damages their liver and other vital internal organs.
Rabbit breeds derived from breeding larger rabbits with the Netherland dwarf are known as dwarf breeds. Most smaller breeds, like the Mini-Rex, the Jersey Wooly, and the Holland lop, are results of such breedings. Generally dwarf breeds are slightly larger than the typical Netherland dwarf, not growing larger than 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg). Most have shortened faces compared to larger rabbits, and some even preserve the rounded head, large eyes, or small ears of the Netherland dwarf.
Most dwarf breeds are intended to bring a specialized characteristic, such as a specific fur type, into a smaller rabbit. Mini-Rex were created through the breeding of dwarfs with Rex rabbits, a fur breed with a short, plush coat, and retain both the dwarf's size and the Rex fur. Jersey Woolies are a dwarf version of the Angora rabbit, a wool-producing breed. Lop-eared rabbit breeds, interbred with dwarfs, were used to create Holland Lop and Mini-lop rabbits.
Mini Rex were derived form the standard Standard Rex rabbit. Their unique fur, dense, plush and velvet-like, was caused by a mutation seen in wild rabbits in France in the late 1800s. The rex mutation is recessive and causes the hair to protrude outwards from the body, instead of lying flat, and the guard hairs to be shortened to the length of the undercoat.
Their small size, plush coat and friendly personalities make them one of the most popular rabbit breeds in the United States. They were first recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1988, and been very popular with exhibitors ever since. It weighs around 4 pounds. Short and rather close coupled, it is moderately well filled with flesh. The ideal length of fur is 5/8 inch, and is to have a lustrous appearance, good body, and a plush-like effect which offers a distinct springy resistance to the touch.
The ARBA Mini Rex Standard
For competitions, a Mini Rex should have a well-rounded back, with well-developed and filled shoulders, midsection and hindquarters. Their head should be well-filled and set on a short neck, with thick ears not longer than 3.5 inches. They have medium-fine bone and rather short legs. Fur should be extremely dense, straight and upright. It should be smooth and springy, not too soft or silky. Fur must be between 1/2 inch and 7/8 inch in length.
The Mini Rex is judged 35 points on body, 5 for head, 5 for ears, 35 for fur, 15 for color and 5 for condition, making a total of 100 possible points. They are a four-class rabbit, which means there are four age groups they can be shown in. They are Senior Bucks (3 - 4.5 lbs), Senior Does (3.2 - 4.5 lbs), Junior Bucks (2 - 3.8 lbs) and Junior Does (2 - 3.8 lbs).
The Mini Rex color spectrum includes Black, Blue, Blue Eyed White, the Broken Group, Castor, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Himalayan, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Otter, Red, Sable Point, Seal, Tortoise, and White. New certificates of development have been awarded by ARBA for Sable, Smoke Pearl, Silver Marten, and Tan Mini Rex, all to be presented in the next few years.
Lionhead rabbit is one of the newest breed of domesticated rabbits. It has particularly long hair surrounding the face, reminiscent of the mane of a male lion, hence the name. Other characteristic traits of the lionhead include a rounded head and small size, usually between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds. It also tends to have slightly shorter ears than most breeds.
The Lionhead rabbit originated in Belgium. It is reported to have been produced by breeders trying to breed a long coated dwarf rabbit by crossing a miniature Swiss Fox and a Belgian dwarf. The Lionhead seemed to have been more popular than the long coated dwarf, and so breeders carried on this trend in breeding them intentionally, and so came what we know today as the Lionhead rabbit.
The Lionhead has a Cobby well rounded body, head bold with well developed muzzle. Their legs are of medium length and not too fine in bone. Their ears do not exceed 3 inches in length. Their mane is between 2-3 inches in length to form a full circle around the head, extending to a 'V' at the back of the neck falling into a fringe between the ears. Noticeably longer hair on the cheeks and chest. The coat is dense and of medium length, roll back and even all over body in Adults.
The American Chinchilla or "Heavyweight Chinchilla" is larger than the Standard Chinchilla but otherwise identical. Standard Chinchillas bred for large size produced this breed. Chinchilla Rabbits originated in France and were bred to standard by M. J. Dybowski. They were introduced to the United States in 1919.
Bred to be a meat rabbit, the American Chinchilla Rabbit is a stocky, hardy pet. American Chinchilla Rabbits do not require regular grooming. Adult American Chinchilla Rabbits weigh different for each sex. Males (Bucks)- 9-11#, and Females (Does) 10-12#. These stocky rabbits have a slight curve to their medium length bodies, beginning at the nape of their necks and following through to the rump. They carry their ears straight erect. In show, type is judged to be more important than color. American Chinchilla Rabbits are a six-class breed in show. (Any rabbit that matures over 9 pounds is a 6-class breed, maturation weights under 9# are 4-class breeds.) The American Chinchilla Rabbit was bred from large Standard Chinchilla Rabbits in order to produce a meatier rabbit. They were originally called Heavyweight Chinchilla Rabbits.
American Chinchilla Rabbits will be disqualified in show for having a body type that resembles a Flemish Giant Rabbit. Junior and intermediate American Chinchilla Rabbits may be shown in age classifications higher than their own if they are overweight. Bucks and does under six months and nine pounds are considered juniors. Intermediate American Chinchilla Rabbits are bucks and does six to eight months of age. Bucks weigh less than eleven pounds and does less than twelve. Senior bucks and does are over eight months of age and bucks weigh between nine and 11 pounds. Doe American Chinchilla Rabbits weigh between ten and 12 pounds.
American Chinchilla Rabbits are good breeders, with an average litter of 7-10 babies.
This breed originated in France and was first introduced after the First World War. The coat color is distinctive: the undercolour of the fur should be slate blue at the base, the middle portion pearl grey, merging into white and tipped with black--much like the chinchilla, the fur-producing rodent after which this breed is named.
The Giant Chinchilla is a result of crosses between Chinchilla breeds and Flemish Giants; it originates in the United States. This breed is used primarily as a commercial meat rabbit. Other chinchillas include the Standard and the American Chinchillas