Dwarf rabbit and its varieties
The dwarf rabbit is a cute decorative animal that appeared in our country relatively recently. Over the past decade, he managed to gain great popularity, as evidenced by numerous photos on the network. Small animals are bought for beauty, as living toys for children. They differ from ordinary rabbits in size. Do not confuse decorative and dwarf rabbits. Even large animals can be decorative, but it is not always convenient to keep them in an apartment. Dwarf rabbits, even adults, are tiny in size.
Dwarf rabbit
Description of the dwarf rabbit
Dwarf rabbits are very different. They differ in size, length and structure of wool, shape of ears, color. The general characteristic of this variety is its low weight and size, which is much smaller than that of regular rabbits. On average, a dwarf species weighs 2-2.5 kg, there are breeds from 0.7 kg to 3 kg. The length ranges from 30-35 cm, and the chest circumference is 20-22 cm, depending on the breed.
There are species with straight and drooping ears. The latter are called rabbits, rams. On average, the ears of miniature rabbits are 5-6 cm long, in rams they are longer, they can reach 20 cm. Accordingly, the weight of such rabbits is greater, about 2.5-3 kg. According to the length of the wool, dwarf rabbits are divided into:
- Short-haired (hair length 15-20 mm)
- Medium-haired (hair length - 20-40 mm)
- Long-haired (hair length more than 50 mm)
The structure of the coat varies. Satin and angora fur, as well as plush Rex fur, are especially appreciated. The average life span of a pet is 5-7 years. Proper care and maintenance of a dwarf rabbit can extend it for 2-3 years. Long-livers record holders live in the homes of their owners for 10-12 years. Neutered animals live longer.
Dwarf rabbit breeds
Domestic dwarf rabbits first appeared in the 19th century, presumably in Central Europe. Then they began to breed in Great Britain, where they were called Polish rabbits. From there, miniature animals spread to Holland, Germany and other countries. At first, dwarf breeds played not only a decorative role, they were bred for the sake of fluffy fur. Now these rabbits are extremely cute pets that look great live and in the photo.
Hermelin
The tiny Hermeline is one of the oldest breeds that appeared at the beginning of the last century. Its larger counterparts were used to produce ermine-like fur. These are small animals with absolutely white fur. The dwarf rabbit weighs about 1.25 kg, the length of its ears is 5-6 cm. The eyes of the rabbit can be red or blue. The character of this breed is not easy, it is difficult to educate.Therefore, it is recommended to start Germelin for experienced "rabbitries". The life span of the animals is 6-7 years.
Colored dwarf rabbits
The colored dwarf rabbit is the most common breed. She was bred in the Netherlands, is related to the Hermelin. The main feature of this species is the variety of coat colors. The animals are black, gray, purple, spotted, red and even Siamese. The list of dwarf rabbit colors is constantly growing, as pets are very popular. Dutch colored dwarf rabbits weigh from 0.7 kg to 1.5 kg. Their ears are erect, small, 4-6 cm long. During the period of sexual activity, males and females are aggressive. Therefore, it is recommended to castrate rabbits if their breeding is not planned.
Dwarf rex
The Rex breed is prized for its calm disposition and special type of coat. It is short and fluffy, reminiscent of plush or the fur of a real chinchilla. A large variety is grown on an industrial scale, dwarf Rexes are exclusively decorative animals. They weigh about 1.5 kg, have short pointed ears, an elongated muzzle with practically no antennae. Miniature Rex never shows aggression, he is phlegmatic, ideal for children. Lives at home for about 7 years, if you provide him with proper care and feeding.
Dutch dwarf rabbits
The Dutch dwarf rabbit is considered the smallest breed in the world, with a maximum weight of 1.1 kg. Sometimes these animals are called minors. The head is round and wide. The eyes are large and expressive, the color is in harmony with the color. The rabbit is erect, each ear has a rounded tip, the length is 5-7 cm. The colors are different, 22 colors are officially recognized. The classic color is black and white with dark circles around the eyes. The coat is short, fluffy and very soft.
Japanese dwarf rabbits
The Japanese dwarf rabbit is a rare breed with an original color. Its coat is dyed in three colors - white, dark gray (black) and yellow. In this case, the spots on one side should be dark, and on the other - yellow. The border between the flowers runs strictly along the median line of the back. Individuals with a dark ear on the yellow side and yellow on the dark are highly prized. It is not easy to obtain such colors when breeding, therefore it is difficult to find a nursery of real "Japanese". Not every ad with a photo "Selling a Japanese dwarf rabbit" is true. Most often, there are specimens with one or another color defect.
Fox dwarf rabbit
Decorative dwarf fox rabbits belong to long-haired breeds. The length of their guard hair ranges from 4 cm to 7 cm. The coat densely covers the entire body. The body of the animals is stocky with a short neck, a wide head with a shortened muzzle. The ears are 5-7 cm long, the legs are short, the tail is small. The dwarf fox rabbit weighs from 0.8 kg to 1.5 kg, some specimens grow up to 2.5 kg.
Angora pygmy rabbit
Angora miniature rabbits are beautiful animals with long fluffy hair, which in the photo resemble huge balls. There are two varieties of the breed. The first one is rabbits with very long and thin wool, which resembles cotton wool. Hair can be up to 20 centimeters. The second - animals with smooth hair, about 5-7 cm long. The colors, in most cases, are white. But recently, colored angora rabbits have been appearing more and more often. Angora dwarf rabbits need constant grooming to keep them looking beautiful. The coat should be brushed once every 3-5 days, and daily during the shedding period.
Lop-eared rabbits rams
Lop-eared dwarf rabbits or rams are larger than other species. Their average weight is 2.5-3 kg. Ears can be up to 20 cm, they hang on both sides, giving the animals a cute and cute look. Ears do not begin to hang immediately, but at about 1-1.5 months.Therefore, when buying, you should be very careful. There are several breeds of lop-eared rabbits:
- English
- German
- French
- Dutch
- Minilop
The breeds come in different colors - gray, white, black, red. What unites these types of dwarf rabbits is their lop-earedness and relatively large size.
Keeping dwarf rabbits
Keeping dwarf rabbits at home is becoming more and more popular. Caring for them is simple, and the animals take up very little space. Before you buy a dwarf rabbit, you should take care of the following things:
- Purchase a cage at least 40 × 70 cm in size, or an aviary 1 × 1 m
- Make a small litter box or buy a cat
- Equip feeders and drinkers in a cage or aviary
- Come up with a bedding, straw or sawdust is suitable for this
- Think over a place for walking, remove wires, small objects from the room
- If you vaccinate a rabbit, you can walk with it on the street, for this you need a leash with a harness
Rabbits are clean animals, the cage and aviary should be cleaned at least once a week. The litter is completely changed or only the top layer is removed. If there is a litter box in the rabbit dwelling, it needs to be changed 2-3 times a week, and the bedding can be cleaned once every 2 weeks. In the room where the pet is walking, all small objects should be removed. The cage is placed away from the window and heating appliances. Fluffy animals do not like overheating and drafts.
If you plan to keep the dwarf rabbit in an aviary, set it up in a corner, away from windows and doors. It is good to put there a manger for hay, feeders, a tray, ladders, a wheel. When keeping a rabbit in an open-air cage, you may not be allowed to walk around the room. Some owners put their cages on the street or on the balcony. It is important that direct sunlight does not fall on them, otherwise the animal will overheat. You can keep your pet outdoors only in warm weather. Taking proper care of dwarf rabbits will greatly increase their lifespan. Therefore, you should not ignore even the simplest rules.
Feeding dwarf rabbits
We told you how to care for a dwarf rabbit. Now let's talk about feeding. What can dwarf rabbits eat? These are herbivorous animals, therefore the basis of the diet is hay or fresh grass. They should always be in a cage or aviary. The stomach of dwarf breeds is small, they eat often (almost all the time), in small portions. You can buy hay at a pet store or make your own hay. When collecting herbs, it is important to ensure that no poisonous ones (buttercups, henbane, euphorbia, lilies of the valley, dope, etc.) are caught.
In addition to herbs, the diet includes juicy food - carrots, boiled potatoes, peelings from cucumbers, cabbage leaves, watermelon crusts. Red beets are contraindicated in rabbits. Potatoes can be boiled in salted water. Rabbits can be given fruits - apples, strawberries, pears. For the winter, dried fruits are harvested, which the animals eat with pleasure. It is important to know how much fruit you can feed your rabbit. It is best to treat him with such food 2-3 times a week, in the amount of 10-15 grams.
Also, the animals need to be given grain. You can feed special food for dwarf rabbits, consisting of various grains, dried fruits with hay additives. If this is not possible, make a mixture of oats, wheat, corn and barley in equal parts. So that pets can sharpen their teeth at home, they are given twigs, animals eat rowan, birch, maple, willow, oak. For the prevention of vitamin deficiency in winter, spruce or pine branches are useful.
Be sure to include mineral supplements in the diet. Calcium is very important for rabbits. With its deficiency, such dangerous symptoms as convulsions, heart failure appear, little rabbits can even die from this. To make up for the deficiency, the animals are given bone meal, chalk or special preparations. In winter, it is best to add vitamin and mineral complexes to the diet.With a lack of vitamins in rabbits, diseases can occur, the treatment of which should be carried out after consultation with a veterinarian.
Taming and raising rabbits
Adult dwarf rabbits are quite intelligent animals. Proper training and education can make them real artists. When a pet appears in the house, it must first be tamed. Do not squeeze and carry the animal around. Let the baby first master the territory, get used to the new environment. To make him feel better, you need to give him something tasty. When the rabbit is eating, you can lightly pet it. It is possible to raise an animal only when it feels confident in a new place.
After the little rabbit has got used to it, you can proceed to further taming and training. The first step is to train your pet to the litter box. You do not need to put it right away. In the early days, track where the animal goes to the toilet. Then take some litter with excrement and place it in the litter box. Place a feeder next to the tray, rabbits often eat and empty at the same time. But you need to make sure that they do not stain the food.
Small decorative rabbits can be accustomed to their nickname. Take a treat in your hand and call your pet by name. First, he will go to the smell of food, and then he will develop a conditioned reflex to the nickname. In the same way, rabbits are taught to jump over a hoop or other obstacle. They put a treat on one side, and push the animal on the other. If the baby responds to the nickname, you can just call him.
Breeding and buying rabbits
Breeding dwarf rabbits is not easy. Many breeds are characterized by poor health and poor young survival rate. Sometimes it is difficult to maintain the characteristics of a particular variety, the correct colors. But there are also persistent species, for example, Polish rabbits or Hermelin. Here are some basic rules for breeding dwarf rabbits:
- Sexual maturity of animals occurs at 6-7 months
- It is necessary to correctly determine the hunting period. Boys may become aggressive at this time, the girl bites
- They put the female to the male, and not vice versa
- If the rabbits "agree", they have mating (otherwise the female will start to drive away the male)
- After 2-3 coverings, the female is planted
- Re-mating is carried out in a day.
The gestation period is short, small rabbits are born a month later. Before lambing, the female begins to make a nest from sawdust and her own wool, which she plucks out the breasts and around the nipples. Young bunnies may not be very good mothers. Therefore, when breeding, it is better to have an experienced female, to which you can plant rabbits. If this is not the case, the babies will have to be fed from bottles with special mixtures. Often they just die.
Buying rabbits
You can buy animals at a pet store or find a good nursery for dwarf rabbits. They are found in many cities of Russia - in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Vladimir, Yekaterinburg and other regions. There is also a delivery of dwarf rabbits to different localities. Before deciding to "take a rabbit", you should carefully study the features of the content, choose the right breed, read everything about dwarf rabbits, caring for them and feeding.
Some unscrupulous breeders slip under the guise of dwarf ordinary rabbits. Ask to show the parents to make sure they are miniature and distinguish from large species. It is best to buy animals in 1.5-2.5 months. It is easy to take care of such babies, it is easier for them to distinguish the signs of the breed. How much a miniature rabbit costs depends on the name of the variety.