The largest and smallest rabbit in the world
Who is he, the biggest rabbit in the world? There are several dozen breeds of domestic rabbits on the planet. Each farmer or ordinary owner of an eared pet chooses an animal for his taste or for a specific purpose.
Breeds of large and small rabbits
Large rabbits are most often intended to be bred, slaughtered or sold. The meat of these breeds is extremely nutritious, and the wool is decently on the market. Little rabbits are great for home keeping.
Dwarf breeds look very cute both in the photo and in real life. Such a fluffy animal will be a great friend for the whole family.
Sometimes rabbit breeders deliberately start a large breed of rabbits and try to fatten it up in order to set a record. It is important to remember that a giant individual requires special maintenance and care that an ordinary farm or city apartment cannot provide.
The largest breeds of rabbits
Giant rabbit breeds are gaining popularity every year. The owners of these animals themselves become famous thanks to their pets. There are many large types of rabbits, but among them the following are especially distinguished:
- Belgian giant (Riesen or Flandre);
- Gray Giant;
- German Motley Giant;
- Angora rabbit;
- Soviet chinchilla.
The largest breed among rabbits can be considered the Belgian giant. In addition to world fame, this type of eared is considered the oldest. The parameters of such an animal can reach a meter in length. The ears of the fluffy are also quite long, at least 15 cm. The average weight of these animals reaches 8 kg, but sometimes they can weigh more. Flanders are usually kept as pets.
Rabbit breed Belgian Giant
Such a large animal can live in an aviary or walk outside using a special harness. Flandres are distinguished by good intelligence, they are affectionate and get along with children. But you will have to face two problems: plenty of food and enough space to live. In cramped conditions, a large eared ear begins to ache from lack of movement.
Angora giant rabbits are relatively large breeds. These animals cannot boast of large weight, but their fur is considered the fluffiest among the rest of the fluffy. Outwardly, Angora rabbits resemble a huge heap of cotton candy and are valued as beautiful decorative animals.
Angora rabbit
In our area, there is also a real giant among rabbits. The so-called Soviet chinchilla is about 2 times larger than ordinary rabbits. This breed got its name for its unusual coat with a beautiful blue tint. Since this fur is similar to that of a chinchilla, it was decided to give these giants such a name.
Soviet chinchilla
Rabbit breeders are very fond of the breed for its high rate of weight gain. For this reason, the Soviet chinchilla considers it a quickly payback breed, moreover, this giant rabbit is able to adapt to any conditions and is unpretentious in the choice of food.This is considered an extremely important factor, because such giants eat a lot.
Record holders among large breeds
The first place in the ranking of the largest rabbits is divided alternately by two giants - Darius and Ralph.
Darius is the largest farm rabbit in the world. The owner of a huge eared pet named Darius is Annette Edwards. She is a professional rabbit breeder, and Darius is not her first champion. However, it was this continental giant rabbit that made it into the Guinness Book of Records in early 2010. At that time, Darius's growth exceeded the mark of 1 m.The weight was as much as 19 kg. At the same time, the eared one still continued to grow. Keeping a rabbit like this is a real blow to your budget.
A giant rabbit named Darius
The hostess shared information on how much the largest rabbit eats in one day:
- 2 heads of cabbage;
- 12 large carrots;
- 6 apples;
- 2 kg of dry food.
In fact, loyal fans help the girl to keep such a large pet. For a small souvenir photo, lovers of eared pussies are ready to bring vegetables, fruits and oats.
Another heavyweight champion is rightfully considered a giant named Ralph. The owner of the large animal is Paulina Grant. This English giant set his first record in 2009, but a little later he was removed from the podium by another record holder - Darius. Curiously, the mistress Darius is also the owner of Ralph's parents.
Rabbit Ralph
Both pets were recognized as weight-holders at the time. Ralph regained the title of the heaviest rabbit in the world for the next year and now there is a continuous struggle between these two pussies for the championship. At the moment, Darius again holds the lead, and his mistress is raising the future champion - Jeff.
The Grant family remarks that the pet's only inconvenience is molting. During this period, more wool falls from Ralph than from a large shepherd.
Breeding big rabbits for a record has become a sport of its kind. But if you decide to get yourself such a large pet, you should consult with experts. The giant rabbit eats a lot and is quite expensive to maintain.
Dwarf species of rabbits
What could be cuter than little bunnies? People do not in vain prefer dwarf breeds for home keeping.
These kids will perfectly adapt to a city apartment and will not cause a lot of trouble. Little fluffs consume much less feed, 1 kg is enough for several days. The cage may also not be too large, and the prepared hay bag will be enough for the whole winter.
There are several breeds of dwarf rabbits in the world:
- Short-haired dwarf rabbit;
- Hermelin;
- Dwarf Rex;
- Angora dwarf rabbit.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between dwarf breeds and the young of common species. Very often it can happen that a baby bought on the market gains 5 kg in a year. For this reason, it is best to buy dwarf animals from a pet store or from a breeder.
The smallest breed in the world is considered to be the Hermelin.
Rabbit Hermelin
Representatives of this breed are sometimes called Polish rabbits. This pet lives in Britain and Scandinavian countries. Hermelin's weight does not exceed 1.5 kg. However, the character of these kids is very peculiar, so a novice rabbit breeder should read a lot of related literature.
A photo with the Angora dwarf rabbit will delight anyone, because it is difficult to find a more pleasant-looking creature. These babies are covered with fluffy fur so much that they resemble small balls. Sometimes it is even difficult to make out where the eyes and nose are. However, such fur requires careful maintenance. Without combing, tangles are formed in the wool, which must be cut off in time. If you abandon the animal, there is a risk that parasites will start in the mats.
Angora pygmy rabbit
Another curious breed is the dwarf Rex.This species has received royal status due to its interesting body structure and unusual coat. The plush aristocrat has a calm character. An external striking sign is the complete absence of a mustache. So you can immediately identify this breed from the purchased calf.
Miniature Rex
The smallest kind of rabbits
If there is a place for large-eared ones in the Guinness Book of Records, then with dwarf breeds everything is much more complicated.
The Aidakh breed is considered the smallest rabbits in the world. This species is also called pygmies and is common in the western United States. Unfortunately, now these crumbs are on the verge of extinction, and mostly they can only be found in the Oregon State Zoo. The weight of these individuals does not exceed the mark of half a kilogram, and the body length is 25 cm. It is almost impossible to get such animals home: their population is too small today.
Aydah rabbit
So, these furries, like any pets, can be of different sizes and breeds. The largest farm rabbit is the Flandre breed. It was she who secured all the records in the Guinness Book. Keeping such an animal is quite troublesome and expensive. It should provide him with free space for movement and a balanced diet.
Among the dwarf breeds, the Hermelins occupy a special place, this is the smallest rabbit. These babies get along well with a person if you provide them with proper care.
The Aidakh breed is considered to be the smallest rabbits in the world. At the moment, there are few of these eared ones left in nature, and they are not suitable for home keeping.