What are the breeds of rabbits? Features of large breeds: care and maintenance at home

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today there are more than a hundred breeds of rabbits in the world. But those that are of economic importance are much smaller. There is no scientific classification of the breeds of these animals yet.

Conditional classification of rabbit breeds

Since rabbits are bred to obtain either fur, or fluff, or meat, conditionally all breeds can be divided into fur, down or meat. Fur, in turn, are divided according to the length of the woolen cover. Let us consider in more detail what breeds of rabbits are, depending on the length of the coat. There are normal-haired, long-haired and short-haired breeds.

The first type includes those breeds whose hairs correspond in length to the wool of a European wild rabbit. Most domestic rabbits can be attributed to this type.

Long-haired breeds have significantly longer coats than European wild rabbits. This type, in turn, is subdivided into angora and fox rabbits. Coat in shorthaired breedsfeels like plush. The most popular representatives of this type are rex rabbits and satin rabbits.

Sometimes a classification is used according to products obtained from rabbits: meat-skin, skin and meat. There is also a classification of breeds by size and weight: dwarf, small, medium and large breeds. If you decide to get into rabbit breeding, you should find out what breeds of rabbits are suitable for your region.

Popular rabbit breeds in Russia

In Russia, the following breeds of rabbits are the most common:

• Soviet chinchillas;
• white and gray giants;
• Viennese blue;
• white downy;
• silver.

Let's consider the features of each of the listed breeds.

"Soviet chinchilla" is a relatively new fur breed. Well acclimatized in any regions of the country. The main color is silver-gray-blue. These rabbits are hardy, unpretentious. The average weight of an adult is about 5 kg.

Representatives of the "white giant" breed have a strong and at the same time gentle constitution. The name speaks for itself: these are large white fur rabbits. The length of the body is about 60 cm, the mass of adults, as a rule, is more than 5 kg. The fertility of females is 7-8 rabbits. In Russia, they are bred everywhere. Representatives of the gray giant breed differ from their white counterparts, of course, in color, as well as in larger sizes. The mass of individual individuals reaches 7 kg. The skins of theserabbits are almost the largest. However, gray giants prefer a mild climate, so they are bred in the southern regions of Russia.

"Viennese blue" is a breed of meat-and-skin rabbits. Medium-sized individuals with a slightly elongated body. The wool is bluish-blue, soft, shiny. The average weight of an adult is approximately 4.3 kg. Rabbits of this breed adapt well to any environmental conditions.

"White Downy" is our domestic rabbit breed. The length of the down of these rabbits is about 7 cm, and from one individual you can get up to 700 g of down per year. Fertility per litter - from 7 to 11 rabbits. They are bred everywhere in Russia.

Rabbits of the "silver" breed are distinguished by a wide body and very thick silver hair. Hence the name. These are medium-sized rabbits weighing up to 4.5 kg. These are the most common breeds of rabbits in Russia. Although, of course, there are lovers of more exotic breeds.

Large rabbit breeds

Ever since people started farming, they have been trying to grow the biggest animals. Rabbit breeding is no exception. To date, about a dozen breeds of giant rabbits are known. Large breeds of rabbits, in addition to the white and gray giants discussed above, are primarily the giant angora, giant butterfly, giant chinchilla and some others. Their common feature is the length of the body from 60 to 80 cm and a weight of more than 6 kg.

Rabbit Giant

The largest breed of rabbits is the "Belgian giant", or as it is also called "flandre". Representatives of this breed have large and fleshy ears, the length of which reaches 20-25 cm, and the body length is up to 80 cm. The mass of adults is about 8-10 kg. However, flanders reach such sizes only by 10-11 months, and it is unprofitable to breed them on an industrial scale. Therefore, the Belgian giant is classified as an ornamental breed. And what other breeds of decorative rabbits are, you will learn from the next paragraph.

Decorative rabbits

Recently, it has become a fashionable trend to have various pets at home. If earlier a cat, a dog or a parrot was kept at home, today you can see a variety of animals as pets. And if you decide to have a fluffy pet at home, then it's time to find out what breeds of decorative rabbits are. Maybe it is on them that you will choose.

One of the most common and favorite breeds of ornamental rabbits is the "pygmy rex". It has a short coat that feels like velvet to the touch. They are very graceful, just a royal breed!

The Dutch Dwarf Rabbit is one of the smallest breeds. The mass of an adult rabbit is not more than 1 kg.

Another popular breed of rabbits in Russia is "angora rabbits". Because of their fluffy fur, these rabbits look like fur balls. It is worth choosing this breed if you have enough time to care for your coat.pet.

"Lop-eared ram rabbits" have not only a rather interesting name, but also an original appearance (hanging ears). Their weight can reach 3 kg. They get used to a person very quickly.

Another of the smaller breeds of rabbits is the Germelin. Very cute, looks like a beautiful toy. But at the same time, hermelins have a wayward character.

These are not all breeds of decorative rabbits, but only the most common ones. What other breeds of rabbits are available can be found in the special literature.

Caring for furry pets at home

Rabbits, like other pets, need care and attention. It does not matter for what purpose you brought a rabbit (as a pet or are going to breed), you must follow the principles of caring for it. If the pet is a dwarf breed, then there will be no special problems with it. And if you decide to have large breed rabbits, you need to prepare in advance the place where your pets will settle. The cage must be spacious. As a bedding, it is best to use straw or sawdust. Be sure to have enough clean water in the rabbit cage. You need to change it daily, and preferably 2 times a day. Store hay and grain as feed. Also with pleasure your pet will eat root crops and bran. And do not forget about the he alth of rabbits, annual vaccination should be carried out.