Hermelin rabbit: description of the breed, characteristics, maintenance and care, photo

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

Many animal lovers have heard of the hermelin rabbit. As a result of many years of selection, specialists managed to get a surprisingly cute animal with short ears and snow-white hair. It is no wonder that many children and adults fall in love with this fluffy creature when they see him.

History of the breed

Hermelin rabbits were first bred in Poland at the end of the nineteenth century. It is because of this that another name has been assigned to them - Polish rabbits.

Breeders set themselves a difficult task - to breed a he althy, strong rabbit that would have a weight 2-4 times less than normal. And so one of the smallest decorative rabbits was bred, which can become a wonderful pet.

The first representatives of the breed had red eyes, like all albinos. It took more than one decade to get a rabbit with blue eyes. In addition, the length of the ears and the shape of the muzzle were changed. Therefore, it is officially believed that the breed appeared only in 1920 - it was then that itrepresentatives took on the appearance that is familiar to experts today.

In our country, decorative hermelin rabbits became widely known relatively recently - in the late 90s of the last century.

Breed Standard

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at these cute creatures is snow-white wool. It was this color that became the goal for breeders who decided to bring out a completely new breed. Any shades of gray or spots indicate that the rabbit is not purebred, but has some kind of impurities. That is why the breed has another nickname - ermine.

The eyes, as already mentioned, the representatives of the breed are mostly blue, but to this day there are representatives with red eyes. The paws of the animals are very short, the claws are almost transparent. The shape of the head is a cross between the usual rabbit and cat. The ears of hermelins are short, and the muzzle is round, not elongated, like most rabbits. Their body is small, but tightly knocked down, stocky.

Weight can vary considerably - from 750 to 1500 grams. But most rabbits weigh between 900 and 1100 grams. They will be a great choice for children, as even a preschooler can easily pick up such a baby.

Hermelins' ears are closer together than those of ordinary rabbits. The cartilage in them is dense, providing a straight stance.

The tail is very small, fits snugly to the back. The neck is not too pronounced, sometimes it seems that the head rests directly on the shoulders, withouttransition.

Seeing a photo of a Hermelin rabbit, it's hard not to fall in love with this breed.

Character

It is very important that rabbits of this breed have a very peaceful, friendly character. These animals are perfect for both a large family and a single person. Do not forget that sometimes a rabbit needs peace and rest. If he hid in the house, you should not pull him out or make noise near the cage.

Hermelins are happy to go on hands, love to be stroked or scratched. People become attached easily and quickly. This is very important to take advantage of. If in the first months of life the rabbit is not given enough attention, he will withdraw into himself, will not become aggressive, but he will no longer love his owners.

It's pretty easy to litter box. Surprisingly, some breeders even manage to teach them a few simple commands. They love activity, can hardly endure long-term confinement in a small, cramped cage.

Remember that these rabbits are quite capricious. Getting them to do what they don't want to is not going to be easy. With excessive perseverance, it is quite possible to run into aggression. Stubbornness is as much a hallmark of the breed as the white coat and short muzzle.

Containment conditions

In order for the Hermelin dwarf rabbit to live a long, happy life, invariably pleasing the owners, it is necessary to provide him with the appropriate conditions.

First of all, this is a fairly spacious cage. For a rabbit, dimensions 40x30x40 are suitablecentimeters. When he grows up, you need to increase these dimensions at least twice. As already mentioned, hermelins are quite active creatures. They need to move a lot. In a small cage, they get bored, gain weight and live much less.

Don't forget about proper nutrition. We will talk about this below.

Heaters or open windows, air conditioning, balcony are very bad neighbors for rabbits, because they often lead to the development of various diseases.

Unlike ordinary rabbits, which the owners calmly carry by the ears, such treatment is not suitable for hermelins. Small ears are easily damaged. If you want to take your pet in your arms, gently hold it from below, then lift it by the withers.

It is very important to clean the cage regularly. This should be done 2-3 times a week. Otherwise, the risk of infection of the rabbit with infectious diseases increases.

Also, you can not bathe the rabbit, so as not to disturb the temperature balance of the body.

Cons of hermelins

Studying the reviews left about hermelin rabbits, you can also find certain shortcomings of these animals, which are very important to know about in advance.

First of all, they shed a lot. In this case, molting may well drag on for a couple of months. If you don't want everything to be covered in hair, brush it at least twice a week.

Secondly, their hearts are rather weak. This is the result of many years of inbreeding and a lack of fresh blood. Therefore, rabbits do not tolerate stuffiness andhigh temperature.

Third, like all rabbits, hermelins produce rather odorous urine. Especially this "sin" males. Therefore, sometimes cleaning has to be done almost every day in order to avoid the spread of an unpleasant smell throughout the apartment.

Proper Diet

Baby rabbits need milk until about 2-2.5 months old. They need large amounts of calcium to build a strong skeleton. Therefore, some chalk can be added to milk.

In summer, the best diet for pets is herbs collected in the park. It can be coltsfoot, plantain, dandelions. The main thing is not to give them buttercups and celandine, as these plants are poisonous.

In the winter season, you can give rabbits stored hay and a small amount of vegetables boiled in lightly s alted water.

Sometimes you can diversify the menu by adding spruce, willow and aspen branches to it. Your pets will not only eat the bark, but also wear off their constantly growing teeth.

Rabbit breeding

There are usually no problems with breeding hermelin rabbits. They become sexually mature at about 6-8 months. At this age, you can put the male and female (who were previously kept apart) in one small cage. If everything goes well, then mating will occur in a matter of hours or even minutes. After this, the male must be removed.

Pregnancy lasts about 4 weeks. Shortly before giving birth, the rabbit begins to pull out her fluff, buildnest for babies. The litter is not too big. It rarely has more than 6 cubs. For the first two weeks, babies are bald and blind. They feed exclusively on mother's milk. Then the children become covered with wool and may well eat and assimilate soft leaves and grass, which it is advisable to scald with boiling water to make it softer, and at the same time disinfect it.

Conclusion

Now you know everything about Hermeline rabbits to get such an animal. Using the tips above, you will not encounter serious difficulties. Therefore, nothing will spoil the pleasure of keeping such cute creatures.