Rex rabbits are a unique breed for production breeding and keeping as a pet. These animals are clean and playful, become a faithful friend of man. Rabbits have dietary meat and valuable skin, which attracts many breeders. Before choosing this breed for breeding, familiarize yourself with its features.
History of breed origin
The progenitors of the Rex rabbit are representatives of the Belgian breed. The animals first appeared in 1919 in France. For a long time they remained without attention, and only in 1924 they were presented at an exhibition in Paris, aroused universal admiration and mass love. After this event, Rex rabbits were distributed throughout Europe, Asia and America, became inhabitants of farmland and pets in the house.
“Rex” in Latin means “king, king”, which corresponds to the quality of the skin of this pet. The rabbit appeared as a result of a mutation in the genome of the Belgian giants. It acquired its final appearance after a long selection of representatives of domestic and wild breeds. In 1988, another breed of breed called Mini Rex appeared.
Rex breed characterization
Rabbits of meat-and-skin breed outwardly resemble a beaver, attracting attention with an unusual coloring, valuable skin. Distinctive features of Rex are a cropped and crooked mustache, short and velvet coat. Rabbits are slaughtered or raised as a pet.
The breed representatives have dietary meat, valuable fur. Due to the low fecundity, the price of skins is too high, and the rabbit itself is not a cheap pleasure. It is not only about the cost of young animals and adults, but also about the features of their daily care.
Appearance and standard
The weight of adult rabbits varies from 3 to 4.5 kg. The animal has a small elongated head, a strong body 40-55 cm long, powerful hind (push) legs. Rex looks compact, unusual whiskers and kind eyes do not go unnoticed.
Other features and standards of the breed:
- fur - soft and thick, no more than 2 cm long;
- ears - erect, of average length 11-12 cm;
- eyes - brown, fully match the color of the claws;
- bones - thin, indicate the nobility of the breed;
- hairline - soft, shallow, but very thick.
Character
At the first meeting, Rex rabbit is very shy and wary, it is difficult to make contact with a person, it takes a long time to get used to the new environment, and keeps aloof. Having adapted, the animal shows its good-natured character, it gets along well with all family members and pets.
Rex's rabbits are shy, fussy and restless, gnawing everything that they can reach in the house. Before making such a four-legged friend, it is better to think a few times and prepare your pet a separate aviary for walking.
The animal has high intelligence, quickly accustoms to the tray, is well trained, understands its nickname and responds to the call. Some rabbits even know how to stand on their hind legs and ask for food, play.
The Rex females have a perfectly developed maternal instinct, so they care not only for their rabbits, but also for adoptions.
Physiological features
Representatives of the Rex breed have softer fur than other rabbit species. The outer fluff is thinner, the same length as the undercoat. There are no sharp transitions in the fur coat of the animal.
Rex has excellent external characteristics, it works well in photos and resembles a toy. Physiological features of the breed:
- mustache - short, curved, sticking out in opposite directions;
- the body length of an adult is not less than 54 cm;
- ears set upright (erect);
- the fur is even, it feels and looks like natural velvet;
- in males the head is round and powerful, in females - a slightly elongated muzzle;
- the weight of adults is 4-4.5 kg.
Rabbit fur
The rabbit feels soft to the touch, it feels like a plush toy. The fur is short - up to 2 cm, the same length as the undercoat. If you pet the animal against the coat, then the fur cover immediately occupies its original position.
The standard colors of the representatives of the Rex breed are not noted. Rabbits are blue, white, black, brown, spotted, etc. There is the most unexpected color, which becomes the highlight of Rex.
Castors are especially valued - long-eared brown individuals with high quality fur. The coloring of chinchillas is considered rare, such rabbits look especially elegant and aesthetically pleasing.
We present you a video about the variety of color of Rex rabbits, filmed at an exhibition in Leipzig:
Economic characteristic
Rex rabbits represent meat-skinned middle breed. If animals go for slaughter, you can get tasty, dietary meat, a valuable skin at the exit. The first product is used in dietetics and food industry. Outerwear is sewn from skins.
Features of care and maintenance
Rex rabbits can be kept in harsh climates. They tolerate low temperatures well, often found in the northern regions of Russia. Unpretentious animals in the care, with the exception of newborns, are rabbits, when growing which it is important to follow certain rules:
- Temperature. Rabbits feel good at 15-25 degrees. Low temperatures are better for them than heat from 30 degrees and above.
- Aviary device. For the home, it is better to choose materials that the rabbit will not chew. Be sure to have a canopy, otherwise the animal dies in the heat. The floor is mesh, on top of the litter, which is regularly cleaned, disinfected.
- Cleanliness and tidiness. It is important not only to regularly clean the aviary and clean the cells, but also to wash, comb out the animal itself. Otherwise, immunity is reduced.
Home content
If a rabbit lives in an apartment, he needs a spacious cage, a feeding trough and a drinking bowl. It is better to position the house in the shade to prevent direct sunlight. Drafts are also dangerous for animal health.
Key recommendations for keeping rabbits at home:
- Hide the electrical wiring in the ducts.
- Hide the corners of the furniture so that the animal does not hurt.
- As toys, offer your pet cardboard boxes, balls.
- Clean the cell once every 2 days, disinfect it against infection and parasites.
- Each time, add a fresh portion of hay, remove the old, raw.
- Change the water in the drinking bowl daily.
What to choose and how to make a drinker for rabbits yourself, read here.
Disease and Vaccination
To minimize the risk of Rex rabbit disease, you need a regular veterinarian checkup. The breeder also does not hurt to view the fur, ears, teeth and nose of the animal. For alarming symptoms, consult a specialist.
About rabbit ear diseases and their treatment, read this article.
Prerequisite for keeping Rex rabbit is preventive vaccination against hemorrhagic fever and myxomatosis. In 2-3 months, rabies vaccination is carried out at home or in the veterinarian’s office.
Feeding
The basis of the daily diet is always fresh hay and dry granules 3 times a day. For sharpening teeth, bark of aspen or birch are excellent. As you grind, the wood must be changed. Features of the daily menu depend on the season:
- In the summer, give rabbits more fresh grass, fruits and vegetables, while do not forget about fortified feed, the benefits of hay.
- In winter, feed rabbits compound feed (65% of the daily menu), hay, tree branches, root crops, a mixture of crops.
Dill, parsley, cauliflower, carrots and tops of this root crop are especially useful for rabbits. Choose vitamin and mineral supplements individually, buy in veterinary pharmacies.
Rex Breeding Features
When breeding, rabbits need quarantine, even if they are vaccinated and healthy. When you change your place of residence or climatic conditions, immunity can malfunction, and the animal will become ill, infect the entire herd.
The percentage of survival of young animals is low. The presence of drinking bowls, proper nutrition and the introduction of fertilizing to the diet increases the chances of maintaining and growing healthy offspring. Babies are fed breast milk or a special mixture, after 21 days from birth, they are transferred to the feed of adult rabbits.
Choosing a Good Bunny
For breeding, buy purebred rabbits. You can determine the “suit” by the following criteria:
- massive body;
- thin bones;
- curved and short mustache;
- large hind legs;
- uniform distribution of wool (without differences);
- lack of bald patches;
- standard weight;
- soft fur on the hind legs;
- moderate activity.
The male and the female differ in the shape of the head: it has a massive and round, it has a flat-elongated muzzle.
Signs of rejection
If the animal is stroked against the coat, the fur is resilient and elastic, immediately returns to its original position. When this does not occur, the thoroughbredness of the breed raises certain doubts.
If a rabbit weighs less than 2 kg and more than 5 kg, this is another sign of culling. Such individuals are not suitable for procreation. The same applies to passive and languid animals, since it is possible that they are sick.
Other signs of culling Rex rabbits:
- omission, thinness of the ears;
- bald patches on the body;
- fur length more than 2, 4 cm;
- the presence of a double, triple chin;
- the length of the ears is more than 13 cm;
- poor hairline development.
Okrol and rabbit care
The disadvantage of the breed is low fecundity. In the litter - up to 5-6 cubs. Before the fencing, the female equips the nest, insulates it with her own wool. She becomes calm, moves a little, sleeps more.
Okrol occurs in autumn or winter. The female gives birth at night or in the morning, this process lasts from 20 to 60 minutes. After licking the newborn rabbits, covers them with their fur, so as not to freeze.
With childbirth comes milk, which the rabbit feeds the newborn. In the absence of lactation, rabbits are seated with another female for feeding. The main thing is water in a drinking bowl, otherwise an adult animal can eat its cubs.
Features of care for the offspring:
- Rabbits have weak immunity, they can die from any infection and violation of feeding rules. It is important to maintain cleanliness in the cell, to avoid mass diseases. Young growth grows slowly, individuals of 4 months reach 2.3 kg.
- In order for the young to survive, the best option is to leave it with the female. Nothing better than maternal instinct will help the breeder to raise healthy breeding offspring. Near the mother, the chances of survival are increased by 2 times.
When and how to plant rabbits from rabbits correctly, you can read in the next article.
Profitability
The cost of an adult rabbit varies from 4 to 6 thousand rubles. There are more expensive individuals. The price is determined by the rarity of the breed, the complexity of the purchase, the age of the animal. If you grow rabbits for sale, this is an opportunity to make good profits at minimal cost.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
Rabbits Rex do not leave anyone indifferent, they are very fond of children. The appearance of the animals is unusual, the character is soft and flexible. This does not end the list of breed benefits:
- unpretentiousness in nutrition;
- fast weight gain;
- delicious dietary meat;
- frost resistance;
- rapid puberty.
Along with the advantages, there are a number of disadvantages of this choice, which are important to know before buying:
- small offspring;
- poor heat tolerance;
- exacting care;
- timidity;
- low stress resistance;
- high mortality of young animals with improper care;
- animals bite when they feel a specific smell of human hands.
Rabbits Mini Rex
Dwarf Rex contains the dwarf genome, first bred in 1971. This animal is stocky, has shortened legs, weighs 1.2-1.4 kg. The length of the ears is 5-7 cm, the hair is short. Mini Rex is bought for home maintenance as a four-legged friend.
Outwardly, the animal resembles a plush toy. The only difference from the standard variety is the miniature dwarf Rex. The structural features of the body and rock characteristics are identical.
Reviews
Victor, 42 years old, farmer, Anapa. I have a whole Rex farm. I breed rabbits for sale. In general, the lesson is not troublesome, although there are overlays. The main thing is that the rabbits do not get sick. Once my whole herd died from the virus. Now I’m more selective about buying new males and females. For the rest, rabbits feed on grass and hay (I harvest it every year from the summer). We have to spend money on compound feeds, without them, the hair becomes dull, falls out. I sell rabbits to families as pets, but they also take them for breeding.
Alina, 30 years old, accountant, Saratov. We have a Rex rabbit living at home. This is a real disaster. First, he bit through all the skirting boards, then he set about wallpaper and wiring. Everything that comes to hand is sharpening and absorbing. Of course, outwardly the little animal is cute, the eyes can not be torn off. But, as soon as he goes for a walk, he is surely gnawing something. We were offered to grind his teeth, but we are afraid that the animal will not die. So we live with this tyrant. Even as a gift no one wants to take.
Vasily, 34 years old, programmer, Salekhard. They gave the daughter a little animal for the 8th birthday. The rabbit quickly grew, and the cage became too small for him. They bought a big one, but, having felt freedom, he began to fight in bars. Everything would be fine, but it wakes everyone up at night; The rabbit itself is cute, but it can bite, especially if he doesn't like being picked up. In general, the animal is wayward, not suitable for the child. It would be better if they took a kitten, it would be more sense. Now we don’t know where to give it - no one wants to take it even for free.
Moscow
We are the happy parents of the redhead demon. My husband’s friend worked in a hotel; one of the guests left a rabbit in a box. A friend looked after the animal very poorly, fed poorly. We have taken. There was a sad sight, the hair was dull, the bones were felt on the back, weighed no more than 1 kg. Fed, now it is 5 kg of live weight. The animal is clearly not for children. He bites, nibbles everything that lies badly, builds a nest, because he thinks he is pregnant. During walks, a guinea pig is molested, well, this can be attributed to hormones (we will sterilize until we start to weird, and we did not know that we have a girl). The animal is noisy at night, characteristic at any time of the day or night. Offended if you raise your voice, very loudly pounding his paws, and sometimes snorts. We love the animal and will not give it back, but I advise you to think carefully before starting a rabbit of this breed. Of course, the article says that this is a sweet creature, but I do not advise you to believe)).
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Rex rabbits have valuable skin and dietary meat, are used for production breeding or for the soul. More often they are bought as a pet, attracted by an unforgettable appearance.