Of all the rabbits whose names are not actually where they come from - the New Zealand, Himalayan, and Polish rabbit come to mind - finally, we get to one who is named after its home. A genuine California rabbit breed, the Californian was originally bred as a fur and meat-producing rabbit in the early 1920s U.S.
Since that time, it has become revered as an excellent house pet and even occasional show rabbit. No matter what its breeder’s original intention was, one thing is for certain: The Californian’s popularity today is due in large part to their easy-going, friendly natures.
This rabbit breed has a commercial body type and should ideally weigh between 8-11 lbs. They also have a muscular body with full shoulders and hindquarters, which are as deep as they are wide. Their coat is usually completely white with Himalayan-like markings. Their ears are broad and medium in length and should point straight up.
Though more than twice the size of the diminutive Himalayan, the Californian displays its same characteristic markings: An all-white coat, but with dark markings on the nose, feet, ears, and tail.
Californian Rabbit Breed History.
The Californian Rabbit breed was developed in 1923 by George West of California. His plan was to develop a breed with the “perfect” meat as well as a dense, desirable coat. After five years of breeding, he developed a small, chinchilla-colored male by crossing a Himalayan white with Chinchillas. The buck was bred with several of West’s New Zealand rabbits to increase their size, and so the Californian Rabbit was born. West gave a few of his stock to two trusted Southern California breeders and together, they perfected the breed.
The Californian rabbit was first shown as a breed in 1928, its first appearance at an American Rabbit Breeders Association, ARBA convention in 1932, and became a recognized breed in 1939. Today, Californian rabbits are only surpassed in popularity by the New Zealand whites.
Coat.
The Californian rabbit breed’s coat is dense and coarse and not soft, so petting them probably feels better for the rabbit than for a human. Its fur is short and the undercoat should be dense. You may find they tend to shed their coat more in the spring than in other seasons of the year. To keep as much of their fur out of your home as possible, simply groom them with a bristled brush outdoors 1-2 times per week when they are shedding the most. Otherwise, once a week or once every two weeks should be more than enough.
Colors.
The only color accepted by the ARBA when it comes to Californian rabbits is white with markings as dark as possible. They have black or near-black markings on their nose, feet, ears, and tail and must have pink eyes like that of an albino rabbit.
Care Requirements.
Californian rabbit needs plenty of time outside of its enclosure to explore and form a lasting bond with human families. Despite being used mainly as a show or meat rabbit, they do well with human interaction and can make excellent pets. This particular breed does well either in indoor or outdoor enclosures, as their coat is dense enough to handle cold temperatures, even with snow, so long as their outdoor enclosures are protected from the elements, sun, rain, snow. Outdoor enclosures should also be covered on three sides to protect rabbits from cold drafts in the winter, as well as provide ventilation and shade at the same time during the hotter months.
Indoor enclosures should be made of wire, be large enough for them to stretch out in, and have a plastic bottom. The bottom should be laid with good-quality bedding, some owners like using small amounts of horse bedding, which is perfectly acceptable, should be spot-cleaned every day and completely replaced every week.
Their diet should mainly be made up of high-quality hay, timothy hay is a great example. 70% should be hay with the rest being high-quality pellets, vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits. Fruits and vegetables can also be used as incentives or treat to reward your bunny whenever they complete a task or obey a command, such as sitting, staying, or using their litter box. Adult rabbits can eat about 1/4 cup of high-fiber pellets every day for every 5 lbs. they weigh and always make sure to research what kind of fruit, leafy green vegetable you’re planning on feeding them, as some are not recommended for rabbits.
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11 фев 2021
