THE NEW ZEALAND RED RABBIT

The Red New Zealand was the original variety of New Zealand rabbit and emerged in the USA around 1912.   Despite the name, this breed was developed in America not New Zealand!   The New Zealand White appeared around 1917.   The reds are thought to be a cross between a Belgian Hare and a white rabbit.   The whites are believed to be derived from Flemish, American Whites and Angoras – the blacks included the Giant Chinchilla breed as well.

The New Zealand is a large rabbit weighing about 9 to 12 pounds  with a medium body, well-rounded haunches, short front legs and a bold head. The coat is usually dense but soft.   The reds are smaller than the whites and run about 8 pounds.     The ears are erect with a rounded tip. The coat color varies from red to white, black or blue (not a recognized color) and broken which is being considered by the ARBA.    Since the New Zealand is a meat breed, the hips tend to be well developed.    They are an efficient breed for the homestead and meat markets as well as a handsome bunnie to have as a pet.   

New Zealand’s can vary in temperament.   We have HAD New Zealands that were nasty and difficult to handle and we HAVE New Zealands that are big babies!   Some of it is in the genes / some of it is in the raising of the young.    We always “tempt” any New Zealand that we are considering to buy first, to see what their temperament may be.   They can be raised on all wire cages or solid bottomed cages.   We utilize both.   When using all wire cages, care should be taken to watch for sores to form on their feet.    They are normally good mothers and have average to above average sized litters.   At 10 to 14 weeks they are considered marketable.    Although the New Zealand Whites are most likely the most common rabbit in the world today, it’s origin – the New Zealand Red – has got to be one of the more beautiful of all the commercial rabbit breeds!

STATUS:   Common

Lazy  B  Rabbit-tree

Lilac Rabbit

Though Lilac rabbits are known to have originated in a number of locations at about the same time, the first breeder is said to be H. Onslow, of Cambridge, England. In 1913, he showed Lilacs for the first time at the famous London exhibition. Miss Mabel Illingworth also crossed her newly developed breed, the Blue Imperial, with the Havana to produce a Lilac in 1913. She called her new creation Essex Lavenders. C.H. Spruty of Gouda, Holland created the Gouda or Gowenaar in 1917, using Havanas and Blue Beverens, but these were of a greater size. In 1922, Professor R.C. Punnet of Cambridge University created what he called the Cambridge Blue using Blue Beverens and Havanas. All three of the British strains were eventually merged and the rabbits of the pinkish dove coloration became known as Lilacs. There are a number of strains of Lilacs but, because of breeders’ preferences, the colors will vary greatly as will the size of the animals. Our lilacs are similar in size as that of a Dutch Rabbit.

Lilacs were imported into the United States from England in 1922. Lilacs in America have never been one of the more popular breeds. Though Lilacs as bred in America have outstanding characteristics, it is the British that can claim to have achieved the best coloration for the breed – their Lilacs are truly the pinkish dove gray called for in the breed standard.    This breed has made the watch list by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy.   We hope to help this breed comeback.

Lilac rabbits are medium-sized; with mature bucks weighing 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 pounds and does 6 to 8 pounds. They are reasonably docile in nature and are fairly good mothers. But litter size can be rather small with only 4 to 6 kits. The breed is somewhat slow to mature, but is hardy and easily raised in all wire cages.   We utilize all wire cages as well as solid floor cages.

 A very rare breed, at one time facing extinction.    The folks at SS Bunny Hut spoke to us about these beautiful and gentle rabbits and right away we wanted to try to help to promote the species.  If you would like to learn more about this breed, contact us or SS Bunny Hut.

Status: Watch

Our Bunnie Breeds

The Lazy "B" Homestead

Back to TURTLE WORLD Care Sheets

Lazy  B  Rabbit-tree

 The Flemish Giant Rabbit 

It is thought that the Flemish Giant rabbit is the modern descendant
of the Patagonian rabbit of Argentina. The Patagonian rabbit was
brought to Europe by 16th and 17th century Dutch traders and was
raised for meat. The first written records of the Flemish Giant Rabbit
dates from about 1860. At that time, English travelers returning from
Flanders brought back stories of the enormous rabbits that were being
raised there.  

The Flemish Giant was imported from England to America in the early
1880s. It received no special attention until about 1910 where it
started appearing at small livestock shows throughout the country.
Today, it is a popular breed (although not considered to be a common breed) at rabbit shows because of its enormous size and its many  beautiful colors.
 
RAISING FLEMISH GIANTS
Flemish Giants are the true giants of all rabbits. They can grow to
immense size, reaching four or more pounds in 7 weeks, and maturing
up to 18 pounds in 9 months. Although they are large, they are docile
and not wild or hard to handle. That is why they are called "The Gentle Giant."    Flemish are also called "The Universal Breed," because they are fast developing rabbits suitable for either meat or fur production. They thrive on a large percentage of roughage and green feed reducing total food costs. Best of all, they make wonderful pets!  They are large and strong enough to hold their own with small children, but are docile and gentle. However, when abused, they can scratch or bite painfully!  Ours love to go nose to nose with you every chance they get.   They can be "skidish"but generally are very friendly and lovable. Like many rabbit breeds, they can be trained to use a litter box, making them ideal, loveable pet. Mature bucks seldom spray. Flemish also have a good tolerance for the cold outdoors if you don't want them indoors.
The only thing they do not endure well is extreme heat. It is essential
that they be kept in the shade during the summer. If the temperature
exceeds 90, evaporative coolers can be used in barns to keep them cool;
fine water sprays can be used outdoors. Ours are kept in the shadiest spot we own and in extremely hot days we always make a point to hose everything (except the rabbits themselves!) down as often as possible to help disapate the heat.    You can also take a large plastic soda bottle, filled with water and frozen in the freezer, to allow them snuggle against when the temperature gets too high.  A word of advice to those contemplating letting their pet rabbit roam their house freely. Rabbits seem to have a fascination with lamp cords. They will frequently chew on a cord, damaging it and injuring themselves. Owners are advised to keep excess lamp cord out of the reach of their rabbits!    We do not allow any of our animals to roam freely through out the house.   Even our dogs & kids have rooms off limits!    We do permit many of our animals to be out in the house for extended periods of time almost every day but this is done when we can supervise them and after we have "critter proofed" the area!

CAGES
Flemish Giant rabbits are usually very vigorous, healthy and easy to raise. They can be difficult to breed sometimes though.   They are very big and require very big cages. The smallest cage that should be considered for single animals should have a floor 24 inches by 48 inches.  Cage height should be should permit them to carry their ears erect. Because of the considerable weight of these rabbits, wire floors should not be used, because sore, bleeding, hocks will probably result.   Some breeders use solid floors bedded with straw, shredded computer paper, or wood chips. Others use wood slat floors. The slats comprising the floor of such cages are usually 3/4" x 1 1/2" spaced at approximately 5/8". The rabbits will chew on these slats, but they will last long enough that this is generally not a problem. Recently some breeders have been experimenting with plastic "hog slat" floors. These seem to be both very durable and sanitary.  We are constantly trying different materials.   We start with a plywood floor (which is screwed down so it can be replaced eventually), and have tried linoleum covered with dries pine shavings (not recommended - they chew and rip it up!); we have used a rubberized roofing material (this works great when covered with shavings but is expensive); bare wood covered with shavings (plan on replacing it eventually); and so on.   Bottom line is they need a solid floor and it will need to be kept cleaned.

FEEDING
Flemish seem to require roughage as well as pellets as feed. We offer a high quality grass hay but have read where a high quality alfalfa is good as well.  All hay is kept clean and fed free choice.  We also feed a high quality pellet food.   Remember you can save a couple of dollars a week or month by buying cheaper/less expensive rabbit food but you get what you pay for in many cases and you definitely get out of things what you put into them!   Animals are no exception!   We never sacrifice food quality for our animals.   We have been told that you can feed about a tablespoon full of black sunflower seeds daily to shine up their coats. Be careful, too much sunflower seed can make a rabbit fat!    Only feed the sunflower seeds for a few days and then discontinue for a while.

HANDLING FLEMISH GIANTS
Even if the Flemish Giant is large and strong, it has a very "laid back"
disposition. They are docile and tolerant of considerable handling.  However, if abused or scared, they can inflict painful and possibly serious injury with their razor sharp teeth and powerful hind legs. It is best to always support all 4 feet, so they do not become scared of being off the ground, and start flailing with their hind claws!  Since they can take care of themselves well, some people will let their pet rabbit roam their well fenced back yards freely. Remember, if you are contemplating leaving your rabbit roam your back yard, rabbits are burrowing animals and can burrow under fences if no special precautions are taken.  You also need to consider predators.    Even in a town there are hawks, owls, opossums, raccoons, CATS, DOGS and so on.   Any one of these animals are capable of killing or injuring a rabbit - even a big rabbit.   Our Flemish are more likely to walk up to a dog or cat out of curiosity as much as run from them out of fear!  Another consequence of its large size and strength of the Flemish Giant is that it consumes more feed than other breeds.   

One might think that a huge, docile and attractive rabbit like the flemish giant has much potential as a pet, indeed they do make great pets and many people seek them out as pets.   We bought our first flemish for a pet and a word of caution ... we got hooked on them!!   The Flemish Giant is very laid back and docile especially neutered males.  If you are looking for a great pet - rabbits are wonderful and flemish giants are truly the gentle giant and fit the niche well!

Status:  uncommon

Our Bunnie Breeds

The Lazy "B" Homestead

Back to TURTLE WORLD Care Sheets

    

Flemish Movie
Click Here

Lazy  B  Rabbit-tree

Netherlands Dwarf Rabbit
     
In memory of "Hershey"

The Netherlands Dwarf is a tiny, cute bunny with plenty of energy. They are very popular and come in many different colors.  Our's Have the best temperament you could ask from a rabbit!

NETHERLAND DWARF:

ORIGIN:
A commonly accepted version of the Dwarf's origin is that it is the result of the accidental crossing of a Polish rabbit (the white dwarf is still called a "Pol" in Holland) with a small wild rabbit in the Netherlands. The Dwarf had been popular for some years before British fanciers brought them to England in about 1948. The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1969.   Probably the most popular of the dwarf breeds, the Netherland's ideal weight is 2 pounds although they are seen as small as 1-1/2 pounds and as large as 3 pounds.      Can be seen in more than 25 different colors.  

Netherlands Dwarfs are generally quite active and should not be kept cooped up all day.  We are all the time playing with ours.   They enjoy to be cuddlewith and of course love to run about the house!   Netherlands Dwarfs will use a litter box filled with a non-cedar or non-clumping litter. They need a high fiber commercial diet and hay. They do need an occasional brushing. It is recommended that you purchase a rabbit that is five months or older so that you are sure of the temperament.   We have yet to have any offspring that were not cuttle-bunnies!   We hope to keep it that way!   We sell ours at about three months of age.    To see what we have available check our sale page ...(click here)
 

Mature Netherlands Dwarfs should weigh two pounds, making them the smallest breed. They are dense, stout, with a round head and wide skull. Their head is set up high on their shoulders. Netherlands Dwarfs have bright, bold eyes. Their ears, about two inches or less, stand up. Netherlands Dwarfs come in more colors than any other rabbit. The solid colors are: black, chocolate, blue, lilac, blue-eyed white, and ruby-eyed white. The shaded colors are: sable point, Siamese sable, and Siamese smoke pearl. The agouti colors are: chestnut, chinchilla, lynx, opal, and squirrel. The tan patterns are: tan, otter, sable marten, silver, marten, and smoke pearl marten. Other colors are fawn, Himalayan (which can be black, chocolate, blue, or lilac), orange, steel, and tortoiseshell. A Netherlands Dwarf will be disqualified from competition if it is over two and a half pounds or if its ears are more than two and a half inches long.   Ours are not bred for show but for well tempered pets.    Our buck and doe were rescue rabbits and were saved due to their temperament.   We do not have pedigrees available for this breed.   However our buck, Hershey, has been on television numerous times - he is a lovable camera ham!!

Netherlands Dwarfs came from Holland as a descendent of the Dutch rabbit. After World War Two, only 18 of these rabbits were left, but the English rescued nine of them. The English breeders bred them and perfected the breed. Netherlands Dwarfs were first seen in the United States in the mid-1950s. The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognized the Netherlands Dwarf as an official breed in 1969.

Because of their small ears, Netherlands Dwarfs may not be able to regulate heat as well as larger-eared rabbits. Therefore, they must be kept cool. Due to their very rounded heads, they may also be prone to getting mallocclused, or misaligned, teeth. If this happens, the teeth must be trimmed regularly.  Ours are kept indoors with us.   Netherland Dwarf rabbits do well in an outdoor medium-sized hutch as well with a well-covered top for protection from the elements. The hutch should contain sturdy-wired flooring (with small wire spaces), a nesting box for it to hop onto and snuggle up inside of, a salt block, a water bottle or dish, a food hopper or dish, and possibly a hay rack. In cold weather, give your rabbit a hot water bottle, and in hot weather give him an ice bottle. Make sure it always has plenty of cool, fresh water and rabbit alfalfa pellets in its food bowl.  Handle and pet your Netherlands Dwarf a lot, so that it will be easy for the veterinarian to work with in case it gets sick. Also remember to always make sure your Netherlands Dwarf is safely locked away in its hutch each night, so predators can't get at him.   A netherland use to being around people and handled is the greatest!    They learn to love attention and never seem to get enough of it!

Occasionally we have some for sale.    E-mail us if you are looking.    

Our Bunnie Breeds	The Lazy "B" Homestead	Back to TURTLE WORLD Care Sheets

In Memory of Hershey

Hershey was a rabbit that came to us in a shipment of 18 bunnies that were to be used as snake food.    Before you begin to cringe on this, remember that our food bunnies are the same ones being sold for human consumption - all animals must eat!   Getting back to Hershey.    Typically in order to avoid letting our sympathetic emotions take control, we normally just size the rabbit to the appropriate snake and very quickly the entire ordeal is over.   Well with this particular batch, there was one rabbit who just wanted attention.    He insisted on peeking out over the box at every thing you were doing.   When you would reach in the box to get another rabbit he would go to your hand and snuggle!    At first we thought "bunnie, you have no idea what you are doing!   You do not want to be picked!"   But he continued to persist that he be held.   You might say he knew exactly what he was doing.   By kissing up to our buttocks, he was saving his own!    When it truly became "his turn" we picked him out and he immediately snuggled right up to us!     He wound up being left till last, and of course, his turn never came.

We decided we would keep him due to his personality ... at least for a little while.   We had no idea as to how old this bunny was or why he had been chosen for disposal but he definitely had a very unique and loveable personality!    We named him Hershey and began to include him in our family.   Hershey began to travel with us to do shows and as typical was not going to settle to be an opening act when he could become the star of the show!

Hershey became friends with almost all of our show animals (except the snakes of course!).   He befriended a desert tortoise named Herman and the two of them quickly developed their version of the race between the tortoise and the hare!   Of course Hershey seldom let Herman win!    Hershey then began to play the same game with a sulcata tortoise named George.   Hershey also learned other things very quickly.

He was litter boxed trained with in days (after we decided he was to stay).   He was leash trained within a couple of more weeks.   One of the things that truly amazed us was his willingness to do anything and his love for attention!   This Netherlands dwarf rabbit couldn't get enough!   At shows we would have a section of carpet that was laid out as a display area.    Hershey figured out on his own that he was to stay on the carpet!    We would literally let him on the carpet and he would never - no matter what the circumstances - go any further than putting his front feet off the edge!  

This became absolutely amazing and entertaining for everyone when Hershey met Sebastian.    Sebastian was a Puggle (Pug and Beagle mix).   Sebastian's owner was in charge of security at the door near our display at a sport show we were doing and so we spent the entire show getting to know one another.   So did Hershey and Sebastian!    Soon before we knew it, crowds of people would be standing there watching as Hershey and Sebastian played!   They would chase each other and then take a break together.   If Sebastian (only a pup) would not be paying attention to Hershey, Hersh would run over and jump on him to get his attention!   This almost created a problem toward the end of the show.    You see these two had became such good friends that when people would go to pet Hershey, Sebastian would bark and carry on trying to protect Hershey!   

Hershey had managed to create a career that took him from the verge of the slaughter house all the way to television stardom!   Yes he had been on television numerous times.    Long story short, he was a unique rabbit that not only became a legend, but expanded the horizons of Turtle World itself and gave us the insight to do more for all animals as well as reptiles.    Often people ask us what makes a particular animal so special to us - after all it is just an animal.    The answer is simple - it is not just an animal and they are special to us because we become special to them.

Hershey developed wry neck disease and was put to sleep the last day of the year of 2006.    Fortunately, Hershey had fathered some off spring (after all he was a rabbit remember!), and some of them are still with us and hopefully will follow in their pop's paw prints.    Yes, from nothing but a piece of meat to becoming a legend, Hershey touched the hearts of so many people and became a part of Turtle World that will never be forgotten.   

       Hershey and Herman doing their "performance".

Hershey's son    Hershey's favorite time of the year!

Back

Our Bunnie Breeds	The Lazy "B" Homestead	Back to TURTLE WORLD Care Sheets

Wry Neck (Head Tilt): Cause: bacterial infection of the inner ear, ear mites. Signs: loss of balance, animals head twisted to one side. Treatments: Treatment is somewhat experimental yet and can become costly.  Immediately call your vet,- the more time without treatment the less likely are you to cure it. Treatment depends on the cause so make sure the vet takes a bacterial culture first. If E. Cuniculi bacteria is found then treatment may be prednisolone. This is pretty new and many vets have not heard of the possible success with this treatment. Dr Wendy Feaga has her Wry Neck paper describing this treatment printed in the letters to the editor section of Journal of the AVMA 2/15/97. Make sure your rabbit continues to eat, force feed if necessary (not as easy as it may sound!) and get him to drink water. It has also been said that if it helps if you massage the neck to keep the muscles from atrophying helps along with vet care.  It wouldn't hurt to try. Prevention: good ventilation to reduce any respiratory infections and good sanitation practices (House rabbits are more susceptible to wry neck caused by unsanitary conditions because they are closer to the waste pan).    We have had one rabbit come down with this over the years and are still not sure of the cause.    His cage was kept clean and seems to have had adequate ventilation as well.   Unfortunately, we have learned that when dealing with animals the way we do, that often you can do the very best for the animal and something happens that causes their demise and you just can't explain it.   These are losses that tough no matter what the cause.   Otitis Media  -  Usually there are no clinical signs.  Torticollis will occur if the function of the internal ear is compromised, either by direct bacterial invasion or by the damaging effects of the bacterial toxins.  Nervous signs and incoordination are observed if the bacteria extends to the meninges. Creamy, white exudate in middle ear is found either uni- or bilaterally.  When treated with antibiotics at the first indication of a head tilt, rabbits with otitis media may improve or stabilize.  In rabbits with severe torticollis, NSAID or corticosteroid therapy may be indicated.  Bulla osteotomies and lavage of the tympanic bullae has proven to be a fruitless approach to treatment.  The torticollis may progress in spite of antibiotic therapy, so the prognosis is guarded.   For more information on rabbit diseases click here.   Back   Our Bunnie Breeds

The life span is normally 6-7 years, although rabbits may live to be 15 years of age. The body temperature normally fluctuates between 102-103 degrees F. Emotional stress causes a fall in body temperature which is unlike most other endotherms. (Fright or stress causes the autonomic nervous system to be stimulated-renal ischemia may develop as blood is shunted to the head and heart). The urine is a cloudy to thick, creamy color. This color is due to the high calcium salts, pH of 8, and may precipitate on floors as a white granular salt.

The rabbit has a large cecum and bacterial fermentation is an important component of digestion. Pelleted chow is the optimum feed, since rabbits prefer pellets rather than ground diets. Many laboratory facilities will limit the feed given to adult rabbits since obesity is a common problem. It is normal for rabbits to eat the feces passed at night (cecotrophy). Night feces are softer than other feces, composed of cecal secretions and are a rich source of the B-vitamins.

The rabbit was once thought to belong to the order, Rodentia. However, the rabbit has been reclassified as a Lagomorph, based on a unique dental structure. Lagomorphs have two pairs of permanent upper incisors, the additional set being smaller and placed directly behind the "normal" set of upper incisors. This is of some importance to investigators since Federal Law requires survival surgery on all non-rodent species (including the rabbit) to be performed in a dedicated surgical area and under strict aseptic conditions (mask, gown, gloves, sterile drapes and instruments, full surgical clip and preparation).

Males are called "bucks" and females are called "does"; when rabbits give birth, they are said to have "kindled". The bucks are sexually active at 6-8 months of age and are highly territorial. Bucks housed together may fight, even castrating one another! The doe is always taken to the buck's cage for mating since bucks do not breed well outside of their defined territory. The doe is sexually active at 4-6 months of age and may be active breeders from 1-3 years. Rabbits have a continuous estrus cycle and ovulation occurs following mating (induced). Females housed together may ovulate and go into pseudo-pregnancies. The doe will often accept the buck during pseudo-pregnancy and may become pregnant. Gestation is 28-35 days. Late in gestation, the doe will pluck hair from the dewlap and ventrum to make a nest. Nest boxes should always be provided to pregnant does. The doe is easily distracted from her young and should never be disturbed when nursing young. The doe will nurse the baby rabbits, called bunnies or kitlings for only 5-10 minutes per day. Litter size ranges from 6-8 and cannibalism is quite common, especially if the nursing doe is disturbed. Hair growth is noticeable at 5 days, the eyes open at 9-10 days and the bunnies begin to venture out of the nest box around 3 weeks of age. Weaning occurs at 6 weeks of age when the bunnies weigh around 4 lbs.

Rabbits are very susceptible to infections with various bacterial pathogens. Pasteurella multocida, the cause of "Snuffles" is a gram negative of particular importance. Clinical forms range from inapparent carrier states to snuffles, pneumonia, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pyometra, orchitis, abscesses and generalized septicemia. Since many rabbits asymptomatically carry this pathogen in the nasal cavity, it is very difficult to rid a colony of this agent. Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) rabbits are available, however the cost of such animals is quite high. Staphylococcus aureus and Bordetella bronchiseptica are also common isolates from the nasal sinuses of both healthy rabbits and those with snuffles. Although Bordetella usually does not by itself cause clinical disease in rabbits, it is a deadly pathogen for guinea pig colonies. Therefore, great care must be taken to ensure that staff do not move from rabbit rooms (even though the rabbits appear healthy) to guinea pigs rooms, without following proper disinfection guidelines.

All animals in University facilities are observed on a regular basis by one of the clinical veterinarians. Please assist us in maintaining colony health by immediately reporting any suspected health problems. Concerns regarding health care and husbandry should be reported to the Animal Care Supervisor for the area. Common signs of illness in rabbits include : nasal or ocular discharge, inflamed conjunctiva, head tilt, scabs in ears, inappetence, diarrhea and lethargy.

Rabbits may be identified by ear tattoos, ear tags, felt pens or hair dyes. Please consult with the Animal Care staff when determining the best method for a study, since all have advantages and disadvantages.

BACK to CARE SHEETS