Description

Rex rabbit

The Rex Rabbit wasn’t born yesterday, ya know! This is an illustrious little bunny with quite a rich history worth exploring. The Rex Rabbit was developed around 1919 in the French village of Louché-Pringé, by breeders who were impressed by this wild rabbit’s beautiful and luscious fur. This stunning breed was developed from a litter of wild gray rabbits. They were selectively bred into a domestic breed and shown in an international rabbit show in Paris in 1924, where there was great interest among breeders because of the recessive rex gene.

These rabbits may have been found int the wild initially, but they quickly exploded in popularity and became coveted as pets. Following its first showing in Paris, the breed was introduced to the United States that same year and was shown by American rabbit breeder John C. Fehr and his partner Alfred Zimmerman. The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeder’s Association (ARBA) soon after. It’s been a stable in the homes of rabbit lovers ever since. To see a Rex Rabbit in person is to fall hard into bunny love. You’ll need to own one immediately and you won’t regret it.

The Rex rabbit has a commercial-sized body type and can weigh anywhere between 7.5-10.5 lbs. once fully grown. The ideal weight for bucks is around 8 pounds and 9 pounds for does. Pretty standard stuff.

According to the ARBA Standard of Perfection, the Rex Rabbit is a well-proportioned animal, with medium body length, well-rounded hips and a loin, ribs, and shoulders that complement them. These rabbits are real lookers. Their head is broad and set close to the body- and, as everything about these bunnies, it’s in perfect balance with the rest of their stunning physique. The ears are erect and medium-thick, evenly covered with short plush fur typical of the breed, and their legs are short and straight.

As for the personality and behavior of the Rex Rabbit, you can expect this breed to be docile, friendly, and open to handling and petting. In other words, these are sweethearts and charmers in the rabbit world, destined to bring joy to any home that welcomes them in as a pet. Rabbits aren’t always the most social pets, so that makes this breed particularly attractive for bunny lovers who like to get up close and personal with their pets. They love receiving attention from their humans, which makes them ideal rabbits for homes with children (who are often disappointed by the antisocial nature of many rabbits).

Coat
The Rex Rabbit has a unique gene which gives its coat a velvety texture. The coat is extremely dense, and the hair’s length and quality uniform all across the body. Hairs are short but not shorter than half an inch- or longer than ⅞ of an inch. This short, soft fur that points out instead of against their bodies like most rabbits makes this breed feel super plushy. Unfortunately, their smooth and dense fur made them interesting to the fur industry. Many horrible owners often kept this breed around for their pelts alone. Thankfully, we are long past that unfortunate chapter in the Rex Rabbits history. They are now owned only by those who who love them as living beings regardless of how pretty their fur might be.

Now, when the Rex Rabbit is a popular pet, their unique coat is considered to be just one of their many charming qualities and not a source of profit. Despite its one-of-a-kind coat, though, this breed is not high maintenance when it comes to grooming. In fact, it requires even less grooming than other rabbit varieties. Owners should try to groom this rabbit as little as possible, as over-grooming can damage its coats. If there’s excess dirt on your rabbit’s coat, simply clean it with a damp cloth. Never bathe your bunny, as this causes great stress and can cause cardiac problems and even result in death. As much as you might enjoy bunny bath time, it’s simply not a good idea for your pet. Fortunately there are plenty of easy alternatives.

Colors
In the United States, there are 16 accepted coat colors for the Rex Rabbit breed. Some of these include castor, seal, chinchilla, opal, black, white, Californian, amber, as well as Broken (which is any color mixed with white). In other words there is a Rex Rabbit out there to suit any personal pet preference.

Care Requirements
To make sure your bunny stays healthy and happy under your roof, you will need to provide proper rabbit housing. The two main aspects to consider are the size and the type of materials. Enclosures need to be large enough for your rabbit to comfortably stretch out in, have enough room to play, do its business and eat. This translates to at least 12 feet of cage space (6 x 2 feet), coupled with a minimum of 32 square feet of bunny-safe playing space, which is usually fenced by a pen or a playpen gate.

As for the bunny-safe materials of the enclosures, choose indoor cages made of strong wire that have a solid bottom. Wire bottom at the cage is a big no-no, as it will hurt your bunny and lead to sore hocks. The enclosure needs to be lined with bedding, spot-cleaned every day and completely replaced at the end of every week.

In order to become a socialized, well-rounded rabbit, pets need to be taken out of its enclosures as often as possible and allowed to roam free in a bunny-safe room. The longer they interact with their human families, the sweeter and more docile (and playful!) they will become. More often than not, owners decide on giving their rabbit the free reign of home. Well, after rabbit-proofing everything, of course.

Rabbits have extremely strong teeth and a tendency to chew everything, which often leads to catastrophe. Not only that your furniture or shoes could be ruined, but your bunny could die after nibbling on electric wires or eating a dangerous houseplant. So, to avoid any potential problems, ensure that the space is safe for your pet (and your valuables protected) before you let your bunny roam free. In case you have a garden or a backyard where your Rex Rabbit can play, make sure to let them out only in a well-secured pen and with you supervising them.

In terms of their ideal diet, the Rex Rabbit is no different than most other bunny breeds. They require a diet that consists of 70 percent high-quality hay (such as orchard hay) with the rest being a good mix of leafy greens, fruits, pellets and vegetables. Hay such as alfalfa should only be given in moderation and fruits/vegetables which contain high levels of sugar should be used mostly as treats. Always research what kind of food you are giving to your rabbit, as there are some that are safe and others that can make them sick. Additionally, you should ensure your rabbit always has access to fresh and clean water.

Health
Rex rabbits are great pets for seniors and first-time pet parents as well as singles or couples.Unlike most animals, rabbit teeth never stop growing. Thankfully, they are also constantly being worn down by everyday activities such as chewing their food (mostly hay). If your rabbit’s teeth are not being worn down, its teeth may start growing into its jaw and face, causing severe pain. Signs of overgrown teeth or an infection due to overgrown teeth include loss of appetite, slugging activity or drooling around the mouth.

Be sure to check your rabbit’s mouth weekly for signs of overgrown teeth and bring them to the vet if you suspect they have an infection, as it can be treated with antibiotics, and veterinarians can also fix their overgrown teeth problem.

In addition to helping your bunny grind down their teeth, roughage (hay) will promote better digestion, too. Rabbits are avid groomers and will ingest a lot of their own hair during the self-cleaning process. Unfortunately, they can’t vomit hairballs like cats do, and instead, clumps of hair get stuck inside their intestines. This is known as GI stasis, a potentially fatal condition that affects all rabbits. To prevent it, feed a lot of high-quality hay, groom your pet regularly, especially in the heavy shedding seasons, and inspect their feces for signs of poop that looks like string of pearls.

Ears should also regularly be checked for ear mites, as this is a common condition in rabbits, especially outdoor rabbits.

If you decide to spay or neuter your rabbit, some owners notice that their rabbit tends to be less aggressive, however this breed of rabbit is not known to be hostile, so neutering your Rex may do nothing to its personality but make them calmer. Does can be spayed once they are 4-6 months old while bucks can be neutered as young as 3 and a half months old.