AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key
- This article concerns a particular breed of rabbit, the Netherland dwarf. For information on domestic rabbits in general, see Domestic rabbit.
The Netherland Dwarf is a popular breed of domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) originating in the Netherlands. Smaller than most rabbit breeds, Netherland dwarf rabbits weigh 1 to 3 lb (0.5 to 1.4 kg) and are usually kept as pets or exhibition animals. They are not typically used as sources of meat or fur because of their small size.
Most rabbits sold in pet stores are Netherland dwarfs, Netherland dwarf-derived breeds (often referred to simply as dwarf breeds), or Netherland dwarf crosses. Their popularity as pets stems from their babyish appearance and their smaller cage space requirement compared to larger rabbit breeds.
History
The Netherland dwarf breed was first produced in the Netherlands in the early 20th century. Small Polish rabbits were bred with smaller wild rabbits&; after several generations the resulting animal was a very small domestic rabbit available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Netherland dwarfs were first imported into the United Kingdom in 1948&. In the 1960s and 1970s the United States imported its first Netherland dwarf rabbits. The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association in 1969 using a modification of the British standard&.
Early dwarfs, even into the 1970s and 1980s, had fearful and sometimes aggressive temperaments. This was a result of breeders selecting wild breeding animals for their size. The first dwarf rabbits behaved more like these wild rabbits than domestic animals and were not good pets. However, through generations of selective breeding, the modern Netherland dwarf has become a gentle, friendly pet rabbit, though it still retains a more energetic disposition than larger breeds.
Appearance
Netherland dwarfs' heads and eyes are disproportionately large with respect to their bodies, and their ears are tiny and carried high on the head. Additionally, their faces are rounded and shortened. These features, a part of the animals' dwarfism, cause them to look infantile even into adulthood.
Dwarf crosses frequently retain some of these characteristics, depending on the breed the dwarf is crossed with. However, crosses rarely look as babyish as the purebred dwarfs and are usually somewhat larger.
Purebred Netherland dwarfs come in a wide variety of colors, including Himalayan, Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Smoke Pearl, Sable Point, Tortoiseshell, Chestnut, Siamese Sable, Opal, Lynx, Squirrel, Chinchilla, Otter, Tan, Silver Marten, Sable Marten, Smoke Pearl Marten, Orange, Fawn, Steel, Blue-Eyed White and Ruby Eyed White&. Other colors (including mismarks) exist in non-show-quality Netherland dwarfs and in dwarf mongrel rabbits.
Netherland dwarfs as pets
- Main article: Domestic rabbit
Behavior
Netherland dwarf rabbits have the same basic behavioral traits as other domestic rabbits. They can be litter-trained but are generally not very good with cats or dogs.
They tend to have spunkier and more energetic temperaments than larger breeds of rabbit and are rarely content to sit still when outside of the cage. They are curious animals and have a tendency to nibble on nearby objects and even human beings. However, they are extremely fragile animals and easily stressed, and as such they do not make good pets for young children.
Diet
Like other domestic rabbits, dwarf rabbits consume grasses, grains, and other succulent greens. Their digestive system is somewhat less hardy than their larger cousins, and many leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage can give them health problems such as diarrhea. In addition, sudden changes to a dwarf rabbit's diet can cause health problems. Generally hay and a pelleted feed should make up the largest portion of their diet. However, it should be noted that an excess of pellets in an older rabbit's diet can cause obesity.
Dwarf breeds
Rabbit breeds derived from breeding larger rabbits with the Netherland dwarf are known as dwarf breeds. Most smaller breeds, like the Mini-Rex, the Jersey Wooly, and the Holland lop, are results of such breedings. Generally dwarf breeds are slightly larger than the typical Netherland dwarf, not growing larger than 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg). Most have shortened faces compared to larger rabbits, and some even preserve the rounded head, large eyes, or small ears of the Netherland dwarf.
Most dwarf breeds are intended to bring a specialized characteristic, such as a specific fur type, into a smaller rabbit. Mini-Rex were created through the breeding of dwarfs with Rex rabbits, a fur breed with a short, plush coat, and retain both the dwarf's size and the Rex fur. Jersey Woolies are a dwarf version of the Angora rabbit, a wool-producing breed. Lop-eared rabbit breeds, interbred with dwarfs, were used to create Holland Lop and Mini-lop rabbits.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 American Rabbit Breeders Association (2000). Official Guide Book: Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies. Bloomington, IL: American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc.. pp. 65.
