Rabbits breeds and types, photos with names and description, appearance than eat, differences from hares

Rabbit is a small mammal of small sizes, which is related to related and genetically with hares and peaks.

Rabbit description

In the animal:

Homemade rabbits are of various colors, wild individuals usually have brown or yellowish-brown wool. This color hides from predators. Easily noticeable in nature bright white, dark black or spotted fur of some home species.

Rabbits of meat breeds

A person has developed rabbits for the production of meat. The closer the rabbit meets the standards of the breed, the better the meat is obtained from it.

California rabbit

California rabbit breed is distinguished by coloring a white body with black places (paws, nose and ears). This drawing is caused by the “Himalayan genome”, which makes rabbits albinos, with the exception of these parts of the body.

The breed was bred in the 1920s by crossing the Himalayan rabbits with chinchilla rabbits, and then the offspring were mated with New Zealand rabbits to achieve the desired size. California and New Zealand rabbit are similar in size and shape of the body, and both breeds are grown due to meat and fur.

New Zealand red rabbit

It may be surprising that New Zealand red rabbits is the very first truly American rabbit breed. Their origin is much more connected with the Belgian hares than with the New Zealand breed of rabbits.

At the turn of 1900, Belgian hares were in fashion, separate specimens were bought and sold for thousands of dollars apiece.

Given the flurry of reproduction, it is not surprising that Belgian hares began to appear here and there, with a rich red and bright red fur, devoid of coloring of the “normal” Belgian hare.

Belgian breeders crossed with Flemish giant rabbits. A few years later, offspring from such crosses enriched the breed in red.

New Zealand white rabbit

These rabbits are not from New Zealand, but bred in America around 1910. This is one of the few breeds of rabbits that was carried from America around the world, and not vice versa.

New Zealand white rabbits are certainly the most popular for breeding. These are albinos, animals do not have melanin, pigment that stains the skin, wool and eyes.

It is estimated that about 90% of rabbits bred for the sake of meat is a New Zealand breed. Their white fur is a popular product. But they also become wonderful pets.

Rabbits giants

Giant rabbits weigh more than 5 kg. They should not be confused with rabbits with overweight, whose mass and size are larger than should be! A giant rabbit is a representative of a giant breed, it weighs from 5 to 10 kg or more. This is more than many dog ​​breeds.

Belgian giant

Flemish breed was used to produce meat and fur. However, due to the high density of bones, the percentage of meat to the bone residues and the excretion of new meat breeds made the Belgian giant with unpromising for the production of meat. Instead, the breed is now contained as pets.

These delicate giants are known for calm, humble nature. Rabbits are quite smart and easily trained. But they have powerful hind legs, and when they feel a threat or fright, or get injuries, they quickly cause serious injuries to a person.

Butterfly (spotted giant)

The rabbit has a fried, but muscular physique and a long, like a hare, a body with a semicircular outbreak. They have long, powerful paws, a wide head and ears, they are vertically raised most of the time.

Back rabbits perform in circuses and are wonderful pets. This breed has a soft or mediumlength fur, which is easy to care for.

The colors of the spotted giant white with blue or black marks resembling a butterfly on the nose. They also have two black or blue spots on both sides of the body with a black or blue strip walking along the base of the ears to the tail above the spine.

PUPA and fur rabbits

The fur and the skin of any breed of rabbits serves as a raw material for the production of things. But there are specialized rabbit breeds, which are bred for the sake of receiving fluff (wool) and fur for sewing things.

Woolen rabbits

Such rabbits grow highquality wool for spinning. However, you need to take care of the yarn much more than any other type of wool. Woolly rabbits:

American Vysloukhi Rabbit

He has a short and puffy body, wide chest, narrow shoulders and wide, rounded hind limbs with many muscles, ears fall on the sides of the head. American Vysloux Rabbit is energetic, great for fur and as a pets.

A fur coat from rabbit wool is worn for a long time. But it is not necessary to kill rabbits for the sake of fur. They are combined, and the undercoat is turned into various types of clothes. Curiosity and playful character makes the enchanting rabbit an excellent pet for single, elderly people and families, provided that people give them a lot of love, affection and provide a place where the energy of the animal is released.

The yarn is spinning from the rabbit wool, despite the fact that the length of the underground is only about 5 cm. The wool is rough, like the Angora Rabbit this means that it is not inclined to confuse or the formation of lumps on finished products.

Angora rabbits

They are famous for thin, soft wool. Angora rabbits are bred due to wool, but they are also excellent pets.

Breeders breed four breeds of Angora rabbits:

English breed is distinguished by fur on the head and ears. The atlas rabbits have a thinner and softest fur than other breeds, and giant Angora is the largest breed weighing 4 kg.

English Angora rabbit a breed most popular for exhibitions. French Angora rabbit the dream of hand spinners. And satin rabbits are a cross between English and French Angora Rabbit. Giant Angora came from the Flemish giant rabbit breed and is not so popular for the production of wool.

Rex rabbits

Plush and short fur is ideal for sewing rabbit fur coats. There are two types of Rex breeds: mini-rems and Rex.

Rabbit Mini Rex

This is a miniature version of the Rex breed. Both species grow short wool with a texture similar to velvet. These rabbits come in different colors from white to purely black.

Decorative breeds of rabbits

They have a gene that produces certain physical features, including:

Rabbit Dutch miniature

These are small rabbits with large heads, short necks and neat small vertical ears. They have a beautiful glossy, thick wool of different colors.

Lion head

First appeared in Belgium, weigh rabbits about 1 kg and are the smallest creatures. Their fur is thick, with a cute lionlike mane on the necks. There are two types, vysloukhi and with vertically raised ears.

Home rabbits

It seems that choosing a charming home rabbit is easy, they are all cute, but not all breeds of rabbits are good pets for beginners or for families with children. Some breeds like it when they hold, others love combing, but do not like to sit in their arms due to capricious temperament.

Polish

The rabbit has a dwarf gene, so the average weight does not exceed 3.5 kg. Their fur is soft, and it is easier to care for them than for some other breeds, require cleaning about once a week or once every two weeks. A gentle, calm nature makes the breed a great choice for adults or families with adult children.

Trianta

A mediumsized rabbit is known for the striking scarlet and orange fur. Under the tail and paws small faded accents. This is a compact breed with small straight ears. Rabbits are curious, tender and sociable, with home content they need a company of another rabbit.

Cinnamon

The color of body fur is “ground cinnamon” with a shade of orange, face, ears, stomach and feet dark gray. This is a rare, large, active breed of rabbits, so they need a lot of time outside the cage in a closed room. They are friendly and curious, which makes the breed a great choice for families, steam or loners.

Rabbits have unique features and adaptations that help survive

They have relatively short front paws, but long, strong hind limbs. They use muscular paws to run and jump at impressive speeds. When rabbits run, they put only fingers on the ground, and not the whole foot.

These creatures have large eyes highly planted on their heads, rabbits see almost everything around them. In fact, the only blind spot is a small area right in front of the tip of the nose.

Long ears help to hear predators at a distance so as not to become a lunch, cool mammals in hot weather.

The habitat of the rabbit

Many species live on:

These mammals also occupy more specialized ecosystems. Some species prefer such habitats:

In which regions of the world there are rabbits

They live in Eurasia, Africa, North, Central and South America. People also brought rabbits to other regions of the world as invasive species.

Some species live in vast regions or entire countries. Others occupy only tiny area. Each species has a unique range and distribution.

What rabbits eat

Rabbits are herbivores, feed on plants. Their diets consist of:

Some species eat only certain plants, others eat almost everything that digest in the gastrointestinal tract.

The problem is that plants are quite difficult to completely digest. Because of this, rabbits re-eat and digest their own excrement after the food went through digestive systems for the first time.

Rabbit and hare, comparison

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At first glance, hares are rabbits with longer paws and ears. In addition to appearance, these creatures differ in other characteristics.

With the exception of several species, rabbits are social animals. They live in small groups, often in underground burrows. The hare lives alone and above the ground. In their burrows, rabbits give birth to helpless rabbits and take care of them for several weeks. Bunnies give birth to fully formed and mobile cubs, which require less care.

Rabbit and human interaction

People use these mammals as a source:

Farmers consider rabbits pests because they eat or damage grain crops.

Human impact on the population of different types of rabbits is not the same. Nothing of them threatens some of them, while others are on the verge of disappearance.

Taming rabbits

People have domesticated these mammals during the time of ancient Rome, used for food and fur. However, since the 19th century, rabbits are bred as pets. During this time, breeders deduced more than 300 breeds.

Caring for rabbits

Rabbits should:

Many owners contain rabbits in cells, but allow them to walk freely during the day while people are at home. Rabbits are tamed to go to the toilet to one designated place outside the cage, so that they get less stain and demand a little care.

It is important to provide a rabbit with a variety of chewing opportunities, toys and other incentives for active activity, provide a diet with balanced vitamins and minerals, as well as serve fresh vegetables.