| General information: This breed is known to have originated in the Netherlands around 1850 or even later, where it was known at the time as the Hollander Rabbit. In 1864 it was taken to the United Kingdom, where it became very popular and from where it began to be exported to various parts of the globe. The Dutch breed is one of the oldest breeds of domestic rabbits known. The ancestors of this breed are European wild rabbits that have been domesticated long before and are said to be the parents of many breeds of rabbits. Moreover, part of the genes of this breed are considered to belong to the Petite Brabancon breed, a breed identified in the Brabant region of Flanders, rabbits bred in large numbers in the 19th century, as meat rabbits. The Dutch rabbit is considered to be a very elegant breed of rabbit, largely due to the distinctive spots on the body. From the very beginning, the Dutch breed has received special attention from breeders and rabbit lovers, who have never stopped improving the breed and increasing the number of varieties available, while being extremely careful to perfect and maintain those distinctive spots. . Even more attention was paid to the general appearance of the body of this breed, which led to an almost perfect body, namely the body it |
Name: Dutch Origin: Netherlands group: Small / round rabbits Weight: Between 1.5 and 2.4 kg Average life expectancy: up to 5-8 years Color: black, blue, chocolate, silver, gray Temperament: You have to be very careful with these rabbits, especially because they are generally scary animals. Because rabbits have a rather delicate body, it is advisable to learn to behave with them carefully, so as not to injure them unintentionally. Race status: Next, Dutch rabbits are among the top ten most popular breeds of small rabbits in the world. Their goal is to be an excellent, loving, caring and loving pet. Distinctive features: The white collar of the rabbit meets the color of the fur and forms a perfect circle around the body. The toes are also white, continuing a few inches to the knees. Its fur is short and dense. |
we know today. Precisely because of this, and especially because of the high expectations of breeders in terms of body appearance and color spots, the Dutch rabbit is a real challenge for any experienced breeder. Initially, most Dutch rabbits were black, but many other colors were added over time. The popularity of the Dutch breed has grown significantly in many countries, despite the advancement of all dwarf rabbit breeds. The Dutch breed remains one of the most popular breeds of rabbits in the world.
Physical description:
The Dutch breed contains small and medium-sized rabbits, with a fairly round and well-balanced body. The roundness should start at the back of the head, continue over the shoulders and reach the highest peak in the area of the shawls, then descend towards the hind legs. And his shoulders should be round. These rabbits have a fairly strong and compact constitution, with a well-rounded body and short, strong legs. Its flesh is strong and firm, both in the area of the legs and on the back. It doesn’t have to have a belly. The head is large and the chest is wide. Her ears are short and raised. They are not sharp at the tip and wide at the base. Her eyes are bright and quite large. Her cheeks should be as round as possible and cover her jaw line. The neck is short and generally not colored. Its fur is covered with colored markings. The white areas are found on certain parts of the body and should be positioned the same on each specimen. There is a white line running from behind the shoulders to the area of the rabbit’s belly. The white collar of the rabbit meets the color of the fur and forms a perfect circle around the body. The toes are also white, continuing a few inches to the knees. Its fur is short and dense. When you run your hand over the fur, in the opposite direction, it should immediately return to its original position, ie sit nicely close to the rabbit’s body.
Varieties of the breed:
Black Dutch it should have a dense, uniform and glossy black color, followed by the dark blue color of the inner fur. Black Duch has black or brown eyes.
Dutch blue should have a uniform, very glossy dark blue color which is also based on the blue color of the inner fur. Her eyes are blue-gray.
Chinchilla Dutch is black with white pearls on the outside. It should have a black stripe that intertwines the white collar. This band is very well defined with a pearly white. The fur on her belly is white, with the blue of the inner fur. The tip of the tail is black, with a little pearly white. The ears are covered with black, and the eyes should be framed by colored circles. Her eyes are black or brown, but there are also blue-gray variants.
Dutch Chocolate is a rabbit with a dark chocolate brown fur, uniform and very shiny. His eyes should be dark brown, with reddish inflections.
Dutch Gray has an agouti pattern, with distinctive colored stripes. The colors on the hair should be blue at the base, followed by a light brown, dark brown, and the tip of the hair should be a light brown band. There must be black hairs on the entire colored surface of the fur. Black lines on the ears are also accepted. The eye circles are narrow and brown. The fur on the belly should be white, based on the blue color of the inner fur. Her eyes are dark brown.
Dutch Steel is a rabbit that has the whole part colored in black, with a uniform scattering of white on some ends of the hair. Her eyes are dark brown.
Personality:
Dutch rabbits are some of the most popular rabbits as pets. This is largely due to the fact that they are calm, very obedient rabbits. Moreover, they have a robust constitution and a size that allows them to be kept indoors and transported. They generally have a very gentle, elegant, even respectful disposition, behaving excellently with children. Most Dutch rabbits love to be held in their arms and played with. They are very friendly rabbits and especially intelligent rabbits. They long for affection and like to be in the company of people. They need a lot of attention, being rabbits that get bored very quickly. You have to be very careful with these rabbits, especially because they are generally scary animals. Because rabbits have a rather delicate body, it is advisable to learn to behave with them carefully, so as not to injure them unintentionally. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits do not like to be raised. However, if you teach them these things from an early age, then they will learn to trust your actions and be open to such ways of showing affection. Dutch rabbits can be trained to know their name and come when called. Rabbits are easily frightened, their first reaction being to chase them. The hind legs are very strong, which allows them to run at speed. From all points of view you have to be careful how you play with this rabbit. Even when you lift it in your arms, you should take it with one hand of the fur from the nape of the neck and with the other hand placed under the feet. When they are kept in the same cage, there is a risk of injury as a result of occasional fights or disputes. The activity level of these rabbits increases during the sunrise and sunset. In general, they will spend more time sleeping during the day, but they are very gentle and easy to walk with.
Food and cage
The main ingredient of the diet Dutch rabbits it is fresh hay in large quantities, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, they must always have fresh water. Rabbits have a delicate stomach, which is why when you offer them to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, you need to give them one variety at a time to see which ones cause diarrhea and which ones do not, in order to eliminate those that cause them. I’m hurting. It is advisable to feed it from a clay bowl, which it will not be able to overturn easily and which it will not even chew. If you keep it in the cage then you need to place a bowl of clean water on the outside of the cage, which will feed the inside of the cage with a tube.
For a rabbit standing outside, it is advisable to build a wooden cage with a roof to protect it from the rain and to be raised on pillars. Even if the rabbit will live indoors, it is advisable to use a wooden cage, not an iron or wire one. All rabbits should have space to move, exercise and be allowed to run a little. The floor of the cage should be made of wood, not wire, as it could cause injury. The sleeping materials will adapt to the outside temperatures. The rabbit’s cage should be cleaned at least once a week, at which time the old food should be removed. If you need to wash his cage, use only a special cleaning agent for rabbit cages.
Toilet:
Dutch rabbits requires a simple weekly brushing to remove excess fur and to prevent tangles from the hair. Rabbits usually take care of each other, which is why it is advisable to have at least two specimens. When they take care of each other, the rabbits lick their ears, nose, tip of their head and around their eyes.
Purpose and status of the breed:
From the moment of its appearance, the breed has been extremely popular. During its existence there were no times when the breed was in danger of extinction. World wars have left their mark on these animals just as they have on all domestic animals. However, the popularity of these little rabbits did not suffer. Next, Dutch rabbits are among the top ten most popular breeds of small rabbits in the world. Their goal is to be an excellent, loving, caring and loving pet.
Health problems:
Like other small animals, and the Dutch rabbit may be prone to colds and viral infections. Exposure to dust, sudden changes in temperature, and low ability to withstand stress can predispose you to various diseases. These include:
– conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection of the eyelids caused by smoke and dust;
– ear problems;
– coccidiosis is an intestinal problem, a parasite caused by poor hygiene;
– bloating and obstruction of the airways due to hairballs.