Some dwarf rabbit breeds have a reputation for being a bit nervous and timid. The coat comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The Netherland has a soft, glossy coat that is lower in maintenance compared to many long-haired rabbit breeds. Today, the Netherland Dwarf is often used as a foundation breed for other dwarf rabbits. A small breed called the Polish rabbit was bred with small wild rabbits to create the Netherland Dwarf. The breed originated in the Netherlands in the early 1900s. The Netherland Dwarf is one of the most popular pet rabbit breeds. Let’s look at the Netherland Dwarf and a few other popular mini breeds.įor a complete list, the American Rabbit Breeders Association maintains a listing of 49 recognized rabbit breeds of all shapes and sizes on their website. The Netherland Dwarf is often used in the creation of new dwarf breeds. Dwarf rabbit breedsīecause they are such popular pets, the number of dwarf rabbit breeds has grown in recent years. We’ll take a closer look at dental malocclusion when we look at overall dwarf rabbit health later in the article. Malocclusion occurs when the upper and lower incisor teeth do not meet together properly and fail to wear down with use.īecause a rabbit’s teeth never stop growing, teeth that do not align will grow long and cause the rabbit significant health problems. While cute, the small, babylike head size and shape makes dwarf rabbits prone to a dental problem called malocclusion. The mutation for dwarfism in the rabbit results in several physical traits that are seen across the dwarf breeds.Ĭharacteristics of rabbit dwarfism include round, compact bodies, short noses, small ears, and a head size that is disproportionately large compared to body size.ĭwarf rabbits can have short or long fur, regular or lop ears, and come in a variety of coat colors and patterns. There is a rare wild rabbit called the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit which weighs less than one pound when fully grown! Dwarf rabbit characteristics The American Rabbit Breeders Association states that this breed’s maximum weight is 2 ½ pounds. What’s the smallest dwarf bunny size? Among domestic rabbits, the Netherland Dwarf is often cited as the smallest breed. A few dwarf breeds (such as the Dwarf Lop, or Mini Lop) can be as large as 5 pounds. How big do dwarf bunnies get? Dwarf rabbit breeds generally weigh between 1 ½ to 3 pounds, with many in the 2 to 2 ½ pound range. Just how small are dwarf rabbits? Let’s take a look at the numbers. The Netherland Dwarf is generally considered to be the original dwarf breed, but today there are many others as well. However, certain health concerns are associated with miniature size, especially jaw and tooth problems. We began to breed certain dwarf rabbits to emphasize those cute faces and compact bodies. Over time, the small size and altered craniofacial structure of naturally-occurring dwarf rabbits became desired physical traits. Researchers have found that deactivation of the HMGA2 gene causes dwarfism in rabbits.ĭwarfism can occur naturally in rabbits and other animals. Today, there are over 100 individual rabbit breeds, ranging from dwarf to giant…and every size in between.ĭwarfism in rabbits and other animals is caused by a genetic mutation. Early on, they were primarily kept as food animals, and for their soft fur. Dwarf to create Jersey Wooley Jersey Wooley and N.Wild rabbits have been domesticated by humans for a very long time. When you see this described below - this is how the breed started - most of these breeds have come so far - that these kind of breedings are no longer necessary now that the new breed and bloodlines are established. Some mini specialty varieties are crossed with a Netherland Dwarf at some point to create the new breed. Their body should be compact and rounded and carry well from the shoulders to the table and have good flesh condition. Dwarfs are supposed to have chubby, little round heads proportioned well to their bodies, rounded ears, that are small and carried high on the head. Ideally for show - you want a rabbit that is well-balanced. They are very rarely used as sources of meat or fur due to their small size. Netherland Dwarfs are mostly kept for pets or exhibition animals. Brood animals may weigh as much as 3.5 pounds and they often make better mothers and excellent breeding stock for those interested in showing their rabbits. The maximum accepted adult show weight is 2.5 pounds. Netherland Dwarf rabbits weigh 1.1 to 3.5 pounds. Netherland Dwarfs The Netherland Dwarf is a popular breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Netherlands.
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