What breed is this rabbit?

[NatJ]

Was going to say Rex but the head just doesn't look the right shape.

Rex rabbits have extra-short fur (feels like velvet.) That rabbit appears to have normal length fur, so not a rex.

I can also rule out:
Any kind of lop would have ears that flop, which this rabbit does not.
Any kind of angora would have long wool, instead of the normal-length fur I see in the photo.

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you have some ideas of what breed this rabbit is? Maybe a New Zealand? Sorry, but I don't have any background information on the rabbit, There's been two of them wandering around on our property for three weeks, I can't find the owner, and just finally caught this one. It's also a male.

How much does it weigh? That's probably one of the fastest ways to narrow down the options. Rabbits can range from 2 pounds (example: Netherland Dwarf) to over 15 pounds (example: Flemish Giant). A New Zealand male should weigh 9 to 11 pounds.

Besides hay, they'll also need ¼ a cup of pellets a day (which you can split between breakfast and dinner or feed all at once).

The amount of pellets will depend on the size of the rabbit. What weight of rabbit is that 1/4 cup of pellets for?

I know of plenty of people who devied to keep their rabbits outside in a hutch. So far, every single one of them has died one way of another.

I've kept many rabbits outdoors in cages or hutches. Every rabbit dies eventually, but most of mine lived healthy lives until I butchered them (because I was raising them for meat.) A few were killed by the neighbors dogs (after which the cages were improved, to avoid repeats.) I lived in a place with mild summers and cold winters, so I did not lose rabbits to temperature-related problems, but I did spend plenty of time carrying fresh water to them during the winter.

For a single pet rabbit, I think it is probably better to keep it indoors, if possible. But I know that rabbits can be safely housed outdoors, and people who raise large numbers of rabbits (for shows or meat) often house them outdoors. One rabbit in the house is tolerable, but hundreds are not.

 

[EverythingDucks]

The amount of pellets will depend on the size of the rabbit. What weight of rabbit is that 1/4 cup of pellets for?

4-6 pounds. A rabbit that weights less than that should have less, but it's not necessary for a rabbit that weighs more than that to have more pellets, unless you're raising them for meat amd you want some more fat on them, or of they're babies or pregnant. In that case, unlimited pellets is normal. But for a pet that is getting veggies and hay it isn't nessacru to have more than ¼ a cup.

 

[EverythingDucks]

I've kept many rabbits outdoors in cages or hutches. Every rabbit dies eventually, but most of mine lived healthy lives until I butchered them (because I was raising them for meat.) A few were killed by the neighbors dogs (after which the cages were improved, to avoid repeats.) I lived in a place with mild summers and cold winters, so I did not lose rabbits to temperature-related problems, but I did spend plenty of time carrying fresh water to them during the winter.

For a single pet rabbit, I think it is probably better to keep it indoors, if possible. But I know that rabbits can be safely housed outdoors, and people who raise large numbers of rabbits (for shows or meat) often house them outdoors. One rabbit in the house is tolerable, but hundreds are not.

I agree that people who breed rabbits and/or keep them for meat should have them outside, that just makes sense. I have no problem with that, but when people keep them as pets and just keep them in a tiny cage outside it isn't very fair. In my opinion, of you have a rabbit for a pet it would be pointless to keep them out in a little hutch where they can't bond with you as much. Or where they can't get proper exercise or playtime time a pet rabbit should.

The peoples who's rabbits have passed died from unnatural causes (such as being killed by a predator, having a heart attack from a predator, dying of heat stroke, and mis handling by young kids that should not be anywhere near a rabbit).


There are definitely ways to keep them housed out doors and still have happy and healthy rabbits. I, personally, cannot keep them indoors because of my allergies and not having a great space for them. So I'm going to build them a house that's at least 10x10 feet big with AC, and a 10x10 foot predator proof run. This of course is expensive and not something may people can do or are willing to do, so I didn't include that.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I beg to differ on the whole rabbits /must/ have access to hay 24-7-365 thing. Mine get it as treats occasionally (usually when they're stressed from fair or moving or breeding) and they do just fine with only rabbit pellets

 

[NatJ]

I beg to differ on the whole rabbits /must/ have access to hay 24-7-365 thing. Mine get it as treats occasionally (usually when they're stressed from fair or moving or breeding) and they do just fine with only rabbit pellets

My (former) meat rabbits also did fine with just pellets.

(Although I have no objection if someone wants to provide 24/7 hay for their pet rabbits-- at the very least, it keeps the owner from worrying that their rabbit is hungry and "needs" more pellets than it ought to have.)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My (former) meat rabbits also did fine with just pellets.

(Although I have no objection if someone wants to provide 24/7 hay for their pet rabbits-- at the very least, it keeps the owner from worrying that their rabbit is hungry and "needs" more pellets than it ought to have.)

Yeah, I have no objection to people giving it to their rabbits all the time. I just don't like when people say you must to keep them from being in poor health

 

[my gang eats grass]

Thank you everyone for the info.

I have a few more questions:

Will orchard grass hay work, or does it have to be timothy?

What is a good size for a pen where it could get exercise? I am planning to keep it outside in a hutch,( one side of the hutch is wood slats so it doesn't always have to stand on the wire.) and let it hop around in a pen sometimes for exercise and grass.

Can You give a rabbit free choice with pellets? That is what I have been doing so far, and it only eats about 1/4 to 3/8 a cup a day. ( I'm not sure how much it weighs yet, but it's definitely heavy.) It also gets some romaine lettuce and unlimited grass hay each day.

 

[GranderTheGander]

I use both orchard grass and timothy hay with my three bunnies. I feel the 1st cut timothy is needed to help digest what they eat, since one has long hair and one has sort of long hair. Orchard hay is soft . . . if we are talking about the same type . . .whereas the 1st cut timothy is sharp and "sticky". In the past, when I had true woolly type pet bunnies, sharp, sticky hay was a true necessity to keep them from getting hair blockage.

I also used to feed free choice pellets, but now limit them so they'll eat more hay, if hungry. Rabbits that are bored may end up eating more pellets than they really need or want, too, just because they are bored. Mine aren't bored, since they have the run of a room, but my little Netherland Dwarf boy eats like he's a New Zealand rabbit!

Pet rabbits can certainly be happy in safe outside homes where they get lots of exercise. The ones I've seen, though, were living in a large chain-link dog pen, that had a hutch they could go in and out of, with other bunnies they were bonded with; and really didn't seem to care that much about human company, since they had their bunny family. Actually, my years of experiences with indoor pet rabbits has always shown they all do prefer bonded rabbit company over human company, which is only natural. They do really like my company when they are hungry for their daily vegetable bowl, though.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

What a cute bunny, he sure is lucky to have you take him in! I agree he seems like a mix, possibly with NZ in him like has been talked about.

Love reading this thread and bunny convos...The biggest reason why people don't free feed pellets to pet rabbits is because it can cause health problems. Not saying people who do this have unhealthy bunnies, but too many pellets can cause different issues in rabbits--the number one being they can become obese and thus have lots of health issues due to being overweight.
My own rabbit actually was getting too many carbs from his pellets and thus was producing too many cecetropes or wasn't eating them--cecetropes are special 'poops' from the bunnies that they eat right away, since they are packed full of nutrients they need to re-absorb. I know it's gross, but it's a crucial part of their health, and I like to bring this issue up I had since it isn't very common. I cut back on pellets and he's been completely normal. So just to give you an idea of the different issues that can come with pellets for pet buns, although that doesn't mean rabbits can't have healthy lives on unlimited. Many people seem to feed this with no problems, but it never hurts to be informed before making a decision. You do you--whatever you find works best.

Also, rabbits by nature are foragers and grass eaters, which is why it is said hay must be given at all times. If you have a pet it is a good idea to give them unlimited hay; doesn't necessarily have to be timothy but granderthegander gives a good post about the differences in hay. The only one you don't feed to adult rabbits is alfalfa hay--this is too high in calcium for adult rabbits and can cause issues too.

Pet rabbits can live indoors or outdoors, as long as you provide safe, good enclosures and plenty of space for them to run around and get exercise! As long as you do research and give them the best care you can for where you are going to keep them, they can thrive in either outdoors or indoors. When outdoors you have to consider things like what weather you get, predators, and if on wire giving them a break from it (although it should be small enough wire their little feet won't go thru.) A good rule too is if you do choose wire, don't keep heavy breeds or rexes on it--rexes have very thin fur on their feet and big breeds put pressure on their feet and don't do well on wire.
Wire isn't cruel if you do it properly and are informed. Half the time my rabbits sit on the wire far more than on their rugs or tile!

There are soo many articles, discussions, and debates on this, but it is proven all the same that rabbits can live both indoors and outdoors if cared for properly. A rabbit can die inside from many of the same issues as outdoors (a sudden scare, a 'predator' like an aggressive dog or cat, or any kind of freak accident) if you think about it. My own rabbits have survived in ridiculous heat, cold temps, being around loud power tools, and even with predators like possums and raccoons being near or under their hutch. They don't care about most of those things either.

So mostly: seek help like from here, do your research, and do what YOU want for your new and lovely rabbit based on what you've learned.

 

[GranderTheGander]

The pellets I use are https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-garden-select-adult-rabbit-food/dp/145138. They are the only ones I see that have three grasses as their first three ingredients. At one point, I tried not to feed pellets at all to the bunnies I had, but feared I would not be giving them all the nutrients they needed by feeding only hay and vegetables.