Rex Rabbit Facts

If you are planning to raise a rabbit as a pet, then, you may opt for a Rex rabbit. Apart from being hardy, these rabbits are said to be the most intelligent breed too. The characteristic feature of this rabbit breed is the smooth, velvety fur. Their name is derived from the Rex gene, which is responsible for their straight hair that grow perpendicular to the body and curly whiskers and eyebrows. These rabbits come in two main types and they are standard and mini versions.

Rex Rabbit Information

Rex rabbits are medium-sized rabbits that are very popular as pets. These rabbits also are found to be raised for their meat and fur, however, the practice is not common, as they are smaller in size compared to certain other rabbit breeds. This means that an individual Rex rabbit may not offer you with significant amounts of meat or fur. These rabbits are also frequently seen as show rabbits. The origin of Rex rabbit breed is said to happen in France during 1919. The emergence of this breed was a result of the recessive mutation of the Rex gene.

Physical Features
As mentioned above, Rex rabbits are medium-sized with a body weight of around three to five kilograms. The females are found to be on higher side, as far as body weight is concerned. While the above said body measures are of standard Rex rabbits, in case of mini version, it will be around 1.8 to 2.5 kilograms. These rabbits have round bodies with broad heads, erect and short ears. Females may also sport a skin flap under their chin and this is called dewlap.

So, velvety fur is the characteristic feature of the Rex rabbits. The fur of this rabbit is dense with the hair growing at right angle to the body surface. In other words the hair grow straight, instead of lying flat. Even the guard hair are short and have the same length of the undercoat. Rex rabbit fur can have a length that ranges between 1.3 to 2 centimeters. They are also found in different fur colors. You may even find albino versions. In the U.S., the recognized standard Rex rabbit colors are Californian, black, opal, otters (in 4 different colors), ruby eyed white, red, chinchilla, blue, broken, castor, chocolate, lilac, lynx, sable and seal. Even mini versions are available in different fur colors.

Personality and Temperament
One of the factors behind the popularity of Rex rabbits as pets, is its friendly nature. Even though, personality and temperament are based on genetics to a certain degree as well as the extent of socialization of the animal, in general, it can be said that these rabbits gel well with humans and other pets. They are said to have a motherly nature and so are often found to be used as foster mothers for raising young ones of other rabbits. Their activity level can be rated as low to moderate. Rex rabbits are found to rest during the daytime and gets active in the evening and early morning hours. They are playful, and are also easy to handle. They like holding, cuddling and patting too. It is said that these rabbits are the most intelligent among the different rabbit breeds. They can also be potty trained with much ease. They are so gentle in nature that Rex rabbits are considered as ideal pets for a family with kids. However, make sure that the kids know about proper handling of these animals. Another point to be noted is that they can be nippy at times. Males may get aggressive, as they get sexually mature. This is why they are sterilized before they reach five months of age.

Rex Rabbit Care
Housing and feeding are among the most important aspects of Rex rabbit care. As far as housing is concerned, Rex rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors. If you opt for outdoor housing, then, make sure that the rabbits are not subjected to extreme heat or cold. Avoid placing the hutch in locations with direct sunlight. Outdoor hutches are mostly made of timber or metal with mesh enclosures. If the floor is made of wire mesh, cover it with soft straw, so as to prevent their bald feet from developing cracking skin. You must make sure to provide an insect screen, so that mosquitoes and rabbit fleas do not enter the hutch. These insects may cause a disease called myxomatosis in rabbits. The hutch must be located in such an area, where attacks from other animals do not occur. An ideal rabbit hutch must have a minimum 120 x 60 x 50 cm space per rabbit. Even the wire mesh must have a thickness of 25 x 25mm, so that the rabbit will not get successful in chewing and cutting the mesh. The hutch must be properly ventilated with thermostat fans. It must be cleaned thoroughly once a week.

You can provide them with a diet of timothy hay and commercial rabbit diet. You may also feed adult Rex rabbits with alfalfa (lucerne) hay occasionally. Even fresh green leafy vegetables can be included in their diet, but, make sure to introduce new foods gradually. You may also feed them with small amounts of vegetables, like, corn, cauliflower and carrots, once in a week or fortnight. But, avoid feeding cabbage and lettuce to these animals. In case of commercial rabbit pellets, ¼ cup a day is said to be sufficient for a rabbit, for every two kilograms of its body weight. Soft watery foods have to be provided to the kits that are below the age of five months. Hay has to be provided daily, along with a regular supply of fresh water.

In short, Rex rabbits are excellent pets with a lifespan of five to six years. Proper care including a balanced diet, good hygiene and an ideal housing may help you in raising healthy Rex rabbits. If you are interested in raising them as pets, it will be better to gain some more knowledge about their requirements, so that it helps you in taking care of rabbits properly. Make sure that you are dealing with authentic Breeders for buying this rabbit. Hope the above said Rex rabbit facts prove useful for you, in raising a healthy and lively one.