In 1919, Rex rabbits were bred in France. In 1924 they were first presented at the exhibition, and a year later the breed was officially recognized.
Almost immediately, these cute animals began to be exported to other countries in Europe and America. Representatives of the new breed came to Russia from Germany in a very original way. The fact is that Germany imposed the strictest ban on the export of these animals. The Soviet scientist Serebrovsky acted brilliantly - he crossed rex with an ordinary individual, and the resulting offspring, which did not at all resemble a “royal” breed, freely moved across the border. Already in Russia, he crossed the grown animals, and as a result, “royal” blood appeared in a new offspring.
What is the secret of wool?
It lies in the special structure of Rex hair . Down and outer hairs are approximately the same length, and much shorter than their counterparts of other breeds. Moreover, the remaining hairs are much thinner than in conventional breeds. A large angle between the skin and hair, the absence of tiers turn the fur into a silvery and delicate velvet.
Breed features
Rex is a rabbit weighing an average of 4-4.5 kg. It has a rounded and slightly elongated body (about 54 cm), the head is not very large, the ears are medium length, vertically set. Females have a pronounced breast. The bones are narrow and quite fragile. In one litter there are 6-8 babies.
Wool to the touch has a velvety structure. The length of the coat does not exceed two centimeters. Rex rabbits have a variety of colors - beaver with a brown ridge, light sides and a white abdomen, black, blue, white.
Maintenance and care
Rex rabbits tolerate cold well, with proper care they can easily withstand temperatures up to 30 degrees below zero, but the heat is destructive for them. Ideal conditions of detention are: temperature not higher than +20 degrees with a humidity of 55%. These cute animals are kept in cages. This is due to the fact that freely moving around the room, rabbits can gnaw wires, spoil furniture and other objects.
Rex is a very neat rabbit. He does not even have to accustom to the tray. In addition to it, the cage should have a vacuum drinking bowl, always filled with clean and fresh water, feeders for hay, dry and succulent feeds.
In spring and summer, rabbits can be taken out to the garden, but for this you will need a special aviary.
Food
Rex rabbits (photo you see in our article) should receive a variety of food. Dry feed (granular), hay must be included in their diet. Juicy foods - carrots, pumpkins, beets, zucchini, cabbage, root vegetables, are a treat for these animals. From fruits you can give apples and pears, previously peeled from seeds. It must be remembered that vegetables and fruits are just a small addition to the feed. Excessive consumption can cause digestive problems in the rabbit.
Rex rabbit - price
Today, these cute animals can be bought at a price of 1 to 4 thousand rubles. The price depends on the color, age of the animal, the availability of relevant documents.
Castor rex
When a dwarf rabbit with short hair appeared in 1919, it was called "Dwarf Rex", or "Castor Rex", which in Russian means "Beaver King". The animal got such a beautiful name thanks to its exquisite fur, which reminded breeders of the fur of a beaver or chinchilla.
The dwarf Rex rabbit according to the Austrian standard weighs 1100-1250 grams. Animals of less weight are not allowed for breeding.
The body of a dwarf rabbit is stocky, having a cylindrical shape. Due to the short hair, these animals seem very tiny. The front legs are very short. A small tail fits snugly to the body.
Maintenance and care
A dwarf rabbit must be kept in a cage. Its length should be at least 70 cm. Pressed sawdust or dry hay laid in a layer of 3-4 cm is most suitable as a litter. You need to put a house in the corner of the cage - your pet will sometimes need privacy. Try to choose a heavy feeder, preferably ceramic, as rabbits really like to turn everything around. You can make it hanging. Your baby should always have fresh water, it should be changed every five hours. Floor litter should be changed every other day.
Since dwarf rabbits grow rapidly, it is more advisable to acquire a cage as an adult animal, so that your pet can lie stretched out in full length.
Dwarf rex have some intelligence. After he lives in the family for a while, he will go hand in hand and remember his name. Charming kids are very fond of being patted on the head and back, but they get nervous if you take them by the chin.
These are nocturnal animals. In the afternoon (up to 17 hours) they usually relax in their house. You should not bother them at this time.
Dwarf rabbits are able to care for themselves. You can bathe them only in case of emergency. To do this, you need to buy a special shampoo at the pet store.
Food
Dwarf rabbits have a special digestive system. Single chamber stomach and high digestion rate. Therefore, these animals eat up to thirty times a day, and rabbits are almost twice as likely.
The main type of food for these babies is hay. It should be to the trough constantly. If the rabbit does not eat it very willingly, try moistening it with slightly salted water or sprinkle it with flour. An adult animal needs to plant tree bark and leaves (birch, rowan, apple, raspberry, pear, etc.) in a cage daily. As an addition to the main feed, you can give it cereals - barley, oats, boiled or soaked legumes.
These cute animals are very fond of fresh grass. In the summer, provide them with this food. Of succulent feeds, carrots, some beets or cabbage, and boiled potatoes are most suitable. Rabbits love apples. They should be cut into four parts and peeled. Only fresh food must be in the cage; deteriorated must be cleaned in a timely manner.