Content
- Origin of the Rex Rabbit
- Physical Characteristics of the Rex Rabbit
- Rabbit Rex Personality
- Rex Rabbit Care
- Rabbit Rex Feeding
- Rabbit Rex Health
What do you know about the Rex rabbit? There are many breeds of rabbits, however, many agree that the Rex rabbit is probably one of the most affectionate and intelligent lagomorphs around. Sharing its name with the Cornish Rex or the Devon rex cat, all those animals whose nomenclature includes the term "rex" are characterized by presenting wavy or curly fur, something that is not very common in the animal kingdom, because it is a benign genetic mutation, which should not be of concern and only affects the characteristics of the coat. However, not all rex have curly fur, but we'll talk about this later in detail so you can get to know the beautiful Rex rabbit better.
In this PeritoAnimal breed sheet, we'll show you everything you need to know about the rabbit rex, such as its origins, characteristics, health, care... and much more! If you want to know more about the breed, don't miss it, keep reading!
Source
- Europe
- France
Origin of the Rex Rabbit
Rex rabbits emerged relatively recently, as it is estimated that the first specimens of the breed were born in the 20's of the last century. these rabbits are natives of france, but it didn't take long for them to reach places as far away as the United States, as his personality made many appreciate him as a pet. As early as 1924, these rabbits were presented in the International Exhibition held in Paris, where they triumphed for their characteristic velvety hair.
Unfortunately, this wonderful coat has caused millions of rabbits to be bred over the years, solely and solely because of the market value of their fur, something that is thankfully no longer being done today.
Physical Characteristics of the Rex Rabbit
A Rex rabbit usually has a weight. between 3 and 4.5 kg, with the European variety being the smallest, generally not exceeding 3.5 kg, while the American variety usually ranges from 3.5 to 4.5 kg. In all cases, the Rex is considered one of the rabbit breeds of large.
Rex are rabbits with straight backs and a very long, rounded body, with heavily muscled legs. The head is wide and presents sexual dimorphism, since the head of males is longer and more robust than that of females. Not only is the Rex's coat curly, his whiskers are also wavy or curly, something that is far from common. The Rex's fur is soft and velvety, without an undercoat, and surprisingly uniform throughout the body, measuring about 1.25 centimeters in length.
Regarding coat color, they are accepted in total 17 colors and patterns, including cinnamon, white, red, blue, mottled, striped, mottled... There is a huge variety of combinations between colors and patterns.
Rabbit Rex Personality
In addition to their peculiar coat, what most distinguishes the Rex from other rabbit breeds is their friendly and affectionate personality. These rabbits are really cute and love being with their owners, being pampered and playing with them. In addition, Rex are calm and peaceful, being very patient and tolerant, so they get along very well with children, because they also love games and activities.
If we add to that the instinct maternal marked of race, we found many cases in which Rex rabbits took care of bunnies of other breeds or even other animals. they are also rabbits smart and thoughtful; therefore, if you're very persevering, you can teach Rex tricks and actions, although it certainly takes a lot of time and patience to get him to do what he's asking. For this, you can use the clicker in the same way you would use it to train dogs, cats or other animals.
Rex Rabbit Care
As with all rabbit breeds, you should keep your Rex's nails at a suitable length, so you will need to trim them at least once a month. If you don't know how to do it, the best thing is, the first time, go to the vet so he can teach you how to trim them correctly.
Given the characteristics of the coat of these rabbits, which is quite delicate, it is not necessary to brush them very often, at most one brushing a week. Baths should also be limited to the minimum possible and, if bathing is necessary, you should do this with specific products for use on rabbits, ensuring that your lagomorph does not have any soap residue and ending the bath with an exhaustive drying . Therefore, a good option to keep your rabbit clean is to catch a damp cloth and run it over your body as if you were stroking it.
Another relevant factor is that you must provide your rabbit with a wide cage so that he can move freely and not be overwhelming for him. Also, you must release your rabbit several hours a day so he can exercise and stay healthy. At these times, we recommend keeping an eye on him, as he is a lagomorph, so it is entirely normal for him to try to nibble on everything, including cables, which carries a risk of electrocution. So you must take extreme precautions and try to keep cables out of your reach.
Find out more about rabbit care at PeritoAnimal.
Rabbit Rex Feeding
Rex rabbits need, like all rabbits, to have fresh and clean water available all the time, as well as plenty of dry, fresh hay. You need to take care that the hay does not get wet in the Rex rabbit's water or urine, as this could rot it and be a possible source of infection and a nest of bacteria.
As for the feed or pellets to feed this rabbit, they must be about 18% protein, in addition to being high in fiber. You can also supplement your diet with vegetables and some fruit, the latter in small amounts and very sporadically. It is recommended to offer leafy vegetables in large quantities, due to the high water and fiber content that these types of vegetables have.
Also check out our complete guide on rabbit feeding.
Rabbit Rex Health
Rex rabbits may have a tendency to develop some diseases. One of them is the development of sores or wounds when their legs are in contact with hard surfaces for a long time, such as metal bars in cages, as their extremities do not have, like other rabbit breeds, enough hair to act as a barrier.
Like the rest of rabbits, the Rex is sensitive to cold and especially to drafts and humidity. So, although you should keep it in a well-ventilated place, especially in summer, when the low temperatures hit it's important to make sure the space the Rex lives in is warm, not cold. Otherwise, he may develop illnesses such as pneumonia. You should also ensure that your rabbit eats and drinks enough water, and fiber intake is vital to avoid the dreaded intestinal obstructions, which are very serious and can kill the rabbit, even if it receives veterinary attention.
It is also advisable to clean your ears, visit the veterinarian every 6 or 12 months, keep him vaccinated and make sure he gets daily exercise.