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Animals are not usually blue in color, especially rabbits. But, if you imagine a Blue Rabbit what would it look like?The American Blue!<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s sometimes referred to as:<\/strong><\/p>\n The American Rabbit is a mellow and friendly, medium-size breed of rabbit.<\/p>\n It\u2019s now considered one of the rarest breeds of rabbit and has been used for rabbit breeding purposes to develop many other well-known rabbit breeds.<\/a><\/p>\n There are two varieties of the American Rabbit \u2013 Blue and White – the American Blue and the American White Rabbit; both are sweet, but hardy, and have an amazing mandolin body shape (like a semi arch).<\/p>\n The American Rabbit was originally bred for its beautiful solid color fur (pelt) and for meat production and is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeder\u2019s Association (ARBA), in the United States. Baby American Rabbits are born in large litters.<\/p>\n The American bunny has erect ears, not lops, and makes a lovable pet rabbit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Domestic rabbits only became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. It is believed that all domesticated rabbits came from a single species; the European Rabbit. Within rabbit breeding communities in North America, blue breeds of rabbits were always of interest. Many rabbit breeders attempted to create a perfect blue color coat.<\/p>\n In 1917, an American rabbit breeder, Lewis Hammond Salisbury (known as Lewis h. Salisbury), in Pasadena, California was credited with developing a multi-purpose blue rabbit with a dark slate blue tone for fur and meat production.<\/p>\n It was difficult, as some were produced with brown patches and others had white hairs throughout the coat, but eventually, he produced his blue standard of perfection.<\/p>\n This new breed of rabbit was considered the best version of an American Blue rabbit and was originally named the German Blue Vienna Rabbit. It was quickly recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, ARBA, (formerly known as the National Breeders and Fanciers Association of America), in 1918, as a new breed of domestic rabbit.<\/p>\n The ARBA publishes its breed standards in a guide called the Standard of Perfection.<\/p>\n The American rabbit was awarded an official standard for its mandolin body shape (a semi-arch shaped back), and exceptional dark-blue fur (pelt).<\/p>\n Lewis h. Salisbury kept details of the actual bloodline of this blue rabbit, developed in Pasadena, his secret.<\/p>\n However, from its coloring, coat, and shape, it was believed that created it by mixing Blue Vienna Rabbits, Beveren Rabbits, Blue Imperial rabbits*, and the Flemish Giant Rabbit<\/a>.<\/p>\n FACT:<\/strong> The Imperial breed of rabbit (including the blue imperial) is now extinct!<\/p>\n This American bred rabbit originally was named the German Blue Vienna, however after World War I, there were sensitivities using \u2018German\u2019 as a description, so it was renamed to reflect where it had been developed, and the color; American Blue<\/p>\n The ARBA standard recognizes the mandolin body shape (or semi-arch shape) and a long loin, not the more common ‘commercial’ or rounded shape typical of good quality meat production rabbits like the Californian rabbit<\/a>, New Zealand rabbit<\/a>, French Lop<\/a> or French Angora.<\/p>\n It became known simply as The American Rabbit breed, in two varieties \u2013 Blue and White; the American Blue Rabbit and the American White Rabbit.<\/p>\n The blue coat color, which should be – uniform and rich, in a dark slate blue tone and free from white hairs, sandy or rust color.<\/p>\n The Blue American is still considered to have the darkest and deepest rich blue coat color of all the blue and grey breeds of rabbit.<\/p>\n Salisbury then developed a white variety of the American rabbit breed.<\/p>\n Again the actual mix was kept a secret but he probably selected white-colored \u2018sports\u2019 rabbits from the litters (Sports is a term used when a rabbit is not true to the characteristics of the breed, like a mutant), and mixed them with White Flemish Giant rabbits (a red-eyed, albino)<\/p>\n FACT:<\/strong> The Albino variety of rabbits is known as a \u2018red-eyed white\u2019, as all albino rabbits lack pigment in their hair they are always a white color, and their eyes are red-colored.<\/p>\n In 1925, the white variety with red-eyes named the American White Rabbit was recognized by the ARBA.<\/p>\n Some blue-eyed whites do appear in litters but they are considered \u2018sports\u2019 in the American Rabbit breed of rabbit and are not permitted to be shown. The blue eye color is not an ARBA standard color for this American breed of rabbit.<\/p>\n It is argued that the American Rabbit is the oldest breed of rabbit developed in the US, but others challenge this and say that the New Zealand Red may predate it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The American Rabbit is a hardy breed but a rare breed according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC).<\/p>\n It was popular up until the 1950s and was regularly listed in the top 6 most popular breeds for fur and meat production.<\/p>\n However, importation of more commercial rabbit breeds increases, such as the Californian Rabbit and the New Zealand Rabbit breeds, forcing the popularity of the American Rabbit into decline.<\/p>\n This coincided with the collapse of the domestic fur trade in the United States, and the American rabbit breed was then ignored for commercial breeding.<\/p>\n By the 1980s, the population of the America Rabbit had reduced to the point it was considered a rare breed.<\/p>\n Numbers of the white variety of the American Rabbit fell away considerably and as it was not being presented at the annual ARBA conventions, it was dropped from the ARBA active list in 2004.<\/p>\n In 2005, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy added the American Rabbit to its \u2018critical\u2019 category.<\/p>\n American rabbit breeders then made a dedicated effort to ship breeding stock of this rare breed, across North America in an attempt to rescue the decline of the breed.<\/p>\n A White line of American rabbits was then discovered in a \u2018Hutterite\u2019 Brethren community in Alberta, in Canada, which added to the population numbers.<\/p>\n With numbers on the increase, the American Rabbit breed was downgraded from the ALBC \u2018Critical\u2019 category to the less endangered category \u2018Threatened\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The term \u2018American\u2019 is also used to refer to a \u2018mutt\u2019 or \u2018mixed-breed\u2019 rabbit. In the same way, you would refer to a \u2018mongrel\u2019 dog, some refer to this type of rabbit as an \u2018American\u2019.<\/p>\n FACT:<\/strong> Randomly mixing two breeds to create a litter of mixed \u2018mutt\u2019 rabbits is not recommended outside of proper breeding programs as it could create numerous health problems.<\/p>\n This can be confusing as The American Rabbit is a name officially recognized by the ARBA as a particular breed of rabbit.<\/p>\n The American rabbit had competition from:<\/p>\n There were other white rabbits imported into North America by the 1920s that were in competition with the White American; like the White Hotot<\/a> a French medium-sized rabbit that\u2019s compact, thickset, and white in color with spectacle-like black rings around each dark eye.<\/p>\n There is also a Dwarf Hotot<\/a> breed of domestic rabbit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are two recognized varieties of the American rabbit -the Blue and White. It is also possible to find a black colored American rabbit but this color is not recognized by the ARBA.<\/p>\n The American rabbit is medium-sized and has a body shape like a mandolin, or semi-arch back and erect ears (not lop ears).<\/p>\n The American Fuzzy lop breed is a different breed with lop ears and sometimes confused with the American Rabbit.<\/p>\n FACT:<\/strong> Rabbits can be classified into different categories. One category is Body type. There are 5 body types:<\/p>\n The American rabbit has a long loin but doesn’t have the commercial shape of top production breeds like the Californian rabbit or New Zealand rabbit.<\/p>\n The white rabbit variety usually has red-eyes (albino-type), but sometimes blue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The American rabbit is a normal breed of rabbit; it is not a dwarf rabbit.<\/p>\n An American rabbit is friendly and laid-back, which makes it suitable to be handled and stroked by even a novice owner.<\/p>\n This is one of the oldest known breeds of rabbits in the United States.<\/p>\n It is now considered one of the rarest rabbit breeds, listed as a \u2018threatened breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.<\/p>\n It\u2019s calm and friendly, making it an ideal pet rabbit as it\u2019s not known to be aggressive.<\/p>\n They became popular in America for their beautiful blue fur. However, as more commercial meat and fur rabbits were imported they had competition. The demise of the fur trade reduced their popularity for pelt.<\/p>\n The American rabbit breed is quite intelligent, friendly, and biddable.<\/p>\n This breed of rabbit is friendly and likes human interaction so it will make an ideal pet rabbit for gentle children.<\/p>\n It is important to socialize it early and get it used to being handled if it\u2019s to be a family pet or even used as a fancier\u2019s show rabbit.<\/p>\n Today they are mainly bred as show rabbits or home rabbits and make wonderful gentle-natured pets. They suit both indoor and outdoor living but in proper secure hutches. The American Does make good mothers.<\/p>\n This is a laid-back rabbit breed that is low maintenance and not aggressive.<\/p>\n Remember rabbits are natural prey animals with acute senses and ever watchful for potential predators, and easily startled by sudden noises or unexpected movements; this may cause them to become skittish.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Size:<\/strong> Medium to Large<\/p>\n Weight:<\/strong> 8.8-12lb (4-5.4kg) for male 10-12lb (4.4-5.5kg) for female<\/p>\n Life expectancy:<\/strong> 8-12 years<\/p>\n Litter size:<\/strong> around 6+ Kittens (Kits)\/litter<\/p>\n Coat color:<\/strong> Blue and White, occasionally Black, always a solid color<\/p>\n Coat type:<\/strong> A short, smooth but dense, silky feel coat, with flyback fur<\/p>\n It is not hypoallergenic;<\/strong> there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic rabbit.<\/p>\n Ears:<\/strong> upright ears like the majority of all rabbit breeds, not lop ears.<\/p>\n Eye Color:<\/strong> red-eyes, occasionally pink or blue eyes<\/p>\n Temperament:<\/strong><\/p>\n An American rabbit is a very calm and easy-going rabbit, which makes it an ideal pet rabbit. It\u2019s friendly when socialized early. It is not known to be aggressive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1) Crate \u2013<\/strong> All rabbits need a hutch or cage to live in. It is important to get your rabbit used to going into its hutch as it will become its nest and it will sleep there and just hang out in there to relax.<\/p>\n You will have to lock the hutch in the early days so it knows it is supposed to live and sleep in there and it will also be a useful experience should you ever need to transport your pet.<\/p>\n This rabbit is suited to outdoor or indoor living, with a suitable hutch for each. If mainly living outdoors the hutch must be raised off the ground, with no rough edges and secure to protect it from possible predators.<\/p>\n 2) Potty training \u2013<\/strong> This rabbit is moderately easy to potty train. You will need to start early and take the rabbit and its droppings back to the cage or hutch each time and put the droppings on the litter shavings, or in a litter box, each time so it will recognize the place to go by odor and habit.<\/p>\n FACT:<\/strong> A Rabbit may produce slightly softer-type stools overnight and it will then eat them in the morning to help with its digestion. This is not pleasant to watch but it is perfectly normal.<\/p>\n Any hutch or cage should be cleaned out at least once a week, with litter shavings and hay replaced regularly and fresh food and clean water provided daily.<\/p>\n 3) Walking on a leash \u2013<\/strong> believe it or not, you can actually buy rabbit leashes and teach your rabbit to go for a walk with you. Not too far though and be careful of its paws when very young, or on the hot ground.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This medium breed of rabbit is generally quite healthy, but it has a longer life expectancy than many other breeds of rabbit at around 8-12 years, but it needs to be checked regularly to prevent:<\/p>\n\n
A brief history of the American Rabbit: a domestic rabbit breed<\/h2>\n
The secret<\/h3>\n
The Blue Variety<\/h4>\n
The white variety<\/h4>\n
How did the American rabbit breed develop? – What happened next?<\/em><\/h2>\n
A rare breed<\/h4>\n
Double meaning of the name \u2018American\u2019 Rabbit<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nThe American rabbit appearance: What does it look like?<\/em><\/h2>\n
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What are the main characteristics?<\/em><\/h2>\n
Reputation:<\/h4>\n
Popularity:<\/h4>\n
Intelligence and trainability:<\/h4>\n
Socialization:<\/h4>\n
Purpose:<\/h4>\n
Behavior:<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nPhysical Characteristics of the American Rabbit<\/h2>\n
Types of training required:<\/h2>\n
Health problems and health issues<\/h2>\n
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