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What Are The Hardiest Breeds?

sonnet

Alpha Buck
I wondered in people's experiences of having rabbits what they think is the 'hardiest' rabbit breed - or if in fact if there is such a thing & cross-breeds are more hardy?
My first rabbit was a Dutch Cross & he lived to the ripe age of 10 with minimal health problems.
Are all pure breeds predisposed to certain health problems, so that generally cross-breeds are hardier? Or with certain pure breeds are there exceptions?
 
well cross breeds will be slightly better cos you know they won't have been inbred but i think theres alot of variations and theres not one breed particularly hardy as they can get problems, specially if their not properly cared for. i've only ever had 3 different breeds of rabbits so maybe someone with more breed experience could answer better.
 
i think its less about the breed and more about how you keep them although in saying that rexes will be more probe to sore hocks as wil larger breeds and nethies/lops will be more prone to dental issues. i think genreally if you can provide vaccinationis, a good vet, daily checks of rabbit, companionship and bordeom breakers and a good diet and lots of space and freh air/sunshine(this can be in form of windows or vit suppliments) you will find you have less problems whatever the breed type. xx
 
I think some of the meat breeds like NZWs tend to be quite hardy, and Nethies tend to be very long lived if they don't have teeth problems
 
In the rat fancy it's believed that agouti (brown) rats with fewer recessive genes tend to be more robust than rats with lots of recessive genes. So in theory your bog standard agouti uppy ears from bog standard agouti uppy eared parents could be healthier than an opal butterfly mini lop from a line of various coloured rabbits.
 
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