Is there a healthy rabbit breed?

I don't want to be controversial - this is a genuine question lol. I was wondering about it whilst I was cleaning my teeth this morning (I do some of my best thinking then! :lol.

It sort of follows on from the Breeding threads.

I'm *no* expert on rabbit breeds lol - I have a Rabbit and Small Animals Encyclopaedia but that just gives information on the looks etc of the breeds rather than health traits. But from what I've learnt about rabbits so far there seems to be a lot of associated health problems with different breeds.

Any lop-eared rabbit, it seems, will have some problems and disadvantages compared to an up-eared rabbit although this will vary from one rabbit to another and obviously there are extremes of this with the really long eared rabbits (from what I've read on here and other places - feel free to correct me!). Netherland Dwarfs are well known for having dental problems due to the shape of their faces. Larger breeds - French Lops and Conti's have shortened lifespan because of their size. 'Small faced' rabbits like mini lops who have 'squashy faces' may also be prone to dental issues - I'm well aware that this may happen with Hollie. Rexes have sore hocks etc.

I'm more familiar with the breeding world in Fancy Rats and just recently a group of breeders have openly declared their intent to actively work on increasing the lifespan of Fancy Rats - even if that means sacrificing colours for the time being. (There is only one 'breed' of Fancy Rats - different colours and markings are varieties of that breed.)

With all this 'talk' of responsible breeders I find myself wondering if there are any / how many / which breeds of rabbits are *known* to be typically healthy. And why do responsible breeders perpetuate these faults or do they try and minimise them? Although if you show rabbits surely that limits how much you can 'work' on health problems - for example - working on not having squashed face rabbits may limit dental issues but make rabbits unshowable.

Answers from responsible breeders are welcome.

If some breeds are known to be pretty healthy - then why aren't responsible breeders *only* concentrating on these? Or crossing breeds to create a healthier one? Or is it far more about the physical look of rabbits and showing or demand for a certain look?

Just my ponderings lol.

As said; am genuinely interested to know if certain breeds are not known for health issues etc. Not trying to cause trouble. :wave: xx

I would wonder about dutches.

Thinking of body shape only surely there can't be much wrong with dutchies?

Sky-O said:

I would wonder about dutches.

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I wondered that too lol.

Interesting question

I was thinking Dutches too?

Hanlou said:

I wondered that too lol.

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What I do know about dutches is that in some breeder sheds there is a hugely high cull rate of very young kits who are mismarked, so I would wonder if there is something in that respect too- i.e. those with 'better' markings are healthier.

They are also the breed that has broken the longest living records for the past few rabbits, I believe.

dutchies are increasingly being bred with smaller breed and lionheads to produce shorter noses and longer fur also quite a few have dental probs and resp probs

id put any animal as a healthy breed just the breeders doing it irresponsably that muck it all up

biggles has competition winning parents but his markings are not perfect nor is his jaw line and was the runt of litter butttt saying that he is the healthiest of my dutchies

im finding also black dutchies ( maybe just because its a more common colour) but that colour has more probs

Wild rabbits are probably the healthiest

My Pippin, who is close to a wildie! (touch wood - don't want to jinx him!)

Stator said:

Wild rabbits are probably the healthiest

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I thought this but then I wondered how we would know because on average their life span is only 2 years or so in the wild so there is very little time for problems to develop. I do have a wildie, but he's only one of many, many wildies.

Hanlou said:

(There is only one 'breed' of Fancy Rats - different colours and markings are varieties of that breed.)

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Although there are quite extreme variation in the look of rabbits. I don't think they are any more separate than a dumbo rat is to a standard rat or a rex to normal coat. It's just we tend to call rabbits breeds and rats tend to be called varieties.

The healthiest body shapes and cost type would be those closest to wild rabbits as that is what have evolved to work correctly rather than been arbitrarily chosen for looks. I would agree dutch rabbits are a good example, being popular also means there is less close breeding. There are a lot of breeds that are similar in shape but not as common.

Most pet breeds are a lot stubbier than normal, shorter and rounder. A rex has the right body shape but losses points for the lack of whiskers and coat type.

I don't know for sure but Californians seem to be a very hearty breed. Julie is very healthy on a whole and really hearty. They are a strong rabbit. They do have pink/red eyes though so can have sight problems. Julie will be 7 in July and you'd never know it. There is a Californian at the rabbit rescue who is 13 years old. His brother died last year at 12 years old. I had a netherland dwarf who never had any health or dental problems who lived to 11 years old. My dwarf Himalayan seemed very fragile.

Sky-O said:

I thought this but then I wondered how we would know because on average their life span is only 2 years or so in the wild so there is very little time for problems to develop. I do have a wildie, but he's only one of many, many wildies.

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On average their life span is a lot shorter than 2 years, wild rabbit babies would be lucky to reach adulthood. I see your point, which I guess is why female rabbits get cancer so often. But domestic rabbits aren't bred for longevity either, they're bred for cuteness, specific coat types, meat or just to make some specific feature freakishly big :? Wild rabbits at least have survival of the fittest to keep the gene pool healthy. If they can survive to breeding age there can't be that much wrong with them.

From a Rex owner I would have to say that to get 'the' rex characteristic, the fur, you have to breed a rex with a rex. And it's because of the short fur that they get sore hocks.

I don't know anything about other breeds. But I've had 5 rexes now, not many compared to some guys on here but they've never had any issues with their hocks and two have come from show breeders so they weren't just breed between rexes but from the same type of rex, i.e. Chinchilla with Chinchilla etc.

I'm not saying I agree with breeding these characteristics in at all. In fact it's a rather big issue I have with dog breeders too.

Sometimes I wonder if 'inter breeding' is why rexes tend to be less docile than say a lop of a similar size. But I love them and we all have our favourites I'm sure.

However there are reasons why same type breeds are bred together. But breeders should definitely be more careful.

I have 5 Nethies and 5 mini lops and 1 wildie and none have dental problems (or any other problems) I do feed them Selective Science with is known to be good for teeth, also a plentiful supply of hay and fruit and veg once a day - I think a good diet can help prevent dental problems

I really don't know, but my Silver Fox never had a problem in her 8 years of life, and nor did any of the bunnies in her litter.

bunnytoes said:

I don't know for sure but Californians seem to be a very hearty breed. Julie is very healthy on a whole and really hearty. They are a strong rabbit. They do have pink/red eyes though so can have sight problems. Julie will be 7 in July and you'd never know it. There is a Californian at the rabbit rescue who is 13 years old. His brother died last year at 12 years old. I had a netherland dwarf who never had any health or dental problems who lived to 11 years old. My dwarf Himalayan seemed very fragile.

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Yes Californians seem very robust.
Parsley is as strong as an ox, never ill & survived major trauma as a kit.
She has mental toughness as well & is VERY naughty.
Of all my buns she is by far the healthiest. Touch wood!

I had a dutch who was in perfect health for years.

I think English are a pretty hardy breed, we have 3! (and a sable, couldnt leave him out lol)
However i also had a dwarf lop that lived to be 9 years even with dental issues meaning he needed general anaesthetic and dental treatment every 2 months and he also had 4 abscesses that were operated on.