The term rex rabbit (without capitalization) refers informally to one of at least nine breeds of domestic rabbit (or a specimen thereof or similar thereto). One such breed is the ''Rex,'' which is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Other modern-day rex rabbit breeds are listed below. Care must be taken to distinguish the rex rabbit breeds from the three types of rex

rabbit fur Rabbit hair (also called rabbit fur, cony, coney, comb or lapin) is the fur of the common rabbit. It is most commonly used in the making of fur hats and coats, and is considered quite valuable today, although it was once a lower-priced commodit ...

for which they are known. The ''Rex'' rabbit breed that is (along with nine other rex rabbit breeds) recognized by ARBA is a medium-sized rabbit with a commercial, round body and an ideal weight range of . The Rex has a slightly broader head than other breeds of rabbit, proportionate upright ears, and proportionally smaller feet. As with most larger breeds, the female (or ''doe'') has a

dewlap A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibu ...

, a large flap of skin under the chin. And nose flap.

History and origin

The Rex is a variety of rabbit that exhibits plush fur that is often described as having a velvety texture. The breed originated in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

in 1919. Its origin was a

litter Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. Litter can also be used as a verb; to litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups ...

of wild gray rabbitsRuben, Dr. Dawn. "Choosing a Rex Rabbit." PetPlace.com. 2009. and has been developed over the years by fanciers and the fur industry. The Rex Rabbit was first shown publicly at the Paris International Rabbit Show in 1924 and has been recognized as a standard breed in parts of Europe since 1925. The Rex was first imported to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

in 1924 following the Paris International Rabbit Sho
by American rabbit pioneer John C. Fehr and his partner Alfred Zimmerman

Genetics

Many genes contribute to the Standard Rex breed. The definition of the breed is maintained by ARBA and the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The definition is based strictly on phenotype. The gross external features used to identify the rabbit include weight, coloration, coat texture and length. Of these features, amongst fanciers and the fur industry, the coat properties are of chief concern. This breed has a low to moderate activity level and can jump as high as three feet.

Fur

The word ''rex'' (with a lowercase 'r') refers to the unique characteristics of an animal's "rexed" fur. The result of a specific genetic mutation that is now deliberately sought in the Rex rabbit breeds, rex fur lacks the longer guard hairs typical of the more common short-furred animal. Each hair in a rex coat is evenly short in length and, because of the density of those hairs, rex fur is often described as ''

plush Plush (from French ) is a textile having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet. Its softness of feel gave rise to the adjective "plush" to describe something soft or luxurious, which was extended to describe luxury accommodation, or ...

'' or ''

velvet Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word ''velvety'' means ...

y.'' Three varieties of rex fur now exist: standard rex fur, short curly rex fur (as in the Astrex), and long curly rex fur (as in the Opossum).

Varieties

ARBA currently recognizes 16 color varieties for the Rex rabbit breed, while the BRC currently recognizes 32. There are clubs for fanciers of particular rabbits and the Standard Rex is no exception.

Modern development

Currently, Rex Rabbits are kept as pets, as show rabbits, and for fur and meat production. The Rex remains the number one breed used in fur production for garments and toys as their fur lacks protruding guard hairs which in other breeds which must be shorn and plucked after the tanning process to resemble other animal furs. The bulk of furs produced in the United States are more of a by-product to the primary purpose of meat production and are of lesser quality. Meat production favors harvest of young animals (70–84 days) which is not sufficient time for the rabbit to grow a high quality adult fur. The fur is best after 6 months and during the coldest part of the year. The overwhelming number of furs produced in the USA are used in the creation of

felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or w ...

because the fur quality of commercially raised rabbits is of too low a quality for the garment trade. See
Production of Rabbit Skins and Hair for Textiles
ref>Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Lapin rex

Rex rabbit breeds

* Astrex * Canadian Plush Lop * Mini Rex SA* Miniature Rex K*

Opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered Nort ...

* Plush Lop (Miniature) * Plush Lop (Standard) *Rex S* Velveteen Lop

References

External links

Astrex Information Page
''(from the Rabbit Geek website)''
Astrex Rabbit Breed Club
''(includes genetics and a working breed standard)''
Canadian Curly Plush Lop Rabbits
''(from the Cake Chow website)''
House Rabbit SocietyThe National Mini Rex Club
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rex Rabbit Rabbits as pets Rabbit breeds Rabbit breeds originating in France