Crème D’Argent Rabbit – Everything You Need to Know

The Crème D’Argent is said to be the off-spring of a crossing with one of the oldest French show breeds. The word D’Argent means sliver and there are quite a few d’Argent rabbit breeds. These including the Argente Clair (these are very rare), Argente Brun, Argente Bleu, Argente Noir, Argente Champagne, and Argente St Hubert.
Only a few of these seven breeds are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
They make really great pets and are little balls of fluffy energy mixed with loads of fun.

BREED PROFILE OVERVIEW
Breed Name:	Crème D’Argent
Other Names:	None
Country of Origin:	France
Breed Purpose:	Fur, meat, pets, and exhibition
Breed Size:	Large
Breed Weight:	Female/Doe: 8.5 to 11 lbs. Male/Buck: 8.5 to 11 lbs.
Breed Color(s):	There is only one color in this breed of D’Agrent which is referred to as orange-silver.
Physical Appearance:	Strong hind-quarters, good shoulders, a wedge-shaped face, and ears that are medium to long, erect, rounded at the tips and close together buy not touching on their heads. They have a commercial type body with the females a bit heavier than the males. They have close-lying rollback, soft short fur and cotton tail.
Temperament:	They are a docile, calm and even-tempered rabbit that are quite friendly, active and inquisitive. They have also been described as well mannered.

BREED CHARACTERISTICS

They have a sliver gene that is responsible for the beautiful shade of its coat. As they age there will be an increased number of white guard hairs.
They have good sized litters with the females making great mothers with good maternal instincts. Mother rabbits can get a little aggressive when protecting their young or around mating season.
They have an average lifespan of 7 to 9 years old but some live to over 10 years old in captivity if cared for properly.

Good Pets?	They make great pets for families that have older children and are great companion rabbits for seniors and singles. They are great for first time rabbit owners or breeders as they do not require any special grooming. They are good as both an indoor or outdoor pet rabbit.
Child Friendly?	Children should be supervised around animals and properly taught how to look after them and handle them. Rabbits can bite and scratch
Ideal Climate:	All climates – rabbits should never be left outside without proper shelter and housing that must be raised off the ground and predator safe.
Conservation Status:	Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity:They are listed as recovering
Recognized by the ARBA?	Yes – they were recognized as a breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in the 1940s.
Rabbit Associations/Clubs:	Crème D’Agrent Rabbit Federation
Where to buy them?	Please contact the Crème D’Agrent Rabbit Federation for more information on where to obtain the Crème D’Argent rabbit breed. They are quite a rare breed to find around the United States these days. There is also the Rabbit Breeders Directory that could be of use.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Crème is a good meat rabbit breed as it has a wide midsection, the loin is deep both carry a good amount of meat. Their fine bone structure gives better meat to the bone ratio in favor of the meat.

The Americanized Crème D’Argent is a bit different to that of the one bred in Europe. A Mr. Harry Clauss of New York worked on the breed to bring its body type into a more commercial body type. He also worked on getting rid of some common faults that are usually found on the breed.

They are very sociable with other rabbits and do love to be in a group of rabbits. They need company and stimulation such as toys to play with like small balls with bells in or some sort of obstacle course.

A good diet of quality pellets balanced with some fruit and vegetables for treats will go a long way in keeping the rabbit healthy.
They should have enough space in a run that is safe and secure to spend a few hours a day playing and hopping about. With some good shelter and lots of fresh water and food.

Each week the rabbit should be checked for various critters and to ensure that they do not have any injuries, their nails do not need clipping and that they are not ill. When doing weekly health checks their teeth must be checked to ensure that they are not too long as this can cause discomfort to the rabbit as well as health issues.

As rabbits’ teeth never stop growing it is imperative that they are given substances like fresh hay every day to help them grind down their teeth.

Their cages should be cleaned at least once a week and checked to make sure they are still intact and secure so that predators cannot get in.

Although a lot of rabbits are quite calm in nature, they are still animals that can spook relatively easily so you should try not to alarm them. And never ever try and bath rabbits as they are not too keen on water and it could stress them so badly, they could have a heart attack.

If you need grooming advice always check with your local vet, animal shelters or even pet stores as they should be able to advise you on the best way to keep the animal’s fur well-groomed and healthy. Some products can cause skin irritations on the animal which could lead to serious skin issues.

HISTORY

The Crème variety of the Argente rabbit was developed in France around the late 1800s. The first mention of the Crème D’Argent rabbit appeared in a Live Stock Journal referring to an exhibition that was held near Paris in 1877.

The Crème D’Argent is thought to have been developed from the Champagne D’Argent which is the oldest of all the seven Argente breeds of rabbits.
The Crème breeds beautiful coat soon become very popular and sought after for fashionable garments fur trimmings in that time era.

They were first imported to America in around 1924 by several individuals. They were bred with some other breeds such as the Palomino in order to create a Crème with a more commercial type body to suit the rabbit meat industry.
They were a bit different to those that were bred in Europe and first shown at the Indian American Rabbit Breeders Convention in 1936. In 1938 a working standard was written up for the breed as it was recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.

Today the rabbit breed is all but facing extinction as it has seemingly disappeared from most countries with a very few still existing in America. The global population of the breed is said to be less than 1000 animals according to the American Crème D’Argent Rabbit Federation.