The Havana rabbit breed is a lovely breed that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Club in five color types. They are a lovely show rabbit with a great shiny coat and good body conformation. They also make very nice pets with their sweet natures.
BREED PROFILE OVERVIEW
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Breed Name: | Havana |
Other Names: | None |
Country of Origin: | Netherlands |
Breed Purpose: | Exhibition and, pets |
Breed Size: | Medium |
Breed Weight: |
Female/Doe: 4.5 to 6.5 lbs. Male/Buck: 4.5 to 6.5 lbs. |
Breed Color(s): | Black, Blue, Broken and Chocolate |
Physical Appearance: |
The Havana Rabbit breed has a compact body that is short and tends to be quite well rounded. Their top line rises in a half-circle before sweeping down over their rump to their cotton tails.
They have longish wedge-shaped faces with a long forehead and medium length erect ears that do not touch at the base. The Havana has a sleek, short coat of flyback-type fur that does not require any special grooming to keep it glossy. |
Temperament: | They are playful, calm, gentle and lovable rabbits that are very sweet little creatures |
BREED CHARACTERISTICS
- They have a decent sized litter and the females make very good mothers. Most rabbits have good maternal instincts and some breeds can be a bit testy and protective when they have young. They can also be uncharacteristically moody during mating season.
- Their young open their eyes around 7 to 14 days with an average of 10 days after birth. When their eyes have opened, they can start to be introduced to food such as alfa pellets and water.
- Even when the young start to eat it does not mean they are quite ready to be weaned from their mothers. The mothers will know when it is time to wean her young. It is important for the baby rabbit’s health, growth, immune system and development of a proper digestive system that they do not be removed from their mother for at least 8 weeks. They usually require her milk for a minimum of 8 weeks after birth.
- Their average lifespan is 5 to 8 years although there have been some breeds that have lived to 10 years with the proper care.
Good Pets? | They are either an indoor or outdoor pet as they are suitable for both situations. They also make great pets for seniors, singles, novices, and families with children. |
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: | Not Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: They are not listed by the American Livestock Conservancy |
Recognized by the ARBA? | Yes, the Havana rabbit breed is accepted as a breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association and few colors which are listed under the breed’s color in this article. |
Rabbit Associations/Clubs: | Havana Rabbit Breeders Association |
Where to buy them? | The Havana Rabbit Breeders Association is a very good place to find registered breeders of the Havana rabbit. The USA Rabbit Breeders Directory is a useful resource to find breeders, clubs, and information about the breed. |
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy |
GENERAL INFORMATION
For a slicker more glossy or shiny pelt, it is advisable to groom them every two to three weeks. During the molting season, it is advisable to groom rabbits every week to remove stray hairs.
Rabbits can be quite lively and energetic and need quite a bit of exercise and stimulation. It is a good idea to have a nice safe and secure run for them to play in and stretch their legs.
Toys, tubes and various obstacle courses for them is a good way to help them expend some of their energy and they are really fun to watch at play.
They are also sociable animals that do like to have a friend or two to play with.
Regular health and critter check once a week or every second week should become a habit. This will help to keep your rabbit(s) in excellent condition and health. Grooming does not require a lot if their coats are low maintenance. But it is a good idea to give them a nice gentle brushing to help remove any excess hairs regardless of the length of their coats.
It is also a good idea to check on the state of their teeth to ensure that they are not too long and causing the rabbit any discomfort.
Rabbits teeth never stop growing and getting fresh hay on a regular basis helps to control the growth of their teeth.
Rabbits need a good diet of quality pellets that are filled with their daily nutritional requirements. They do love dandelions, cabbage and various fruits as a nice tasty treat.
Rabbits that have quite a short coat are not really at risk for most of the digestive problems long fur seem to cause rabbits. They can still get other ailments such as flystrike, ear mites or overgrown teeth. These can all be controlled/maintained or avoided altogether with the proper health and grooming care of the rabbit(s).
If you have two rabbits and do not want to breed them it is possible to spay female rabbits and neuter male rabbits.
The females can be spayed as young as four months old, but vets prefer to wait until they are at least six months old before doing so.
The young males can be neutered as young as found months old.
Rabbits, just like any other pet, should be dewormed on a regular basis. Check with your local vet for proper guidance on the administering of worm medication to your animals.
HISTORY
The Havana rabbit breed started with a rabbit breed known as “The Mink of the Rabbit Families” and is where the breed got its luxurious thick soft fur from.
They were first discovered in a litter of doe with Dutch type markings on her. The doe and her litter were discovered in Ingen, Holland back in 1989.
These rabbits had an unusual red glow to their eyes when looked at in a certain light or at a certain angle. So they became known as Ingensche Veuoraoz which when translated means “Fire-eye from Ingen”.
The first of this breed was a dark rich chocolate color and their name was soon changed to Havana after the rich color of a Havanan cigar.
The Havana rabbit was first accepted into the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1916 under the name “Standard Havana”. They were a breed that fast became popular due to their unusual looks and soft fur which was referred to a “mink-like”.
The Havana Rabbit Breeders Association was founded in 1923 and various color varieties of the Havana breed were developed.
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USEFUL LINKS
- American Rabbit Breeders Association
- Fur Commission USA
- North American Meat Institute
- American Livestock Conservancy
- Animal Shelter (ASPCA)
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- American Animal Welfare Society
- American Animal Control
- American Society of Animal Science
- United States Department of Agriculture
- United States Department of Agriculture – Rabbit Meat