Jersey Wooly Rabbit – Everything You Need to Know

The Jersey Wooly is one of the small dwarf rabbit breeds that has a long fluffy coat.
They are cute little rabbits with small ears, chubby bunny cheeks, and soft eyes.
Their sweet little cuddly natures make them a great pet for rabbit lovers and their pretty coats make them a show worthy breed.

BREED PROFILE OVERVIEW
Breed Name:	Jersey Wooly
Other Names:	None
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Breed Purpose:	Exhibition and pet
Breed Size:	Small
Breed Weight:	Female/Doe: 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. Male/Buck: 2.5 to 3.5 lbs.
Breed Color(s):	There are a few varieties of the Jersey Wooly some of them include: Agouti, Broken, Self, Shaded, Tan Pattern and Any Other Variation.
Physical Appearance:	The Jersey Wooly has a small compact semi-arched short body, a small round head with little ears that stand erect and are quite wide apart at the base. They have a long shaggy coat that has to be groomed at least twice a day to keep it in tip-top condition. This is also done to remove excess hairs and stop the rabbit from contracting wool block.
Temperament:	Sweet, active, docile, gentle and friendly little rabbits

BREED CHARACTERISTICS

1. The Jersey Wooly rabbit needs to be groomed at least twice a day.
   It has very dense fur. If their wool is a bit cottony it takes a lot of grooming and they are not recommended for first-time rabbit owners/breeders or young children.
2. They are prone to wool mites if they are not checked regularly and treated for the prevention of these.
3. They can also be prone to a disease called wool block. Due to the length of their hair, they are more prone to it than other rabbit breeds with shorter coats. Most rabbits ingest some of their hair through their life when they groom themselves. Jersey Wooly rabbits are more susceptible to it because of the length of their hair and the amount they ingest. Their system is not able to digest or pass the foreign matter from their system.
   It is essential to pluck or clip their wool every 90 to 120 days to try and avoid the risk of the rabbit coming down with wool block.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 make good pets for elderly, singles, people who live in apartments, novices and families with older children. They are more of an indoor pet due to their little stature.
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 Jersey Wooly rabbit breed is an accepted standard with a number of different color variations.
Rabbit Associations/Clubs:	National Jersey Wooly Rabbit Club
Where to buy them?	National Jersey Wooly Rabbit Club has a list of breeders. 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 Jersey Wooly rabbit breed was developed by breeder Bonnie Seeley of High Binge in New Jersey.
She created the breed by crossing a Netherland Dwarf Rabbit with a French Angora Rabbit. The offspring of this pairing created a cute little wooly coated rabbit.

The Wooly Jersey breed was first shown to the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1984 and was accepted in the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1988. Today this little rabbit breed is one of the most widely shown rabbits in the United States and is one of the most favored rabbits as pets.

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