Palomino Rabbit – Everything You Need to Know

The Palomino rabbit is a fairly new rabbit breed that was developed in America. They are a large rabbit breed with a very sweet and even temperament that makes them ideal for families with kids. They are also a good choice for a meat breed and make good exhibition rabbits.
They enjoy human company and are quite fun playful rabbits for their size. They are also strong, hardy and patient which is why they are much sought after as pets.

BREED CHARACTERISTICS

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Their average lifespan is 5 to 8 years although there have been some breeds that have lived to 10 years with the proper care.

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

Palomino rabbits were first dubbed as “Washingtonian”. They were called this by their developer Mark Youngs who came from Washington State.

They were first shown to the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1952. After a lot of hard work and effort, the breed was finally recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1957.

The first variety of Palomino rabbits was the Lynx variety and was the first variety to be accepted by the ARBA. The Golden variety was accepted by the ARBA in 1958. Due to the hard work and dedication of Mar Youngs by the late 1960s, the Palomino breeds were breeding truer than the older more established breeds.

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