Polish Rabbit – Everything You Need to Know

The Polish rabbit is such a sweet little rabbit breed although they can be quite cheeky and a bit nervous due to their smaller size.
They have been around since the early 1900s and make great little pets as they are really fun to watch at play. They are also quite affectionate and love to be spoilt and coddled.

BREED PROFILE OVERVIEW
Breed Name:	Polish
Other Names:	None
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Breed Purpose:	Exhibition and pets
Breed Size:	Small
Breed Weight:	Female/Doe: 2 ½ to 3 ½ lbs. Male/Buck: 2 ½ to 3 ½ lbs.
Breed Color(s):	Agouti, Black, Blue, Broken Pattern, Chocolate, and Red-eyed White
Physical Appearance:	The Polish rabbit is a small rabbit with a round compact body and a small stumpy head that has a piggish type muzzle and small/short erect ears. They have a short, fine and soft coat that comes in a few varieties of colors that are accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
Temperament:	They Polish rabbit breed are a calm, docile and friendly rabbit breed

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 make good pets for families with children, elderly, singles and novice owners. They are also more suited to be an indoor pet rabbit breed.
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 Polish rabbit breed is accepted into the American Rabbit Breeders Association in quite a few different color varieties that can found in this article under the breeds color section.
Rabbit Associations/Clubs:	American Polish Rabbit Club
Where to buy them?	For more information on local breeders, it is best to contact the American Polish Rabbit Club. 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

There is not a lot known about the early origins of the Polish rabbit breed. The Ruby-eyed Whites were the first variety of the Polish Rabbit breed to be known.
They either originated in Germany or England but not Poland as their names imply.

The Polish rabbit breed has been mentioned in many an English Literature dating back to the mid-1800s.
The Polish rabbit breed is also known as “hutch rabbit” due to how common they were in English rabbitries around that era.

The Blue-eyed White variety of rabbit was recognized by the American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association in 1938.
After that other colors of the breed started to surface at various shows and American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association conferences. Today the standard recognizes quite a few color variations of the Polish rabbit breed.