Chinchilla Rabbits

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

21 Jul 2007 02:19 PM

This breed of rabbit is named for the chinchilla -- a rodent known for its silky, uniquely colored fur. What's so special about the coat? The fur is slate blue at the base, a pearly grey in the middle, and white tipped with black at the ends.

There are three breeds of chinchilla rabbits recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association.

• Standard Chinchilla: a breed that originated in France and was introduced after World War One. The average weight of a standard chinchilla rabbit is between five and seven and a half pounds. Females (does) are generally heavier than males (bucks).
• American Chinchilla: also known as the heavyweight chinchilla, this breed came to the United States in the early 1900s. Aside from a larger size than the standard chinchilla rabbit, the American chinchilla is basically the same. The average weight is higher, between nine and twelve pounds. Females (does) are generally heavier than males (bucks). American chinchillas are good breeders, averaging eight babies per litter.
• Giant Chinchilla: created by breeding a chinchilla rabbit with Flemish giants, this breed comes from the United States. Weighing in between twelve and sixteen pounds, the giant chinchilla is primarily used as a meat rabbit.

The first chinchilla was basically an accident -- a genetic flaw in wild rabbits produced bunnies with shorter life spans. It was only after rabbits were domesticated that the color variations could be selectively bred.

Chinchilla rabbits were one of the original domesticated rabbits bred for meat, and was used to create other breeds used for meat today. The unique fur is another big draw of raising chinchillas. Rabbit fur is relatively easy to produce -- France alone produces more than 70 million chinchilla pelts each year. By comparison, the entire world produces 25 million mink pelts each year.

When it comes to personality, chinchilla rabbits tend to be very docile -- even the larger variations.

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