Dutch Rabbit Information
GENERAL INFORMATION:
The Dutch Rabbit is a very gentle and a well dispositional animal. They make a make a great rabbit for the beginner to the well advanced exhibitor.
The senior (over 6 months) weight should be between 3 1/2 lbs to 5 1/2 lbs.
Feeding: Every rabbit raiser has their own preference on what pellet to feed. It is, however, important to feed a high quality pellet. Supplements, again, are the owner's preference. It's very important that any rabbit gets Timothy Hay in their diet on a daily basis. Timothy will help prevent intestinal obstruction. Fresh water on a daily basis is an important key in maintaining a healthy and conditioned rabbit.
Breeding:
The gestation period for a Dutch rabbit is usually between 28-32 days. Average size of litter is around 6 kits. Kits are born blind and eyes will open anywhere between 7-14 days. Housing: All rabbits require a well ventilated area to help prevent disease (i.e. pasturella). Dutch are a relatively small breed and don't require a very large cage, usually 24"x24" is a good sized cage. It is important that the markings of the Dutch are to be clean and clear, distinct, and free of drags of opposite color.
Markings:
Cheeks:
Cheeks are to be well rounded and carried around the whisker bed, but not into it. Faults include the cheeks being hooked (i.e. not well rounded and coming sharp to the jaw bone), meeting the line of the neck, or dragging into the mouth or throat. Faults also include the cheeks being to high, whether above the whisker bed or appearing as eye circles.
Blaze:
The blaze is the marking along the face. It should be in a wedge shape and about medium width. The blaze should cover the nose, whisker bed, and tapering up to the ears. Although, there are no additional points added, it is desirable to have a hair line (where the blaze goes between the ears and connecting to the neck marking).
Neck:
The neck marking is the white part on the collar behind the ears. It should be a clean and wedged shape marking. An animal with no or full neck marking is not disqualified, but is faulted. Dirty necks (where it is not a clean shape) will be faulted. Saddle:The saddle marking is point on the upper body where the white fur meets the colored fur. This should begin just behind the shoulders and create a perfect circle around the body.
Undercut:
The undercut is the marking on the underbody that connects to the saddle. It should create a perfect circle and should be close behind the forelegs, but touching them. It is a disqualification if the body color extends past the elbow joint of the forleg.
Stops:
On the hind feet, the stop markings should be well rounded. There should be white from the toes to about one third of the length of the foot, where the color fur begins. Disqualifications include if the color fur of the marking runs completely and between the toes. The toes can be separated for identification of the split stop.