It is difficult to find a cuter and more charming animal than the butterfly rabbit. Intricate coloring, good disposition and funny, long ears will not leave anyone indifferent. Unusual animals are equally liked by both adults and children. Eared beauties can become a source of meat and beautiful fur, as well as wonderful companions in a city apartment.
History of appearance
The homeland of eared dandies is England.Back in the 19th century, local breeders created a breed of miniature rabbits. The weight of each of them rarely exceeded 2 kg. Each dwarf animal could boast of an original coloring of its skin. The arrangement of the spots miraculously resembled the contours of a butterfly. People fell in love with the animal as a funny curiosity.
Over the years, the fashion for tiny pets has passed. Rational experts thought about breeding a new variety of butterfly breed, suitable for use as a source of fur and meat.
By crossing miniature rabbits with representatives of large breeds (white giant, Flanders, Vienna blue), breeders managed to achieve impressive results. The updated breed of rabbits is famous for the beauty of their fur and their ability to quickly gain weight.
Description and characteristics of the rabbit
Despite some differences between individuals, the main characteristics of the breed are preserved.
Appearance
They say about belonging to the butterfly family:
- Symmetrical spots decorating the face and sides of the animal’s body.
- A jagged, wide stripe running along the rabbit's spine.
- Straight, massive paws and a strong torso.
- The lower part of the tail is lighter than the main color.
- Males have a medium-sized, rounded head. Females are characterized by an oblong skull shape.
- The body of the animal is harmoniously folded, its length reaches 45-50 cm.
- The chest is wide.
- On average, the weight of a rabbit ranges from 4 to 5 kg.
The soft, silky structure of the fur and rare unpretentiousness complement the list of advantages of the animal.
Color
Inexperienced owners mistakenly believe that the spots that decorate a pet’s fur coat are only black. This is wrong. Purebred individuals boast brown and even blue coloring. Moreover, the brightness of the marks depends on the size of the animal.The modest dimensions of the pets are compensated by their catchy, bright colors.
A stripe running along the spine and symmetrical lateral spots located on the animal’s body form the silhouette of a fluttering butterfly.
Productivity
Butterfly rabbits are famous for the quality of their meat. From one individual you can easily get 4-5 kg of a delicate and dietary product. Considering the fertility of females (with each litter, the owners receive 7-8 rabbits), the benefits of raising animals are undeniable.
Butterflies are traditionally considered the best suppliers of quality fur. Thanks to the unusual color and smooth, silky structure of the pile, products made from rabbit fur are in high demand.
Usage
Animals are used as a source of meat and valuable fur. Due to their charming appearance and gentle disposition, rabbits are often kept as pets. The butterfly enjoys the sympathy of adults and children.
Signs of purebred breed
Over the years, rabbits have been so often uncontrolledly crossed with representatives of different breeds that the original appearance has undergone significant changes. Fortunately, responsible breeders are vigilant in maintaining the purity of the breed. Several signs serve as proof of belonging to the butterfly family:
- The animal's nose is decorated with a spot that has the distinct contours of a butterfly.
- Ears are dark in color.
- The eye area is much darker than the main color of the animal. However, the boundaries of the pattern should not merge with the spots located on the cheeks and nose of the pet.
- The female nipples are surrounded by a dark halo.
Advantages and disadvantages
Representatives of the butterfly breed are liked and popular among livestock breeders. This is not surprising, because breeding unusual rabbits is low-cost and profitable.However, before plunging into the maelstrom of entrepreneurship, you need to take into account all the positive and negative qualities of the breed.
Butterflies are extremely unpretentious animals. They do not require a large amount of food and easily adapt to any living conditions. Pets calmly tolerate moving to a new place; they are transported without problems even over long distances. Due to its small size, the eared beauty is often kept in a city apartment. The butterfly easily gets along with people as a family pet. The decorative color and unusual structure of the fur turn the rabbit into an expensive commodity, and if the rules of keeping the butterfly are followed, they are able to uninterruptedly provide their owners with dietary meat.
The disadvantages of the breed include the excessive compactness of individual individuals.
Varieties of rabbit
There are several varieties of the breed under the general name.
- Dwarf butterfly. These babies are intended to be kept at home. Charming appearance coupled with an easygoing, kind character allows the pet to become a full member of the family. The weight of the baby rarely reaches 2.5 kg. The animal's well-fed body looks like a neat cylinder. The effect is achieved due to the equal volume of the animal’s shoulders and hips. Well-fed hind legs and a round head give the rabbit a funny appearance. In good conditions, pets live from 5 to 7 years.
- Rhine rabbit. The popular variety of butterflies has long won the sympathy of farmers. The color of the animal's fur varies from white to golden and black. The pet's calm, easy-going disposition caught the hearts of many specialists. At maturity, the handsome Rhineland reaches a weight of at least 3 kg. Females grow much larger than males.Round, strong paws and silky, delicate fur leave no one indifferent, and the gentle look of brown eyes completes the portrait of the long-eared pet.
- Motley giant. A giant among representatives of a spectacular breed. Due to its large size, it can hardly be imagined as a pet. The animal feels good in the conditions of a large farm. The giant is a natural source of meat and magnificent fur. The rabbit's weight reaches 7-9 kg, and its body grows up to 60 cm. The wide chest and elongated back give the animal an impressive appearance. Rabbits can boast of elegant colors. The giant's white coat is decorated with patterns of black and blue.
- Czech butterfly. An amazingly impressive animal. The animal is not gigantic in size. Its weight rarely exceeds 4 kg. The main advantage of a rabbit is its golden, shiny fur. The chest and belly area have no markings, but the lower part of the small tail is painted elegant white. Small ears, an elongated head shape and strong paws give the pet a neat appearance.
- English butterfly. An elegant creature with a fighting character. A cheerful, assertive disposition makes the rabbit an indispensable participant in numerous children's games. Your pet needs space for physical activity. The weight of an individual can vary from 2 to 4.5 kg. Thick fur, straight ears and an oblong head shape distinguish the English rabbit from representatives of other varieties. Among the exquisite animals you can find individuals with lilac, tortoiseshell, blue or chocolate coloring. In good conditions, rabbits live from 9 to 13 years.
Subtleties of maintenance and care
Due to their rare unpretentiousness, butterflies can be kept in a garage, on a balcony or in any shed.But still, the best results are achieved by following the rules of animal care. Farmers keep their pets in pens and spacious cages. The size of the apartment for an adult animal is 1 m by 50 cm. The cages are cleaned regularly. Otherwise, the animal runs the risk of being poisoned by ammonia fumes. From time to time, pets are allowed out for walks in a special pen.
In winter, rabbits are moved indoors. At this time, the animal is provided with additional vitamin supplements and minerals. In order for the rabbit to grind down its teeth, hard particles of food are placed in the cage. Butterflies quickly increase their mass. After 5 months, the animal’s weight reaches 4 kg.
What to feed a rabbit
Animals are fed morning and evening. A drinking bowl with clean water is placed in the cage. Your pet's daily diet consists of 20% corn kernels, 10% sunflower seeds, 10% millet, 15% whole wheat and 40% barley. Fresh grass and vegetables are added to the grain feed. In winter, pets are pampered with hay, at the rate of 2 kg of dry grass per animal.
Rabbits are given fruit tree shoots as a treat. Twigs of apple, pear or cherry will be beneficial. To avoid upset of the digestive tract, it is forbidden to give quinoa or celandine to animals.
Reproduction nuances
For reproduction, it is better to cross representatives of the same breed. After reaching 6-7 months, the female is ready to reproduce. During this period, the rabbit fussily prepares the bedding and places her own fluff in the corners of the cage. For mating, the female is placed in a cage with the male. After the procedure is completed, the rabbit is immediately transplanted into her own cage. Pregnancy in long-eared animals lasts about a month.During birth, the female rabbit is provided with plenty of drinking water, otherwise the female will eat the babies.
At the age of 20 days, rabbits begin to be given small portions of food. After 45 days, small pets are transferred to adult food.
Frequent illnesses
The scourge of butterfly rabbits is necrotic hepatitis and myxomatosis. The virus can cause serious damage to livestock. Timely vaccination allows you to avoid serious troubles. Rabbits are vaccinated 6 weeks after birth. At the age of 1 year, animals are given a comprehensive vaccination.
How much does a rabbit butterfly cost?
An animal without a pedigree and accompanying documents can be purchased for a symbolic amount of 500 to 1000 rubles. If we are talking about buying rabbits for breeding, the cost of a pet increases to 4,000 rubles.
