Silver Fox rabbits appeared around the 1920s in Great
Britain as a sport in a Standard Chinchilla litter. Breeding two sports
together produced a litter identical to their parents. This is how it all
started. Sports also appeared in litters in France and North America (where it
is called the Silver Martin) at about the same time.
At a commercial level, the Silver Fox is bred purely for the
fur market (rather than as a meat-producer), with all the value being placed on
the pelts with their glossy, dense, silky coat.
The striking feature of this breed, with its cobby body and
broad head, is the silver tipped guard hairs on the chest, flanks, feet and
rump. The higher the ticking continues up the sides the more beautiful this
feature is considered. This is not a breed that you can pass by quickly and not
be taken in by its crisp, clean, black and white unique pattern.
Being a medium sized rabbit, fanciers can house a Silver Fox
in a partly wired run off the ground, giving easy access to adults and
children. Wooden floors may be preferred in cooler climates. Care of this breed
requires some grooming during moult as the thick coat is replaced by a new one.
Future inconsistencies in weather patterns could increase the number of moults,
though they usually moult only once a year.
An adult buck weighs around 2.48 kilograms; an adult doe
around 3.17 kilograms.
Content and Photo Source: New Zealand Rare Breeds (
www.rarebreeds.co.nz )
About Silver Fox Rabbits
