Dwarf Rex Rabbit – What You Need To Know About The Breed

Dwarf Rex rabbits are ideal pets and also good for beginners, because in addition to a cute appearance, they have a wonderful character.
Moreover, they belong to the breeds that become trusting very quickly.
However, there are one or two points that you should pay attention to.

You can find out what these are in this detailed breed portrait.

Profile

Size: 20 to 40 centimeters
Weight: 1.0 to 1.5 kilograms
Age: eight to twelve years
Color: solid, multicolored, light to black
Character: active, lively, curious, trusting
Keeping: in small groups, indoor keeping, outdoor keeping only conditionally
Character of the dwarf Rex rabbits
The character of the Dwarf Rex Rabbit is friendly and lively.
They quickly become trusting and are eager to learn. However, their curiosity can also be their undoing if you do not place a very high value on safety when keeping them.
In addition, the representatives of this dwarf rabbit breed are very active and agile. Therefore, despite their small size, they need a surprisingly large amount of space.

Therefore, the animals are only suitable for you if you can provide them with a lot of floor space. In addition, you should want to do a lot with the rabbits. Because they need employment and variety.
For beginners and children they are suitable therefore conditionally.
Despite their people-oriented nature, they are often not very cuddly. So they prefer to play than to be petted.

If you would prefer a calmer breed, Dwarf Ram or Perlfeh, among others, are an optimal choice.

Coat colors and texture of the Dwarf Rex Rabbit

Dwarf Rex rabbits can be found in numerous different colors. They range in color from light to black, can be pied or solid, and can even have marten markings.
The coat is unusually short, which is where the name “Rex” comes from.

It is also very dense.

For you, this means that you can stroke a very soft, velvety coat while cuddling.

The care of dwarf rex rabbits

To the care of dwarf rex rabbits belongs on the one hand the brushing.

The coat is thereby freed from loose fur hairs.

In addition, any existing dirt is removed and an infestation with parasites or changes in the skin and dandruff are noticed early.

This makes a quick treatment possible, which brings several advantages for you and your rabbits.

In addition to coat care, you should pay attention to the claws of dwarf rabbits.

Due to their light weight and the soft surfaces they walk on, they hardly wear out on their own.

Therefore, it may be necessary to trim them regularly.
If you are unsure about this grooming procedure, first have a veterinarian show you how to do it.

Grooming also includes frequent and preferably daily checks of the following areas:

• Eyes
• Ears
• Mouth and teeth
• Belly
• Genital area
• Anus

Sore spots or inflammations, wounds or tumors are just as noticeable as teeth that are too long or broken off and soiling on the bottom.

You can then take appropriate countermeasures and thus avoid worse consequences and complications.

Especially the teeth are important.

Because Dwarf Rex rabbits are extremely light and have a sensitive digestive system, they need to eat food regularly in small amounts throughout the day.

If this is not possible, for example, because their teeth are too long or because they are gassed up, life-threatening conditions can quickly occur.
Our tip: Get your rabbits used to being carefully but thoroughly examined while you pet or brush them right from the start. This will save both you and the animals a great deal of stress in the long run.

Keeping the Dwarf Rex Rabbits

When it comes to keeping them, there are three main points that are crucial:

• enough space
• conspecifics
• variety and occupation

Although the dwarf Rex rabbits are very small, they have a high urge to move.
Therefore, two to three square meters should be available per animal for housing alone. This cannot be implemented with a cage.

Therefore, offer your animals either a multi-story rabbit home or a delimited enclosure in the apartment.

If they are kept outdoors, a sufficiently large hutch should be available as well as a safe free run. This allows the Dwarf Rex rabbits to get plenty of exercise and keep them balanced.

In addition, daily exercise contributes to their health. It can extend the life span and improve the quality of life.
In the apartment, do not forget that the animals need additional free running every day. Therefore, design the environment to be rabbit-proof.

On the subject of conspecifics, you should know that rabbits are generally very social animals. They need other rabbits to play with, cuddle, communicate and groom each other.

Never keep an animal alone. There should be at least two rabbits, but preferably three.

This way, they can interact with each other even when you are not around. On the other hand, you enable them to live as species-appropriate a life as possible.

Employment is also important for the rabbits.

They should stay active and be encouraged and challenged both mentally and physically. How this can work, you will learn directly in the following section.

Dwarf Rex Rabbits activity

Dwarf Rex rabbits are very lively and therefore need variety and activity. You can achieve this in several ways.
Free-roaming rabbits have to search for suitable food for a long time. They travel several kilometers a day, digging, stretching and pulling green food out of the ground.

Try to replicate this as much as possible with your pets.

You can hide food again and again in new places, use food balls, set up a food tree or lure your animals with it.
Pushing games are another way to let the rabbits work out the food.

Vary the games so that they constantly have new challenges. This prevents boredom and also trains intelligence.

What should also be available frequently are branches and twigs, from suitable deciduous or coniferous trees.

These may also still be leafy or needled.

The rabbits need longer time for it, foliage, small pieces of wood and bark to detach and these to chew. This wears down the teeth, which is essential for rabbits.

Frequently asked questions

Where should you buy dwarf Rex rabbits?

Dwarf rabbits can occasionally be found in pet stores. However, when you do, it is often not certain that they are purebred rabbits and actual dwarf Rex rabbits.

Likewise, it may be a larger variety or a mixed breed.

With breeders you have a higher security, because here also the parent animals can be visited. In addition, these are very thoroughly examined and correspond to the breed standard with a respectable breeder in the ZDRK.

How much does a Dwarf Rex rabbit cost?

You should plan about 30 dollars for the acquisition per animal.

The price may be higher if the rabbit has already been vaccinated, neutered or is suitable for breeding.

However, the purchase price is the smallest share of the total cost of keeping.

However, due to the small size and low weight, the expenses for food are comparatively low.

How old do dwarf Rex rabbits live?

They can reach an age of eight to twelve years.

Be aware of this before acquiring them. This is because you are taking on a responsibility that can last for a very long time.
The age of life depends on several factors. Among these are:

Genetics
veterinary care
Nutrition
husbandry
Utilization
Except for genetics, you have a decisive responsibility for all other influences.

Inform yourself therefore comprehensively and best before the acquisition. Educating yourself further, however, does not hurt either.

When do Dwarf Rex rabbits become sexually mature?

Dwarf rabbits often become sexually mature at a very early age.

They can reproduce as early as twelve weeks of age and their behavior can change from friendly and active to aggressive.
This, in turn, can lead to fights and cause significant injuries.

The animals can even die in the process.

In addition, they can display aggressive behavior even towards familiar people. Early neutering is therefore important.

How large are the litters of dwarf Rex rabbits?

Three to eight kittens are common in a litter of dwarf rabbits.
However, there can be as many as twelve baby rabbits.

Keep this in mind if you are keeping opposite-sex pairs or groups. This is because they can mate very quickly and very frequently, resulting in explosive reproduction.

The animals can be difficult to place, which can be a significant burden in terms of time and money. The space requirements should not be underestimated either.

Can dwarf Rex rabbits be kept outdoors?

This is only possible to a limited extent.

Due to their small size and light weight, they can quickly become hypothermic during the cold seasons and enter life-threatening conditions.

Even with a well-insulated outdoor pen and a secured outdoor enclosure, the risk for health problems is greatly increased.

So, if the weather is mild, outdoor housing can be done. However, you should refrain from doing so in the winter.