Californian rabbits are friendly and love to live with their companions. They get bored when alone but feel shy at the same time when they meet a new person. They exhibit shyness by limiting their body movement but become friendlier after several meetings or exposures. They can be easily distinguished from others by fur markings and vibrant eye color.
Californian rabbits are medium-sized, bulky, and round bunnies, having soft fur. They are produced for meat and fur by breeding New Zealand Whites and small Chinchilla rabbits. They become sexually mature after 7 to 9 months. They produce 8 to 10 kits in one litter after a gestation period of 30 to 33 days. Their body weight is 7 to 10 pounds. While the body length ranges between 14 and 18 inches. Furthermore, the cost of an adult Californian rabbit is almost $60 to $80.
Let’s explore an interesting fact about Californian rabbits! They can change the color of their ears and nose. During winter, their nose and ears turn black so that they can absorb the maximum amount of heat or sunlight. However, their color changes back to white when the weather gets warm. They have a powerful sense of hearing and are called ‘masters of hearing.’ The female does of this breed are excellent mothers because they take great care of their kittens.
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Characteristics of Californian Rabbits
What does Californian rabbit mean?
What do the Californian rabbits look like?
What is the size and weight of Californian rabbits?
What breeds make a Californian rabbit?
How long do Californian rabbits live?
What do Californian rabbits eat?
How much do Californian rabbits cost?
How long are California rabbits pregnant?
Characteristics of Californian Rabbits
| Characteristics | Californian Rabbits |
| Common habitat | Domestic |
| Origin | Southern California |
| Body color | White and Black |
| Body Weight | 7 to 10 pounds |
| Body Size | 14 to 18 inches |
| Diet | Hay, pellets, veggies and fruits |
| Cost | $60 to $80 |
| Temperament | Friendly, shy, active |
| Duration of Gestation | 30 to 33 days |
| Litter size | 8 to 10 kits per litter |
| Life expectancy | 9 to 12 years |
| Use | Meat and Fur production |
What does Californian rabbit mean?
Californian rabbits are named so because they were produced in California. They were first bred in Southern California by a famous breeder, George West. This breed was developed in the 20th century and became a competitive or famous commercial breed all over the United States.
The aim of the breeder was to develop a breed that is perfect for producing bulk meat and quality fur. So, Californian rabbits were developed by crossing lineages with good quality meat and fur. They are raised on a commercial basis for various purposes.
Furthermore, their pelts are used to make luxurious coats, hats, and other items. They are also used as show rabbits or for exhibitions.
In addition, Californian rabbits have some characteristics similar to Himalayan rabbits. They both have undergone similar mutations and are sensitive to extreme temperatures.
What do Californian rabbits look like?
Californian rabbits are easy to identify due to their distinguishing marking of black color on particular regions of their fur, including nose, ears, tail and feet.
They are also known as Californian whites, as most of their bodies are white. They do not appear in multiple colors, as all Californian rabbits have black and white bodies.
In addition, their eyes are vibrant in color and appear red or pink due to the absence of pigment. They have short and erect ears that appear black or dark brown, slightly slanted towards the back.
The nose markings are oval and cover the jaws and nose, usually expanding toward the chin. They have a short, muscular body, and a rounded back.
Furthermore, both front and hind legs are short, but the hind legs are more powerful. The bulky body has a small neck and a muscular face. They have dense, roll-backed, silky, soft and short fur all over the body. When you rub their body, their silky hair return quickly in the same direction.
What is the size and weight of Californian rabbits?
Californian rabbits are not a giant breed and possess a medium-sized round and fluffy body. Due to its ideal size and weight, this medium-sized breed is easy to care for.
A fully grown adult Californian rabbit weighs 7 to 10 pounds, which is equivalent to 3 to 4.5kg. They grow fast and attain an ideal body weight at the age of 1 year.
However, their growth rate slows down when they do not get proper diet and care from owners. So, you should not expect to get a healthy bunny of ideal weight after 12 months if you are not taking care of their diet.
They can reach a maximum length of 22 inches (55.88cm). Moreover, their body length is usually seen to be 14 to 18 inches or (35.6 to 45.7cm).
Furthermore, the female Californian rabbits have slightly longer and heavier bodies than their male counterparts. This difference is due to their varying genetic makeup and lifestyle.
What breeds make a Californian rabbit?
Californian rabbits are produced after George West’s continuous efforts for almost 4 to 5 years. He wanted to introduce a new breed with a dense fur coat and good-quality meat.
He crossed Himalayan white rabbits with standard Chinchilla rabbits. After cross-breeding, a male Californian rabbit was produced that was smaller in size and had a body color similar to Chinchilla.
As he was trying to get a breed with good meat quality, he was not satisfied with this small size. So, he made another cross in which this small-sized bunny was bred with a New Zealand white rabbit.
It was a successful breeding process because a Californian rabbit with a bigger size and white fur on the body was produced as a result of this breeding.
How long do Californian rabbits live?
The life span of rabbits differs even though they belong to the same type of breed. Their life expectancy depends on several factors, but the primary ones are diet and care. Other factors are health conditions, rate of activity, gender, and the last one is lineage.
Californian rabbits’ average life expectancy is 9 to 12 years. They can reach a maximum age of 15 years when they get a good diet and care or live in ideal conditions.
Moreover, they are a domestic breed that is not adapted to live in the wild. So, they can enjoy a maximum and fulfilling life only in a controlled indoor environment.
In addition, they do not have any breed-specific health issues but have common health concerns like GI stasis, overgrown teeth, heart strokes and parasitic infestations. Sometimes, these health issues and other physical injuries can become a reason for early death.
What do Californian rabbits eat?
Californian rabbits need a continuous supply of hay and fresh water to live a healthy life. Hay provides healthy nutrients and fulfills most of their body requirements.
However, you can add a small amount of high-quality pellets because they are rich in nutritive elements and easy to eat. Almost ½ cups of pellets is sufficient for an adult bunny.
In addition, they can also eat fruits and vegetables. But, the quantity of food should be equal to their body’s requirements. Otherwise, overeating can cause many health issues, like obesity.
Find out their body’s nutritional requirements according to size and age. The bigger and adult bunnies need more food than the young ones with smaller bodies.
Furthermore, they are not offered high-caloric and fat-rich food because these are not good for their health. Avoid offering seeds and nuts in bulk. In addition, cookies and juice are also not good for their digestive health. You can feed crunchy vegetables and ripened fruits to them.
How much do Californian rabbits cost?
Californian rabbits are not expensive despite their high-quality fur and good meat. You can easily find them at a pet store for $60 to $80.
Their cost depends upon their age and health. A healthy adult bunny is more expensive than a small and young one. A litter of 7 to 10 bunnies can cost you around $45.
Their cost increases if they have perfect black markings on their bodies. This makes them suitable for display at shows or exhibitions, so these attractive Californian rabbits are available for around $100.
On the other hand, their weight and quality of fur also determine the cost, as heavy bunnies with clean and soft fur are more expensive than lightweight Californian rabbits.
How long are California rabbits pregnant?
Every breed of rabbits has varying time periods for sexual maturity, depending on its genetics and diet. Some small breeds mature after 3 to 6 months of birth.
However, medium-sized Californian rabbits and New Zealand white rabbits get ready to reproduce at the age of 6 to 8 months. Take care of its diet, particularly in the early stages of lifecycle.
Moreover, the female Californian rabbits remain pregnant for 30 to 33 days. When the gestation period ends, they produce 8 to 10 kits. Also, they can produce more than one litter per year.
Furthermore, the female doe gets ready for another mating process within a few days. But it is good to wait for some days before allowing it to mate again.