Unlike other breeds, breeders did not bred Polish rabbits for their meat. Instead, they were bred randomly by pet enthusiasts to get a species with fancy furs. They wanted to get a breed with beautiful glossy furs. Initially, this breed was slightly bigger and used as a meat breed. But their size got smaller after a few more crosses. They have short legs and possess short stature.
Polish rabbits are small-sized bunnies with small heads and faces. They have short, erect ears, and their blue eyes are expressive or bold. They need proper care and diet to avoid digestive disturbance. Most of their diet consists of hay. However, pellets, veggies, and fruits can also be given. The Polish rabbits are not heavy, as they weigh only 3 to 4 pounds. The hips are wider than the shoulders, and the back is perfectly round. The average pregnancy duration of this breed is 31 to 33 days, with a small litter size of 4 to 6 kits.
They are usually confused with Netherlands dwarf rabbits due to their small sized body. However, some differences between these two breeds exist that can be identified from a closer look. This breed is called “Polish rabbits” in the UK, but it is known by the name “Britannia petite” in the US.
They are not expensive, and you can get them at the minimum cost of $20 or $60 at the maximum. It always depends upon the variety and location from which you are purchasing them. Besides cuddling and petting, they love being held and playing with kids. Being intelligent, they are easy to train and play wisely.
Characteristics Polish Rabbits
| Characteristics | Polish Rabbits |
| Other common name | Britannia Petite |
| Body color | Shiny and solid colors (white, blue, brown, black, golden) |
| Food | Alfalfa hay or grass hay, vegetables, fruits |
| Weight | 2.5 to 3.5 pounds |
| Litter size | 3 to 5 |
| Common habitat | Domestic: indoor or outdoor cages |
| Duration of Gestation | 29 to 31 days |
| Use | Show rabbits |
| Temperament | Great friend of kids, intelligent |
| Cost | $20 to $60 |
| Origin | England, Britain |
| Life expectancy | 4 to 8 years |
What does a Polish rabbit look like?
Polish rabbits have small bodies but are not included in the category of dwarf rabbits. They have short heads, which are neither wide nor flat, with small baby faces.
In addition, their ears are also small and erect and are slanted towards their back. Their ears are close together and touch each other along the whole length from base to tips.
Most Polish rabbits in the US have true albino genes, so they possess white-colored bodies with ruby-red eyes. At the same time, others are white-colored with blue eyes, commonly known as the Vienna breed. Their eyes are vibrant, expressive, bright, wide, and bold. Furthermore, their back is less perfectly round. The shoulders of this breed are not so wide, but their hips are wider. They have short and thick legs. The small hind legs are the reason for their miniature stature.
What color do Polish rabbits come in?
Polish rabbits come in various colors and lack patterns on their bodies, like Harlequin rabbits. Mostly, they appear white, blue, brown, and chocolate brown.
In addition, black and golden colors are also seen in this breed type. Most of the bunnies in this breed do not have patterns on their body and appear in one tone only.
You cannot find any combination of colors or patterns on their furry bodies. Additionally, their furs are soft, dense, and short.
Furthermore, their colorful furs have fly-back characteristics, as seen in the Angora rabbits. They have shiny or silky furs that give their bodies a Polish-like shine; that’s why they are named Polish rabbits.
Many varieties of Polish rabbits are known for different fur types, fur colors, and eye colors. Initially, the breed was found only in solid colors, but now they have scattered colors, too.
How did Polish rabbit originate?
The white bunnies of the Polish rabbit breed originated in the late 19th century in Britain. Their exact lineage is unknown to this day. However, different scenarios were proposed by which this breed can be created.
They are supposed to be bred by Himalayan and Dutch rabbits. Even though they are a small breed, they were used as meat breeds, particularly in Belgium.
Polish rabbits of American and British origin differ in a few features. However, the later ones, British Polish rabbits, are considered the original ones.
However, the American Polish rabbits are the descendants of British Polish rabbits. They have been created by crossing many breeds of dwarf rabbits of wild origin. To create the American breed, Polish rabbits were bred by Silvers and Dutch albino rabbits.
Moreover, they are pure domesticated or hutched breeds of bunnies. Breeders are continuously improving this variety by crossing with different breeds. They have been bred with many dwarf species. The Netherland dwarf rabbit breed is a result of one of the attempts of breeders.
What do Polish rabbits eat?
Polish rabbits have fewer nutritional requirements than giant bunnies due to their small body size. Their stomachs are smaller than giant breeds, so they eat less food and digest it slowly.
Almost 75% of their diet should consist of hay as part of their whole diet. You can provide 250g of hay at once to your Polish rabbits and save the remaining hay in a clean and dry place.
Moreover, you should provide an appropriate amount of other nutrients in the form of good-quality pellets. They can also digest fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens when give occasionally or as treats. Their kits should be provided with alfalfa hay as it is a good source of calcium that is good for them. In addition to food, water is also required by bunnies that keeps them hydrated.
How long do Polish rabbits live?
The lifespan of Polish rabbits is shorter than that of other breeds. At a minimum, they can live for almost 4 years when they do not have ideal living conditions.
However, it can increase up to 8 years when the pet owners take proper care of their food and engage them in activities to make them physically active.
Moreover, this breed cannot live in the wild as it is a domesticated breed usually kept as a pet. This is why there are fewer chances of death by predator attacks.
They need attention of their owners or companions. However, they can live for 9 years. It only occurs when you provide a balanced diet and keep them in a clean and safe environment.
Additionally, supplementation and physical activities have a positive impact on their lifestyle and help prevent obesity. In order to make them happy, you should play and engage them in small gaming competitions.
What is the size and weight of Polish rabbits?
Polish rabbits do not have genes for dwarfism. But, it looks like that they have short stature. Their weight ranges between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds that gets equal to 1.13 to 1.58kg.
On the other hand, your bunny can gain some more weight and reach 5 pounds when gets better diet and care. The young Polish rabbits have average weight of 2 to 2.5 pounds (0.91 to 1.13kg).
They are slightly bigger than the dwarf breeds. Their body height is approximately 6 to 8 inches or 15.24 to 17.78cm. As they have round back, so they look smaller than their actual length.
When they fully extend their muscular bodies by stretching muscles, they reach a length of around 10 inches or 25.4cm. However, their average body length lies between 8 to 10 inches in males and females.
How long is Polish rabbit pregnant?
Polish rabbits become sexually mature soon after a few months of their birth. Their bodies need to develop reproductively, so they need almost 4 to 5 months to prepare for mating.
The pregnancy period of Polish rabbits is around 30 days on average. However, it varies in some of their varieties. However, they remain pregnant for about 29 to 31 days before producing babies.
When it ends, the produce babies are generally called kits. The litter size of Polish rabbits is small compared to other breeds. They produce 3 to 5 kits per litter. While other breeds produce up to 14 kits in one litter.