Mini Rex Rabbit Breeds

The Rex character consists of a shortening of the guard hairs until they are below or level with the undercoat, thus producing an exquisite, plush like coat, of some i inch length, with a velvet touch. In some cases guard hairs do project, and are considered a fault in the breed.

Rex Furs are the most valuable rabbits furs commercially, and the carcasses are also suitable for the meat trade. The best qualities of Rex Furs will usually bring as much as double that obtained for the normal furred pelts. Not all colors are however in demand. The Chinchilla Rex and the Havana Rex pelts are almost always wanted, but some of the other pelts, the Orange Rex for example, although a most popular exhibition variety, have a lower value.

The Rex fur is only at its best when the animal is mature, and it is therefore necessary to keep the Rexes a minimum of six to seven months, and more usually eight months, before pelting. The mature Rex will weigh between 6 to 8 lbs., and thus the carcase weight of the Rex when pelted will be about 4 or slightly more lbs.

The early Rexes were of weak constitution, and suffered considerably from various ailments. Indeed it seas thought by many that the character arose through disease. This of course is completely incorrect, and the Rexes are as sound constitutionally and as hardy as the other breeds.

There are two other types of Rex rabbits, the Astrex and the Oppossum Rex. The Astern evolved during 1932 /4 has a Rex coat which is tightly waved over the entire body. At the present time there are very few to be seen, but in the past there were some cases in which the waving was assisted, at least, by artificial means. The Astrex has little commercial value, for the curling will not often stand up to dressing. Astrex were recognized in all colors, although ermine, black, lilac and havana were the most common.

The Oppossum Rex was produced in 1924 by T. Leaver of Kent, in an attempt to Rex the Chifox. Originally three black Chifox were used, but later woollies from Argentes were introduced to obtain the silvering.

The undercoat length of the Oppossum Rex is about I inch, and the guard hairs which project above the body coat are silvered, that is devoid of pigment, and curled. The coat is at right angles to the body, and thus presents a similar appearance from all directions. The character is recessive to normal Rex. The Black Rex is of a lustrous blue-black (being self-colored) with slate-blue unclear color. They are a most useful color for furriery stork, for they invariably match well.

The Blue Rex was one of the earliest colors, although the color has been greatly improved, usually by crossing with Blue Beverens. The blue is a clear bright medium shade (not lavender) and again the pelts usually match fairly well.

The Castor Rex was of course the original Rex, being an Agouti with dark rich chestnut-brown color, the intermediate color being rich orange on a dark slate blue under color. The variety has changed considerably from the originals, and in fact has been re-made on a number of occasions. It is no tone of the furriers' popular colors.

The Chinchilla Rex is undoubtedly the most popular colour for fur work, although perhaps more difficult to match well. The pelts, when of good quality, fetch the best prices of any. The colour is a dark slate base, over which a near white intermediate color is, the top colour being lightly tipped with black and white, giving a sparkling, chinchillated wavy effect. It should perhaps be added that the Chinchilla Rex is one of the most difficult of the Rexes to produce in the highest quality.

The Cinnamon Rex is an Agouti Rex the top colour being bright golden tan, the intermediate colour a light orange clearly defined on a blue under colour. The belly is of course white on a blue under colour. They are uncommon. Genetically the variety is a brown Agouti.

The Dutch Rex is a variety of the popular fancy breed, and is very rarely seen, and is of little value as a commercial fur, except perhaps as a novelty.

The English Rex is the variety of the English, and is also very rarely seen.

The Ermine Rex is undoubtedly one of the most popular Rexes, and has been bred to a high degree of excellence. Blue-eyed stocks were at one time seen, but at the present time all the Ermine Rexes are albino, i.e. red-eyed. The pelts are suitable for many forms of fur work, but do not command such good prices as do many of the colour rexes.

The Fawn Rex is a tan pattern Rex with a saddle of bright golden fawn, gradually shading to a white belly. It is not often seen.

The Fox Rex, another tan pattern Rex, is produced in the four colors found in the normal fur Foxes. It is of course the rexed normal fur breed. There is few of this breed, which would otherwise be useful for furriery.

The Havana Rex is extremely popular. It is a self-colored variety of a rich dark chocolate colour. The pelts are probably the most sought after by the fur trade, and the breed has the advantage that probably the majority of pelts will be suitable for this work. The pelts are used for all types of garments, and brown, being usually in fashion, is always in demand.

The Harlequin Rex is the counterpart of the Harlequin rabbit, and is not often seen.

The Lilac Rex came from Havana crossed Blue Rex litters, for the colour is dilute brown, and from rexing the normal Lilac. The latter method usually produced the best stock. The pelts are easy to match, and are fairly popular in the fur trade.

The Lynx Rex is a rexed variety of the normal Lynx, which originated in Germany, and is not seen in this country. Genetically it is a dilute brown Agouti. The top-colour is orange-shot-silver, the intermediate colour being a bright orange, and the under color white, the variety being, of course, an Agouti. The pelts snake up most attractively.

The Marten Sable Rex is the rexed normal light or medium Sable Marten, and is a tan pattern Rex with rich dark sepia brown saddle shading gradually on the flanks, and with a white belly. It is not as popular as the Siamese Sable Rex.

The Nutria Rex is a self colored Rex with rich golden brown colour, but is now rarely seen, although in other countries they are considered to be one of the best Rexes for furs. Occasion-ally Nutria Rex turns up in litters of Havana Rex.

The Opal Rex is again very rarely seen, although it was popular at one time. It is genetically a dilute Agouti, and has a top colour of a pale shade of blue with a layer of golden tan between it and the slate blue under color. It is not very suitable for fur work.

The Orange Rex is a striking deep rich orange, carried well down the sides and shading to a white belly. The Orange Rex is the rexed New Zealand Red, and is genetically an Agouti although always classed as a tan pattern Rex. It is most popular as an exhibition variety, but is rather too strikingly colored for furriers.

The Orange Buff Rex is very rarely seen. It is a shaded variety with the saddle deep rich clear orange shading into beige or light clear biscuit colour over the remainder of the body. The breed was derived by selection from orange Rex with orange beige belly fur.

The Seal Rex is the Rex variety of the dark Siamese Sable, having a rich dark sepia (almost black) saddle with only slightly paler shadings on the remainder of the body. The Seal and Sable Rexes are often interbred, to improve quality. The Seal Rex has one of the best pelts for the furrier.

The Seal Marten Rex is the Rex variety of the dark Marten Sable, and has only recently been separated from the Marten Sable Rex and given its own standard.

The Siamese Sable Rex is the rexed normal Siamese Sable of either the light or medium shades. The light shades are the least popular with furriers, and the dark mediums the most popular. They are a shaded variety with rich dark sepia brown saddle shading gradually to a rich chestnut on the flanks.

The Silver Seal Rex became quite popular after the last war, but their popularity died out and they are very rarely to be seen. The pelts are of little use for fur work, they failed to attain the smooth plush texture of other Rex. The breed is the rexed variety of the Silver Grey.

The Smoke Pearl Rex is a most attractive variety of the shaded group of rexes. The Siamese Smoke Pearl Rex has a saddle of smoke-grey shading to pale grey on the flanks, chest and belly. It was produced from Sable Rex, being a Sable carrying the factor for dilution. Thus a Marten Sable Rex carrying dilution would give a Marten Smoke Pearl, and in fact this has been produced although it is at present very un-common. The pelt of Smoke Pearl Rex is of such a delicate colour that it is used mainly for evening capes or trimmings. The Tan Rex, a rexed variety of the normal tans have been produced but are not often seen.