Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Rabbits > abandoned rabbits: what kind are they?

abandoned rabbits: what kind are they?

22 10:03:37

Question

bunnies
We found a box of abandoned bunnies in a parking lot, wondering what kind they are.  Ears stand up straight, long very soft fur, several are albino, the rest are white with black ears and black eyeliner markings around the eyes...they are small and adorable...and seem very docile..


Answer
Dear Amy,

Thank you for rescuing the poor babies.  Can you believe some jerk would leave babies outside in weather like this?  Unbelievable.  

They are adorable.  But at this age, it's difficult to tell what breed they might be.  They look to be hybrids, but since they have long hair, they could be lionheads, Jersey Woolies, or even angoras.  Very cute, but unless their fur is kept trimmed short, they could be high-maintenance.

The pure white ones are albinos, of course.  The ones with black ears and "eyeliner" are showing a pattern typical of rabbits partly expressing the "butterfly" mutation.  Purebred Hotot rabbits have only eyeliner, and are pure white otherwise, but sometimes baby Hotots are born with black ears as well as eyes (which is considered a "fault", if you can believe it...).  These littel guys could be hybrids of a long-haired breed and a Hotot. But it's pretty much impossible to know for sure, especially when they are so young and don't yet have their adult conformation.

I can share with you my information about finding safe homes for the bunnies if you write to me privately at dana@miami.edu  I have a .pdf with all the helpful information you'll need.

Good luck, and thank you for being their saving angel.  No doubt you did save their lives.

Take care,

Dana