info about New Zealand dwarfs

Question
Dana,
I'm pretty sure that it's a New Zealand; my husband called the pet store & asked if they had any bunnies. They specifically said that they had "New Zealand" bunnies. Oh, well...he's already stolen our hearts, so he's not going back! Now for a silly question--you mentioned something about the New Zealands being white. "Valentine" (he got his name because he joined our family on Valentine's Day)is grey with a white ring around his neck & a stripe between his eyes. I'm wondering if he could in fact be the other type you mentioned.
I haven't had a chance to check out the web sites you gave me, but will do so shortly. However, I wanted to ask you about a concern of mine. We have quickly discovered that Valentine LOVES apples. My son feeds him some here & there, then I come along & feed him some here & there. I keep saying that we need to limit the apple slices, but we give in to him! You can tell by his behavior that he's looking for an apple slice. Are there other snacks we can give & how often can we give them?

Thanks,
Susan          
Followup To
Question -
I've had a bad experience using this service; it has been 12 days after I asked someone else a question & still haven't received a response. So, maybe this time will be different.

I live in an apartment with limited space. My 7 year old has asked for a rabbit. I grew up with a few rabbits for a pet, so I pretty much know how & what to do. Originally I e-mailed someone asking about dwarf rabbits, but never heard from them. So, we are now the proud owners of a New Zealand dwarf rabbit. I'm not familiar with these; what info can you give me?

I wanted a rabbit that would not get big, like the rex. Right now the bunny fits in my hand, & we've been told that it won't get much bigger than it is now.

Also, do you know of a web site that would have info on this type of rabbit (not one that sells books about them)?

Thank You,
Susan
Answer -
Dear Susan,

I'll be happy to help you with your new bunny.  :)

The first question I'll ask you might confuse you:
Did the place you got the bunny say it was a *New Zealand* Dwarf, or a *Netherland* Dwarf.  If it's the latter, you're okay, and bunny will *probably* be small (though there are no guarantees with a pet store bunny of unknown background).  If it was a *New Zealand* bunny, however, you're in for a big bundle of white, red-eyed love.  New Zealand Whites (there's no such thing as a New Zealand Dwarf) are large, albino rabbits--originally bred for laboratory experiments--who may get to be as big as 10 lbs.  

Don't panic, though!  If this bunny is for a child, it's actually *better* to have a big bunny who can look out for himself.  It's very important that the bunny be handled by the child with strict adult supervision, since the rabbit skeleton is *extremely* fragile (only 18% of its body weight, since they're built for quick getaway with light bones and huge muscles).  Children must be taught that most rabbits do NOT like to be held and handled, and prefer to interact with their human families on the floor, at "bunny level."  I wish I didn't know of the hundreds of "broken bunnies" that result from the loving, over-zealous attentions of a child who doesn't *mean* to hurt the bunny, but isn't aware that a bunny is so very delicate.  For this reason, a big bunny who can "hold his own" is often better than a small one that might tempt a child to carry him/her around like a toy.  

If this is what we affectionatly call a B.W.U.B. ("bwub," or "Big White Uber Bunny," you're in for a wonderful companion.  New Zealand bunnies are loaded with personality and have a wonderful sense of humor.  I've never known one who wasn't a dancing fool (they "binky" with joy when running free in the house and happy to be with their family), nosy, and full of life.  Everyone should have a bwub!  :)

I really doubt that pet store was being honest with you about the ultimate size of the bunny.  Sometimes the breeder/supplier isn't honest with them, sometimes *they* fib a little, and sometimes they're just plain clueless.  But there are no rabbit breeds that will truyly fit in the palm of your hand at full adulthood, except maybe the Polish, which is very wee--but also not common.  (Hybrids are more robust and healthier, anyway.)

A great book for any bunny family is The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman.  You can get it at most major bookstores for under $10 (or at Amazon.com). It's the most accurate, up-to-date book on proper rabbit care.  But you can get even more information on proper rabbit care here:

www.rabbit.org/

If you need more information on Children and Rabbits together, just go to the search engine at the bottom of the page and put in "Children" and "Rabbits" as your key words.  You'll get lots of cautionary notes and good information to keep you, your child, and bunny child happy and healthy.

There are also helpful tips on litterbox training, diet, spay/neuter, etc. here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/rabbithealth.html

I hope that helps for starters.  But please write back any time you have a bunny question, and I'll be glad to help!

Good luck with your new pal!

Dana  

Answer
Dear Susan,

> They specifically said that they had "New Zealand"
> bunnies.

Well, that's a pet store for you.  They usually are close to completely clueless about many of the things they sell.

If your bunny were indeed a New Zealand rabbit, he would be pure white with ruby eyes (very fetching!), and grow to be about 7-10 lbs., depending on his genetic background.

> Oh, well...he's already stolen our hearts, so he's not
> going back!

YAY!  That's what I love to hear.  Rabbits have a way of wrapping their humans around their little paws.  

> grey with a white ring around his neck & a stripe between
> his eyes. I'm wondering if he could in fact be the other
> type you mentioned.

AWW!  Lucky you!  Valentine sounds as if he's a *Dutch* bunny, or perhaps a Dutch/Netherland Dwarf cross.  These are my personal favorites, as they are intelligent, loving, and have very strong personalities.  Dutch rabbits are the very first breed of rabbit ever domesticated strictly as *companion* bunnies. They are wonderful!  You can see a picture of my beloved Obie (a Dutch/dwarf mix) here:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/obiecute.jpg

Does he look anything like Valentine?  The other good news is that this is a small breed. Valentine is not likely to get bigger than about 4 lbs.

> You can tell by his behavior that he's looking for an
> apple slice. Are there other snacks we can give & how
> often can we give them?

Aw!  Lucky Valentine!  Apple slices are okay, but in moderation.  A bunny fed too much starch and sugar will develop intestinal problems, especially if he's a baby.  Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/feeding.html

and also--just in case you see *any* sign of runny stool--please read the following:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

In young rabbits, runny stool can be fatal very quickly, and one way they can get it is from a diet too rich in new foods and especially starches.  For now, you can substitute fresh herbs and kale (which rabbits *adore!*), but don't give him too much fruit.  It's just too risky in a very young bunny like Valentine.

Also, since Valentine came from a pet store, I would not be surprised if he is younger than the 8 week legal age limit (the law is not enforced!). This makes his even more susceptible to deadly intestinal disorders (explained in the poop.html article above), so you need to really keep a sharp eye out for the slightest sign of trouble.

If you see anything unusual, even if he's acting normal, please get him to a good rabbit vet immediately.  And by that I mean a vet who knows rabbit medicine well, and doesn't mainly treat dogs and cats.  You can find such a vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

It's a good idea to find one well before you need one, especially in case of emergency.

I hope this helps!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Noserubs to Valentine!

Dana