Belgian Hare Rabbit
When is a Hare Not a Hare? When it’s a Belgian Hare Rabbit
A Belgian Hare is a rabbit with a very unique appearance and as you may have guessed, they originally came from Belgium in the late 19th century. The Belgian Hare was deliberately bred to resemble a wild hare, and share some its’ basic traits. With a sleek and wiry coat, large straight ears and long back legs. Its slender, delicately boned appearance earned the Belgian Hare the nickname “Race Horse of the Rabbit Fancy.”
Fallen Superstars
The first Belgian Hares appeared in Belgium in the late 19th century and were introduced to English rabbit fanciers in 1874. Some twenty years later they made their way across the Atlantic, and quickly becoming hugely popular in the American show world. Their appeal was fleeting however, and by the 1930’s they were no longer rabbit de jour. These days the Belgian Hare is one of the world’s rarer rabbit breeds.
Ruby Red Runners
The standard Belgian Hare is a deep red in color, which is the only color recognized as show worthy by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. They can however also be found in black, tan or very rarely as a ruby eyed white. A Belgian Hare in any color variation is extremely attractive and they do make great pets, indoors or out.
The Belgian Hare is usually very slender looking, but they are actually fairly heavy, averaging 9 pounds in weight. They have unusually high metabolisms, and require feeding a little more often than other breeds.
Belgian Hares have a reputation for being an extremely intelligent breed they can usually be litter trained with ease, making them ideal house rabbits. However, because of their delicate bone structure, they need handling with a little extra care, making them a poor choice of pet for small children, who tend to be a little rough on their animals at times. Their short coats require very little grooming, but they do need a significant amount of exercise to stay healthy. If you are considering keeping a Belgian Hare their cage or enclosure should ideally have a decent sized run attached.
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