Website designed by Lakeside Country Farm
All Rights Reserved
The Silver Fox Rabbit
General
The Silver Fox is a beautiful unique dual purpose rabbit breed, which stands apart from other breeds. They have long black fur that is evenly silvered over the entire body. And when this long fur is slowly stroked from hindquarters to the head it will remain upright or standing. It is the only breed that has a standing coat. Does have large litters, produce plenty of milk, are excellent mothers, and make wonderful foster mothers. Silver Fox are known for their docile and gentle nature.
The Silver Fox rabbit is the third breed developed in the United States. It was created by Walter B. Garland of North Canton, Ohio. The Silver Fox is truly a multi-purpose breed, raised for meat and fur. The breed was recognized and a standard approved in 1925 under the name American Heavyweight Silver. In 1929 the name was changed to the American Silver Fox and later to Silver Fox. The breed has always been recognized in two varieties - blue and black. During the 1970s, however, the blues were dropped from the American Rabbit Breeders Association standards due to lack of numbers being shown.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy places the Silver Fox on the critical list, a heritage breed on the verge of extinction. It is one of those breeds of rabbits that seemed to be overlooked as pets, but make loveable playful companions. They requiring very little maintenance other than clipping nails from time to time and the daily chore of feeding and watering they are easy to care for. Due to their loveable personalities and love of attention they are known as the Teddy Bear of rabbits. Truly a multipurpose rabbit breed.
Fur
The young are born either solid black or blue and begin to show silvering of their fur at about 4 weeks. The silvering process takes 4 months to complete. The fur is one of the most attractive and unusual features of the breed. It is extremely dense and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length. When the fur is stroked from tail to head, it will stand straight up until stroked in the opposite direction. This trait is found in no other rabbit breed and greatly resembles the pelt of the silver fox of the Artic.
Size
The Silver Fox is a large breed with bucks weighing up to 11 pounds and does reaching 12 pounds as adults. As a commercial meat breed it was the first large breed produced that dressed out at 65% of its live weight.
Back
Next