Known as butterfly rabbits, English spotted or English spot, the butterfly rabbit is a breed of rabbit characterized by its beautiful fur mottled. The special thing about its spots is that they are distributed in a very particular way, giving this rabbit a unique appearance.
Butterfly rabbits emerged decades ago, becoming popular for their good nature and being much loved as companion rabbits. In this way, today it is extremely common to find the butterfly rabbit as a pet in homes around the world. Therefore, on our site we tell you all about the butterfly rabbit, its characteristics, history and main care.
Origin of the Butterfly Rabbit
Butterfly rabbits appeared at the end of the 19th century in England, hence they are also called spotted English or whatever same, english spot. Although the exact breeds that gave rise to butterfly rabbits are unknown, it has been established that they are probably a cross between English and German spotted rabbits.
They arrived in the United States in the first decades of the 20th century, and the American club was founded in 1924. Since then, the breed has been gaining followers, becoming one of the most popular in the world.
Butterfly Rabbit Characteristics
The butterfly rabbit is a small-medium rabbit. In general, their weight ranges between 2 and 3 kilograms. The average life expectancy of these rabbits is approximately 12 years.
The body is medium, with a marked arch on the back, which reaches from the neck to the hindquarters. These hind legs must be rounded, never abrupt, and long to allow the body to be off the ground.
Although the above are traits that help identify the breed, without a doubt the most representative characteristics of the butterfly rabbit are those related to its fur. The ideal coat pattern of the breed is very specific, since the butterfly rabbit must have a base color, usually light, on which aappears. specks or spots These specks must follow the following distribution: a chain of dots that goes from the hind legs and the tail to the neck, where a line begins that follows the spine of the animal. It must also have a mark on the front legs, as well as on the cheeks, a circle around the eyes and a colored nose. The ears and their base should have the same color as the spots. All these marks must be well defined, without being diffuse or presenting any shade of the base color. Also, this hair is always short and very dense.
Butterfly Rabbit Colors
The different varieties of the butterfly rabbit depending on their color are:
- Black Butterfly Rabbit: with a white base and spots of an intense and shiny black color, which has a bluish base. The eyes are dark brown
- Blue Butterfly Rabbit: with a white base and very bright dark blue spots. The eyes are grayish blue.
- Chocolate Butterfly Rabbit: Its spots on a white base are chocolate brown, dark and shiny. The eyes are brown.
- Golden Butterfly Rabbit: with golden spots, which must be very different from the white base, being clean and bright, with very well defined forms. The eyes are brown.
- Grey Butterfly Rabbit: This pattern is very special as it shows a gray color that is truly unique to the breed. It is characterized by specially defined spots in the region of the face and head in general. The eyes are brown.
- Lilac Butterfly Rabbit: with gray spots with a pinkish hue, looking lilac. These rabbits have blue-gray eyes.
- Turtle butterfly rabbit: in these rabbits the spots must be orange on the line of the back, while they are smoky gray on the the hind flanks and very dark on the head and ears. The eyes are brown.
Butterfly Rabbit Character
The english spot is incredibly energetic and cheerful, being very playful and quite outgoing. It is such an active rabbit that they require at least 1-2 hours of play a day to burn all the accumulated energy. In addition, this activity time usually coincides with two moments, sunrise and sunset, being calmer throughout the day. He really likes to enjoy the company and does not take well to be alone for too many hours. Find out in our article How to play with a rabbit.
The butterfly rabbit needs interaction with others, getting along well both with children and with other household animals if they have become accustomed to each other the others. If they play with small children, it is important that they do so under adult supervision, as this will prevent them from hurting themselves or stressing the rabbit.
Butterfly Rabbit Care
Butterfly rabbits are a very active and lively breed that love to play and run around. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep them in too small spaces or confined in cages. If they have a cage for certain times or when they are alone, it is vital that the bedding is made of a soft material and that it never has a mesh base, as this causes sores on the rabbit's feet.
As for the feeding of the butterfly rabbit, it must be balanced and varied. We can give it specific feed for rabbits, combining it with large amounts of hay and fresh vegetables. Fruits should be limited by the large amount of sugars they contain.
The coat of these rabbits is not very demanding, it is recommended to brush them regularly to remove dead hair and dirt. However, baths are not recommended, as with most rabbits, because they are unnecessary, eliminate the protective barrier of their skin, are stressful and can lead to the appearance of respiratory diseases if the rabbit is not completely dry or if they inhale. Water.
Butterfly Rabbit He alth
Butterfly rabbits do not have congenital diseases, that is, there are no diseases linked to their genetics. However, they are somewhat prone to some ailments, such as dental problems All rabbits have teeth that never stop growing, but in some breeds growth is faster than in others. This is the case of butterfly teeth, in which if the teeth do not wear down quickly, they tend to grow too much, causing problems such as malocclusions in the mouth or dental abscesses.
Also, as we have mentioned before, it is very important to watch the ground on which our rabbit rests. Well, floors that are too rigid or the bases of mesh cages cause plantar sores, which are very painful and take a long time to heal.
Where to adopt a butterfly rabbit?
Although you may never have heard of butterfly rabbits before, it can be said that it is a fairly common breed, which is becoming more and more places. For this reason, it should not be too complicated to find a shelter or specialized association in the fostering and adoption of rabbits that has butterfly rabbits available.
Given how delicate these animals are, adopting them when they are abandoned usually means saving their lives, as they are so sensitive to humidity and contagious diseases that they usually die very soon in shelters. That is why it is so important to advocate for adoption, because you will be saving a rabbit, although it must always be done responsibly, only adopting if we are completely sure of being able to take proper care of the animal and take care of it in every way.
