You can find the contact details for specific breed societies local to you by going to the Your Territory area.
You may want to post any specific questions that you have about this breed in our Pet Talk area to ask people with first hand experience.
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| Other Names |
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| Lifespan |
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On average the Polish rabbit can live to 7 years or more. |
| Breeding |
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The ideal age for the female Polish rabbit to start breeding is between 5 to 6 months of age. The first litter must be born before the female is one year old. The reason for this is that after this age the pelvic bones fuse and she would not be able to give birth naturally. They should have no more litters after the age of three years. |
| Average Litter Size |
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The Polish rabbit has on average litters between 2-4, they have been known to produce up to 6. |
| Gestation Period |
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The gestation period is between 28-34 days. On average they give birth at 30-32 days. |
| General Physical Description |
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The Polish rabbit is a fine, slender rabbit with long legs. They got the name Polish because they have a shiny, glossy coat, which appears as if it has been polished. |
| Size |
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The average weight of the Polish rabbit is 0.9kgs. |
| Feeding |
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The mainstay of a rabbit’s diet should be large unlimited amounts of fresh hay, fresh fruit and vegetables, a well-balanced dry rabbit mix and plenty of clean water. Rabbits have quite delicate stomachs so when feeding fresh fruits and vegetables make sure they are added to the diet one vegetable at a time and eliminate specific varieties if they cause diarrhoea. An earthenware bowl is the best type of feeding dish to use, as they are harder to knock over than the plastic ones, also they not chewable. A water bottle fixed to the outside of the cage, with the water tube going into the cage, ensures a fresh water supply is available. |
| Visit our Rabbit Food department |
| Cage & Bedding |
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For an outdoor rabbit the ideal home is a wooden hutch made of a heavy wood with a waterproof roof, and raised off the ground. If the rabbit is going to live indoors then a wooden hutch can also be used or a cage. The cage would have a plastic or wire base with a wire lid fixed to the base. All rabbits must have an adequate exercise area, whether it is an outside run or an enclosed area in the house. Wood shavings should be used for the floor of the hutch or cage. Fine sawdust can cause eye irritations so this should be avoided. Bedding material should be provided especially in cold and wet weather for the outdoor rabbit. The best thing to use is straw on top of a layer of the wood shavings in the sleeping compartment. The rabbit home should be cleaned out weekly and any old food removed. If it is necessary to wash the home then only use a cleaner specifically designed for cleaning rabbit hutches. An earthenware food bowl and a drinking bottle will also be required to feed and water the rabbit. |
| Visit our Rabbit Hutches & Runs department |
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Suitability For Children
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Character & Temperament
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Sleeping Habits
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Rabbits are most active in the morning and at night; they generally sleep during the day. |
| Visit our Rabbit Bedding department |
Toys & Exercise
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Rabbits need things to climb on, crawl through, dig and chew. It is possible to provide plenty to entertain this rabbit with using household items, such as toilet roll tubes and boxes. Several boxes can be put together with holes in them so the rabbit can go from box to box, just like being in a warren. Ramps can also be put against the boxes so the rabbit can climb up; they like to have a lookout post. |
| Visit our Rabbit Toys department |
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| Types of Coat |
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Short haired. The hair should be short and fine. |
| Colour |
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The Polish rabbit comes in a wide variety of colours. The colours are black, blue, agouti and tan. They do come in other colours; originally they were white with red eyes. |
| Visit our Rabbit Grooming department |
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| Intelligence |
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Rabbits can become trained to learn their name. They are more intelligent than guinea pigs and hamsters. They can even be trained to go to the toilet in one specific area, which makes cleaning up after them much easier. |
| Show Characteristics |
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This rabbit should be short, compact and round in appearance. The ears should be short, thick and stand erect. Originally only the white Polish rabbits with red eyes were recognised. Now more colours are accepted for showing, these colours include black, blue, agouti, etc. |
| Country of Origin |
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Belgium |
