What kind of rabbit is small but beautiful? That’s right! It’s the ‘mini rex’. Some people in Japan love mini rexes too, so maybe you have heard their name before.
They have a lot of color variations and are suitable as pets, so they are easy to keep even for beginners.
Let’s find out more about the secrets of the mini rex!

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～ Basic information. ～

Country of origin　Texas, USA.

Senior / male　6 months or more 1.36kg~1.93kg Ideal weight 1.81kg.

Senior / female　6 months or more 1.47kg~2.04kg Ideal weight 2.04kg.

Junior / Both males and females　Less than 6 months Minimum weight 0.91 kg Maximum weight 1.7 kg.
※American Rabbit Breeders Association(ARBA)standards.

The mini rex is a breed that was created by crossing a small rex type (dwarf rex) imported from the Netherlands with a rex.

In 1984, Monna Berryhill, who lived in Texas, received a dwarf rex one day and started developing the mini rex from there.

The dwarf rex named Zoro was mated with a female rex named Cotton, who gave birth to seven baby rabbits. Out of the seven, three females named Happy, Bashuful and Dopey were kept for the development of the mini rex. By the way, Happy and Bashuful went to Linda Thompson, who lived in Florida, but they also contributed to the development of the mini rex later.

Monna Berryhill, who continued to breed mini rexes, finally entered a caster-colored mini rex in a rabbit show in 1986. The mini rex, which received high praise at the show, was officially registered as a breed in 1988.

At the rabbit shows that are held today, the mini rex is one of the popular breeds and is known as a classic rabbit at the venue.

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Mini Rex’s Q&A.

Where does Mini Rex get its name?

The mini rex was named after its small rex type.

What are the color variations of Mini Rex?

■Type of body color.

・Black.
・Blue.
・Blue-eyed white.
・Tricolor.
・Himalayan blue.
・Himalayan black.
・Chocolate.
・Caster.
・Chinchilla.
・Lilac.
・Lynx.
・Opal.
・Red.
・Sable point.
・White.
・Black otter.
・Blue otter.
・Lilac otter.
・Chocolate otter.
・Seal.
・Tortoiseshell.
・Broken.

■Types of eye color.

They also have blue-gray, blue, brown and ruby-red eyes.

■Types of hairs.

The mini rex only has short hair.

What does the Mini Rex look like?

The mini rex has a compact body type. It is small but has a plump face. It has a well-fleshed body, including the shoulders and hips. It has thick ears that are balanced with the body, and slightly short legs.

The most distinctive feature is the velvety and luxurious coat. The smooth fur is so high-quality that you will want to touch it all the time. Some breeders are particular about choosing food to maintain this beautiful coat. By the way, the ideal length of the fur is 1.5 cm.

Why does the Mini Rex have so many colors?

As we mentioned in the basic information, the mini rex has become a classic breed at rabbit shows. The exact reason is not clear, but maybe it is because more people want to enjoy more colors of the popular rabbits.

Recently, they are developing new colors such as sable, silver martin, smoke pearl and tan.

Where can I find Mini Rex?

The mini rex is widely available in Japan, and you can find it through breeders or pet shops. If you go to a pet shop that has a lot of rabbit varieties, you might find it easily. If you buy it from a breeder, it is best to visit them once to check the environment and the health of the parents.

How much does it cost to buy Mini Rex?

When you keep an animal, you may need to follow the laws that are set by the country. This time, we will talk about keeping a mini rex at home in Japan.

The price is about 30,000 yen. Also, rabbits that have a chance of winning at rabbit shows are called ‘show type’, and rabbits that have no problem keeping at home are called ‘pet type’. The show type mini rex may be a little more expensive.

I want to know more about the personality of Mini Rex!

The mini rex is curious and gentle. Therefore, many of them are calm even when they are held. They may also be friendly and clingy because they were improved for pets. They are also smart and intelligent, so they do not seem to have trouble with training.

What are the diseases that Mini Rex is susceptible to?

Some of the diseases that the mini rex is prone to are ‘rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome (RGIS)’, ‘malocclusion’ and ‘sore hock (pododermatitis)’.

①Rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome (RGIS).

Rabbits sometimes swallow their hair by mistake after grooming. If the hair comes out with the poop, there is no problem, but if a lot of hair clogs the digestive tract, it can cause loss of appetite or inability to defecate.

This disease used to be called ‘hairball disease’ because it was thought that hair was the cause, but recent research has shown that hair is not the only thing that clogs the digestive tract, so it is now called ‘rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome’ for simplicity.

Rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome can affect any rabbit, so to prevent it, you should feed them fibrous timothy (hay), let them exercise, give them plenty of water and brush them. These are the points to pay attention to.

②Malocclusion.

They have symptoms such as not being able to eat well or having trouble drinking water. Rabbit teeth grow throughout their lives, so normally they prevent overgrowth by chewing on wood or eating food rich in fiber, but sometimes their teeth do not wear down and their bite becomes bad.

If malocclusion progresses, it can lead to loss of appetite or diseases such as nasolacrimal duct stenosis, so if you notice a difference in how they eat or how their teeth grow, we recommend consulting a veterinarian.

③Sore hock (pododermatitis).

This is a disease that causes the soles of the feet to become sore and inflamed. The mini rex has more stress on its feet because its hair is short, so it is said to be prone to sore hock. You can reduce the stress on their feet by putting slats in the cage and carpets or mats on the flooring, so please create a stress-free environment for them.

How long does Mini Rex last?

About 7 to 10 years. The average lifespan of a rabbit is 6 to 8 years, so they tend to live longer than average.

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Bibliography.

うさぎの品種大図鑑　監修：町田修

うさぎ総合辞典
http://www.usagi-jiten.co.jp/

うさぎとの暮らし大百科
https://www.anicom-sompo.co.jp/usagi/

うさぎタイムズ
https://www.ferret-link.com/usagitimes/

もねペットクリニック
http://www.mone-pet.com/

うさぎの丘
https://www.usaoka.com/index.html

アイキャッチ画像
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Broken_Mini_Rex.JPG