History and origin
THE PHOTO ABOVE IS A NETHERLAND DWARF NOT A POLISH RABBIT from a BRC judge. Despite the name, the Polish rabbit is thought to have originated in England from the common white hutch rabbit. They were first exhibited in England in 1884. Many believe that they were developed from Dutch and Himalayan rabbits in the 1860s. The Polish rabbit was originally developed as a meat breed and was larger than the contemporary Polish. In the 1900s, the Polish rabbit was one of the most popular breeds in Europe, especially Belgium. When brought to America they did not carry the dwarf gene and were the smallest breed around. Back in England breeders selected for a different body type, until the British "Polish" of today is the same breed as the American "britannia petite".
Appearance
Today, the Polish rabbit is used as a fancy exhibition breed. They dont make great pets as they are sometimes aggressive. They are small rabbits with short ears that touch each other all the way to the tips. Due to their small size, the Polish rabbit is often confused with the Netherland dwarf, although the Polish is a little larger and the head is not rounded. There are many other differences between the two breeds, such as coat structure and colors. The accepted weights of the polish rabbits 6 months or older are 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds. The ideal weight is 2 1/2 pounds.
Until the 1950s, most Polish rabbits were white with either red eyes or blue eyes. The ruby-eyed white is a true albino. The blue-eyed white has the Vienna white gene and is not a true albino. Since the 1950s, colored Polish breeds have been recognized by rabbit clubs. In 1957, the American Rabbit Breeders' Association approved the black and chocolate Polish. In 1982, the blue variety was approved and in 1998 the broken variety was allowed.
In the UK, the National Polish Rabbit Club accepts any color of Polish rabbit as long as it is accepted by another breed in its standard. REWs are the most popular and the most successful at shows, while in the Coloreds, sables tend to dominate.
Personality and care
Because of their small size, Polish rabbits need less space in cage and barn facilities and take up less space in apartments than some of the larger breeds. As with other small breed rabbits, they tend to be more highly strung than their larger counterparts. They are also not ideal pets for small children as they are easily dropped, injured and stepped on. Their highly-strung nature makes them more suited for a mature, rabbit-loving, adult home. Bucks are very playful and are extremely fast if let loose and may be difficult to catch.
Feeding
Polish rabbits should be fed about 1/4 cup of pellet feed every day. They can be fed unlimited timothy or grass hay every day. They can also be fed fruits, vegetables, oats and grains. The owner should make sure that if the rabbit is over 3 pounds or flabby, it needs a better diet and more exercise.
Health concerns
Polish rabbits have a reputation for being difficult to care for, but this is not borne out in practice. In general they are very hardy rabbits, and do relatively well in high or low temperatures. They have a short coat that requires no daily grooming, and they are not prone to hairballs. Other health concerns that can affect any breed include earmites, pasteurella, respiratory disease, dental problems, urinary bladder stones and fractured backs. Any changes in diet or elimination habits should be noted immediately and a veterinarian should be consulted without delay.
The average life span of a breeding Polish rabbit is 6 to 8 years. By spaying or neutering a Polish rabbit early in life, one can increase their life expectancy to around 10 years.
