Himalayan

What is a Himalayan rabbit?

A small white rabbit of 1.1-2kg with coloured points on the nose, ears, feet and tail and pink or red eyes. The body is long and cylindrical rather than compact - they are sometimes described as snake-shaped, and they lie stretched out rather than hunched.

They are not related to the Himalayan cat, though the colouring works by the same mechanism.

History and origins

One of the oldest domestic rabbit breeds, with an uncertain origin somewhere between the Middle East and China, and recorded in Britain from the 1850s. They have been called Russian, Chinese, Egyptian Smut and Black-nosed Rabbit from Chinaat various points.

They were bred for fur and meat and became a fancy breed in the Victorian era.

Appearance and size

1.1-2kg, 20-28cm. Long, slim and cylindrical, with fine bone and upright ears. Short, fine, close-lying coat.

Points in black, blue, chocolate or lilac. The colour is temperature-dependent: the enzyme that produces the pigment only works below a certain temperature, so the extremities colour and the warm body stays white. A Himalayan kept somewhere cold develops darker, larger points; one kept warm develops paler ones. Kittens are born white and colour up over several weeks.

Temperament and personality

Exceptionally calm - often cited as the most docile rabbit breed. They are slow-moving, tolerant of handling and rarely panic, which makes them one of the few rabbits genuinely suited to a household with sensible children.

They are sociable and enjoy company, human and rabbit.

Intelligence and trainability

Bright and easily litter-trained. They learn names and routines and take to clicker training. Their calm makes them one of the easier breeds to teach anything to.

Children and other pets

One of the better breeds for a family, with the usual rules: floor-level handling, sitting down, no chasing.

The one specific caution is the body shape. A long-bodied rabbit is more vulnerable to spinal injury if it kicks out while held, so support the hindquarters properly.

Keep in a neutered pair. Never with a guinea pig.

Health problems

Few, and that is the advantage of an unexaggerated old breed. A normal skull means far less dental disease than a dwarf; upright ears mean far less ear disease than a lop; a short coat means no wool block.

Spinal injury is the one shape-related risk, from the long back and fine bone.

Light sensitivity in the red eyes - provide shaded areas rather than a constantly bright enclosure.

Otherwise the universal rabbit list: gut stasis, an emergency within hours; myxomatosis and RHDV1/RHDV2, usually fatal and vaccine-preventable; flystrike May to October; E. cuniculi; and dental disease if the diet is wrong.

Daily care routine

Hay topped up, water checked twice, litter cleaned, back end checked - twice daily in warm weather. Nails every six to eight weeks, annual vaccination.

Note that a sudden change in point colour usually means a change in the rabbit's environment temperature, and a rabbit that is cold enough to darken markedly may be too cold.

Grooming and coat care

A weekly brush, more in a moult. Nothing else. Never bathe.

Exercise needs

3m x 2m x 1m permanent minimum plus daily time in a larger area. They are active and enjoy running, and the long body means they need length rather than just floor area.

Feeding and diet

85% hay, unlimited. A daily handful of leafy greens and a measured eggcup of single-component pellets. No muesli mixes.

Price

£30-£80. Rescues rehome them at £50-£80 for a neutered vaccinated pair.

Setup £300-£600; running costs £600-£1,000 a year for a pair.

Buying advice

Check the front teeth and the ears, look at the back end, and see the mother handled.

Pick the rabbit up yourself, with the breeder's permission, and feel how it sits - a Himalayan should relax rather than struggle, and a panicky one in this breed is unusual enough to ask about.

Do not be concerned that a young kit is paler than the parents; the points develop with age and with the weather. Do not buy under eight weeks, and ask for the vaccination record.