The Palomino rabbit is another one of the gorgeous bunnies in the United States. The name of this rabbit comes from the coloring of the fur. Just like the famous Palomino horses, the fur is a golden color. This breed became very common in the 1960’s. The Palomino rabbit was bred originally by a man named Mark Youngs, at his rabbitry.
Contents
Size
The Palomino rabbit will normally grow to a size of up to 12 pounds. The average weight is from two pounds and up. The fur is considered to be a tawny colored golden. This breed is considered to be in the medium to large breeds.
Commonality
The Palomino rabbit is not as common as many other breeds and it can be difficult to actually find these rabbits. The Palomino Rabbit is not supported through the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy due to the difficulty in finding them. Notwithstanding, the American Rabbit Breeders Association has recognized the Palomino breed since 1957.
Characteristics
Although this breed is better known for its coloring, there are other specifics about this breed that we should mention.
The Palomino has a commercial body type and a well-rounded back end. Their eyes are generally brown and the ears of the Palomino stand erect and are on the longer side. Their coats are short to medium length. This fur is called roll-back fur. All this means is that if you are petting the rabbit and rub the fur in the opposing direction, it will fall back into place.
The fur coloring is, as stated, a golden color over a white creamy colored undercoat. There are actually two varieties of color for the Palomino. They have a golden coat, and the other is a lynx coloring, which is silver or gray and this too, is over a cream and orange coat.
The Palomino Rabbit has a superb temperament. She is gentle and docile. She believes in moving with the flow. Whatever is happening in her surroundings, she will partake in and be happy. They love to hang out with all their humans. They are quite sociable creatures. Not that is a real problem, but due to their socialness, these rabbits need lots of personal time with the humans in their life.
Living Area
Being an active little rabbit, the Palomino likes to have plenty of room to move around. This could be a hutch with an open run for them to go through, or you could let them run in the house. Outdoors is great also, if they have a big enough area to jump and move in. Of course, you need to put a covering of some sort on the outside run and pen.
Predators would find the Palomino to be a tasty treat. The covering will serve as a protection from these predators. The Palomino Rabbit is not one that will be happy to stay penned up in their hutch. When they do not have exercise and interaction these friendly little guys will become depressed.
For as friendly as they are, they also like their personal space. If they are not in the mood to be held, they will likely let you know by trying to bite you. Let them have some time on their own also. Be ready for when they are ready for you.
Longevity
When a Palomino is properly cared for, given exercise and the attention it requires, along with a healthy diet, they can live a long life. Many will live up to 8 years and some longer.
Daily Life with a Palomino Rabbit
Your veterinarian can go over the amount of food you should be feeding your Palomino daily. The amount will be based on the age, size and exercise amount. There should be hay available that is equal to their body size, each day. They should also be given pellets and fresh vegetables each day.
They also need a fresh supply of water throughout the day. Rabbits need to be eating hay every day to help keep their teeth at a normal size. Hay is also very good for their digestive systems. It may seem like a lot, however, at least 70% of your Palomino Rabbits diet should be a good quality hay.
Exercise Daily
Rabbits love to run and move around, A LOT. In the wild a rabbit will actually move about three miles a day. So this is one of those important aspects. Again, it could be in a covered run where they will be able to run and jump, with lots of fresh air. When this type of rabbit does not have enough exercise and human interaction, or other rabbits, they will become depressed and this can shorten their life expectancy.
Training and Human Interaction
A Palomino rabbit can actually be trained. There have been many that have learned to come when their name is called, some have been litter box trained when they live in the family home. Be warned though, it is not as easy to train a rabbit as it is a dog or cat.
It is highly recommended that before the Palomino rabbit is brought indoors to live, that you are certain that you will be able to spend the required amount of time with your hippity hop pal. These guys will develop behavior problems if they do not have enough interaction.
This is not saying that your Palomino rabbit needs to live indoors with you. They could be perfectly happy living outside of the home and in their own place. As long as the location is warm and can protect them from any inclement weather, and they have room to roam, they will be happy just seeing you a few hours a day.
Grooming a Palomino rabbit is much easier than say a Chinchilla Rabbit. The Palomino does not need to be brushed as often. When it is shedding time, you could help remove the falling hair by brushing every other week. For the most part, the Palomino rabbit will not need much assistance when it comes to being clean.
You will need to clip their nails so there are no issues with those. Only cut when needed. Bathing is an issue that can cause a lot of stress for the Palomino rabbit. Bathing can be traumatic if they are not doing it themselves.
As mentioned earlier, the Palomino was ‘created’ by a commercial rabbitry owner. There is no information as to why he ‘created’ this breed. Maybe it happened by accident, we will never know maybe through artificial insemination. Since he was a commercial rabbitry business, the breed was accepted. It has never been as popular as many other breeds of rabbits.
With the commercial body, it can be assumed that the rabbit was bred for meat purposes. The Palomino did not make a hit in the meat market industry either. Thankfully because they do make such great pets and are so friendly and loveable.
As an owner, you will need to remember that your Palomino pet is an explorer. She loves to check out little cubby holes, and all other interesting places. This is one of the reasons why outdoors is a specified activity for this breed. They love to roam around. The main time that anyone will see these guys sit still is when they are sleeping or eating.
The Palomino may not seem too friendly at first, she will take her time warming up to humans, so be sure to give her the time before trying to physically hold her too much. In the beginning, it is wise to just be in the area that your bunny is, speak to your bunny and use the name you gave her. You can pet her once in a while to start, building on the amount of time you physically share space until she is comfortable and has learned to trust you.
Once the Palomino loosens up and decides she likes you, she may seem like there is not enough time together. For this reason, a family would be ideal for the Palomino rabbit. Singles can make great owners also, if they have enough time to spend one on one with their Palomino pal.
Having access to lots of space is important. Many owners do not understand just how much the Palomino likes to wander around. Even as an indoor pet, getting outside in a kennel run could be all your pal needs to be happy. Oh, and treats! Fresh fruits work perfect as treats for your rabbit. It is highly doubtful that this rabbit will ever become a heavy rabbit since it loves to move constantly, but they also cannot have treats all day either. Stick with the healthy foods and a treat once in a while.
If you are looking for a purebred Palomino rabbit, we do suggest that you contact a rabbit breeder. Check with the Rabbit Organization nearest you. They would be the only way to ensure that you get an actual Palomino.
