Cinnamon Rabbit Breed History/Origin
Back in the 1960s, a Chinchilla Doe was given to a Montana girl named Belle Houseman as a gift. Soon after, her brother obtained a New Zealand buck and the two rabbits mated. The children began raising purebred rabbits but every once in a while, their father allowed them to crossbreed as well. When a Checkered Giant and a Californian rabbit were mixed in, the first Cinnamon-colored rabbit was born. J. Cyrol Lowett, a well-known judge at the time, suggested they solely breed this kind of rabbits and soon, it developed into its own separate group known as the Cinnamon Rabbit breed.
They are good-looking rabbits who are very much show-worthy because of their stunning coat.
Overall Description
The Cinnamon rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit weighing no more than 9 pounds when they become full-fledged adults. They are good-looking rabbits who are very much show-worthy because of their stunning coat. Most of their bodies are covered in a beautiful ground cinnamon-colored, short fur with their nose, ears, belly and paws a smoky grey/black color. Their heads are proportional to their bodies and they have vertical ears which can grow to be as long as four inches.
The Cinnamon rabbit’s fur is beautiful and rather rare, which makes them a joy to pet and lets them steal the spotlight in rabbit shows, plus they are relatively calm, docile creatures – perfect as pets!
Coat
The Cinnamon rabbit’s coat is short and relatively easy to maintain. Weekly or biweekly grooming with a slicker brush should be sufficient for the most part, excluding shedding season. During shedding season, you’ll have to increase your brushings to twice a week to maintain this rabbit’s soft fur.
Colors
Cinnamon rabbits have a light brown color like the hue of ground cinnamon, with smoky gray shading around the ears, snout and paws. They do not come in any other colors.
Cinnamon rabbits are relatively calm, docile creatures – perfect as pets!
Care Requirements
These rabbits are relatively easy to care for and mostly groom themselves and each other (although weekly or bi-weekly grooming should be scheduled). As aforementioned, you should increase the amount of grooming to twice per week when shedding season starts along to keep their fur in tip-top shape.
In terms of bedding, most of these rabbits do well with wood pellets or aspen. If you also have a horse, the pelleted horse bedding can double as your Cinnamon rabbit’s bedding as well. Steer clear of pine or cedar bedding as this can affect your rabbit’s liver and there is also a risk of developing cancer.
Because they are herbivores, the Cinnamon rabbit enjoys a wide array of different foods in their diet. They like wet food, carrots, other fresh vegetables, hay or dark leaf lettuce. Limit the amount of fruits that have high levels of sugar. However, their diet should still consist of 70 percent hay and always have fresh water at their disposal.
Make sure to stay clear of iceberg lettuce, as it contains too much water and too little fiber to count as a good meal. And don’t feed your rabbit yard clippings, as grass is usually treated with fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides and other chemicals that can harm your rabbit.
Health
The Cinnamon rabbit is not particularly susceptible to any specific disease; however there are many common problems that can occur if one does not take proper care of them. Cages should always be made of galvanized steel and should have a separate part where droppings will not get caught in their fur, as problems such as flystrike can occur. Flystrike is an extremely painful condition that can often leave your bunny immobilized in agony or even result in death if their cages are not properly tended after.
Rabbits often have pristine teeth that keep growing throughout their entire lives at a rate of 1 centimeter a month. Their teeth are designed to wear down when they eat grass, hay and even the occasional blocks of wood. Always monitor your rabbit’s teeth to make sure they are not overgrowing, as they can grow into their face and/or into their jawbone if it does not wear down properly.
Lastly, do give your rabbit a routine ear check-up at home to make sure that no ear mites are present. Ear mites initially start off as scaling and then progresses into a thick crust that builds up in their ears. If you find ear mites in your bunny’s ears, consult your local veterinarian as soon as you can because treatment success rates increase the earlier it is caught.
Cinnamon rabbits are great bunnies for first-time pet owners or for families with children.
Temperament/Behavior
Due to their calm, docile nature, Cinnamon rabbits are great bunnies for first-time pet owners or for parents who would like to see their child grow into the responsibility of becoming a pet caregiver. They start off as small as your hand and grow into a rather large bunny. Compared to other pets, they are relatively easy to maintain and will live a long, healthy life if they are taken care of properly.
Unlike some bunnies, the Cinnamon rabbit does well with having another bunny of the same breed for companionship, as happy rabbits tend to live longer when they have someone to keep them company. However, if your bunny is not spayed, be wary of breeding – Cinnamon rabbits can produce about 2-4 litters of bunnies per year with litters of 4-6 babies.
These rabbits also love to jump and run, reaching speeds up 30-40 miles per hour, so having a fenced backyard where you can let your bunny roam free is recommended. When they aren’t bouncing around and having a wonderful time, they’ll enjoy some peace and quiet with their human companion. They’ll also benefit from having a couple of toys to choose from to sink their teeth into and play with. Because they are so friendly and calm, they usually do not have a problem being petted or even picked up by any stranger who happens to fall in love with your Cinnamon.
Photo credit: applegarthgardens; Cinnamon Rabbit Breeders Association
