Rabbit Terminology
We all know how confusing it can get when there are so many different words and abbreviations for things. So to help you out, we've written a basic list of common rabbit terminology.
Agouti- An Agouti coloured rabbit is one that, when you part the fur, will have rings of colour. The base of the hair is generally a dark colour, and will have a 'ticked' appearance when laying smoothly.
Buck- A male rabbit.
B.E.W.- Blue Eyed White. A white rabbit with blue eyes.
B.I.S.- Best In Show. Simply a rabbit that was judged as being the best conformationally built animal at the show that day. In order to be in the running for the prize, the rabbit must have first won BOB in its breed class.
Binky- A binky is when a rabbit leaps into the air, twisting its body in a sort of whacky 'leap for joy' before landing back on its paws.
Boots- When a rabbit has coloured legs (such as featured in the Himalayan breed), they are called 'booted'. The Vienna gene can also cause an otherwise normal coloured rabbit to have one or more white boots.
Bowed Legs- If a rabbits legs are 'Bowed', it means it's legs and curved inward or outwardly. This term can be applied to the front or back legs.
Butterfly- The dark spot that covers a rabbits nose, fanning out into a butterfly shape. One of the breeds that exhibit this marking is the English Spot, but it is also be seen on Broken or Charlie coloured rabbits.
B.O.B.- Best Of Breed. At a show, this prize is given to the rabbit the judges see as being the best conformationally built animal out of al; the others of its breed.
Broken- The colour that produces a white rabbit with patches. For example, a broken blue rabbit is white with blue markings, and a broken chocolate rabbit is white with chocolate markings. Genetically, a Broken rabbit has one copy of the broken gene.
Charlie- The colour that produces a white rabbit with less then ten percent patches. For example, a black charlie rabbit is white with very little black on it- usually in small amounts of the nose, ears, back, or around the eyes. Genetically, a Charlie rabbit has two copies of the broken gene.
Cow Hocks-
Cull-
Crown- The crown is the part of a rabbit in between the ears.
Dam- The mother of a rabbit.
Dewlap-
Doe- A female rabbit.
D.Q.- Disqualification. At shows, a rabbit may be disqualified for many different reasons. Some of them may be incorrect colouring, exceeding the weight limit, broken/ missing toe, or illness.
Fancy-
Fault-
Fuzzy-
Genotype-
Herd- A herd is a group of rabbits. Many breeders (us included!) like to call their breeding stock their 'herd'.
Hock-
Hippo-
Hole- The cage or home of a rabbit. For example, if someone has twelve rabbits, they might say they are a twelve hole rabbitry.
Inbreeding-
Intermediate-
Junior- A young rabbit under the age of six months.
Kindling-
Kit- A baby rabbit.
Lagomorph-
Leg-
Litter-
Locus-
Malocclusion-
Nest Box- A small open box, most commonly made of wood, that is placed inside an expecting does cage for her to make a 'nest' for her babies in.
Palpation- The act of gently feeling a does abdomen to discern whether or not she is pregnant.
Peanut- When a baby rabbit acquires two dwarf genes, they are called a 'Peanut'. This is because they have an apparently peanut like appearance, being both much smaller in size compared to a normal Popple and unusual features, such as extremely pinched hips, a large head, and very low set ears. With careful breeding these can be avoided for the most part, and are only found in certain breeds.
Phenotype-
Pre-Junior- A rabbit of weaning age, yet not old enough to be shown as a Junior.
Popple- A new born baby rabbit. Some breeders call them 'popples', because of the way they jump around in the nest box.
Quick- The soft inner part of a rabbits claw that holds blood and nerves.
Rabbitry- A rabbit breeding facility. This might be a small hobby, for show, or commercial- and can have anywhere from three to two hundred animals, depending on the purposes.
Recessive-
R.E.W.- Ruby Eyed White. A white rabbit with ruby coloured eyes.
Self-
Senior- An older rabbit above the age of six months.
Shaded-
Sire- The father of a rabbit.
Spraddled Legs-
Type-
Variety-
Weepy Eye-
Buck- A male rabbit.
B.E.W.- Blue Eyed White. A white rabbit with blue eyes.
B.I.S.- Best In Show. Simply a rabbit that was judged as being the best conformationally built animal at the show that day. In order to be in the running for the prize, the rabbit must have first won BOB in its breed class.
Binky- A binky is when a rabbit leaps into the air, twisting its body in a sort of whacky 'leap for joy' before landing back on its paws.
Boots- When a rabbit has coloured legs (such as featured in the Himalayan breed), they are called 'booted'. The Vienna gene can also cause an otherwise normal coloured rabbit to have one or more white boots.
Bowed Legs- If a rabbits legs are 'Bowed', it means it's legs and curved inward or outwardly. This term can be applied to the front or back legs.
Butterfly- The dark spot that covers a rabbits nose, fanning out into a butterfly shape. One of the breeds that exhibit this marking is the English Spot, but it is also be seen on Broken or Charlie coloured rabbits.
B.O.B.- Best Of Breed. At a show, this prize is given to the rabbit the judges see as being the best conformationally built animal out of al; the others of its breed.
Broken- The colour that produces a white rabbit with patches. For example, a broken blue rabbit is white with blue markings, and a broken chocolate rabbit is white with chocolate markings. Genetically, a Broken rabbit has one copy of the broken gene.
Charlie- The colour that produces a white rabbit with less then ten percent patches. For example, a black charlie rabbit is white with very little black on it- usually in small amounts of the nose, ears, back, or around the eyes. Genetically, a Charlie rabbit has two copies of the broken gene.
Cow Hocks-
Cull-
Crown- The crown is the part of a rabbit in between the ears.
Dam- The mother of a rabbit.
Dewlap-
Doe- A female rabbit.
D.Q.- Disqualification. At shows, a rabbit may be disqualified for many different reasons. Some of them may be incorrect colouring, exceeding the weight limit, broken/ missing toe, or illness.
Fancy-
Fault-
Fuzzy-
Genotype-
Herd- A herd is a group of rabbits. Many breeders (us included!) like to call their breeding stock their 'herd'.
Hock-
Hippo-
Hole- The cage or home of a rabbit. For example, if someone has twelve rabbits, they might say they are a twelve hole rabbitry.
Inbreeding-
Intermediate-
Junior- A young rabbit under the age of six months.
Kindling-
Kit- A baby rabbit.
Lagomorph-
Leg-
Litter-
Locus-
Malocclusion-
Nest Box- A small open box, most commonly made of wood, that is placed inside an expecting does cage for her to make a 'nest' for her babies in.
Palpation- The act of gently feeling a does abdomen to discern whether or not she is pregnant.
Peanut- When a baby rabbit acquires two dwarf genes, they are called a 'Peanut'. This is because they have an apparently peanut like appearance, being both much smaller in size compared to a normal Popple and unusual features, such as extremely pinched hips, a large head, and very low set ears. With careful breeding these can be avoided for the most part, and are only found in certain breeds.
Phenotype-
Pre-Junior- A rabbit of weaning age, yet not old enough to be shown as a Junior.
Popple- A new born baby rabbit. Some breeders call them 'popples', because of the way they jump around in the nest box.
Quick- The soft inner part of a rabbits claw that holds blood and nerves.
Rabbitry- A rabbit breeding facility. This might be a small hobby, for show, or commercial- and can have anywhere from three to two hundred animals, depending on the purposes.
Recessive-
R.E.W.- Ruby Eyed White. A white rabbit with ruby coloured eyes.
Self-
Senior- An older rabbit above the age of six months.
Shaded-
Sire- The father of a rabbit.
Spraddled Legs-
Type-
Variety-
Weepy Eye-