American

The American is a solid, heritage-line rabbit developed in the United States in the early 1900s. A full-grown American usually weighs between 4 and 5.5 kilograms, with does running a touch heavier than bucks. The breed has a semi-arch body shape that fanciers often call mandolin-shaped, where the back curves up smoothly from behind the shoulders to rounded hindquarters.

Two colours are recognised: a deep slate blue and a clean white. The blue American carries that slate-blue coat right across the body, and it was the colour that first made the breed's name. The white variety has pink eyes and a dense, even coat.

These days the American is kept as a calm companion and as part of efforts to keep older breeds going. It is gentle and quiet, settles well once it knows a routine, and copes with handling better than many flightier breeds. Because it is a big rabbit, it needs more room, more hay, and more feed than a dwarf breed, which is worth factoring in before bringing one home.

Who it suits

The American suits owners who can offer a roomy enclosure and time out of it every day. Its quiet, easygoing nature makes it a fair option for older children who handle animals gently, and for adults after a companion without much fuss. It is not the best fit for a small unit or apartment, or for anyone who cannot commit to daily care across a lifespan that can run to 8 years.

The American rabbit took shape in California in the United States during the 1910s. Lewis Salisbury of Pasadena is credited with fixing a deep blue colour and the distinctive semi-arch body on a large rabbit bred for both meat and fur.

The breed was first shown and recognised in 1917 under the name German Blue Vienna, a nod to the European blue breeds behind it. With anti-German feeling running high during the First World War, breeders renamed it American, and the new name helped it gain acceptance.

The blue variety came first and built the breed's early reputation, since an even slate-blue coat across the whole body was unusual at the time. A white variety followed later, widening the breed's use for both fur and meat. Through the mid-1900s the American was a fixture on many farms for its dense pelt and solid carcase size.

As commercial rabbit production shifted to faster-growing breeds, American numbers dropped away. It now sits on heritage and conservation watch lists, which has brought renewed interest from small breeders working to keep the bloodline going.

The American has a long, deep body in the semi-arch class. Looked at side-on, the topline climbs gradually from the shoulders and peaks over the hips before rounding off at the rear, the shape that earns it the mandolin nickname. The ears sit upright and in proportion with the head and body. The overall look is of a big, well-muscled rabbit rather than a compact one.

Coat and colours

The coat is dense and rolls back slowly when stroked against the grain, a trait fanciers prize. The blue variety carries an even, medium to dark slate blue over the whole body, with the same tone running through to the undercolour. The white variety is a clean, pure white with pink eyes. Both varieties should show one uniform colour, with no stray off-colour hairs, brassy tinge, or patches.

The American has a steady, good-natured reputation. It is generally docile and puts up with being picked up and held better than many highly-strung breeds, as long as handling stays calm and supported. Does are known as attentive, settled mothers, which fits the breed's easygoing name.

Around family the American is usually placid and takes to gentle attention once it trusts the people nearby. With strangers it tends to be wary rather than scared, warming up as it gets used to new voices and routines. It is a quiet animal and rarely thumps or struggles without good reason.

With other rabbits, the American can live in compatible pairs or groups when introductions happen gradually and both animals are desexed. As with any rabbit, dogs and cats need supervision around it, since even a friendly rabbit reads them as a threat. Patience in the first few weeks pays off, because a settled American is calm and predictable.

The American is a hardy breed with straightforward care needs, but its size means it needs more room and a bigger setup than a small rabbit.

Grooming

• Brush once a week to clear loose fur and keep the dense coat in good nick.
• Brush more often, every couple of days, during a seasonal moult.
• Check the nails roughly every 4 to 6 weeks and trim when they get long.
• Check ears and the rear end regularly for cleanliness, since a big rabbit can struggle to reach its own back.
• Skip full baths, since rabbits find them stressful; spot-clean soiled fur instead.

Exercise

• Allow at least 3 to 4 hours of supervised time outside the hutch each day in a rabbit-proofed space.
• Give it room to hop, stretch up tall, and have a run, which a large breed needs to stay in shape.
• Offer tunnels, cardboard boxes, and safe chew toys to keep it occupied.
• Keep play areas clear of electrical cords and toxic house plants.

Environment

Keep the American in a roomy, dry hutch away from draughts and direct sun. Rabbits handle cold much better than heat, so shade and airflow matter through an Australian summer. Give it solid flooring or a resting board, since wire floors can cause sore hocks on a heavy rabbit.

Grass hay should make up most of the diet and stay available at all times. Timothy, oaten, or meadow hay keeps the gut moving and wears down teeth that never stop growing. A measured amount of quality pellets and a daily serve of fresh leafy greens round things out. Fresh water needs to be on hand at all times, in a heavy bowl or a clean bottle.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats small and occasional. A few pieces of carrot, apple without the seeds, or herbs like parsley and coriander make suitable rewards. Bring in any new green slowly over several days to avoid loose droppings. A rabbit on unlimited hay and fresh greens generally needs no extra vitamin supplements.

The American is a robust heritage breed without major breed-specific defects. With good care it usually lives 5 to 8 years. Most health issues in the breed are the same ones that affect rabbits generally, and most trace back to diet, dental wear, and hygiene. In Australia, calicivirus (RHDV) is a serious risk to pet rabbits, and vets recommend vaccination as standard care.

Preventive care

• Feed unlimited grass hay to protect the gut and teeth.
• Book an annual check-up, including a dental and weight check.
• Vaccinate against calicivirus (RHDV) and any other disease your vet recommends for your area.
• Desex to prevent reproductive cancers and cut down on hormonal behaviour.
• Keep the hutch clean and dry to prevent skin and respiratory problems.

Because the American is a large breed, its housing needs to be generous. The hutch should let the rabbit lie stretched right out, sit up with ears clear of the roof, and take several hops end to end. A common guideline for a large rabbit is a hutch of at least 1.1 square metres attached to a run of around 2.2 to 3 square metres. Solid flooring, with a resting board if the base is wire, protects the feet from sore hocks.

Setup checklist

• A roomy hutch with a solid resting area.
• A heavy water bowl or drip bottle, checked daily.
• A hay rack or pile kept topped up at all times.
• A litter tray in one corner with rabbit-safe litter.
• A hide box or covered nook for security.
• Chew toys and a digging box for enrichment.

As a heritage breed kept partly for conservation, the American is bred to hold onto its body type and its two standard colours. Bucks and does of large breeds mature a bit later than small rabbits, so breeders generally wait until the animals are physically mature, often around 6 to 8 months, before a first mating. The doe is taken to the buck's enclosure rather than the other way round, since does can be territorial.

Gestation runs about 31 days. A nest box with clean straw should go in a few days before the due date, and the doe lines it with fur pulled from her own body. American does have a name as good, calm mothers, in keeping with the breed's gentle reputation. Kits are born blind and hairless and open their eyes at about 10 days.

Young rabbits start nibbling hay and pellets from around 3 weeks and are usually weaned by 6 to 8 weeks. Handling kits gently from an early age helps them grow into the docile adults the breed is known for. Breeders working with this rare breed often coordinate to keep bloodlines diverse and hold the line together.