Beveren

The Beveren ranks among the older and larger rabbit breeds kept for showing and as pets. A full-grown adult typically weighs between 3.6 and 5.4 kg (8 to 12 lb), which puts it firmly among the large breeds. The body is long and well muscled, the back carries a slight arch, and the coat is thick with a noticeable sheen.

The breed is named after the town of Beveren, close to Antwerp in Belgium, where it was first developed in the late nineteenth century. Breeders originally kept it for both fur and meat, and the quality of the coat later helped the rabbit spread abroad as a show animal and household pet.

Nowadays the Beveren is prized chiefly for its temperament. It tends to be calm, gentle and inquisitive, and settles well once it has grown used to being handled. Because of its size and steady nature, the breed suits owners who can offer plenty of space and regular attention rather than a fleeting interest.

Who suits a Beveren

This breed is best matched to a household with room for a sizeable enclosure and time for daily handling and exercise. The placid temperament suits a first-time keeper who understands what a large rabbit needs, though the size makes the breed a poor fit for a small flat or for very young children unable to support its weight safely.

The Beveren originated in the Belgian town of Beveren, near Antwerp, during the final years of the 1890s. It is counted among the founding large fur breeds of continental Europe, built up from local stock that had long been kept for both pelt and meat.

Blue was the original colour and remains the best known, an even slate shade with a clean, level tone that became the breed's hallmark. The dense, glossy quality of the blue coat caught the attention of the fur trade and carried the rabbit's reputation well beyond Belgium's borders.

The breed crossed to Britain in the early twentieth century, where fanciers set about fixing the type and broadening the range of colours. White, black and brown varieties soon followed, and a specialist club was formed to guard the standard. Britain then became the route by which the Beveren reached other English-speaking countries.

The Beveren left its mark on several breeds developed later, its coat and build having been drawn on in breeding programmes elsewhere. Today it remains a fairly uncommon breed, kept mostly by fanciers and exhibitors rather than sold widely as a pet.

A Beveren has a long, well-rounded body with a gentle arch through the back, a shape sometimes likened to a mandolin. The head is broad, the ears large and held in a V, and the whole animal gives an impression of substance and balance. The coat is what sets the breed apart: thick, soft and glossy, with a rollback quality that eases back into place slowly when stroked against the lie.

Coat and colours

Blue is the original and classic colour, an even mid-slate with a strong sheen that carries right down to the skin. The white variety is pure white with blue eyes, while black, brown and lilac are recognised in some standards too. Whatever the colour, the coat should be uniform, dense and bright, with the gloss that gives the breed much of its appeal. At around 4 cm, the coat sits noticeably longer than that of most ordinary rabbits.

The Beveren is known for an even, unflappable temperament. It is gentle and biddable, and once it trusts the people around it, it generally tolerates handling well. At the same time it stays alert and inquisitive, often investigating new objects and exploring its surroundings without much hesitation.

Handled calmly and often by family members, a Beveren tends to grow confident and sociable. Given its size, children should always be supervised and shown how to support the whole body rather than lift the rabbit by its ears or the scruff of its neck. A Beveren may be wary of strangers at first but is rarely aggressive. Neutered pairs introduced gradually can live together happily; as with most rabbits, unneutered animals of the same sex are prone to fighting.

Day-to-day care revolves around a clean enclosure, fresh food and water, and time out of the cage to move about. The thick coat needs regular attention to stay glossy and free of tangles, and the rabbit's size means it needs more room and exercise than a smaller breed.

Grooming

• Brush once a week, more often during a moult, to clear loose hair
• Check claws every few weeks and trim them once they grow long
• Look over the ears and rear end regularly to keep them clean
• Skip baths and spot-clean instead, since a full bath is stressful for a rabbit

Exercise

• Allow at least three to four hours of supervised time out of the enclosure each day
• Set up a secure exercise pen or a rabbit-proofed room
• Offer tunnels, boxes and chew toys to keep the rabbit occupied
• Provide a roomy enclosure so it can stretch out and hop about indoors

Environment

Keep the Beveren somewhere free of draughts with a steady temperature. Rabbits cope badly with heat, so keep them out of direct summer sun and make sure there is shade and airflow. A quiet, predictable setting suits the breed and helps keep stress down.

Hay forms the backbone of a rabbit's diet and should make up the great majority of what a Beveren eats. Unlimited grass hay, such as timothy or meadow hay, supports digestion and wears down teeth that never stop growing. Pellets and fresh greens add nutrients but should be measured out rather than left freely available, particularly for a large breed that can put on weight easily.

Treats and extras

Offer small amounts of safe leafy greens each day, such as romaine, herbs and dandelion leaves. Give fruit and root vegetables only as occasional treats, cut into small pieces, because of their sugar content. A healthy rabbit eating good hay and a balanced diet rarely needs supplements; fresh water should always be on hand in a bottle or a heavy bowl.

The Beveren is considered a hardy breed and, with good care, typically lives 5 to 8 years. Most health problems it faces are the ones common to all rabbits rather than anything specific to the breed. Watching eating habits, droppings and behaviour each day remains the most reliable way to spot trouble early.

Preventive care

• Provide unlimited hay to keep teeth and gut working properly
• Check the rear daily in warm weather to head off flystrike
• Keep vaccinations up to date where myxomatosis and RHD (rabbit haemorrhagic disease) vaccines are available
• Book an annual check-up with a vet experienced in treating rabbits
• Neuter to lower the risk of reproductive cancers and improve behaviour

Because the Beveren is a large rabbit, its housing needs to be bigger than the standard hutch sold for small breeds. The enclosure should let it lie fully stretched out, stand up on its hind legs and take several hops without hitting the sides. Pair the main enclosure with a secure run for daily exercise.

Setting up the hutch

• A large, solid-floored enclosure with deep, absorbent bedding
• A litter tray placed in whichever corner the rabbit chooses
• A hay rack or pile kept topped up at all times
• A water bottle or heavy bowl checked and refilled daily
• A hide or covered box to retreat to for security
• Chew toys and tunnels for enrichment

A Beveren reaches breeding maturity within a few months, though large breeds are usually left to finish growing before being bred from. The doe comes into season on a fairly continuous cycle rather than at a fixed time of year. Gestation lasts about a month after mating, and the doe builds a nest from hay and her own fur shortly before kindling.

Litters tend to be medium to large. The kits are born blind and without fur, and rely entirely on the doe in their first days. Their eyes open at around ten days old, and over the following weeks they begin to leave the nest and nibble solid food. Weaning is usually finished by six to eight weeks. Give the doe a quiet nesting box, extra food and as little disturbance as possible during this time. Breeding should always be undertaken responsibly, with proper attention to health, temperament and finding homes for the litter.