Blanc De Hotot Rabbit
Information and History:
The Blanc de Hotot is a larger, commercial-typed version of the familiar Dwarf Hotot, and though now less common, the Blanc de Hotot did indeed come first. The Blanc de Hotot is a six-class breed weighing 8 to 11 pounds as adults. The fur is a rollback, with extra long guard hairs that gives the coat a unusual frosty sheen. At least, the standard calls for a frosty sheen, but in an effort to improve the body type, the Hotot has been crossed to other breeds, and the unique frostiness is hardly to be found. Show quality Blanc de Hotots are white all over, except for their very dark brown eyes and narrow black “eyeglasses,” black eyelids, and black eye lashes. In comparison, Dwarf Hotots weigh only about 3 pounds and lack the frosty sheen to the fur. Both breeds throw mismarked “sports” in the litters. Sports of the Dwarf Hotot are usually sold as pets, but sports from the larger breed are useful for meat as well.
The name “Blanc de Hotot” means “White of Hotot” and refers to the region in France where the breed was developed. “Hotot” is correctly pronounced “oh-toe,” but in America you will hear it more often said “hoe-toe.” The breed was originally recognized by the ARBA under its current name, but in the 1986 Standard of Perfection, the name was, for unknown reasons, printed as just “Hotot.” The “Blanc de” part was forgotten by most breeders, who started informally calling them Standard or Large Hotots. However, Bob Whitman, the man who first brought this breed to the United States, championed the name change back to the original in 2006.
The Blanc de Hotot was developed in the early 1900’s by a French baroness named Madame Eugenie Bernhardt. Her purpose was to produce a white rabbit with black eyes for show, meat, and pelts. She resolved to work only with Geant Papillion Francais (Checkered Giants) and by rigorous selection remove the markings one by one. She worked on her project for almost 20 years before she was willing to show the result publicly, and was almost entirely successful in her goal; she just could never entirely eradicate the black eye circles. The breed spread through several European countries. Swiss breeders are credited with first appreciating the black “eyeliner” and selecting for it. Today the Blanc de Hotot is considered “threatened” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, for its small population both in the United States and abroad.
Feeding and Watering:
Feeding your rabbits is easy. You need to get fresh feed, that’s a good quality. Good quality rabbit feed should have 16% to 18% protein and have a minimum of 16% fiber, and for small breeds you might want at least 3% fat. Always look at the pellets when you buy the feed, it should be green and smell fresh, make sure it has no mold on it. It shouldn't look dried out or stale. Spoiled rabbit feed, can cause your rabbit to get sick.
I buy my feed from PenPals and Purina Feed dealers. I recommend buying feed in 50lb bags, it will be the most cost effective way. Buy only what you can use up within 6 months or less timeframe so it doesn’t go stale. How much you feed your rabbit depends on a few things. I generally let my babies eat as much as they like, up to when they are 4 months old. After that a common guideline is 1 ounce per pound of bodyweight. As a breeder I have certain weight limits for each of the breeds I raise if I want them to be able to show. I avoid excessive treats that can make them obese, but occasional treats in moderation are enjoyed.
Pregnant does or does who need milk to feed babies are able to eat as much as they want. They constantly have enough food and water in front of them to eat whatever they need. When you have young rabbits learning to eat pellets you should also give them plenty of hay too. You can also try mixing a little oats into the pellets. Also, never give rabbits under the age of 6 months any kind of greens or too much carrots, or fruits. This can give them diarrhea and make them sick. Sometimes older rabbits will get diarrhea when you give them carrots. If this happens, take the carrot away and give them some oats. When introducing new foods start slow and one at a time so you can see what your rabbit tolerates. I am currently using water bottles in my small rabbitry, but an Edstrom automatic watering system can be used. Providing a fresh clean source of water to all my rabbits, 24/7, is the goal. Rabbits need to drink lots of water to be healthy and should never be left without water. No matter how hot or cold it may be, they need water. Never let your rabbit go without water if their bottle or crock is frozen over. Give them a new one with fresh water, swap them out between days and nights.
Rabbits should have hay regularly. I usually give mine hay at least a couple times per week. Hay reduces problems with the intestines. Timothy or Brome hay is good and cheaper if you can buy it a bale at a time. Look for clean, green hay for your rabbits.
The Blanc de Hotot is a larger, commercial-typed version of the familiar Dwarf Hotot, and though now less common, the Blanc de Hotot did indeed come first. The Blanc de Hotot is a six-class breed weighing 8 to 11 pounds as adults. The fur is a rollback, with extra long guard hairs that gives the coat a unusual frosty sheen. At least, the standard calls for a frosty sheen, but in an effort to improve the body type, the Hotot has been crossed to other breeds, and the unique frostiness is hardly to be found. Show quality Blanc de Hotots are white all over, except for their very dark brown eyes and narrow black “eyeglasses,” black eyelids, and black eye lashes. In comparison, Dwarf Hotots weigh only about 3 pounds and lack the frosty sheen to the fur. Both breeds throw mismarked “sports” in the litters. Sports of the Dwarf Hotot are usually sold as pets, but sports from the larger breed are useful for meat as well.
The name “Blanc de Hotot” means “White of Hotot” and refers to the region in France where the breed was developed. “Hotot” is correctly pronounced “oh-toe,” but in America you will hear it more often said “hoe-toe.” The breed was originally recognized by the ARBA under its current name, but in the 1986 Standard of Perfection, the name was, for unknown reasons, printed as just “Hotot.” The “Blanc de” part was forgotten by most breeders, who started informally calling them Standard or Large Hotots. However, Bob Whitman, the man who first brought this breed to the United States, championed the name change back to the original in 2006.
The Blanc de Hotot was developed in the early 1900’s by a French baroness named Madame Eugenie Bernhardt. Her purpose was to produce a white rabbit with black eyes for show, meat, and pelts. She resolved to work only with Geant Papillion Francais (Checkered Giants) and by rigorous selection remove the markings one by one. She worked on her project for almost 20 years before she was willing to show the result publicly, and was almost entirely successful in her goal; she just could never entirely eradicate the black eye circles. The breed spread through several European countries. Swiss breeders are credited with first appreciating the black “eyeliner” and selecting for it. Today the Blanc de Hotot is considered “threatened” by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, for its small population both in the United States and abroad.
Feeding and Watering:
Feeding your rabbits is easy. You need to get fresh feed, that’s a good quality. Good quality rabbit feed should have 16% to 18% protein and have a minimum of 16% fiber, and for small breeds you might want at least 3% fat. Always look at the pellets when you buy the feed, it should be green and smell fresh, make sure it has no mold on it. It shouldn't look dried out or stale. Spoiled rabbit feed, can cause your rabbit to get sick.
I buy my feed from PenPals and Purina Feed dealers. I recommend buying feed in 50lb bags, it will be the most cost effective way. Buy only what you can use up within 6 months or less timeframe so it doesn’t go stale. How much you feed your rabbit depends on a few things. I generally let my babies eat as much as they like, up to when they are 4 months old. After that a common guideline is 1 ounce per pound of bodyweight. As a breeder I have certain weight limits for each of the breeds I raise if I want them to be able to show. I avoid excessive treats that can make them obese, but occasional treats in moderation are enjoyed.
Pregnant does or does who need milk to feed babies are able to eat as much as they want. They constantly have enough food and water in front of them to eat whatever they need. When you have young rabbits learning to eat pellets you should also give them plenty of hay too. You can also try mixing a little oats into the pellets. Also, never give rabbits under the age of 6 months any kind of greens or too much carrots, or fruits. This can give them diarrhea and make them sick. Sometimes older rabbits will get diarrhea when you give them carrots. If this happens, take the carrot away and give them some oats. When introducing new foods start slow and one at a time so you can see what your rabbit tolerates. I am currently using water bottles in my small rabbitry, but an Edstrom automatic watering system can be used. Providing a fresh clean source of water to all my rabbits, 24/7, is the goal. Rabbits need to drink lots of water to be healthy and should never be left without water. No matter how hot or cold it may be, they need water. Never let your rabbit go without water if their bottle or crock is frozen over. Give them a new one with fresh water, swap them out between days and nights.
Rabbits should have hay regularly. I usually give mine hay at least a couple times per week. Hay reduces problems with the intestines. Timothy or Brome hay is good and cheaper if you can buy it a bale at a time. Look for clean, green hay for your rabbits.
