My daughters show sheep but one has decided she wants to try something new, she decided to show a rabbit. After looking at several different pictures of rabbits, of course she would pick one I am having a hard time finding,a Dwarf Hotot..Someone had told me all Dwarfs are mean. Can anyone who has Dwarf Hotot's tell me what kind of experience they have had with them please? I would like to find out all I can about them before I continue to search for them. Thank you!
I'm rather new here, and know you may have stopped looking, found info or chose something different, but I have a dwarf hotot rabbit and he is very sweet and calm. My son's friends father raises them and they gave my 7 year old daughter one. As I do not have more than one and he's alone in his hutch :Bawling: I'm not sure how he would be with other bunnies, but he's great with the kids.
All dwarfs are mean? Bah! Some strains of rabbits are high strung and scared of everything, so they are aggressive. This shows up more frequently in dwarfs, particularly Netherland Dwarfs, but that doesn't mean that all dwarfs are mean! When you look for a bunny meet the breeder's rabbits. If the lots of bunnies are aggressive (and you'll know as soon as your hand is in the cage!), then find a different breeder. Remember that does with litters will be a little more touchy. I know finding a dwarf hotot breeder is difficult, so if you're looking at websites try and find a breeder that has 20-30 bunnies and treats them like pets. One breeder I bought a Jersey Wooly from had Woolies, Netherlands and Dwarf Hotot's, about 15 of each and they did exceptionaly well in shows and were incredibly sweet. http://www.adhrc.com/ <--- email these folks and they'll give you a list of breeders. Also, look for a buck. They spray but they are usually 100 x sweeter and more personable then a doe!
Some breeders are now selecting for good temperament in addition to show or production qualities, so be sure to ask the breeder. I would second the advice to get a bunny from a breeder with a smaller herd, especially if the rabbit is intended for a child. Be sure to explain to the breeder exactly what you are looking for in a rabbit so that they can pair your child with the best match. If you can visit the rabbitry and see the animal in it's home environment, so much the better. (Some breeders do maintain closed rabbitries because of the dangers of disease.) Yes, I'd suggest a male also...my boys are nearly always sweeter than the girls and I've got quite a few rabbits.
