Chinchilla RabbitsChinchilla Rabbits - Learn about the history and description of Standard, American, Gigantas and Giant Chinchilla rabbits. And the French farmer in whose hutch this beautiful rabbit was born was suddenly a rich man. Well, okay, we don’t know his finances for a fact since he lived in the late 1800’s through the very early 1900's, but we do know that chinchilla-colored rabbits flew out of the hands of le Bonhomme Chinchilla, his nickname on the quays of the Marche aux Oiseaux in Paris where he hawked his rabbits. Parisians were enchanted with these exotic rabbits whose coats looked like South American chinchillas. Apparently, some Frenchmen had never been to Paris to see these remarkable rabbits, for the ‘official’ history lists Monsieur Dybowski, a French engineer and rabbit breeder, as the creator of the Chinchilla rabbit. Well, okay, we'll accept that, but just know that the chinchilla fur color without a doubt predates Monsieur Dybowski. Mr. Dybowski put together a blue Beveren doe with a chestnut agouti buck - a local French farm rabbit of no particular bloodline - and voila, he got a chinchilla-colored rabbit. The quality of the fur on these first chinchillas was lousy, so various breeds were introduced to improve the density and pearl-white ring color under the jet-black tipping. 1913 was when chinchillas were first shown in France, and in 1914, Mr. Dybowski’s chins took top honors at the national show. Chinchillas were all the rage in Europe. They arrived in the UK in 1917 and in the United States in 1919, creating a new storm of interest just as the Belgian Hare Boom was waning. They were recognized under the name 'Chinchilla Rabbit' in 1924, in the USA, however as larger chinchilla breeds were developed, the Chinchilla became known as the Standard Chinchilla. While we can't be sure about the number of francs in the pocket of the old Frenchman Le Bonhomme Chinchilla, we do know that rabbits, including Chinchillas, did enrich at least one man. The late Mr. Edward H. Stahl has the distinction of making a million dollars from his rabbits, including Chinchilla Rabbits and Giant Chinchillas, which he helped create. When the fur industry took a hit due to WWII, interest in chinchillas began to wane. Two of the breeds below, the American Chin and the Giant Chin, are listed with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy under 'critically endangered,' and 'watch,' respectively. Chinchilla Rabbit BreedsStandard ChinchillaStandard Chinchillas weigh up to 7 ½ pounds in the USA. Maximum adult weight in the UK is 6.73 lb (3.060 kg). They are a medium-small breed. The chinchilla hair shaft is an agouti one, having several rings:
Visit the national Standard Chinchilla club (USA) In 1924, the American Chinchilla was recognized under the name, American Heavyweight Chinchilla. American Chinchilla rabbits weigh between 9-12 pounds and carry a commercial body type and typical chinchilla color. Visit the national American Chinchilla club (USA) The American Chinchilla is now listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). Chinchilla Giganta Giant Chinchilla Giant Chinchillas were recognized by the ARBA in 1928. Today the Giant Chinchilla is heavy boned and long bodied, with commercial value being a prime consideration. Their maximum weight is listed as 16 pounds (does). Visit the national Giant Chinchilla club (USA) Giant Chinchillas are included on the "Watch" list of the ALBC, as their numbers have been dwindling. Go from Chinchilla Rabbits to Rabbit Breeds New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
Somewhere in the fog-shrouded past of French bunny-history a kit was born to wild agouti colored rabbits, but it was missing half its color. In every other way it looked exactly like its litter-mates - lush, black and white-tipped fur, but instead of the rufus red or tan sheen underneath the dark tipping that gives chestnut agoutis their wild-rabbit coloring, a silvery pearl glint glowed within the fur of this strange but fascinating young rabbit.
