Learn more about the Polish Rabbit Breed. Discover cool facts, pictures, resources and find information about caring for Polish Rabbits.
This rabbit breed information page is part of our rabbit breeds article series.
Polish Rabbit Resource Links: Free Rabbit Breeders Newsletter | Polish Rabbit Breed Info | Polish Rabbit Information and History | Polish Rabbit Care | Polish Rabbit Resources
Polish Rabbit Breed Info
Recognized colors: Black, blue, chocolate, broken, REW, BEW.
Size: Maximum weight of 3 ½ pounds
National Specialty Club:
www.americanpolishrabbitclub.com
Polish Rabbit Breed Photo Credit:
www.americanpolishrabbitclub.com
Polish Rabbit Information and History
Small rabbits are very popular choices for show and pet stock. There are a number of very small breeds recognized by the ARBA, all less than 4 pounds in weight. The Polish was the first of these breeds, and almost all others stemmed from it.
Polish have compact body type, posed with the head low to the table, more like a Mini Rex than a Netherland Dwarf. The body should be short, deep, and round from the side and top views. There should be a definite taper from the hips to the shoulders when looking at the rabbit from the top. The taper distinguishes it from the Dwarf, because a Netherland Dwarf’s shoulders should be as wide as the hindquarters. The head should not be round from all directions, and the face never flattened like a Netherland Dwarf’s. Rather, the Polish head should be wide between the eyes, but taper to a slightly narrower muzzle, while still being short with full cheeks. The ears should be thick, well-furred, and erect, touching each other all the way to the tips. The eyes should be very large and bold. Coat is supposed to be a flyback, though many Polish have longer fur approaching a rollback. They are currently recognized in six colors, but lilac and Himalayan also occur.
When judging the Polish, it’s important to remember that while there are 75 points out of 100 in the standard on general type, only 25 of those are allotted to the body. Head, ear, and eye are each worth 15 points, making the “front end” package almost twice as important as body type, at least in theory. In “real life,” breeders and judges consider body type just as much or more than head/ear/eye when evaluating the Polish. Perhaps this is because proper head/ear/eye has been fairly well fixed in the top quality animals, so the main differences between them are in the body type and fur.
The first Polish may have been albino sports from Dutch. In the later 1800’s, a number of red-eyed white rabbits of small size and probably mixed origin occurred in England. Eventually breeders started calling them “Polish,” for what reason, no one knows. Polish were brought to America in the early stages of the rabbit fancy, and for many years “Pollies” and Himalayans were the only very small breeds. In the mid-20th century, the Polish breed in Holland evolved into the Netherland Dwarf, and other dwarf breeds quickly followed.
Polish are popular as 4-H projects and show animals for people who want to raise a small breed that is not quite as common as the Dwarf or Holland Lop. The type and temperament varies quite a bit from one end of the country to the other.
Polish Rabbit Care
Here is a list of resources to help you care for your polish rabbits…
- How to Raise Rabbits – information and resources on the subject of raising rabbits
- Breeding Rabbits – learn more about how to breed rabbits for show, meat or profit
- Rabbit Supplies for Sale – find rabbit supplies for sale
- Feeding Rabbits – information and resources on the topic of feeding your rabbits
- Rabbit Health – learn more about rabbit health and care
Polish Rabbit Resources
Here is a listing of polish rabbit resources to help you out with your rabbit project…
- Rabbit Breeders Newsletter – be sure to claim your free subscription to our rabbit breeders newsletter in order to start receiving free rabbit information and resources via email
- Polish Rabbits for Sale – use our rabbit classifieds to find polish rabbits for sale
- Polish Rabbit Breeders – locate polish rabbit breeders using our huge rabbit breeders directory
Have comments or questions regarding this polish rabbit breed page? Feel free to ask us on our Rabbit Breeders Facebook Page. Also be sure to click the “like” button below if you found this rabbit breed information page useful.