Dwarf Hotot Rabbit – information and facts about the Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Breed. Learn more about Dwarf Hotot Rabbits in this article. Breed photos are included.
The main feature of a Dwarf Hotot (pronounced as “Oh-Toe” or sometimes “Hoe-Toe”) is its white coating, with a remarkable circle of another color in each of the eyes. They actually quite resemble the pandas in the facial aspect. This characteristic is what distinguishes it in a set of rabbits.
These dwarf rabbits hold the title for being the ‘Eyes of the Fancy’. They capture not just the eyes of the onlookers, but also the hearts. Their small size adds to their overall charm.
Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Facts
1. History
Dwarf Hotots belong to the modern rabbits. The American Rabbit Breeders Association has just recognized the breed in the year 1984. The Dwarf Hotots have a strong following, which continues to expand. However, it’s also worth noting that the Dwarf Hotots are not among the most popular rabbit breeds. And this is where we unveil the rich history behind the rabbit’s development.
The Dwarf Hotot is actually the dwarfed version of Blanc de Hotot, which is actually much larger in size. In the early 1900s, the Blance de Hotots were produced as part of an effort to produced a black-eyed white rabbit for meat and fur. During this generation, large rabbits are preferred because of the commercial value attached to them. Later on, the large rabbits came out of fashion and people, most especially the rabbit breeders, preferred the smaller rabbit breeds.
The decade of 1970s has a big role in the development of the Dwarf Hotot. During these years, two breeders, one in East Germany and another in West Germany, started working on Dwarf Hotot, without the knowledge of one another. They both worked independently to develop this breed that we have today. One of them crossed a REW Netherland Dwarf to a Blanc de Hotot. The other rabbit breeder, on the other hand, didn’t use a standard Hotot at all, and instead just crossed a black Netherland Dwarf to a Dutch rabbit. He then developed the resulting offspring by removing some of the markings in the succeeding breedings, until only the eyebands remained. With these two strains that came from these two breeders, a well-developed Dwarf Hotot was produced.
In the year 1980, the first wave of importation happened. Elizabeth Forstinger, a resident of California, brought seven rabbits from the breeding line from West Germany to the United States. In the year 1981, she stated showing the Dwarf Hotots. And in the following year, 1982, the American Rabbit Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club (ADHRC) was organized. Just a year after, with the club’s efforts, the breed was recognized by the American Rabbit Breeder’s Association.
2. Characteristics and Appearance
Dwarf Hotots, as the name suggests, are too small to be of commercial value. Indeed, their maximum size is just 3 pounds for showing. However, they can have a weight ranging from 2.25 to 3.5 pounds.
Dwarf Hotots have a compact body type, quite similar to that of a Polish. The shoulders of Dwarf Hotots are supposed to be as wide as their hips, and ideally should not show any tape.
Their bold and broad heads are round. When compared with the Netherland Dwarf, their heads are not as high on the shoulders. However, their heads should not rest on the table as well. Their necks are not visible.
The Dwarf Hotot’s ears are carried in an upright V shape. When this length exceeds 2 ¾ inches in length, they will be disqualified, if not faulted.
Their eyes are encircled with colored fur narrow bands. The width of the eyeband is ideally equal to the thickness of two pennies. These bands of colors are even all around the eye area. Weak or streaky eyebands could cause demerit for these Hotots. These interesting eyebands make them look like they are wearing mascara.
They have a gentle rollback coat. These coatings are short, dense and shiny. An average Dwarf Hotot has a life span between 7 up to 10 years. Due to their little size, they can produce a litter made up of only 2-4 bunnies.
3. Personality, Traits and Purpose
The Dwarf Hotots are great pets. However, they cannot be shown.
These small rabbits can be outgoing and sometimes moody. But for most times, they are generally friendly and are well suited for pets. They are affectionate and playful.
They give additional advantages to their owners because of their small size, which suggests that they don’t need big cages. They can also be easily held in the hands, making them wonderful options for the children. This breed loves attention. And that’s precisely the reason why when the owner show interest to them, they can also return their affection by hopping around their owner’s lap, among many other things. One has to be careful when opening a Dwarf Hotot’s cage because they easily get excited and would jump out of eagerness.
When alone, they can just play with themselves. They normally run from one end of the cage to another. It’s their way of entertaining themselves. And they love toys too!
For many years, ARBA recognized only one variety – the white Dwarf Hotot with the black eyebands. However, in the year 2006, the organization accepted another variety – the chocolate banded Dwarf Hotots.
These two varieties were then shown together. Their colors need to be specified in the registration forms in rabbit shows for clarity purposes. Under development is the blue-band Dwarf Hotots. This new breed is yet to be recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
There’s a lot more to unveil about Dwarf Hotots. And it takes having one as pet to get to know more about this beautiful breed. They may be small in size. But they have all the energy that will surely entertain its owners.