Blanc De Hotot Rabbits

Learn more about the Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Breed. Discover cool facts, pictures, resources and find information about caring for Blanc De Hotot Rabbits.

This rabbit breed information page is part of our rabbit breeds article series.

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Resource Links: Free Rabbit Breeders Newsletter | Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Breed Info | Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Information and History | Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Care | Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Resources

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Breed Info

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit BreedRecognized colors: one standard color.

Size: 8-11 pounds.

National Specialty Club: hrbi.org

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Breed Photo Credit: mysmelly.com
 

 

 

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.

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Care

Here is a list of resources to help you care for your blanc de hotot rabbits…

Blanc De Hotot Rabbit Resources

Here is a listing of blanc de hotot rabbit resources to help you out with your rabbit project…

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