How do you define ears?

[Leaf]

Silly question maybe, but are there terms for ear types?

All I can figure are lop, standing and short standing....

Genelle is a mix and she has regular ears.

Onion is a New Zealand mix and has big standing ears.

Ansel is a Hotot and has small standing ears.

Ibimi is a dutch and she just has... dutch ears.

Surely there is a better way to define ear types?

 

[BlueGiants]

No such thing as a silly question!

The only broad definitions I've seen are Lop and Upright... but within each breed are descriptions of Disqualifications and Shape... including length, width, position on head, position held, fur covering, etc.

Flemish ears have to be 6" long or more (Seniors and Intermediates), thick with aheavy ear base. Mini Rex have to be LESS than 3 1/2" and can't have flanges. Dutch don't have a specific length, but have to be in proportion, well furred and properly colored. And when you get into the lops, they get very specific... on width, length, etc.

Each breed is very exact as to what constitutes a DQ: Too thin, too wide, too short, too long, scissored (criss-crossing), wrong color, etc. So for more info on each breed, you'd need to look at the Standard of Perfection by ARBA.

 

[pamnock]

For judging purposes in America, desired ear carriages fall under 3 categories: Erect (close or wide), Lopped and "V"carried (close or wide), (Beveren, English Angora, Giant Angora, Blanc de Hotot, Harlequin & Rhinelander)

As BlueGiants explained, there are various ear faults depending on breed. Bell ears (turning over at the tip) arealso afault in rabbits. Substance of the ear (thickness) also varies by breed. For example, a thick ear is desirable in Netherland Dwarfs, while a Belgian Hare has a very thin ear.

All rabbits have ear flanges (external rib of ear). In the Mini Rex, it is undesirable to have a wide open ear with the flanges showing.

Pam

 

[Leaf]

Thank you guys!