Weird fur?

[Ivory]

I've always been curious about Erik's fur. He has very unique fur. Every Netherland Dwarf/Netherland Dwarf mix I've ever seen has coarser hair than Erik. (I don't know the standards for ND's hair.) Even the black ones, that tend to be a little sleeker-looking/feeling, don't have fur like Erik.

Erik's hair is extremely dense and thick. It's also the softest I've ever touched with the exception of a Rex. When I first picked out little bunnies, he and his effervescent little black coat stood out among the other little bunnies, even the black ones.

The fur is also shinier than other bunnies I've seen. When he isn't shedding like a madbunny, it actually has this interesting depth to it that I haven't seen in other bunnies's fur. The color is generally unlike other black bunnies's color. It has absolutely no dullness in it. Really, it's very uniquely shiney, at least among the bunnies I've met.

So, anyone know what could possible factors in giving Erik his interesting fur? I've never seen a Satin, maybe he's a little mix. I've always assumed that he has Netherland Dwarf in him. He's about four and a half pounds, (and slightly tubby, should probably be about four pounds...) and has a round head like a ND.

Any pictures I need to take that would possibly help?

Thank you for satisfying my curiosity! Lol.

 

[polly]

well netherlands usually weigh 2 1/2 pounds unless kinda overweight so personally i would be thinking he is a bit of a mix to be that weight (well for uk standards)

Netherlands have a rollback coat meaning if you stroke it the wrong way it will roll back into place the hair should also be short, soft and dense. Over here the blacks and blues in particular have a very shiny sleek coat and the agoutis have a more coarse fur. To me I find the hairs slightly thicker than lops or rex. (they seem to bother me like i am allergic a bit when moulting wheras the nethies never bother me!)

Pics might help to get a better look or a video of you stroking the coat the wrong way so we can see how it reacts

 

[Little Bay Poo]

It's kinda hard to tell without pictures how his fur looks. I don't have much input here because I only have Netherland Dwarfs so I'm not sure how other rabbits fur is supposed to feel. I can tell you though, that Billy has the softest fur I've ever felt. When we first got Ronnie, his fur was somewhat rough and coarse because he was dirty from being kept in the breeder's cage. Now Ronnie is an indoor bunny and super soft like Billy!

So, when you say that you've seen Netherland Dwarfs with coarser hair, I can't picture it because my bunnies are the complete opposite of that. Here's a fairly representative picture of what Billy's fur looks like:

Also, a really interesting thing I stumbled across on a breeder's website was something she calls a "Fuzzy Netherland Dwarf." It's not a Jersey Wooley. Apparently the "wool" gene was introduced into her line of Nethies to create fuller fur, and it appears in one out of every 35 or so babies to create a Netherland Dwarf with wooley fur. Here's a link:

http://www.syracuse-rabbit.com/Orange_Fuzzy_menu.htm


Anywho...post some pictures of Erik so we can see how cute he is and get a look at his unique fur! :biggrin2:

 

[Ivory]

Lol, all the little ND's I've ever touched have had really soft fur so I guess I should say that the individual hairs are thicker rather than coarser.

And yes, I also think he's a mix, I just think he has some ND in him.

I could take a vid of me petting him the wrong way, but he has random bald spots right now, as he's molting like a madbunny and hair is randomly flying out all over the place.

Here's a picturebut it ain't very clear. I can take some with my new and improved camera but like I said...he looks very patchy right now...

 

[polly]

aw Ivory he really is lovely. he is def. nethie in there maybe just not carrying the dwarfing gene which is why he is heavier. DOnt worry about the pics tho when they are moulting the roll back doesnt work so well lol.

The courser furs are much thicker LBP mine are like cuddly teddies lol we introduce dutch and german nethies to thivken the coats up on our nethies over here too. SO they aren't as thin. My Dennis is from germany also his son Opi has a lovely thick coat and I have an agouti buck at the moment with a beautiful coat (he has pics in the rabbitry somewhere) you have to feel them all to notice the difference!!

 

[BlueGiants]

Based on his weight and his fur density, I would guess he could be a ND cross with a Mini Rex. His fur is longer like the ND with guard hairs, but with the density and shedding patterns of a Mini Rex. But such a handsome boy!

 

[Ivory]

I was thinking that as well, but I would have thought that the Rex would show up in his head.

 

[BlueGiants]

Yeah, but sincesome ND's was used years ago to make the Rex smaller (to be a MINI Rex), You can still see ND heads out of Mini Rex breedings/crosses.

 

[Ivory]

That would make sense. He *does* molt exactly like a Rex, in the same weird patterns.

It's a pretty combination at any rate. And Little Bay Poo, that bunnie is absolutely precious.

 

[pamnock]

I have some Dwarf Hotot x Mini Rex crosses that look identical to him. They have rather dense coats also.

Pam