The Silver Fox rabbit is a rare breed which was developed in the United States during the 1920s. It is truly a multi-purpose rabbit breed, raised for meat, fur and show. The Silver Fox rabbit was developed by Walter B. Garland of North Canton, Ohio. Walter B. Garland developed this breed after 14 years of selective breeding.
And it was the third breed of rabbit to be developed in the United States. Silver Fox rabbit was developed from Checkered Giants and English Silvers, and was originally known as American Heavyweight Silver.
The breed was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1925 at the Colorado Springs Convention. And the name was changed to Silver Fox in 1929. Silver Fox rabbit breed has always been recognized in two varieties, which are Blue and Black.
But during the 1970s, the Blues were dropped from the American Rabbit Breeders Association standards due to lack of numbers being shown. In the year of 1971, the National Silver Fox Rabbit Club was founded with 18 Silver Fox breeders as members who wanted to promote and conserve the breed.
Today the Silver Fox rabbit is considered a rare breed and is considered critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
Silver Fox Rabbit Characteristics
The Silver Fox is a large breed of rabbit. The breed was named for it’s dense fur which has white ticking and closely resembles the pelt of the Silver Fox.
The fur of these rabbits is unique in that it is longer than what is commonly seen in domestic rabbit breeds. And does not flyback when stroked back from tail to head, it stands on end until stroked back into place. According to the American Rabbit Breeders Association’s standard, the fur of the Silver Fox rabbit is not to be less than 1 and a 1/2 inches in length.
Only the Black variety of this breed can be shown currently, but they also come in a variety of colors. Such as Blue, Black, Chocolate, Lilac and more uncommon variety of White. The Silver Fox is a beautiful rabbit breed and it stands apart from other breeds. A high ratio of muscle to bone makes these rabbits a popular meat breed.
Most often the kits are born either solid black or blue, with the trademark silvering making an appearance at about 6 weeks of age and taking around four months to become fully silvered. It is a pretty large rabbit breed.
Average body weight of these rabbits is between 4 and 5.5 kg. Photo from Wikipedia.
Uses
Silver Fox is a multi-purpose rabbit breed. It is raised for meat and fur production. And very good as pets and show animal. The breed is also very suitable for commercial rabbit farming business.
Special Notes
The Silver Fox rabbits are known to be very friendly. They enjoy attention, handling and are easy to pose. They are a striking, yet a gentle breed of rabbit which makes it an excellent choice as a companion animal.
Despite the large size, these rabbits are also docile and therefore relatively straightforward to handle. Their very good temperament also makes them an ideal choice for showing. They make excellent pets if handled properly. They need sufficient space to have regular exercise.
The does have large litters and produce plenty of milk. And the does are also excellent mothers and even make wonderful foster mothers. The average lifespan of these rabbits is about 7-10 years and sometimes more. However, review full breed profile of this rabbit breed in the chart below.
| Breed Name | Silver Fox |
| Other Name | American Heavyweight Silver |
| Breed Purpose | Meat and fur. Also good as pets and show animal. |
| Breed Size | Large |
| Weight | Average body weight is between 4 and 5.5 kg |
| Suitable for Commercial Production | Yes |
| Good as Pets | Yes |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates |
| Color Varieties | Only the Black Silver Fox rabbits can be shown currently, but they also come in a variety of colors. Such as Blue, Black, Chocolate, Lilac and more uncommon variety of White. |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Country of Origin | United States |
Hi, do you sell silverfox rabbits? If so, can they be bought at 10 weeks of age?