Last Updated on February 6, 2023 by Admin
Harlequin rabbits are a breed of rabbits known for their unique appearance. They have a white base coat with large irregular patches of different colors ranging from blue, black, chocolate, or lilac. The patches are situated on the rabbit’s ears, face, and legs and usually have a jagged appearance. Keep reading to learn more about harlequin rabbits’ physical characteristics and overall look.
Physical characteristics
Harlequin rabbits typically weigh between 6.5 and 9.5 pounds, making them a medium-sized breed. They have compact and muscular bodies with strong hind legs and wide chests. In other words, they have good bone structure and musculature. Harlequins have short smooth fur that comes in various colors and patterns as mentioned above. This particular breed also has a medium-sized head, strong jaws, and a fully developed muzzle. Lastly, harlequins have short upright ears that are wide and thick.
Color patterns
The harlequin bunny has a unique color pattern which consists of a white base coat with irregular patches of secondary colors. Some of the common secondary ones include black, blue, chocolate, and lilac.
To be specific, the Harlequin color patterns are categorized into two main variations. They are the magpie and Japanese harlequin patterns. The magpie pattern has a white primary color with either black, blue, chocolate, or lilac as the secondary color. On the other hand, the Japanese harlequin pattern has an orange primary coat color with either black, blue, chocolate, or lilac as their secondary color. It’s worth pointing out that a harlequin rabbit’s color pattern will fully develop when they’re between 8 to 9 weeks old.
American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Standardized breed characteristics
According to the ARBA standard, harlequins need to have a symmetrical body that’s well balanced with a smooth level topline rounded hindquarter. In terms of the harlequin’s color, the secondary colors which are black, blue, chocolate, and lilac should be evenly distributed over the rabbit’s body.
Harlequin rabbits as show animals
In order for a harlequin to participate in a rabbit show or competition, it first needs to be registered with a recognized rabbit breeder’s association and should meet the breed standard as mentioned earlier. Show harlequin bunnies are essentially judged based on their coat quality and overall conformation. In order to get the best quality show rabbit, breeders selectively breed rabbits to improve their overall appearance.
