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Selecting the breed of rabbit you wish to keep is the first thing that should be done. From that one can then decide on what housing would be the most suitable for that breed and also what needs and wants it requires. Do you want a single rabbit or are you considering housing several and even to the point of then breeding and showing. All these aspects have to be considered before any decision is taken.

The Rabbit Fancy has four sections within it from which to chose the breed you prefer.

The Lop section covers ALL Lop breeds, ranging from the small Mini Lop to the oldest breed of all, the English Lop. This section covers a wide range of colours and sizes to attract anyone into this section.

The Fancy section covers a range of rabbits that diversify in size, shape and colour more than any of the other sections. The Netherland Dwarf and the Polish are the smallest in this section, both coming in various colours and patterns. Most of the breeds within this section do have a choice of

colour to appeal but also some rabbits within this section do need more specialist care than others. The Angora, the Swiss Fox all need extra special care for their fur, as all have long hair, making grooming a bigger part of their make up than some other breeds.

The Fur section generally contains the larger breed of rabbit, so housing becomes an important issue for this section. The British Giant can weigh up to 20lb so space and housing is a requisite, but within this section you will find the qualities of the fur very appealing.

The Rex section is more uniform than the other sections in that all , bar The Mini Rex, are the same shape and size. All carry the exquisite coat properties that are synonymous with this breed and come

in various colours and patterns . Look at the different breeds and colours and decide which you fancy most. If possible visit some studs in the area that have your breed. You may be able to pick up several tips by observation. Once that decision is made you can go home and plan your rabbitry.

Rare Varieties section contains new breeds and rare breeds.

Fancy: Dutch Tri - Coloured, Giant Papillon, Rhinelander, Thrianta.

Lop: Meissner

Fur: Beige, Blanc de Bouscat, Blance de Hotot, Blanc de Termonde, Deillenaar, Golden Clavcot, Hulstlander, Perflee, Pointed Beveren, Sallander, Squirrel, Sussex, Swiss Fox, Thuringer, Vienna Coloured, Vienna White, Wheaten, Wheaten Lynx

A District Advisor can be a big help here. You will need to decide the size of cages and begin either to build them or buy them. Remember you will need a few bigger cages as breeding pens. you will need to ascertain local availability of shavings, hay, straw, feed and disposal of waste.

Once that is done, you can start to find the stock for the breed you have decided upon.