For those with limited space, time, and/or financial resources, raising rabbits can be a great way to participate in the preservation of heritage livestock breeds. A pair of Silver Fox rabbits take up only a few square feet of space in your backyard or garage, make great pets, are relatively odorless, generate amazing fertilizer for your flower beds or garden, and can produce almost 100 lbs of meat for your family in one year!
We raise the Silver Fox rabbit. The Silver Fox is the third rabbit breed developed in the United States, created by Walter B. Garland of North Canton, Ohio in the 1920’s. Meant to be multi-purpose, Silver Fox are known for both their meat and fur. A large breed, does reach 12 pounds and bucks weigh up to 11 pounds at maturity.
Silver Fox are known to be excellent mothers, have large litters, produce plenty of milk, and make wonderful foster moms. Strikingly beautiful, the fur is one of the most attractive and unusual features of the breed. It is extremely dense and almost 2 inches in length. When the fur is stroked from tail to head, it will stand straight up until stroked in the opposite direction. This trait is found in no other breed and greatly resembles the pelt of the silver fox of the Artic.
The young are born either solid black or blue and begin to show silvering of their fur at about 4 weeks. The silvering process takes 4 months to complete. Silver Fox are known for their docile nature and have been dubbed the “Teddy Bear” of the commercial type.
They are easy to handle and they like attention. They seem to adapt to any climate and sudden changes in temperatures doe not appear to bother them. Silver Foxes make great show animals for children and novice exhibitors.
However, even with all of these wonderful traits, until relatively recently the Silver Fox teetered on the verge of extinction. The decline of the fur industry and the commercial rabbit industry’s preference for a solid-white rabbit almost dealt the breed a fatal blow. Thankfully, a small group of fanciers stepped in to revitalize the breed and numbers have started to increase.
Unfortunately, though, the breed’s genetic heritage is more endangered than ever, as folks have begun crossing the Silver Fox with other rabbit breeds to produce additional color varieties. These crosses are eroding the distinctive genetic contribution and historical value of the breed.
Please consider joining us in these efforts! Conservators of the “heritage” Silver Fox are desperately needed. Our foundation stock is out of top show lines-- these are not your average bunnies! Pet-quality babies -$25 w/out pedigree. Young show and breeding prospects- $50+ with pedigree. Occasionally, we also have show or breeding quality adults available. We are pleased to offer a 10% discount for 4H'ers on show-quality bunnies.
RoundAbout Silver Fox Rabbits >
If you are a frustrated farmer trapped in the middle of the city or stuck out in suburbia, raising rabbits can be a great first step towards your dream of farm-living and being more self-sustaining. In other words, rabbits are like the gateway drug for farming!
Here at RoundAbout, we specialize in "heritage" Silver Fox rabbits, meaning that our breeding stock has no known outcrosses to other breeds. Preserving the "heritage" Silver Fox is important to ensure that the genetic heritage of this important breed is maintained, as well as the wonderful breed characteristics they are known to possess.