Fun Facts on Semi-Arched Rabbits

Rabbit lovers and breeders distinguish different rabbits according to their size, ear carriage, markings, fur type and color and body type. Domestic breeds fall into five categories of body types, including compact, commercial, cylindrical, full arch and semi-arch.

  1. Professional Pose

    • A semi-arched rabbit posed for professional showing actually appears partially reclined. With its head and shoulders low on the posing table, its body doesn't rise until after the shoulders, arching to its highest point at the animal's hindquarters before angling sharply downward toward the tail. For shows, the semi-arched rabbit's forelegs and hocks should be flat on the table, with front feet lined up with the animal's eyes and back feet lined up with its "knees," the points of its hips.

    Mandolin Shaped

    • The silhouette of a semi-arched rabbit in its natural resting pose resembles the shape of a mandolin.

      Due to the overall shape of their natural posture in silhouette, semi-arched rabbits have been nicknamed "mandolin" rabbits. Arching high over the haunches like the rounded body of the mandolin instrument, the rabbit's body gracefully slopes down toward the longer, low line of shoulder and head --- the narrow neck of the "mandolin."

    Quintet

    • Five breeds are considered semi-arched rabbits: American, Beveren, English Lop, Flemish Giant and Giant Chinchilla. For comparison's sake, the compact and commercial body types are the largest categories with more than a dozen breeds included in each; the full-arch category includes six breeds and the cylindrical includes only the Himalayan breed.

    Gentle Giants

    • Rabbits with semi-arched body types tend to be larger and more relaxed than their smaller cousins. Considered for showing purposes as medium- to large-sized breeds, healthy American and Beveren rabbits usually weigh 9 to 12 lbs. (4.1 to 5.4 kg) and 8 to 12 lbs. (3.6 to 5.4 kg), respectively. The other three breeds are categorized as giant-sized, often with no maximum weight limitations specified for showing. The English Lop generally weighs at least 9 lbs. (4.1 kg) with no maximum weight limit, the Flemish Giant is at least 13 lbs. (5.9 kg) with no maximum weight limit and the acceptable weight for a Giant Chinchilla ranges from 12 to 16 lbs. (5.4 to 7.3 kg).