Mini Satin Rabbits

Mini Satin Rabbit – information and facts about the Mini Satin Rabbit Breed. Learn more about Mini Satin Rabbits in this article. Breed photos are included.

Mini Satin Rabbit

Distinguished for having lustrous coats and very thick and silky fur, the Mini Satins are projected to become one of the most popular rabbits in the near future. The Mini Satin rabbits are most popular as show rabbits.

The American Rabbit Breeders’ Association recognized the Mini Satin last decade, in the year 2005. While the popular Satin has been in existence for quite a while now, it took a long while for its smaller version to be officially recognized.

Breeders, however, acknowledge that it takes a lot of time and resources to be able to present before the ARBA Standards Committee, which is why the time gap is somehow tolerable.


Mini Satin Rabbit Facts

1. History

The vision of developing a smaller Satin started way back in the 1970s, when a lady named Ariel Hayes, a resident of Troy, Michigan, aspired to develop the Satin’s miniature. Unfortunately, it’s only until 2005 when the breed was finally accepted to the ARBA.

Mrs. Hayes was able to successful cross the Satins to Polish, and called the resulting offspring “Satinette”. With her efforts, she was able to reduce the size of the breed to 4 ½ pounds. However, in the year 1982, she gave up the project and all the breeders under her line were lost.

In the late 1980s, a breeder named B. Pettit made attempts to develop a Satin coat in a Netherland Dwarf. Verle and Sue Castle also joined the project in the year 1990. It was also in that same year when a Michigan resident was discovered to have some small, “satinized” rabbits. Similar to how Hayes addressed her rabbits, the breeder from Michigan also called his rabbits “Satinettes”. The man claimed that the name was his original creation. He also didn’t disclose the origins of the rabbits. While Verne and Sue were able to acquire a working standard for the Satinette, they later dropped the project in the year 1994.

In effect, Jim Krahulec bought the herd of the Castles. With the thought that the rabbits are too much like dwarfs with satin coats, he aspired to develop a rabbit that will be closer to the features of Standard Satin. Raising the size of the breed a little, he called the product of the crossbreeding ‘Mini Satin’. It was through his efforts to develop the breed for many years that the Mini Satin found acceptance.

In the year 2005, during the ARBA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, Mini Satin was finally accepted as an official breed, with its first variety, the white Mini Satin.

After this, the other varieties – chinchilla, opal, red and Siamese – all followed. Some colors such as the lilac, blue and broken are still continually developed.

In another retrospect, many breeders consider the Mini Satin as a cross between Satin and Mini Rex, a combination that is slowly gaining popularity in the world of rabbit. This breed was created by an Australian named Warren Hill who crossed a Standard Satin with a Mini Rex.

In effect, the Western Australian Rabbit Council officially recognized the breed in the year 2002. Later on, the British Rabbit Council followed. American breeders working on this development are also doing their part to get the breed recognized.


2. Characteristics and Appearance

The approximate weight of a Mini Satin is 3 ¼ to 4 ¾ pounds.

The body type of a Mini Satin is small and compact. Its ears have a maximum length of 3 ½ inches. Ears beyond this length are subject to disqualification. Ideally, they should have a good width of shoulders, midsection, and hindquarters. And their body’s depth should complement the body’s width.

Also, the head of a Mini Satin should be well-rounded, full and set on a short neck. Its ears are to be upright, short, thick and fully covered with fur.

Its fur has a beautiful sheen that is brought about the translucent hair shell. It is fine, silky, and very dense. Guard hairs that have a good sheen protect the soft and thick undercoat of the breed. These guard hairs are rollback in nature, so much so that when they are stroked from tail to the head, the fur can smoothly go back to its original position.

And because of its short fur, the rabbit do not require that much attention when it comes to its grooming. Soft brushing with the use of brush or damp cloth can already weed out the dead hairs in the rabbit’s body. They only require more attention with its grooming when it is molting season. Fur needs to be protected because a fur that lacks a glossy sheen can be disqualified.

The recognized colors for the Mini Satin are Chinchilla, Opal, Red, Siamese and White.


3. Personality and Traits

Mini Satins can be calm and friendly. It’s important to note that rabbit breeders are continually improving the temperament of the Mini Satins. Because of the small size of the rabbit, as well as its improving personality, the Mini Satin is an excellent choice for children. Still, it’s very important to find a good breeder for any rabbit to consult about the breed’s temperament. If you find a good breeder, you have greater chances of finding a nice pet.

One of the requirements of the American Rabbit Breeders’ Association is that each of the recognized breed is backed by a National Specialty Club. But at the same time, the association allows for the grouping of similar breeds under one club. The lops and angoras would fall under this category.

Since majority of the supporters of the Mini Satin were Satin breeders, the American Satin Rabbit Breeders Association took the breed under its wing and sponsored both sizes of rabbits with distinct shiny coating.

Across the years, rabbit breeders have already developed the ideal working standards for the breed and were able to produce high-quality rabbits. Despite encountering challenges, such as improving the temperaments of the Mini Satins, their efforts have already gone milestones. As a testament to this, 2 years after the breed’s final acceptance, the white Mini Satin was awarded the Best in Show award at the 2007 ARBA National Convention.

This goes to show that the popularity of the Mini Satin is just starting.


Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.