Chinchilla Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Descended from the Standard Chinchilla developed in France in 1913 to imitate true chinchilla fur, the larger American Chinchilla was bred in the United States in the early 1920s as a dual-purpose fur-and-meat breed.
Species
Leporid
Family
Leporidae
Climate requirements
Its dense, banded grey coat gives more insulation than white breeds, suiting cooler Kenyan highland conditions, though shaded and ventilated housing is still needed to prevent heat stress in hotter regions.
Husbandry guide
Adults weigh 4-5.4kg; hutches need about 2.5-3 square feet per rabbit with solid nest boxes for kindling. Feed 120-150g/day of a 16-18% protein pellet ration with Napier grass or sweet potato vines. Litters average 6-9 kits, does are docile and attentive mothers with good kit survival, gestation is about 31 days, and rebreeding is possible 4-6 weeks after kindling. Kits reach roughly 2-2.5kg market weight by around 12 weeks, slightly slower than New Zealand White or Californian. Guard against ear mites and coccidiosis in humid housing.
Economic importance
Valued in Kenya for a bone-to-meat ratio comparable to the Californian White plus a marketable pelt, the Chinchilla gives smallholders a secondary income stream from hide sales alongside meat production.