Sam's Spots

All About English Spots

The English Spot rabbit has been around for over a century. As their name suggests, their origins began in England. If you look back at old pictures, you might be surprised to see how consistent the breed has stayed over the years. All in all, English Spots make for great show, agility, or pet rabbits.

If I had to describe them in three words I’d call them: curious, energetic, and (of course!) lovable! They are a running breed, meaning that at shows, they are judged by running up and down the show table, rather than being handled. They have a beautiful hare-like appearance and while they have a wide variety of personalities, they are generally very good-natured.

Today, there are 7 recognized varieties (aka colors): Black, Blue, Chocolate, Gold, Grey, Lilac, and Tortoise (black, blue, chocolate, and lilac). These are the varieties that are acceptable at ARBA shows. But there are also a handful of other “unrecognized” colors in the breed. You’ll find that blacks are among the most common, while grays and torts are typically seen the least.

To learn more about them, I encourage you to check out the breeds’ official website!
www.americanenglishspot.weebly.com

How to Care for an English Spot

Before getting an English Spot -or any rabbit for that matter- it is essential to know how to care for them. You’ll want to make sure you have proper housing, food, and supplies on hand.

English Spots can be housed in or out of doors, provided they are kept dry and out of wind. Plenty of airflow is crucial to avoid respiratory issues, and be sure you have a plan for the waste! (Rabbit manure is excellent for the garden and does not need to be composted).

Obviously fresh and clean water is important. Rabbits should have access to water at all times. You can use bowls or bottles, but remember that if it reaches freezing temperatures, porcelain bowls may break and bottles will freeze up. I have the best luck with plastic bowls.

Feed is the next thing to consider. I feel that English Spots do best on a 16% - 18% protein pellet feed. How much you should feed daily is heavily dependent on the brand you buy, so you can usually just refer to the information on the bag and adjust as needed. If you have a good balanced pellet feed, there is nothing wrong with a pellet-only diet.

You can add supplemental things like calf manna, sunflower seeds, and certain veggies. You can also feed Timothy hay. People have a lot of opinions about feed, and I encourage you to do your own research when it comes to the subject. And you can always just ask the opinion of the breeder. Obviously if they raised the rabbit you’re buying, they know what works.

Other things to keep in mind… Don’t forget to clip their nails! Their teeth typically don’t need maintenance (they tend to take care of it all on their own) but you can provide rabbit-safe toys, wood, or hay to chew on. Ideally you will have a space where they can stretch their legs and run around every once in a while.

*Please note that I am not an expert and these opinions are my own. Always do plenty of research.

Showing English Spots

Showing English Spots is an absolute blast! Shows are a great place to connect with breeders, get opinions on your rabbit, and shop for rabbit supplies!

You can start by finding an ARBA show close to you. Just check out the ARBA website and use their “find a show” page. If it’s your first time, it can be a bit overwhelming. But there are many friendly people at shows who are usually happy to help answer your questions. I am also happy to offer any guidance if you message me.

To get your English Spot show ready, I recommend a few things. One, trim their nails! You don’t want them scratching the judge! Two, make sure you run them regularly. Remember that English Spots are judged by running the table, so if they aren’t used to running they will likely “army crawl” the table, which won’t showcase their type very well.

On show day… get there nice and early so you can get a spot. It’s wise to bring a fold up chair, some water and hay (or feed depending on how long you’ll be there, and maybe even a snack for yourself! You’ll want to have a closed-bottom travel carrier of some kind, and a few “coop cups” for feed and water.

Now if you plan on showing, to save yourself some heartbreak, invest in an ARBA Standard of Perfection book. Know exactly the faults and DQs of your rabbit breed. There is nothing worse than accidentally buying a show rabbit that has a DQ! Do your research and find a good breeder.

Last but not least, go into it with a good attitude! You cannot win everything all the time. You can’t spend a crazy amount of money and just assume you’ll win. A lot of breeders hold onto their best show animals. For the best shot at winning, you’ll want to breed your own.

Breeding English Spots

Since English Spots are a marked breed, they can be tricky to breed. If you breed a marked rabbit to a marked rabbit, you’ll (approximately) get 50% marked, 25% charlies, and 25% solids. Charlies and solids are not showable and many people cull them immediately. Charlies are rabbits with very little coloration, while solids are all one color.

Litter numbers vary from rabbit to rabbit, but you can expect about 4 - 8 kits out of an English Spot. Gestation varies from about day 28 - 34 (with the most common being days being 31/32). English Spots usually make great mothers, but expect first-timers to struggle or loose their litters. They usually have it figured out by their next litter.

It’s recommended to leave the babies with their mamas for 6-8 weeks minimum. It is a good idea to leave the siblings together for a few weeks after so that they can adjust together being away from mama.

As for evaluation, everyone does things differently. Every herd is different. Every person is different. Do what works for you.

Personally, I like to evaluate when they are a couple weeks old. I don’t keep rabbits with marking DQs. I tend to evaluate anytime between 2-3 months old. I look at how they track (aka if they run straight), how their type is developing, and if there are any DQs I missed or faults I do not like.

Some major faults to look out for in this breed: Ankles. Watch for weak ankles. Lack of extension in front or hind limbs. A rabbit that doesn’t move well will not show well. Markings are also tricky. Stray head spots really bother some people and are genetic. But one is a fault. Two is a disqualification. Watch for poor tail color and broken herringbones. Each herd will have their own issues, but these are just a few I’ve seen all over the Spot world.

When choosing breeding stock, there are a lot of factors you have to consider. Two amazing rabbits will not automatically make amazing babies. A good rule of thumb is to get a breeding pair that fits like puzzle pieces. One is missing a quality that the other has. Purely as a concept example: big animal + small animal = medium sized animal.

And I want to stress: focus on good type before focusing on markings! Once you get your type dialed in, then focus on markings. But there’s a balance. You want to be careful if you are breeding in any marking faults (stray head spots, broken herringbones) as they are genetic and might haunt you in the future. It’s all a game of pick and choose. No rabbit will ever be prefect.

Also watch for color. Some people are willing to breed all colors together. Some people are a lot more careful. Do what works for you and makes sense in your head. Generally I only breed golds to golds (because I feel the color results are best that way) and -if I had grays- would only breed gray to gray or gray to black with only grays in the pedigree. The other varieties I’m a little more liberal about mixing together.

At the end of the day, you have to do what you feel is best. Always be open to learning and changing your opinions as you experience breeding.