Many purebred rabbits have been given a nickname that represents the characteristics of that breed. The Britannia Petite is no exception. Dubbed "The Elite of the Fancy", this small rabbit breed has many body features that earn it that title. Known as the Polish rabbit in England where this breed originated, the name was changed to the Britannia Petite as a breed was already recognized as the Polish breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
The Britannia Petite has some characteristics that are comparable with the hare. The body structure is slender with the spine displaying a full arch and the stomach tucked in. This light weight averages two to three pounds with the ideal weight being 2 1/4 pounds and are considered one of the smallest breeds of all domestics. These petite rabbits should not be confused with the dwarf breeds as the head is more rounded on the dwarf rabbits.
The ears of the Britannia Petite are fully erect and stand close together. The proper covering on the ears will show no pink skin tone and will be well furred. Their unique ruby colored eyes are extremely important to breeders and in the show ring. The color must be vibrant and set well-rounded to the point of having a bulging appearance. The overall appearance of the Britannia Petite is a fine-boned yet slender stance in the legs that are flawlessly straight when posing on the show table.
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) has five accepted colors for the Britannia Petite. The ruby-eyed white was the first accepted Britannia Petite which occurred from the vigilance by Warren and Wendy Pocha in 1977. This was followed by the black otter in 1992, the chestnut agouti and black in 1995, and more recently, the sable marten in 1997. However, the Britannia Petite can be found in a variety of colors including a blue-eyed white, chinchilla, and red agouti, among others.
The Britannia Petite is believed to originate from wild rabbits which may explain this small rabbit's bad reputation of being quite lively. This breed is not typically recommended as a pet to inexperienced rabbit owners as they require a lot of patience and handling. This little handful has loads of energy that requires a great deal of time and training by a dedicated owner.
Although this breed has a long and extensive history, it came close to becoming extinct in the United States and was revived by a handful of devoted breeders. The American Britannia Petite Rabbit Society (ABPRS) was chartered with ARBA in April of 1990 with members dedicated to insuring the future of this truly unique petite rabbit breed.
References:
THE RABBIT HANDBOOK, by Karen Gendron, copyright 2000.
http://www.britanniapetites.com/1Articles.html
http://www.furrycritter.com/resources/rabbits/Britan nia_Petite.htm