Swiss Fox

Coat and looks how to spot one

long, fine, soft and dense

A compact, medium-sized rabbit with a short neck, upright ears and a long, silky, dense coat that gives it a fluffy fox-like look. Unlike an Angora it has no ear tufts and moults with the seasons.214

Personality what they are like

Calm and affectionate, a good fit for families with older children, and it can learn to use a litter tray.2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Needs daily time to run, hop and explore, with puzzle feeders, tunnels and toys to keep it busy.5

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The long coat goes through normal seasonal moults and does not need shearing like an Angora's, but it benefits from regular grooming. Routine care is mostly regular hands-on checks of coat, nails and teeth plus grooming to keep the coat in good order.125

Home where they are happiest

Needs a secure living area of at least 3m x 2m x 1m with room to hop, stretch, play and hide, plus toys, tunnels and foraging chances for enrichment.5

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Plenty of hay forms the base of the diet and keeps the constantly growing teeth worn down, with fresh leafy greens and a measured portion of good-quality pellets. Carrots are best kept as an occasional treat.5

Company who they like around

A sociable animal that is happiest living with at least one other rabbit; the RSPCA usually rehomes rabbits in pairs.5

The story where it all began

In the 1920s Hermann Leifer of Coburg and Müller of Zug crossed Angora-based rabbits hoping to imitate blue fox fur for the fur trade. That goal was never reached, but the long-coated rabbit won a following at European shows and arrived in Britain in the early 1980s.123

Recognised by the official bits

British Rabbit Council

Recognised; all colours accepted. Looked after by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club.3

ARBA

Not recognised.2

German standard

Shown in Germany from about 1920 and officially recognised in 1962.1