Rabbit Breed Profiles: The Thrianta

Originating in Holland, the Thrianta is a breed of rabbit known best for his scarlet and orange coat. Usually described as having a color similar to that of an Irish Setter dog, they are a lively breed of rabbit with an alert appearance, bright eyes and inquisitive nature. While they were nearly ravaged by the horrors of war, they managed to survive and are now gaining popularity throughout the world.

The Thrianta's Rich History

It's said that the Thrianta rabbit can trace his history back to the 1930's, when a school teacher by the name of H. Andreae began to develop the breed as a tribute to the House of Orange-Nassau, Holland's royal house. A strong supporter of the House of Orange-Nassau, Andreae also grew orange colored flowers around his house and, by crossing Havanas, Black & Tans and the solid (self) colored Tortoise Papillion rabbits, he had been working on developing a breed of rabbit with a distinctively orange coat. Helping to draft up a standard of perfection for the breed, Andreae saw them admitted into the Dutch standards in 1940 though, at that time, the breed description called for the coat to carry hints of brown midst the orange topcoat. This was supposedly done for the purpose of proving the Tan lineage in the bloodlines. In later years, due to this standard, the Thrianta would come to be known to some as the Orange Tan.

War has been known to take its toll; not only on the men who fight the battles and the families of those who love them, but also on the richness of a country's bounties as well. When Adolf Hitler's Nazi army invaded the Netherlands, the country was quickly overpowered and Queen Wilhelmina surrendered her country a mere 5 days after invasion. Andreae was ordered to tear out all of the orange flowers that surrounded his house, the Nazis viewing the flowers as a sign of support for the House of Orange. Fortunately, they did not see the connection of the orange-colored rabbits and Andreae was able to defiantly continue breeding his tribute bunnies under the collective noses of the Nazi regime. Nevertheless, the war was hard on the country and many of the Thrianta rabbits would end up in the ovens of starving Dutch families or eaten by Nazi soldiers. By the end of the war, the Thrianta breed of rabbit was nearly extinct.

By very selective breeding and sheer determination on the parts of breed fanciers, the Thrianta breed barely managed to survive the war. Some had been imported into Germany, where they were bred with Gold of Saxony rabbits and eventually created the European Sachsengold rabbit. Interesting to note is that, even though a Dutch specialty group was formed for the Thrianta in 1976, most of Europe recognizes the larger Sachsengold, but do not recognize the Thrianta breed.

The Thrianta Crosses the Puddle

While attempting to work on the red variety of Netherland Dwarf rabbit in the United States, talk arose about a small European rabbit with an orange-red coat. In an attempt to locate these unique rabbits, breeder Judith Oldenburg-Graf began writing letters and, in 1992, she was finally able to import 4 of these red rabbits into the US. Unfortunately, the rabbits that she received turned out as the larger Sachsengold and not the desired Thrianta rabbits. It wasn't until 1996 that she was finally able to make a trip to Holland, at which time she purchased 8 rabbits from noted Thrianta breeder B. de Bruin. Fellow breeders, Glen Carr of Illinois and the Thompson family of Kansas would also begin acquiring Thrianta rabbits, the group eventually succeeding building a solid foundation of Thriantas in the United States. After a 5-year battle to get the breed approved, the Thrianta rabbit would become the first new breed of rabbit to be recognized by the American Rabbit Breeder's Association (ARBA) in nearly 20 years.

The Fire of the Fancy

"The Fire of the Fancy" is the nickname of this unique breed of rabbit, so named because of the rich fiery red shades in their coat. Best described of having the rich hues of the most beautiful Irish Setter dogs, this compact breed is considered the stunning redhead of the bunny world. The color of their coat is deep, carried well down the hair shaft to the skin, though a slightly lighter color is allowed on the belly, underside of the tail, footpads and eye circles. Toenails should be dark horn in color and the eyes of the Thrianta rabbit are always brown.

While the average weight of a senior (adult) Thrianta is about 5-6 pounds, they are considered a fancy breed. Their body is small and very compact, with a gentle arc from the head up over the hindquarters. Bucks have a decidedly masculine appearance with broad features whereas does are more feminine, but should still possess a nice compacted look.

Is the Thrianta Rabbit Right For You?

Thrianta rabbits make wonderful pets because they are known for their gentle dispositions and inquisitive natures. Not an overly large rabbit, yet not so tiny as to be frail, they are a good starter rabbit for children or people who are interested in breeding rabbits for show purposes. While the Thrianta was once difficult to find, they are growing in popularity and no longer quite the challenge to acquire.

If you're interested in purchasing a Thrianta rabbit, be sure to buy from a reputable breeder and be prepared to do your research. Many rabbit breeders refuse to ship their rabbits, so you may have to be prepared to take a road trip or attend a rabbit show if you want a fiery red Thrianta. Don't be afraid to ask around and get references either - a good Thrianta breeder will have references and will allow you to visit their rabbitry to see their stock and facilities. If they refuse to allow this, be very wary - puppy mills are not the only poor-quality operations that mass-produce pets.

If you're looking to buy a nice Thrianta rabbit, don't be surprised at the price tag either. While pet quality Thriantas can be found, without papers, for $25-$35, a show-quality or breeding Thrianta can easily run $50-$75. If the rabbit has a proven breeding record or has one or more grand champion legs on him (qualifying wins), your price could be substantially more.

Should you search for your Thrianta from the internet, be sure to research your bunny breeders carefully and don't be afraid to contact the specialty club and other breeders in regards to reputation and quality. You want to ensure that you're getting what you pay for and that your Thrianta bunny is healthy when he arrives. Doing a little extra work, prior to making a payment, will help to ensure that you receive a happy and healthy Thrianta bunny that will enrich your life for many years to come.

Sources:

http://atrba.net/ - History and type for the Thrianta rabbit breed

http://www.newcreationproductions.net/Creators/Rab%20folder/Rabbitpictures/Thriantapics/Thriantamain.html - One of the original drafts of the Thrianta Standard for the United States