Bonsai

Bonsai was a six year old house rabbit and our new lodger in July 2006. She previously enjoyed life in the Midlands but when her owner skipped the country, she moved to the Metropolis.

Bonsai was a Dutch rabbit by breed. Dutch rabbits are descended from an ancient breed known as the Dwarf Brabancon. Despite the reference to dwarf rabbits, these animals were in fact bred for meat at a weight of 7-9lb. Such rabbits became known amongst English breeders as Dutch rabbits at some point before 1930, perhaps because regular consignments arrived in London from Ostend.

They can be easily identified by their distinctive markings: dark at the rear, a white saddle around the shoulders and a dark head with a narrow white blaze on the face. Bonsai was slightly unusual in that the black section of her coat extended further forwards than is typical, giving her comical white socks both at the back and the front.

You can read more about Bonsai's arrival and exploits on the Tales Of Jo blog and see more pictures here.