I am probably getting in way over my head here, but it looks like we may have a new pet project.
Astrex mini Rex, 19 days old
Astrex Mini Rex, 19 Days Old
Our very first litter of mini Rex was born 19 days ago to a first-time mom, Inca and first-time dad, Bushy. They’re both broken, so the resulting litter is 100% broken coloring with many charlies as well. As they’ve developed they’ve caught my attention because their hair seemed to be… peculiar. But it’s our first purebred Rex litter so I wasn’t sure what I was seeing wasn’t… normal.
Astrex mini Rex litter, 10 days old
10 Days Old
Astrex Mini Rex litter, 19 Days Old
19 Days Old
It appears this litter has gotten a full helping of the very rare Astrex gene. This fur type is not recognized by ARBA, so breeders of show rabbits who find it in their nest boxes typically cull. Also, the curl may not stick around through the baby fur and will molt out to normal… the parents of this litter are completely normal in their mini Rex fur, not a curl to be seen!
I’ve been scouring the internet for information and have discovered a few people who are breeding specifically for this trait. It can be found in several breeds besides Rex and mini Rex, also in Harlequin and New Zealand. I’m trying to learn more, so if you, or anyone you know, has found curly coated rabbits in their nestboxes, please let me know! I’ve also created a Facebook page to further discussion on this topic.
Links to the other pages I’ve discovered talking about Astrex:
Astrex, Curly Coated Rabbits on Facebook
Duman’s Ark (Great Photos!)
Astrex Rabbits Curly Wavy Bunnies
American Astrex Rabbit Breed Club
Tagged: Astrex, curly bunny, curly wavy coated, fur mutations, mini Rex Astrex, rabbit
Mad Hatter Rabbits & MicroFarm 
We have 1 cute little curly haired beauty….out of an 8- baby batch.
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I have not had a curly kit yet. However, quite a few of our kits that are born smooth, have become curly as they mature. I have mature adult rabbits that have very tight curl and it seems to be permanent.
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I raise purebred lionheads and just got an astrex? Have you heard of this happening with this breed?
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We haven’t been following the development! I’m sorry!
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We have a lion head mini Rex mix female that escaped and came back and had babies. I have two shiny long hair coated and two that are curly coated and two that are long haired but they are longer bodied then mom. I think dad is a brown domestic rabbit my neighbor sees in my yard. I was wondering about the curly coats, are they unique? I have never seen one
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Hey!!!
So I breed Rex.
I’ve had 5 litters now and this last litter I had had ONE baby that turned out to be wavy. She wasn’t BORN wavy, but she is definitely wavy!
How’s this happen? I breed to the same buck every time. Should I keep this baby? How do I get MORE wavy babies/curly?
Any info would be fantastic!
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Hello we are Art & Mary Galvan we are proud parents of Sir Scruffy Bunny. He is 14 years old. He is a Asterix Bunny . His fur is supper curly. He is a very happy spoiled House bunny. He’s alway been very lovable and funny. We are truly Blessed to have him in our life.
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I had an accidental mating. Not trying to breed rabbits! Three out of 6 are curly. They look so much like the Hotot one in the photo.
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