Bunny personalities discussion

[Winterwolf]

(Wasn't quite sure which category to post this under, so I'm sorry if I chose wrong )

So, I'm starting a new book and need some help. This time I wanted to really drag myself out of my comfort zone, so this one is going to be a graphic novel in which all the characters are leporids. (Mostly rabbits and hares, but I threw a few cryptids in there as well for the fun of it, like Wolpertingers, Skvaders, etc.)

Anyways, in developing each character's overall personality, I wanted to incorporate some of the common personality traits of the breed that the character belongs to. For example, all of my French Angoras have a tendency towards being playful, inquisitive, and mischievous, so I kept that in mind when designing the French Angora character for the book.

My problem is that several of the characters belong to breeds that I don't know very well. I was hoping some of you might have either raised these rabbits or at least know someone who has. So any insight into these breeds and their general personalities/attitudes would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help!

~Belgian Hare
~Dwarf Hotot
~English Spot
~Standard Chinchilla
~Netherland Dwarf
~Lionhead
~Harlequin

 

[Nymphadora]

While I don't have any of the breeds you listed, Winterwolf, it has been my understanding from going to shows that Netherland Dwarfs tend to have a Napoleon complex (feisty little buggers), and Belgian Hares tend to be divas. Those could be fun writing about! :lol:

 

[Winterwolf]

Ooh, that could definitely be fun to work with. Thanks so much!

 

[TeaTimeBunnies]

English Spots are VERY energetic, but from my personal experience will generally still be very loving rabbits. Most of mine love to just run and jump all day, with the occasional pat and groom from me. They do like toys, but would still rather run, and their favorite game to play with me is chase (going to start hopping training this spring). They are very inquisitive of new things.......for about 5 minutes or so. You do have to have good patience and some energy of your own in order to handle their energy. They kinda remind me of a hyperactive highly ADHD kid I once knew

 

[SableSteel]

Nice! I've wanted to do a rabbit based story or graphic novel, but I've not gotten too far whenever I attempt it. I'd love to see your work

~Belgian Hare - they're pretty energetic, easily spooked but playful and friendly, sort of hormonal, at least in the bucks.
~Dwarf Hotot - a bit more spunky and energetic; personality similar to netherlands but a bit less cuddly and more playful
~English Spot - energetic, curious and playful; they're bred to run and like to keep moving. Pretty intelligent though
~Standard Chinchilla - honestly, a bit boring. The male standard chins have been pretty laid back, the females can be a bit... more angry, but theres neither energy or size to really back that anger.
~Netherland Dwarf - fairly energetic. Some lines can be aggressive (esp. in does) and some lines are more cuddly. Pretty curious, with a high metabolism.
~Lionhead - curious, friendly and playful; more laid back from my experience than other rabbits of its size, but not quite AS friendly too.
~Harlequin - I loved my harlequins, for their personality especially. They are laid back, but total goofballs, so fun to watch and be around.

 

[a7736100]

Most my lionheads don't make a sound but one doe chatters a lot. Many are friendly and always come to the front of their cages and like being handled.

 

[Ozarkansas]

I don't raise any of these breeds. But somehow I feel like a Belgian Hare would be a wild and free yet very sensitive character. Who had a mind of her own, loved to roam, strong willed, yet had a little soft spot in her heart, and if caught at the right time could be the sweetest and most caring creature ever. I have handled Harlequins, they seem to be not the brightest, but loveable like SableSteel said goofballs
I don't know about the others, but that is how I see those two

 

[akane]

Netherlands can be unpredictable. They all seem to have an underlying attitude but they are sort of split between people who bred with no regard for temperament and people who also wanted cute pets so they either bite rather unpredictably at various things that upset them or they tolerate everything despite the annoyance and only have the odd flare up for awhile over something before they quit obsessing about it. I ended up not breeding many I bought from what were considered good show breeders because they'd just be hopping along the furniture near me and then wham I have a bleeding arm for being in the way. One nailed me twice to draw blood before I could react when he could have gone around my arm and I wasn't moving and then he got me in his cage across the base of my thumb. I had to hit space bar with the other hand for over a week. Out of my calmer line a young one decided for a few weeks that feeding it would involve russian roulette of getting charged or not so after saying this young buck was aggressive it then sits there just fine while my husband is watching and does it again 2 days later for him to see. Then he stopped just like he suddenly started and was perfectly fine for the next 2years I had him. Only one was predictably crazy every time and you always had to basically shuffle her from surface to surface as fast as possible because she'd struggle so badly I never found a way to hold her that I didn't look worse than when a checkered giant doe tried to take advantage of an opportunity for escape.

I also had plenty that were perfectly sweet and would lay next to you forever though. Those were the ones I ended up keeping as breeding stock even though many were not approved show colors. I'd rather have nice rabbits and sell some odd colors than work on show quality and get bit randomly all the time. The doe that had most of my frosty/ermines tucked in next to your leg as tight as possible the whole time you were sitting or laying down. A blue frosty buck out of her loved to lay on my pillow or the back of the couch while watching movies because he didn't mind people but didn't really like petting. If you reached behind you to pet him repeatedly you'd start to see his annoyance but he never did anything about it and would still be laying there 3hrs later. We even debated having one doe certified to be used as a therapy animal.

Unfortunately I only ever had 2 standard chin and my buck was stolen within a few weeks of bringing the pair back to Iowa so I sold the doe soon after. They were fairly similar to the champagne d'argent while I had them but maybe a little more active than those larger rabbits. Otherwise the 2 were calm, didn't care about a thing, didn't spook over the large, high prey drive dogs like most initially would, didn't bite, didn't really struggle when handled, and quietly investigated things when you weren't touching them.

 

[Winterwolf]

:thankyou:
Thank you so much, everyone!

I definitely have a clear idea now of what I want to do for each character. (Also, I now find myself really wanting a pet Belgian Hare ) Thanks so much for all the input and the very thoughtful answers and explanations. I appreciate it so much.