Glavcot Rabbit Breed - Rabies - Golden Rabbit Folktale

Glavcot Rabbit Breed

This episode is about the very rare Glavcot Rabbit Breed, the medical condition of Rabies, and a Burmese Golden Rabbit Folktale!!!

Introduction
I chose the Silver Glavcot breed to cover this episode, but in the research I came across the Golden variety, so we are going to cover all the varieties of Glavcot.
The Golden Glavcot is an extremely rare breed of fine-boned, red colored rabbit that enthusiasts believe was originally developed for the fur trade. The breed became extinct, but was recreated in the 1960s minus the blue and silver variations of the type, which remain extinct. Many fanciers do not like the Golden Glavcot or ‘GG’ as they are somewhat affectionately known, as they still resemble their wild cousins, however those that do choose to breed or keep these rabbits are rewarded by a very affectionate, sweet and placid companion.
Breed History
By: Bob Whitman
Glavcots are a British breed that had been extinct for many years, until it was recreated by Mr. J. Irons in the late 1960s. To create the breed, Irons used three brown breeds: Brown Beveren, Havana and the modern-day Siberian. It took Mr Irons more than 15 years to get the recipe just right, but the first examples were eventually shown in Doncaster in 1976. The Golden Glavcot was not liked by most fanciers, but one special lady from Scotland, Miss Meg Brown. Mrs Brown took an interest in the breed and decided to continue with Mr Irons’ efforts to develop the true Golden Glavcot type. It was during Mrs Brown’s attempts that the wild rabbit was introduced to the mix. Eventually the desired type was achieved and the Golden Glavcot was established and re-introduced to the rabbit world.
Irons told Meg Brown how to carry on with the breed, which she did until 2002, when forced to give up her rabbits due to health reasons by order of her doctors.
Dear Meg told me(Bob Whitman) that she crossed in wild rabbits to improve the color of the Golden Glavcot. No one seems to know just why the name Glavcot was ever chosen for the breed.
There was a Silver Glavcot during the first quarter of the 1900's, which appears from a print that I have to have been a Lilac form of the breed, but this color is long ago extinct.
The breed is only recognized in the United Kingdom, and being kept alive by a small band of fanciers. A rather small breed, which weighs in at 2.26 to 2.72 kilos, or 5 to 6 pounds
England is the original home of the Silver Glavcot, which was rather popular during the teens and twenties of the 20th century, but has since become extinct. This breed was also found in the United States during the 1920's, having been imported by Marcellus M. Meek in 1925, and became quite popular in the area of southern California.
A Mr. M.L. Thayer of Los Angeles created an American version of the Silver Glavcot by crossing the American Blues to Champagne D' Argents, then interbreeding the first generations. Thayer's Silver Glavcots were of a larger size and carried the mandolin type of the American breed, whereas the British version was very cobby in type.
The English Silver Glavcot was created by O. Millsum and named by a Mr. Wesley T. Page. The Silver Glavcot was a dilute steel, a blue agouti but with no agouti banding and had a colored stomach fur instead of white. The late geneticist Roy Robinson said the breed could be recreated by using a steel colored rabbit as a male and breed with Blue Beveren females. Then the steel offspring from the first crossing would need to be mated back to the Blue Beveren. Silver Glavcots were a beautiful colored rabbit as painted by Wippell in the early 1920's for Fur and Feather. It appears no one knows why the breed was given the name Glavcot.

The Golden Glavcot is a breed of domestic rabbit recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). It is a small rabbit, weighing 5–6 lb (2.3–2.7 kg), with a golden-roan coat . The Golden Glavcot was recreated in the 1960s. Today, it is a member of the BRC's "Rare Varieties Club".
As such a rare breed that has already been brought back from extinction once, little is known about the origins of the GG, apart from the fact that it is likely it was originally bred as a fur animal and it’s this that probably contributed to its eventual demise and extinction. Today unfortunately only a small handful of breeders still breed them.
Appearance
Main colorways: Red roan Average weight: 2.3 – 2.7kg This is a fine-boned rabbit that boasts a ‘mandolin’ shape. The ears are of a proportionate length, always held upright and are the same color as the body. The head is a moderate size and covered with soft, fine fur. It sits at the end of a fairly short, delicate neck which is of a similar color to the rest of the body, with a visible ticking. The legs and feet are straight and fine and have a blueish under-color. The rest of the Golden Glavcot’s coloring starts with a wide band of grey which graduates into the brown and each hair is tipped with a pale roan. The body is interspersed with darker brown, with a lighter shade on the neck. The chest and flanks are also a lighter shade, which melts into a lighter shade still. The tail is carried straight and is the same colour as the body, with the same under-color as the underside of the body.
Temperament
As a relatively new breed, the Golden Glavcot is still displaying parts of its character, but it is renowned for being friendly and very affectionate. As long as they are allowed to get used to human company when they’re young, they will love lots of cuddles. As with all prey animals, rabbits can be skittish and can panic if they feel uncomfortable or vulnerable. It’s vital that any rabbit is handled correctly to prevent them panicking while being held as although it’s a delicate breed, the GG is very strong and can injure itself or its handler if it struggles while being held. They are a very docile breed, make excellent mothers and produce good sized litters.
Golden Glavcot Health
As a rare and new rabbit, health problems within the breed are still being documented and it appears to be relatively healthy. However there are some conditions and issues that can affect any rabbit and any owner should monitor their pet for these. The teeth of rabbits grow continually and can cause a number of problems if they’re allowed to overgrow. Injuries in the mouth and difficulty eating, as well as runny eyes and noses are just some of the symptoms of overgrown teeth and a vet’s advice should be sought if you suspect problems with your rabbit’s mouth. No rabbit should be allowed to get overweight as he will have difficulty grooming and if his coat gets soiled he could be vulnerable to flystrike; a distressing condition where flies, attracted by dirty areas of fur, lay eggs in the rabbit’s coat. The resulting maggots can burrow under the skin and cause raw, open wounds. Does not intended for breeding may benefit from being spayed as uterine cancer is common in rabbits.
Caring for a Golden Glavcot
Most GGs are kept as show animals and are therefore often kept in hutches in sheds. This set up means that they are allowed to get used to the elements, but are protected from the worst of the weather. It’s important that any hutch is weather and waterproof (if a shed isn’t available) and any shed is well lit and well ventilated. The hutch should also have a solid floor to prevent problems with sore hocks and lined with plenty of hardwood shavings and straw which must be removed completely at least once a week. The GG can be kept indoors, but as a small animal care should be taken not to step on him or trap him anywhere. He can be taught to use a litter tray and as long as wires and other important items are kept out of reach and he has a cage or crate to retire to, he’ll be a happy bunny. His diet should comprise good quality hay and pellets, as well as fibrous green leaves like kale, cabbage and dandelion. He should also have access to clean drinking water at all times.
Welcome to the American Glavcot Rabbit Society. The American Glavcot Rabbit Society(AGRS) is dedicated to the breeding, showing and promotion of the Glavcot rabbit. Established in 2017 the AGRS is one of the newest specialty clubs in the United States for one of the newest up and coming breeds. The club was formed to bring together like minded people with dreams of saving this rare European breed of rabbit while working to see it as an accepted breed with the American Rabbit Breeders Association(ARBA). We would like to invite anyone to join who would like to help with the conservation of this breed as well as those wishing to support the breeders in their endeavor as we advance towards a Certificate of Development through the ARBA.
Whats exciting is that not only would they like to promote the Golden Glavcot but they want to try and re create the Silver Glavcot and they also want to create new colors.
This site with all of its wealth of information and knowledge is dedicated to three very important people who have directly and indirectly made this dream a reality.
Those people are the late Meg Brown of Scotland who kept the Glavcot breed alive when nobody else would and dedicated so much of her life to improving on the previous work of Mr. Irons, the late Bob Whitman who introduced the founding President of this club to the breed through his book "Domestic Rabbits & Their Histories: Breeds of The World". Bob was an extraordinary man with much love for this hobby as well as a vast amount of knowledge who is dearly missed, and last but not least Steve Tolton of the UK for his support and willingness to help in anyway he can to make the rise of Glavcots in America a reality. The club is extremely grateful for his help and everything he has done and continues to do.

Proposed Breed Standard Of Perfection
GLAVCOT

Please note this is not a working standard accepted by the ARBA Standards Committee. This is solely to give breeders working with or interested in working with the Glavcot breed a marker point to keep the early versions of the breed consistent throughout development.
Also, please note this proposed Standard is the intellectual property of Tyler Tedford and is not allowed to be copied or reproduced without permission. COPYRIGHT 2018
Proposed Future Varieties
SELFS
All Varieties To Show Together
Black - Color is to be an intense glossy black running deep towards the skin blending into a slate-blue under-color. Eyes - Brown
Blue - Color is to be a rich clear dark blue running deep towards the skin blending into a slate-blue under-color. Eyes - Blue-Gray
Chocolate - Color is to be a deep glossy dark chocolate brown running deep towards the skin blending into a dove-gray under-color. Eyes - Brown(Ruby cast permissible.)
Lilac - Color is to be a medium dove-gray with a slight pink hue cast over the entire coat. Color is to be carried deep towards the hair shaft blending into a slightly paler under-color. Eyes - Blue-Gray(Ruby cast permissible)
White - Color is to be a pure white. Eyes - Pink

The Golden Glavcot is an accepted breed of the BRC.
BRC
GOLDEN GLAVCOT BREED STANDARD
Ring Size D Points
1) Colour 35
2) Texture & Density
of Fur 35
3) Type 30
Total 100
1. Colour - A broad band of slate, merging into brown, tipped with light roan, the whole body interspersed with dark brown, nape of neck light brown, flanks and chest ticking off to a uniform shade slightly lighter than the body, under parts of body cream with slate under colour. Tail to match body colour on top and belly colour underneath, to be carried in a straight line.
2. Texture and density of fur - Very soft, fine and dense. Length of fur about 2.54cm (1in)
3. Type - Mandoline shaped and fine boned, dewlap undesirable, ears of medium length and erect, matching the body in colour. Head of medium size, free from coarseness, well carried on short neck, matching bone, upper parts of uniform shade and ticked to the body colour. Feet and legs, straight and fine with blue undercolour. Weight 2.26-2.72kg (5-6lb.). Firm in flesh, bright eyes and glossy coat.
DISQUALIFICATIONS - White patches on body.
FAULTS - Odd coloured eyes to lose 5 points. Drooping or lopped ears 10
points. White patches on feet 10 points. Black or white nose 10 points.
One breeder says that anyone who comes into the rabbitry say 'oh wild rabbits', but the best summation has to be a 6 year old girl who saw them and turned to her mum saying 'look they've got Peter Rabbit', and I have to agree that they do have the same look.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Glavcot
https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/breeds/rabbits/golden-glavcot/
http://taraxstudrabbits.wixsite.com/tarax-stud/our-rare-breeds
https://americanglavcot.webs.com/
http://hiphopsbunnies.weebly.com/the-rare-golden-glavcot.html
http://thebritishrabbitcouncil.org/Mono%20Breeds%20Standards%202016-2020.pdf

Rabies in Rabbits
Rabies is a very severe and almost always fatal viral disease that occurs commonly in warm-blooded animals, including rabbits. It typically results in the swelling of the brain and nervous system, which can result in paralysis, blindness, aggression, mood changes, and other symptoms.
Symptoms and Types
The signs and symptoms of this disease vary depending on the species affected, as rabies can affect other animals, including dogs and cats, and even people. It is actually not common among rabbits, but can affect them. Typically, the signs and symptoms include:

Fever
Blindness
Lethargy
Difficulty swallowing
Abnormal salivating or slobbering
Loss of movement or partial paralysis of limbs
Anxiety or irritability, aggression or other behavioral changes
Dropping of the jaw or lack of mobility in the jaw (slack jaw)

Causes
Rabies is usually transmitted from the bite of another infected animal. However, because it is viral, it can enter through any wound on the rabbit's body. It can also enter through the mucous membrane and spread throughout the sensory neurons -- which relay information to the nervous system -- and salivary glands in the body.
Diagnosis
Any animal demonstrating mood and behavior changes, especially “aggressive” tendencies, must be tested for rabies. Abnormal neurological problems which are unaccounted for may be a sign of rabies. Other diseases that may cause these types of neurological symptoms may include brain tumors or abscesses, lead poisoning, parasitic infections or tetanus.
The veterinarian will collect a sample of nervous tissue. If the rabbit is diagnosed with rabies, it will likely be put down (euthanized) because the disease is fatal.
All rabbits suspected of, or formally diagnosed with, rabies receive inpatient care, and must be isolated and quarantined, sometimes for up to six months. Humans handling the animal should be investigated for disease exposure, as well.
There are no formal treatments for the disease, and unfortunately, most animals diagnosed with rabies are euthanized.
Living and Management
To inactivate the virus, you need to disinfect (with bleach) any areas in the home where the animal was. Other animals that may have come into contact with the infected rabbit should also be checked and probably quarantined, as well. There are state and local regulations that must be followed in such cases. Be sure to follow up with your local veterinarian and state health officials for more information.
https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/neurological/c_rb_rabies

Burmese Folk-tales(Golden Rabbit and Golden Tiger)
'I have never seen you before,' protested Golden Rabbit. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old thing, thought that it was another Rabbit, and apologized for his mistake. 'I don't blame you either,' said Golden Rabbit generously, 'for I have many brothers and sisters and cousins who all look like me. But friend Tiger, how did you manage to get so many blisters on your back? When Golden Tiger explained how his back came to be covered with blisters, Golden Rabbit said that the best cure for blisters was to rub them against a tree-stump. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old fool, went to a tree-stump and rubbed his back against it with the result that he blisters became torn and bleeding.
Golden Tiger in great pain went on, and soon found Golden Rabbit sitting innocently by the wayside. 'You treacherous villain,' cried Golden Tiger in anger.
'I have never seen you before,' lied Golden Rabbit. 'I presume it is a case of mistaken identity, for I have so many brothers and sisters and cousins who look like me.' Golden Tiger believed him and apologized. 'By the way,' said Golden Rabbit, 'your back seems all torn and bleeding. How did it happen?' Golden Tiger related how his back had become covered with blisters, and how he had rubbed them against a tree-stump. Golden Rabbit, looking very sympathetic said that the best cure for torn and bleeding blisters was to roll on one's back on sandy ground. Golden Tiger, being a trusting old fool, went to the sandy shore of a river, and rolled on his back, with the result that the sand got into his wounds, paining him greatly.
Golden Tiger went on his way, and after some time he found Golden Rabbit sitting innocently by the wayside. 'You shall not escape me this time,' roared Golden Tiger.
'I don't know you,' replied Golden Rabbit. 'You must be mistaking me for one of my many relations.' Golden Tiger, being a trusting and good-natured old thing, apologized for his mistakes. 'Oh, my poor friend Tiger,' exclaimed the Rabbit, feigning sympathy, 'your back seems to be full of wounds. It is fortunate that I can take you to a wishing well, where you can wish away all your wounds.'
'Go take me to that well,' pleaded Golden Tiger.
'Follow me,' said Golden Rabbit.
So Golden Rabbit took Golden Tiger to a nearby well. 'Look down, and wish aloud,' he instructed. As Golden Tiger leaned forward and looked down, Golden Rabbit gave him a push. Golden Tiger fell into the well and was drowned. That was how Golden Rabbit first tormented and then killed the trusting Golden Tiger.
The End!
http://www.melodymaung.com/2007/05/burmese-folk-talesgolden-rabbit-and.html

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