Does anybody know anything about these guys? Does anybody own or breed astrex rabbits? IS the strange coat a dominant or recessive gene? I had never heard of them before and came across them accidently well doing some research.
The Astrex coat results from a combination of the gene for the Rex coat (which is recessive) and another gene that causes the waviness. The name Astrex was coined because of a resemblance to Astrakhan, which is made from the hide of a newborn lamb. I don't know if the Astrex has ever been a recognized breed, but there are some breeds that may have the Astrex coat, the Harlequin being one of them. In the U.S, Harlies only have normal coats, but they historically also have Rex or Astrex coats in Europe. 20+ years ago, my very first pair of Japanese Harlequins gave me an Astrex baby in one of their litters; I have ocassionally seen Astrex Harlies in other places since then.
Thanks guys! I just saw pics and thought they were adorable..They look like they have a perm! I'd love to find one just so I could pet it, the pics make me very curious what the texture of their coat feels like!