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Source: cosmopolitancornbread.com |
The Blue of Ham, also known as the Blue of Hem or Bleu de Ham, is a rare breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Belgian village of Ham-sur-Heure.
Originally, they were developed as a meat and fur breed in 1897 by Ulysses Horemans (who introduced the breed to St. Petersburg in 1902). The once-popular Blue of Ham breed became rare following World War II. In 1967, a breeder named Delbusaye recreated the Blue of Ham using the Vienna, Blue of Sint-Niklaas, and the Flemish Giant rabbit breeds. Three years later, a standard for the new Blue of Ham was established, and in 1977 the breed was accepted again for exhibition. Today, the Blue of Ham is considered very rare.
They have a long, dense, silky and lustrous coat that is slate blue with a blue sub-color. The eyes are blue-gray and the ears are erect and well furred. They weigh 9.9–13.2 pounds (4.5–6 kg) and are very sociable.