Because of the specificity of its coat, Rex rabbits hold a special place in rabbit breeding.
Its close-cropped hair and velvety texture make Rex breeders passionate about 'their' breed!
The origin of the Rex is well-known. Mr. Caillon was a farmer in Coulongé (Sarthe). One day, in a gray rabbit brood, appeared a small young rabbit which remained 3 weeks without hair.
It lived, but was different then the others by its coat, very short fur and without long hair. It was in 1919. In the following range, the same phenomenon; but it was a female. Mr. Caillon crosses the brother and the sister, once arrived at the adulthood. The young rabbits resulting from this couple were all with close-cropped hair. This farmer announced his discovery to the abbot Amédée Gillet, priest of the village. This one, strong interested party, was put to raise them. After consanguineous crossings and some difficulties, it fixed the character at hair runs and the "Castor" (beaver) color. In 1923, a skin was presented at the exposure of the Large Palate in Paris. And in 1924, the Gillet abbot presented a significant series of his rabbits. This priest had called this animal the "rabbit king"; Latin being usually included/understood by the priests and king resulting in Latin REX. Its rabbit collection was assembled on approximately 400 subjects. He was then the only owner of Rex in the world. The English offered a million of "franc" it to him (of the time); he refused.
But, Rex is not however long in being spread. One quickly finds it in Germany, where the breeders remove this race from all its tares of origin: coryza (disease), various lesions, sterility. In March 1925, Eugene Kohler professor (Faculty of letters of Strasbourg) creates Rex of color (Fawn-coloured, Black, Chinchilla ...). Doctor Bérard also contributes to the rise of this race in our country. Since 1929, Yves Olivier of the Faculty of Science of Nancy, devotes a whole book of 96 pages to this race ("the breeding of Castorrex").