# What Does Smut Look Like?



## neonangel (Jun 21, 2013)

On a himalayan or Californian? My rabbit might have Amit but I have no clue what I'm exactly looking for, she's 4 months old..


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## ladysown (Jun 21, 2013)

isn't that colour other than where it's supposed to be? Like if you scruff a himi and they get colour over their shoulders?


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Jun 21, 2013)

Yes, smut is just extra color or shading where it shouldn't be.


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## majorv (Jun 21, 2013)

Well, smut is simply a gray or black spot on the white area of their fur that isn't supposed to be there. Himmie's and Cals have fur that is temperature sensitive. It's worse in the winter. They can get a smut spot from being up against the cold bars of the cage because it causes the hair to turn black or gray where it came into contact with the cold metal. Smut should disappear when the rabbit molts his coat though. They can't get smut from scruffing.


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## neonangel (Jun 21, 2013)

Would this be considered smut, on a Himalayan? (on the back)


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## majorv (Jun 21, 2013)

If the color is in the hair follicle itself then yes, it is. Smut is a disqualification unless it's over the eye.


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## ladysown (Jun 22, 2013)

> They can't get smut from scruffing.



really? A young friend of mine was told NEVER to scruff a himi or it'll get smut there. Why would an experienced breeder tell him that if it was not true? He was quite concerned about it as one of his does was a wild child and it made it much harder to control her.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Jun 22, 2013)

Rabbits can develop miscolored areas on the coat from injury (like dogs, cats, horses), so I am sure scruffing them could too. They really shouldn't be scruffed regardless though, (WARNING: GRAPHIC!!!) it can tear the muscle from the shoulder.


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## ladysown (Jun 22, 2013)

what he wanted to do is be able to simply grab her, hold her down, and then slowly bring his hand round to a stomach to get her in to him. I know for a while he trapped her with a box and pulled the box in. He managed to get a litter off her and kept back a nice kit.


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## majorv (Jun 22, 2013)

ladysown said:


> really? A young friend of mine was told NEVER to scruff a himi or it'll get smut there. Why would an experienced breeder tell him that if it was not true? He was quite concerned about it as one of his does was a wild child and it made it much harder to control her.


 
I don't know, but we raised Californians and Himalayans. Smut is in the hair, not the skin, and it's temperature driven. We had to scruff our Himmie's occasionally, but just long enough to get a hand under them. Mine never got smut from it. Maybe that breeder was referring to someone with cold hands in winter...I really don't know.


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