Blue of Ham
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 in Wallonia. 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 became rare following World War II. In 1967, a breeder named Delbusaye recreated the Blue of Ham using the Vienna breed, the Blue of Sint-Niklaas, and the Flemish Giant. 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. This rabbit has a "long, dense, silky and lustrous" coat that is slate blue with a blue sub-color, extending as deep as possible. (The color is not as dark as the blue color variety of the Vienna breed.) The eyes are blue-grey and the ears are erect and well furred. The Blue of Ham weighs 9.9–13.2 pounds (4.5–6 kg) and is said to be "very sociable".
| Life Span | 8-12 years |
| Weight | 2-5 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Blue of Ham
Finding a responsible Blue of Ham breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells rabbits commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Blue of Ham. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Blue of Hams appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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