What is defined as the appearance of the individual rabbit?

The term that describes the appearance of the individual rabbit is referred to as the phenotype. This encompasses all observable physical traits and characteristics, including color, size, shape, and overall health of the rabbit. The phenotype is influenced by both the rabbit's genetics and its environment, making it a critical factor in determining how a rabbit appears and how it may be assessed in competitions such as fairs.

Understanding phenotype is essential for breeding and showing rabbits, as it is used to evaluate and compare individual animals. Judges at events like the Maricopa County Fair will assess the phenotype of each rabbit based on breed standards, which outline the ideal characteristics for each breed. In contrast, terms like pedigree relate to an animal's lineage or ancestry, poor coat refers specifically to a quality issue or defect, and quality points may refer to a scoring system used for evaluation but does not encompass the full range of physical traits that phenotype does.