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Rabbit Breeds - Choosing a Suitable Rabbit
Did you know that there are more than sixty different types of domestic rabbit? That’s a whole lot of bunnies! We’re going to take a look at some of the more popular breeds, but as a rabbit owner, you may be more interested in size than in breed. After all, you’re going to need a lot more space for a giant breed like the Giant Chinchilla -- which can weight more than eleven pounds -- than a small breed, which can weigh anywhere between two and six pounds.
At the end of this article, you can find a list of all the different types of domestic rabbit accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. Here is a quick look at some of the more popular breeds.
Angora Rabbits
The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, coming from Turkey. Angora rabbits are bred largely for their long, wooly hair, which can be removed by shearing or plucking. There are four different recognized breeds of Angora rabbits.
If you choose an Angora rabbit, I hope you like brushing! This breed requires a lot of grooming because its long hair can become easily tangled and matted. Long hair also picks up dirt and debris easily.
Argente Rabbits
Argente rabbit breeds originated in France; there are two recognized varieties.
Chinchilla Rabbits
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognizes three types of chinchilla rabbit: the American Chinchilla, the Standard Chinchilla, and the Giant Chinchilla. The name comes from their coloring, which is much like that of the real chinchilla. The fur is slate blue at the base, peal grey in the middle, and white or black tipped.
Dutch Rabbits
The Dutch rabbit is the most popular breed of house rabbit in the United States! This breed comes from the Netherlands -- Dutch isn’t just a clever name! The markings are distinctive: a white stripe down the face, a white stripe around the torso and including the legs, and white on the ends of the hind feet. The rest of the body may be black, blue, chocolate, steel, grey, or tortoise. Dutch markings can appear in other breeds of rabbit. Lop Rabbits Lop rabbits or lop-eared rabbits are another old breed of rabbit. There are many different types of lop, including the French Lop, Holland Lop, Dwarf Lop, and Mini Lop. The breed should be broad and muscular, with short legs. The ears flop over, although ear length varies between different types. English Lops are known for extremely long ears; Holland Lop ears should dangle no more than one inch below the chin.
Netherland Dwarf Rabbits
The Netherland Dwarf is a somewhat newer breed of rabbit, but thought to be one of the cutest. It is also one of the smallest breeds, yet they are known to be powerful leapers. Watch out for a Netherland Dwarf’s vertical leap!
This breed is the most common house rabbit in the United Kingdom. The does tend to have a placid, parental nature, while the males can be grumpy and aggressive. Both sexes tend to become very tame towards their owners, and are easy to handle as a pet.
Rex Rabbits
The Rex rabbit is known for its velvety fur; the coat is short, plush, and dense. Rex rabbits come in fifteen different colors and two sizes. The Rex weighs around eight pounds; the Mini Rex weighs around four and a half pounds. Both types of Rex are full of personality.
You’ve got a lot of rabbits to choose from! On average, you can expect an indoor pet rabbit to live between eight and twelve years. Rabbits in backyard hutches tend to have a shorter lifespan, as extreme weather conditions and threats from neighborhood predators can cut a rabbit’s life short. There are always exceptions to the rule; the rabbit we got when I was seven lived a good decade in his backyard bunny condo.
Rabbit Breed Quick Fun Facts:
Small rabbit breeds - 2 to 6 lbs (0.9-2.7 kg)
Medium rabbit breeds - 6 to 9 lbs (2.7-4.1 kg)
Large rabbit breeds - 9 to 11 lbs (4.1-5 kg)
Giant rabbit breeds - 11 lbs (5 kg) and over
Your pet rabbit will give you hours and hours of fun – provided you spend the time with him, allowing him to get to know you and feel really comfortable with you. You will find a huge selection of rabbit supplies to choose from. And you will also need a decent sized rabbit cage which you can choose from a huge range of rabbit hutches. Rabbit toys will also help keep your little friend from getting bored, but do ensure you choose carefully - your bunny will chew anything he can get his teeth into, so avoid plastic/rubber toys and go for toys made from natural materials.
You can also subscribe to my Perfect Pets Blog so you have all the newest updates brought directly to you. You can do this simply by clicking on the little orange RSS button in the highlighted light green box along the left margin of this page - and following the directions from there.
Also do not miss the other useful articles available to you – check out the links at the bottom of this page for free information and help with all your pet queries and concerns.
Litter Training For Rabbits – Yes, you can!
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