Here we can see, “Best Rabbit Breeds to Keep as Pets”
Rabbits come in a variety of colours, sizes, forms, and coat kinds, all with their own distinct personalities. The subtler differences between breeds are generally of interest to individuals who display their rabbits, whilst the average owner is more concerned with coat size and kind. Keep in mind that a rabbit bought from a pet store may not be purebred and may not meet breed criteria. This doesn’t change how nice they are as pets, though, so you shouldn’t let this stop you from adopting the rabbit of your choice.
Rabbits range in size from the smallest dwarf types, weighing less than 2.5 pounds, to the largest giant breeds, reaching more than 20 pounds. Coats come in a variety of colours, from white to brown to grey to black. Fur comes in a variety of textures and lengths. Note that longer-haired animals require daily grooming, which takes a little longer than shorter-haired varieties.
An Alphabetical List of Rabbit Breeds for Pets
Alaskan
The Alaska rabbit may have gotten its name from the state of Alaska, but the jet-black breed is actually from Germany, where it was developed largely as a fur rabbit (non-pet), albeit the attractive-looking Alaska rabbit can make an excellent pet. The American Rabbit Breeders Association no longer recognises the breed, despite the fact that it was once recognised. The British Rabbit Council in the United Kingdom recognises Alaska.
American
The American rabbit is an extremely uncommon breed. This 12-pound rabbit comes in two solid colours and weighs roughly 12 pounds (blue and white). The American is known for its lovely fur and pleasant attitude. The American is considered a key breed by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy.
American Chinchilla
The American Chinchilla’s history begins in 1919 at the New York State Fair, when a British exhibitor sold two Chinchilla rabbits to two American rabbit breeders, who then bred them up to size. The American Chinchilla is the rarest of the Chinchilla rabbit breeds, being kind and sturdy.
American Sable
The brown coat of the medium-sized American Sable rabbit mimics that of a mink and comes in a variety of colours from light to dark, with a dark sepia colour on the face, ears, feet, and tail. The American Sable rabbit breed was developed in the 1920s using various varieties of chinchilla rabbits.
Angora
Angora rabbits are noted for their thick, silky wool coats, which are referred to as Angora wool. The rich coat necessitates meticulous grooming, including daily brushing to prevent or eliminate mats, as well as plucking, shearing, or clipping every few months. The English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora, and Satin Angora are among the Angora rabbit breeds.
Argente Rabbits
Argente rabbits are known for their dense, glossy silky coats that come in a variety of attractive hues and hail from France. Argente Brun (silver-brown), Argente Bleu (silver-blue), Champagne d’Argent (silver rabbit of Champagne), Argente Noir (born black, but transforms to a silvery slate-blue colour), Crème d’Argent (creamy-white colour with a bright orange undercolor), and Argente St. Hubert are some of the Argente rabbit breeds (silver).
Belgian Hare
The Belgian Hare is one of the oldest rabbit breeds in the United States, according to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, dating back to the 1880s in America, while the species originated much earlier in Belgium. The Belgian Hare resembles a wild hare with its long, slender body, arched back, and rounded hindquarters. This breed is relatively uncommon.
Blanc de Hotot (White Hotot)
The Blanc de Hotot (White Hotot) is a solid white rabbit with dark eyes ringed with black “eyeliner” marks. The Blanc de Hotot was created in the early nineteenth century in France. The Dwarf Hotot came from the Blanc de Hotot rabbit, which has the same markings but is much smaller.
Britannia Petite
The Britannia Petite is a tiny rabbit that weighs up to 2.5 pounds and is one of the smallest rabbit breeds approved by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. The Britannia Petite is known as the Polish in the United Kingdom. The Britannia Petite might be tough to handle since she is energetic and high-strung.
Californian
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognises the Californian rabbit as one of the most popular breeds. The breed originated in Southern California in the 1920s, as its name suggests. The Californian rabbit has a white body with Himalayan colouring (darker spots on the nose, ears, feet, and tail). Their eyes are constantly pink.
Checkered Giant
The Checkered Giant is a rabbit breed with a lengthy history in the United States, having been recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1919. The Checkered Giant is a huge rabbit that weighs at least 11 pounds and has striking checkered stripes on its white body, as its name suggests. “The Rabbit Beautiful” is the name given to this breed. The Checkered Giant is a rambunctious bunny who requires plenty of room to run.
Chinchilla
Three Chinchilla breeds are recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association: the American Chinchilla, the Standard Chinchilla, and the Giant Chinchilla. Chinchilla rabbits have smooth coats with distinctive silver coloration that resemble the chinchilla, a tiny rodent native to South America that is kept as a pet. The hue is a grey mix, with dark slate blue at the bottom, darker blue at the upper border, and light grey tints in between.
Cinnamon
The Cinnamon Rabbit gets its name from its short, glossy crimson coat. A Chinchilla doe and a New Zealand buck were crossed in the 1970s to develop this breed. A Checkered Giant/Californian doe was bred with one of the bucks from the litter, resulting in some red pups. Cinnamon rabbits are medium-sized rabbits that make wonderful pets.
Continental
The Continental rabbit, sometimes known as Contis or Continental Giants, is most likely related to the Flemish Giant. They are a huge breed that may weigh up to 16 pounds and come in white and coloured variants. The Continental rabbit is known by the British Rabbit Council, but not by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
Creme d’Argent
Argente rabbits are known for their dense, glossy silky coats that come in a variety of attractive hues and hail from France. The Crème d’Argent is one of four Argente rabbit breeds approved by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. It has a creamy-white coat with a brilliant orange undertone. Only the United States and the United Kingdom have this unusual breed.
Dutch
The Dutch rabbit, with its distinctive bi-colored patterns, is one of the most well-known rabbit breeds, ranking among the top ten most popular rabbit breeds. The size of the breed is tiny, weighing between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds. The Dutch rabbit, despite its name, originated in England and is one of the oldest rabbit breeds, dating back to the 1850s. The Dutch rabbit is a popular pet since it is friendly and active.
Dward Hotot
The Dwarf Hotot rabbit has a distinct appearance, with pure white fur and black “eyeliner” lines around its dark eyes. It is linked to the bigger Blanc de Hotot (White Hotot), from which the Dwarf Hotot got its attractive appearance. The Dwarf Hotot is a little creature that weighs less than 3 pounds. The Dwarf Hotot is a friendly, curious, and active creature that is best kept as an only pet.
English Lop
The English Lop is thought to be the first lop-eared rabbit breed, as it has the longest ears of any rabbit species. All subsequent lop-eared rabbit breeds may be traced back to the English Lop. English lops have been around since the early 1800s, and they were a popular pet during Queen Victoria’s reign. The English lop is a calm and friendly pet that is absolutely lovely.
English Spot
The charmingly speckled English Spot can be traced back to the 1800s in England. Just before the turn of the century, the breed arrived in the United States, where they were warmly welcomed. On its white body, the English Spot features distinctive markings such as a butterfly mark on the nose, eye circles, cheek spots, spine marks (herringbones), coloured ears, and a chain of spots running down the body.
Flemish Giant (Patagonian)
The Flemish Giant Rabbit has been known in Europe since the 17th century and is thought to have originated in Flanders, Belgium. Although there is no maximum weight for the breed, some Flemish Giants can weigh up to 20 pounds. It was introduced to the United States in the 1890s, when its great size helped increase the weight of meat rabbits. The Flemish Giant, sometimes known as “the Kind Giant,” is a wonderful pet with a gentle demeanour.
Florida White
Although the Florida White rabbit was developed as a laboratory bunny in the 1960s, it is now a popular pet and competitive show rabbit. The Florida White is usually pure white with red eyes, as its name suggests. The maximum weight of the breed is 6 pounds.
French Lop
The French lop is most likely a descendant of the English lop and the Giant Papillon rabbit, a big-spotted rabbit that is now thought to be extinct. The French lop is a large, heavy-boned rabbit with no maximum weight. The French lop, like the English lop, has low-set floppy ears that aren’t as long as the English lop’s. The French lop has a pleasant demeanour and is gentle and laid-back.
Giant Papillon
Giant Papillon rabbits were a huge, spotted rabbit breed that is now extinct. However, because some people believe the Giant Papillon is nearly identical to another breed, the German Giant Spotted, the technicality of its extinction status is often questioned. The Checked Giant Rabbit was related to and quite similar to the Giant Papillon.
Harlequin
Harlequin rabbits are a French breed that dates back to the 1880s. Harlequin rabbits come in a variety of colour combinations that are bi-colored (two different colours). Japanese harlequins come in a variety of colours, including orange, fawn, black, blue, chocolate, and lilac. In Magpie Harlequins, white is mixed with black, blue, chocolate, or lilac. The pattern is one-of-a-kind, with alternating colour patches. For example, an ideal Harlequin design will have half of the face white and the other half black, then the pattern will be flipped so that the ear on the white side of the face is black and the ear on the black side of the face is white.
Havana
Because of its smooth, lustrous, mink-like coat, the Havana rabbit is regarded as the “Mink of the Rabbit Fancy.” The body of this little rabbit is compact. The breed originated in Holland, despite its name. The name Havana came from the similarities in colour between Havana cigars and rabbit hair (at first, all Havana rabbits were chocolate-colored). Havanas arrived in the United States in the early 1900s, and the American Rabbit Breeders Association recognised them in 1916.
Himalayan
The Himalayan rabbit has pointed colouring similar to that of a Siamese or Himalayan cat, with a completely white body and darker “points” of colour on the extremities (nose, ears, paws, lower legs, and tail). Black, blue, chocolate, or lilac points are possible. The Himalayan rabbit, popularly known as “Himmies,” is distinguished by its cylindrical body form. The Himalayan rabbit is one of the oldest breeds, but its origins are unknown. These little, charming bunnies are easy to handle and care for.
Holland Lop
The Holland Lop is a tiny rabbit breed with lop ears. It has little drooping ears and a huge head in comparison to its body. The American Rabbit Breeders Association lists the Holland Lop as one of the top five most popular breeds. It is less aggressive and simpler to handle than some of the larger lop rabbit varieties.
Jersey Woolly
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognised the Jersey Woolly as a new breed of rabbit in 1988. This dwarf rabbit breed has a woollen coat that is less difficult to maintain than other wool-coated rabbit varieties. On the rabbit show circuit, the amiable Jersey Woolly is one of the most popular breeds.
Lilac
The Lilac rabbit stands out among rabbits because of its distinctive pinkish dove-gray silky fur. In the early twentieth century, the breed was developed simultaneously in England and the Netherlands. In the 1920s, the United States imported lilac-colored rabbits from both countries. The Lilac rabbit is now a highly uncommon and valuable breed.
Mini Lop
The Mini Lop is a miniature rabbit breed with lopped ears. Its head is the size of a softball, and its body is compact and stocky. The Mini Lop is larger than the Holland Lop but smaller than both the English and French Lops, weighing 4.5 to 6.5 pounds.
Mini Rex
The Mini Rex is a smaller form of the Rex rabbit, which is known for its velvety, plush, soft fur. It was recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1988. Rex rabbits can weigh up to 10.5 pounds, but Mini Rex rabbits can only weigh 4.5 pounds. It is pleasant, gentle, and peaceful, with a compact, rounded body.
Netherland Dwarf
The Netherland Dwarf is one of the tiniest rabbit breeds, weighing less than 2.5 pounds. Black, blue, chinchilla, chestnut, chocolate, fawn, Himalayan, lilac, orange, steel, tortoiseshell, blue-eyed white, and ruby-eyed white are among the 25 hues available for the Netherland Dwarf. Because some are fearful, gentle handling is recommended.
New Zealand
Don’t be deceived by the name: the New Zealand rabbit was developed in the United States. The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognised New Zealand in 1916. White, red, black, blue, and broken are the five colour variants of the medium to large breed (any colour mixed with white). New Zealand rabbits are kind and caring pets.
Palomino
The Palomino rabbit is named after the famed Palomino horse, which has a golden coat similar to the rabbit. The Palomino rabbit was an American invention from the 1940s and 1950s in Washington state. The breed was previously known as “Tawnies,” then “Washingtonian,” before being formally recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1957 under the name Palomino. Palomino rabbits are affectionate pets.
Polish
Despite its name, the Polish rabbit is said to have originated in the United Kingdom, though no one is certain. It is a very old breed, with references to it dating back to 1860. The Polish is a little rabbit, weighing less than 3.5 pounds, but it is not a dwarf breed. The Polish rabbit is a nice and quiet pet.
Rex
The Rex rabbit, often known as the “King of Rabbits,” is appreciated for its velvety, fluffy, soft fur that is short and dense, giving it a distinct feel. The sumptuous coat is available in 16 different colours. The Rex rabbit was created in the early twentieth century in France. Rex rabbits are friendly and lively.
Rhinelander
The Rhinelander rabbit was developed in Germany in the early twentieth century. It’s an “arched rabbit,” which implies its body type and posture are similar to those of a wild rabbit, alert and ready to flee, with its belly raised off the ground. It is white with orange and black, or fawn and blue, coloured ears, eye rings, and markings.
Satin
The Havana rabbit and the Satin rabbit are related. In a litter of Havana rabbits, a DNA mutation caused the infants’ coats to acquire a lustrous sheen like satin. Satin rabbits are available in 11 different colours. Satins are quiet, sociable, and charming pets.
Silver
The Silver rabbit gets its name from its unusual coat, which is made up of white hairs mixed in with one of three colours (black, brown, or fawn) to provide a stunning silver-tinged colour. With documented records dating back to at least the 1500s, the silver rabbit is said to be the oldest farmed rabbit breed. The Silver Rabbit is affectionate, lively, and sociable.
Silver Fox
The Silver Fox was produced in the United States, and it was the third rabbit breed developed in the country. Although it was originally known as the American Heavyweight Silver, it was later renamed the American Silver Fox and then just Silver Fox. The coat of the breed is dense and jet black, with a silvering effect comparable to that of the silver Artic fox. The Silver Fox is a very rare breed that the Livestock Conservancy calls a heritage breed.
Silver Marten
Chinchilla rabbit breeders accidently produced the Silver Marten when they put black and tan rabbits into the mix to improve it. Unexpected black and silver rabbits started showing up in Chinchilla litters sometime later, and a new breed was established. The name “silver marten” is now commonly used to denote the colours black and silver, which can be found in other rabbit breeds such as the Netherland Dwarf, Mini Rex, and Mini Satin.
Standard Chinchilla
The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognises three Chinchilla rabbit breeds. The Standard Chinchilla is one of them (the other two are the American Chinchilla and the Giant Chinchilla). Chinchilla rabbits have smooth coats with distinctive silver coloration that resemble the chinchilla, a tiny rodent native to South America that is kept as a pet. The hue is a grey mix, with dark slate blue at the bottom, darker blue at the upper border, and light grey tints in between.
Tan
People became enthralled when tan rabbits appeared naturally in wild rabbit colonies in England. In the late 1800s, the unusually coloured rabbits were captured and domesticated. Tan rabbits have red-orange patterns on the back, flanks, and head with dark shading of another colour (black, blue, chocolate, or lilac). Tan rabbits have full arches, resembling their wild forebears. Tan rabbits are energetic and sociable pets.
Sizes of Pet Rabbits
While the breed of a rabbit has minimal bearing on its quality as a pet, the size of the rabbit when it is an adult or full-grown rabbit may be of interest. The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognises the following breeds, which are categorised by size:
Small Sized Rabbit Breeds – 2 to 6 pounds
- American Fuzzy Lop
- Britannia Petite
- Dutch
- Dwarf Hotot
- Florida White
- Havana
- Himalayan
- Holland Lop
- Jersey Wolly
- Mini Lop
- Mini Rex
- Netherland Dwarf
- Polish
- Silver
- Tan
Medium Sized Rabbit Breeds – 6 to 9 pounds
- American Sable
- Belgian Hare
- English Angora
- English Spot
- French Angora
- Harlequin
- Lilac
- Rex
- Rhinelander
- Satin Angora
- Silver Marten
- Standard Chinchilla
Large Sized Rabbit Breeds – 9 to 11 pounds
- American
- American Chinchilla
- Beveren
- Californian
- Champagne d’Argent
- Cinnamon
- Creme d’Argent
- English Lop
- Giant Angora
- Hotot
- New Zealand
- Palomino
- Satin
- Silver Fox
Giant Sized Rabbit Breeds – 11 pounds and more
- Checkered Giant
- Continental Giant (Conti)
- Flemish Giant (Patagonian)
- French Lop
- Giant Chinchilla
User Questions
How many rabbit breeds are there?
According to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, there are 50 recognised unique rabbit breeds.
What breeds of rabbit stay small?
American fuzzy lops, Holland lops, Dutch, and Himalayans; Jersey woolys, and lionheads.
How do you identify rabbit breeds?
There are several internet tools that can assist you in determining the breed of your rabbit. The breed of your rabbit can also be established by its size and weight, fur type, body form, ear type, colour, and markings.
Do rabbits have odours?
Rabbits, unlike dogs, have no bodily odour. There shouldn’t be any odour coming from them. If you do, the rabbit is most likely unwell or infected. A musty odour can be caused by an ear infection, for example.
Are mini lops cuddly?
Because they are such a popular, soft, and large breed, breeders have spent years trying to perfect the breed by making them placid and friendly. These adorable critters adore being handled and petted and have a peaceful existence.
Conclusion
I hope you found this helpful guide. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the form below.
