Rabbits come in many varieties, sizes, and personalities, making them a wonderful pet. Choosing the breed that’s right for you can be tough when there are so many to choose from though.
To help, we’ve looked at 11 of the most popular rabbit breeds, comparing their size, care, unique traits, and much more.
Angora Rabbit
These docile, sociable rabbits live between 5-8 years and are known for their thick, soft coats (which is controversially harvested around the world for luxury fibre).
Angora coats don’t molt, so brush/clip the fur regularly (shearing when necessary) to keep it in good condition.
The four main distinct breeds of Angora rabbit are:
- English Angora – smallest of the four weighing approx 5-7lbs; hair is prone to matting/tangling
- French Angora – weigh between 7.5-10.5lbs; has a balanced number of ‘guard’ hairs (protective hairs that seal the finer undercoat hairs) making it easier to groom them
- Giant Angora – largest of the breeds with a coarser coat than most; weighing 9-12lbs
- Satin Angora – have a shorter and more glossy, satin-like coat compared to other breeds; weigh 6.5-9.5lbs
Dwarf Hotot
These pint-sized white rabbits weigh only 2.5-3.5lbs and have distinctive black ‘eyeliner’ markings around their eyes. They can also live 7 to 10 years and love to be petted.
Dwarf Hotot rabbits are very playful with bundles of energy, give them plenty of space to exercise.
These bunnies are happy with the usual dietary balance of pellets, hay, and fresh veggies – just be sure to keep fruit and other treats minimal as they can be prone to obesity and dental issues.
Dutch Rabbit
Dutch rabbits live between 5-10 years and were once the most popular bunny breed in the world! They’re known for their two-tone markings (white with contrasting colors on their face and body) and weigh between 3.5-5.5lbs.
This breed is calm, friendly, and intelligent, making them very easy to litter train as young rabbits.
Dutch rabbits are also quite cleanly and low maintenance, cutting down on grooming time and shedding compared with other breeds.
French Lop
French Lops are gentle giants, weighing in at 10-15lbs with distinctive floppy foot-long ears. They come in many eye-catching colors too including stormy blue, orange, and speckled.
Provide a hutch big enough for French Lops to comfortably hop around (an enclosure at least 4 times their size is best!)
These adorable bunnies live roughly 5-7 years and can be more prone to health issues compared with other breeds such as poor teeth alignment and ‘woolblock’(fur balls created by grooming). Regular dental checkups and coat brushing can help with these conditions.
Flemish Giant
These big, friendly giants can grow up to 2.5ft long and weigh in at 20lbs. Flemish Giants are also smart bunnies, making them easy to litter train if keeping them indoors.
These rabbits tend to shed a lot but their dense, short-hair coat will require minimal brushing, making them a fairly low-maintenance breed.
Their size can make them a little more vulnerable to heat though, so make they get plenty of air and outdoor exercise to help them live for up to 10 years!
Holland Lop
Another breed that can live for up to 10 years is the adorable Holland Lop – this dwarf breed has small ears that flop down and compact, rounded bodies. They also weigh just 2-4lbs, making them easy for small children to handle.
These cuties are known for their curious and playful side and come in various distinct colors from orange and chocolate to tortoiseshell.
Get a pair of Holland lops as this breed is happiest when it can socialize and interact with a fellow rabbit.
Lionhead Rabbit
As their name suggests, these small good-natured bunnies resemble lions due to their long manes of fur framing their face. They weigh only 2.5-3.5lbs and can lie between 7-9 years.
Like lions, this breed is also energetic and playful but fiercely independent and quite stubborn, so training them will take quite a lot of patience!
Some Lionhead rabbits come with double manes which means you’ll need to groom them not weekly but daily to avoid not only matting/tangling but to prevent heatstroke.
Jersey Wooly
This breed is a cross between the French Angora and Netherland Dwarf rabbit and features a poofy wooly coat of soft, fine hairs so shearing every couple of months is a must to keep it in good condition.
Jersey Woolies can live between 7-10 years and weigh between 2.5-3.5lbs. They have a distinct boxy body shape with a semi-arched back and small erect ears.
Their compact stature and affectionate personality makes them a joy for young families to cuddle up with – just be aware that they love to chew on things so you may want to provide them with plenty of their own chew sticks and toys to prevent damage around the house!
Mini Rex Rabbit
The Mini Rex Rabbit measures 10-12 inches long and weighs in at 3.5-4.5lbs. This mini breed is known for its super-soft velvet-like coat which can benefit from weekly grooming to keep it in consistently smooth shape.
These small bunnies can live 7-10 years and are known for their sweet, easygoing nature – even to the point they are quite calm around dogs, cats, and other (well-behaved) house pets.
Mini Rex Rabbits are also pretty sociable and will appreciate another rabbit for companionship as well as regular play and attention.
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
This is one of the smallest breeds of domesticated rabbit, normally weighing between just 1 and 2.5lbs with a body length of 7-9 inches.
This breed looks adorable and innocent with their large doe-eyes, but don’t be fooled – they have a cheeky, wild personality and can take time to become tamed!
Despite their miniature size, Netherland Dwarf rabbits have a surprisingly long life expectancy of up to 15 years with excellent care. Females are prone to developing uterine cancer, so it’s important to discuss spaying options with your local vet as soon as possible.
Rex Rabbit
The parent variety of the Mini Rex Rabbit, this breed has silky plush fur that is slightly curly and is quite a large, muscular bunny, weighing up to 10.5lbs.
Rex Rabbits can be quite boisterous and are highly intelligent, making it easy to train them to play fetch and do tricks.
This breed has a relatively short average lifespan of 5-6 years but with regular vet check-ups to prevent general rabbit health issues such as respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders, they may live for up to 12 years.
