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The Best Pet Rabbit BreedsRabbit Breed Descriptions |
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Sources | Breed Info | Most Popular Breeds | Breeders | Evaluation | What To Expect | Do's And Don'ts |
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Holland Lops are my breed of choice. But there are many breeds that make great pets. Of course, different breeds will suit different people.
Size Matters
Although the individual personality of the pet rabbit your choose should be the final deciding factor, size and weight always seems to be a huge factor in selecting pet rabbits. If you want a tiny indoor rabbit, a huge breed just won't do. Here's the breakdown of breeds by weight:
All-Important Personality
Individual rabbits have personalities as individual as they are. But there are tendencies within breeds. Breeds are listed below as either being relaxed, curious, or excitable. Please note that excitable rabbits can still be great pets for those who are comfortable and experienced with animals. The excitable breeds can be a lot of fun to watch. I prefer the curios breeds; I find them to have good balance between calm and excitement. Others only want calm breeds and enjoy them immensely.
Fur Type
All rabbits molt from time to time. Different fur requires different care. Be sure to consider the fur type of your new pet rabbit.
Rex fur is the shortest type of rabbit fur, approximately 5/8". It is much like velvet and a joy to feel. Flyback fur is short enough to fly back into place when you rub your hand from rump to shoulder. Rollback full gently rolls back into place when rubbed backwards. Wool breeds have fur that is several inches long.
Basic Body Type
Once you've chosen the basic size and personality of the rabbit, you will want to consider the looks of the bunny. Different body type rabbits can look dramatically different from each other.
Rabbits come in four basic body types: Semi-arch (also called Mandolin), compact, full arch, and commercial type. There is actually a fifth type, but it is comprised solely of Himalayans which are cylindrical in type.
Semi-arched rabbit breeds arch from the shoulders over the hips. They are lower at the shoulder and higher at the hips when they lie down naturally. Some semi-arched breeds are American, Flemish Giant and Giant Chinchilla.
Compact rabbits are generally lighter and shorter than commercial types and have full massive-looking bodies, compared to their actual size. Holland lops, Netherland dwarfs, and Dutch are part of this group.
Full arch type rabbits have a very dramatic, dignified look to them. They are generally narrow, very upright, and have long front legs. Belgian Hares, Britannia Petite and Tans are examples of full arch type rabbits.
Commercial types were developed for meat, but often the rabbits make great pets because of their personalities. Their type is wide and not too long, similar to compact rabbits, but larger and heavier. Harlequins, Giant Angora, Satins, and Rex are part of this group.
Other Considerations
Larger rabbits require larger cages, eat more, and produce larger amounts of waste. They do tend to be calmer in personality, however.
Mini Rex tend to have long, sharp toe nails or at least they seem that way because of the shorter fur which exposes the nails more.
Belgian Hares should be housed in a solid-bottom rather than wire-bottom cages. Their spines are delicate.
Dutch and Himalayan are good choices for younger children both due to their size and to their very calm personalities.
Jersey Wooly may be the best choice of wool breeds for a pet rabbit. American Fuzzy Lop is another good choice if you want a long-haired pet rabbit.
English lops are also extremely calm. Their nails must be kept short to keep them from damaging their long ears. Their ears need special care in cold weather since as putting tube socks on them!
Lionheads are just beginning to be developed, so their makeup is still highly variable and not well established. Thrianta, a red rabbit, is also a new breed and may be difficult to locate.
Some of the more popular breeds for pets include Holland Lops, Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Rex, Dutch, Jersey Wooly, Mini Lops, and American Fuzzy Lops.
What Do They Look Like?
For rabbit breed pictures, visit the American Rabbit Breeders' Association Breed Photos page.
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This website is owned and maintained by Laurie Stroupe. No portion may be used without written permission. © 2005-2008 Laurie Stroupe.
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