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Best Pet Rabbit Breeds

There's no such thing as a bad pet rabbit breed, but some domesticated rabbits are more suited to family life than others.

By Chelsea LynnePublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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Rabbits make excellent pets. They're relatively easy to care for, but have outgoing and loving personalities. Many people have the misconception that a rabbit is more like a hamster or other caged pets than a cat or dog. However, you can litter train them, they play with toys with you, and can even communicate with you in their own way. Each breed has its own character traits, such as whether they like to cuddle or how much exercise they need to be happy. This makes knowing what breed of rabbit you're looking for incredibly important when you decide to adopt. While there are some basic rules for giving your rabbit the best care possible, every breed will have its own set of distinct needs as well. If you don't have the space, time, or love to share with a more demanding breed, or if you need a child-friendly fuzzy friend, be sure to research the best pet rabbit breeds before becoming a bunny's forever home.

Holland Lop

Holland Lops are first on the list because I'm a tad bit biased. My own rabbit is a Holland Lop and he has brought immeasurable love and joy into my life. As a dwarf breed, the average Holland Lop weighs from two to four pounds, making them one of the smaller pet rabbit breeds available. This breed has a wide variety of coloring with no distinctive pattern or fur colors that are exclusive to the breed. They're very excitable and are therefore great to play with, but can be tough to coax out of the cage, or to catch when you're ready to put them back in. Despite being incredibly friendly, they aren't the best breed for families with children because they're also prone to struggling when they don't want to be held.

Mini Rex

Also known as "Velveteen Rabbits," Mini Rexs are a breed that originated in 19th century France. Their hair sticks out from their bodies due to a recessive gene, and because of this, you can feel their soft undercoat through their shorter-than-average outer coat. The average Mini Rex weighs between three and a half and four and a half pounds fully grown, making them on the small side for pet rabbit breeds. As an exceptionally friendly breed, it's easy to see why they're one of the most popular breeds in America.

Mini Satin

Mini Satins are also notably soft, and share the small size of many other popular pet rabbit breeds. Satin rabbits in general enjoyed great popularity in 1956, when the satin gene was first discovered. From there, breeders focused on trying to get smaller versions of these rabbits. A very friendly breed, Mini Satins are also incredibly calm. This makes them great pets for families with children or other animals.

Dutch

The Dutch rabbit was actually bred in England originally, making its name a bit of a mystery. It's best known for its unique color pattern. Dutch rabbits are larger than most dwarf breeds but still on the smaller side, averaging between three and a half and five and a half pounds. They're great pets for families with children, as they're very calm and easygoing and can easily cope with the chaos of being picked up and pet often.

Polish

If you don't have a ton of space for a pen or any outdoor space for your rabbit to run, Polish rabbits may be a better fit for you. They are a small breed that needs less space, as they generally need less exercise than other breeds of similar proportions. While all Polish rabbits are calm and friendly, bucks tend to be especially laid back. This breed is also known for its propensity to litter box training, making them great indoor pets.

Mini Lop

Commonly used as show rabbits, Mini Lops are one of the most popular rabbit breeds in the world. They're very similar to Holland Lops in appearance, with floppy ears and a wide variety of color and patterns. They're very prone to litter box training, as well as friendly, cheerful, and playful. Mini Lops are sociable with other rabbits and other animals, but do better with calm children. They need intellectual stimulation, so if you choose this pet rabbit breed be sure to have plenty of toys on hand in their cage.

Harlequin

The harlequin rabbit is best recognized by its distinctive coat pattern of two to three colors distributed as stripes along their body. They're one of the most child friendly breeds out there and, depending on the distinctiveness of their markings, are also show rabbits. They're calm and love to snuggle, but can also be playful. Harlequins are very intelligent, making them prone to litter training and learning tricks.

Netherland Dwarf

Netherland Dwarf rabbits are extremely small, usually weighing between one and two and a half pounds. While many pet rabbit breeds are great with children, these rabbits are better suited to a stable and quiet environment. They need a lot of exercise, and therefore do better in homes where they can run free for long periods of time. Netherland Dwarfs enjoy human company, but only if they feel safe and stable in their environment, making them good adult companions.

Himalayan

Himalayan rabbits are known as one of the most laid back and calm breeds, and therefore are great as children's pets. They love to play but are gentle and calm overall, making them unlikely to bite or scratch (as long as they're being handled properly). Himalayans are sociable, seeking out their family when they want attention. They're prone to litter box training, making them great house pets.

Lionhead

Lionheads can be a bit goofy looking, but they're loving and sociable rabbits. They have distinctive long fur around their head and neck, and are medium to small in size. They bond to people easily, and aren't as bossy as many other breeds. They do, however, require more attention than many breeds, so if you're gone most of the day you may want to consider a different breed. Playful in nature, they enjoy toys, and do tend to shed significantly more than other pet rabbit breeds.

Dwarf Hotot

Dwarf Hotots have a distinctive fur coloring, with entirely white coats and a small colored circle around their eyes. They're common show rabbits, and recently Hotots with chocolate spots have been given the clear to compete by the ARBA (until that time, only Hotots with black spots could compete). The original Hotots were not dwarf, and were bred for fur and meet back in the early 1900s. However, rabbit meat and fur went out of style, and therefore breeders focused on smaller rabbits of this breed. Hotot's are cuddly and love being pet, and are great companion pets as long as you can wait out the occasional mood swing.

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About the Creator

Chelsea Lynne

Enthusiastic bunny lover. Member of Diet Coke anonymous. Still trying to figure out what Type B means.

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