Rabbit Breeds
Small Animal Science
Dwarf or Miniature
Britannia Petite
Netherland Dwarf
Origin: Old English breed known as
“Polish”.
Colors/Patterns: In U.S. white with red
eyes, and many other colors
Weight: Less than 2 ½ pounds
Other: Currently recognized as
smallest of standard breeds.
Origin: Early 20th century from a
Dutch rabbit and a wild rabbit. Developed
in Holland.
Colors/Patterns: More different colors than
any other breed.
Weight: 2 ½ pounds
Other: Small, stocky, and
compact.
Origin: Himalayan Mountain area
Colors/Patterns: Snow white, with the
nose, ears, feet, & tail becoming black
Weight: 2 ½ to 4 ½ pounds
Other: Ears stand erect
Origin: Unknown
Colors/Patterns: Five colors: Black w/brown
eyes, Blue w/blue-gray eyes, Chocolate w/
Brown eyes, White w/ruby-red eyes and
White w/blue eyes.
Weight: 2½ to 3½ pounds
Other: Believed to have been
Developed as an albino Dutch rabbit.
Himalayan
Polish
Dwarf Hotot
Origin: In 1970’2 in 2 different parts of
Germany
Colors/Patterns: Entire body is white w/
only markings being a very thin black
eye band around each eye
Weight: Maximum of 3¼ pounds
Other: The breed came from 2
different approaches of breeding which
breeders merged together to improve size
and vigor.
Jersey Wooly
Origin: New Jersey in late 1970’s
Colors/Patterns: Selfs, Shaded,
Agouti, Tan, and Pointed
Weight: Less than 3½ pounds
Other: Cross between Netherland
Dwarf and Angoras. Ears are 2-3
inches long.
Origin: Netherlands
Colors/Patterns: Solid or broken
varieties.
Weight: Less than 4 pounds
Other: Apple-shaped head that is
short and broad. Developed by
breeding Netherland Dwarfs to French
Lops and then by breeding offspring to
English Lops to enhance ear carriage.
Origin: Unknown in the 1980’s
Colors/Patterns: Broken patterns
Weight: Less than 4 pounds
Other: Cross between the French
Angora and Holland Lops. A small lopeared breed.
Holland Lop
American Fuzzy Lop
Mini Rex
Origin: Unknown
Colors/Patterns: Blue, Californian,
Castor, Chinchilla, Lynx, Opal, Red,
Seal, Tortoise, White, and Broken
Weight: less than 4½ pounds
Other: Developed by crossing standard
Rex rabbits w/ Netherland Dwarf to get
smaller animals.
Small
Dutch
Origin: Developed in England, although
originated in Holland
Colors/Patterns: Black, Blue, Chocolate,
Tortoise, Steel Gray, and Gray.
Weight: 3½ to 5½ pounds
Other: Colored patches on each
side of the head that encircle the eyes and
ears. White blaze on forehead & down over
the front part of rabbit, including front legs.
The rear half of the animal is colored
the same as the head patches. White also
appears halfway up on the rear paws.
Tan
Origin: England as a cross between
a Dutch rabbit and wild rabbit.
Colors/Patterns: Blue, Chocolate, &
Lilac w/ tan undersides
Weight: 4 to 5½ pounds for bucks &
4 to 6 pounds for does
Other: Originally known as the Black
and Tan breed
Origin: England, France, & Germany
Colors/Patterns: Brown, Fawn, & Gray
Weight: 4 to 7 pounds
Other: Fur of this rabbit has large
numbers of pigment-free, silvery-white
tips, giving it the silver color.
Origin: Florida
Colors/Patterns: White
Weight: 2½ to 5 pounds
Other: Developed for a small meat rabbit,
and a small laboratory rabbit.
Silver
Florida White
Havana
Origin: Result of a mutation that
occurred in 1898.
Colors/Patterns: Black, Blue, &
Chocolate.
Weight: 4½ to 6½ pounds
Other: Small, compact, and meaty
Mini Lop
Origin: Germany, where it is known as the
Klein Widder
Colors/Patterns: Agouti and White; solid
or broken
Weight: 4½ to 6½ pounds
Other: Cross between German Big Lop &
Little Chinchilla rabbit. Scaled down version
of the French Lop. Has massive, thickset body
Medium
Origin: Introduced to U.S. from
England
Colors/Patterns: Background color is white
And is accepted in 7 color varieties: Black,
Blue, Chocolate, Gold, Gray, Lilac, &
Tortoise
Weight: 5 to 8 pounds
Other: Butterfly nose pattern, eye circles, cheek
spots, and colored ears, and other spots on
body
Origin: Developed in 1913 by a French
Engineer, M.J. Dybowski
Colors/Patterns: Similar to that of the
Chinchilla w/undercolor of dark-slate
Blue, intermediate portion is pearl, top
portion narrow black band and a light
band above that.
Weight: Bucks 5½ to 7½ pounds and
Does 6 to 8 pounds
Other: Cross from a wild gray rabbit and
a Himalayan. Rather compact and
chubby body
English Spots
Standard Chinchilla
English Angora
Lilac
Origin: Ankara, Turkey approximately
Hundreds of years ago
Colors/Patterns: Ruby-eyed White,
Pointed White, Self, & Agouti
Weight: 5 to 7½ pounds
Other: Entire body covered in wool
Origin: Unknown
Colors/Patterns: Dove-gray w/ slight
pink sheen (pinky-dove)
Weight: 6 to 7 pounds
Other: The Lilac is a diluted Havana
Brown that sometimes appears in
litters of Havana rabbits.
Origin: First appeared 50 years ago
In nest box of a Std. Chinchilla
Colors/Patterns: Black, Blue, Chocolate,
and Sable varieties
Weight: Buck 6 to 8½ pounds &
Does 7 to 9½ pounds
Other: Fur is about 1 inch in length and is
interspersed with silver-tipped guard hairs.
Silver Martin
Origin: Flanders in Belgium and
Introduced into England in 1874
and U.S. in 1888
Colors/Patterns: Varies from a fox to
Mahogany red, w/ chestnut shading on
the sides. Brilliant black tickling appears
on the body and along edges of ears.
Weight: 6 to 9 pounds
Other: Known as the race horse or
Greyhound of rabbit family. Fur is close
lying and of rather harsh texture.
Belgian Hare
Rhinelander
Harlequin
Origin: Developed in Germany
Colors/Patterns: All colors are acceptable,
a Tricolored variety in white, black, and
blue
Weight: Bucks 6½ to 9½ pounds & Does
7 to 10 pounds
Other: Unique body type being rounded and
almost cylindrical, avoiding heaviness in either
shoulders or hindquarters. Butterfly marking on
nose, cheek spots, and eye rings.
Origin: Originated in Northern France &
Belgium in the 1880’2
Colors/Patterns: Markings are its distinctive
features. 2 basic body colors are
orange or white with black, chocolate,
lilac, or blue markings.
Weight: Bucks 6½ to 9 pounds & does
7 to 9½ pounds
Other: Orange patterns are referred to as
“Japanese” and white patterns referred to
as “Magpie”.
Origin: Originated in 1919
Colors/Patterns: Deep sepia brown &
delicate shadings
Weight: Bucks 7 pounds or better &
Does 8 pounds or better
Other: Head, ears, and feet have a
purple or a shaded brown sheen
Origin: Created by L.P. Meyer of
Canada
Colors/Patterns: Agouti, Pointed White,
Self, Shaded, Solid, and Ticked
Weight: 8 pounds
Other: Wool has good length and
density and a brilliant satin sheen. Wool
is finer than normal Angora wool and
has a soft, silky texture.
Satin Angora
Sable
French Angora
Origin: Originated in the French
departments of Vosges, Savoy,
Magence, Normandy, and Jura
Colors/Patterns:
Weight: More than 7½ pounds
Other: Not as heavily covered in wool
compared to the English. Tail is covered
by wool but the feet and legs are furred
only to the first joint. Wool is coarse,
and the ideal length is about 2½ inches.
Rex
Origin: Around 1919
Colors/Patterns: Black, Blue, Californian,
Castor, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Lilac, Lynx,
Opal, Red, Sable, Seal, White, and
Broken
Weight: Bucks 7 ½ pounds and does
8 to 10½ pounds
Other: Short hair coat, with guard hairs
being of the same length as the underfur.
The fur also stands at right angles to the
skin, is about 3/5 inch long and has a
very soft, plush feel.
Large
Origin: Originated in the 19th century in
the city of Beveren, Belgium
Colors/Patterns: Blue, Blue-eyed White,
& Black
Weight: Bucks weigh 8 to 10 pounds and
Does 9 to 11 pounds
Other: A full head with an outward curvature
Between the eyes and nose is characteristic
Of this breed.
Origin: Produced in 1928 by George West
Colors/Patterns: White w/ black colored
Nose, ears, feet, and tail; eyes are red
Weight: Bucks weigh 8 to 10 pounds &
Does weigh 8½ to 10½ pounds
Other: Produced to be a better
commercial rabbit.
Californian
Beveren
Hotot
Origin: France, is known as the
Blanc de Hotot & around 1912
Colors/Patterns: Shiny white w/ thin
black band surrounding the eyes
Weight: Bucks 8 to 10 pounds &
Does 9 to 11 pounds
Other: Believed that native French-spotted
rabbits and the Checkered Giant used in
developing this breed.
Palomino
Origin: Developed by Mark Youngs of
Washington
Colors/Patterns: Golden and Lynx
Weight: Bucks weigh 8 to 10 punds &
Does weigh 9 to 11 pounds
Other: Several breeds were used to
produce this breed with distinctive
colors
Origin: Developed by Ellis Houseman of
Montana
Colors/Patterns: Rust or cinnamon
ground; the fur is ticked w/smoke-gray
Origin: Mutation in 1930 of a Havana
across the back, sides show a smokelitter
gray shading and the underfur is
Colors/Patterns: Black, Blue, Californian,
Chichilla, Chocolate, Copper, Red, Siamese, orange and fur around head and ears
are darker shadind
White, and Broken
Weight: Bucks weigh 8½ to 10½ pounds
Weight: Bucks weigh 8½ to 10½ pounds &
& does weigh 9 to 11 pounds
Does weigh 9 to 11 pounds
Other:Well-filled and meaty body
Other: The new “Satin” breeds have more
uniformed descriptions of type and fur
Satin
Cinnamon
Crème d’Argent
Origin: Originated in France
Colors/Patterns: Crème color with a bright
orange underfur; guard hairs are orange
Weight: Bucks weigh 8 to 10 pounds &
Does weigh 8½ to 10 pounds
Other: Appeared in U.S. in 1934 and
Are becoming popular because of their
Luxurious and richly colored fur
Champagne d’Argent
Origin: Originated in France
Colors/Patterns: Bluish-white with the
underfur being a dark, slate blue with
jet black guard hairs
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 to 11 pounds
& does weigh9 ½ to 12 pounds
Other: Appeared in U.S. in 1934 and
Are becoming popular because of their
Luxurious and richly colored fur
Origin: United States
Colors/Patterns: Blue & White color
Varieties
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 to 11 pounds and
Does weigh 10 to 12 pounds
Other: Believed to have been developed from
throwback, called “sports” of blue rabbits.
ideal body type is described as “Mandolin”
because the arch of the back resembling it
from the hindquarters to the shoulders.
American
Origin: Unknown
Colors/Patterns: Same as the
Standard Chinchilla
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 to 11 pounds
& does weigh 10 to 12 pounds
Other: A result of selective breeding
for size from the Standard
Chinchilla. Larger than the Standard &
referred to the “Heavyweight” Chinchilla
American Chinchilla
New Zealand
English Lops
Origin: Not known, but first appeared
in Algiers, North Africa and then spread
to England
Colors/Patterns: Self & Broken varieties
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 pounds and over
& does weigh 10 pounds and over
Other: Breeders competed to increase the
ear length of 23 to 24 inches long. In 1885,
the first lop appeared to have ears over 24
inches. The record for the longest ears is 28½”
Origin: Originated in California &
Indiana almost simultaneously.
Colors/Patterns: Red, White, & Black
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 to 11 pounds &
Does weigh 10 to 12 pounds
Other: The White New Zealand has
Been the leading choice for commercial
Rabbit producers in the U.S. Primarily
Raised for meat production.
Silver Fox
Origin: Originated & developed in the 1920’s by W.B. Garland
of North Canton, Ohio
Colors/Patterns: Chocolate and Blue
Weight: Bucks weigh 9 to 11 pounds & does weigh 10 to 12 pounds
Other: Originally known as the American Silver Fox. Unique features
are its evenly silvered fur resembling fox fur with a length of 1 to 1 ½ inches
long and the lack of fly-back fur when stroked.
Giant
Giant Angora
Origin: Originated by Louise Walsh of
Taunton, Maine
Colors/Patterns: Ruby-eyed White &
Blue-eyed White
Weight: Bucks weigh more than 8½ pounds
& does weigh more than 9 pounds
Other: Main purpose of developing this breed
was to produce an animal to have a maximum
amount of wool production. Wool types:
Underwool-medium-fine, soft, & delicately waved.
Awn Fluff-a soft, wavy wool with a guard hair tip
found between the underwool.
Awn-Hair-which is strong, straight hair protruding
above the awn fluff
French Lop
Origin: First bred around 1850 in France
Colors/Patterns: Any solid color & any
color in combination with white.
Weight: Bucks weigh more than 9 pounds
& does weigh more than 10 pounds
Other: This rabbit’s ears are shorter than
those of the English Lop. The ears hang
down in a horseshoe shape from the
crown approx. 1 ½ inches or more below
the muzzle. Body is very massive and
heavily muscled.
Origin: In Germany, 1904
Colors/Patterns: White w/black or
Blue markings.
Weight: Bucks weigh 11 pounds & over
& does weigh 12 pounds & over
Other: Colored butterfly nose, eye circles,
cheek spots, spine markings, tail, & side
markings are well formed & distinct
Checkered Giant
Origin: Developed by Ed Stahl of
Missouri
Colors/Patterns: Maintains Chinchilla
Color patterns
Weight: Bucks weigh 12 to 15 pounds &
Does weigh 13 to 16 pounds
Other: Result of selective cross-breeding
and addition of Flemish Giant blood
Giant Chinchilla
Flemish Giant
Origin: Early development not known, breed originated
in Belgium
Colors/Patterns: Steel Gray, Light Gray, Sandy, Black, Blue,
White, and Fawn
Weight: Bucks weigh more than 12 pounds & does weigh over
13 pounds
Other: 15 to 18 pound Flemish Giants are common. Breeders
In the U.S. are given credit for producing the different colors