About Bunny Breeds

Bunnies, or rabbits, come in hundreds of shapes, sizes and varieties. The number of breeds continues to rise as breeders seek to combine the best traits of existing bunnies into new and better breeds. Breeders consider many factors including fur, size, color, body type and ears. Types of fur include rex, normal and wool (angora) and come in countless colors. Sizes range from small dwarfs at 1.5 pounds to large rabbits weighing up to 30 pounds.

  1. Netherland Dwarf

    • Five Dutchmen spent 30 years developing Netherland dwarf rabbits, which are descendants of German's Hermelins or Polish rabbits. Weighing from 1.5 to 3 pounds, they made their official breed debut in 1940 in Holland. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognized them in 1969. These rabbit show favorites have blunt faces, upright ears, small, compact bodies and short, glossy fur. They come in many colors, including black, fawn, white, silver, blue and chocolate. ARBA officially recognizes 24 colors grouped into five categories: self, shaded, agoutis, tan patterns and any other variables.

    Mini Rex

    • The deliberate breeding of a dwarf rex buck and a standard rex doe resulted in the mini rex in the early 1980s. The mini rex maintains the wonderfully, velvet-soft fur of the standard rex but weighs in at 3.5 to 4.5 pounds. Its plush fur is the result of a recessive gene that prevents the growth of the tough outer hair that normally sheds rain and snow. Unfortunately, mini rex rabbits suffer with sore hock problems similar to the larger standard rex. Rabbits generally have little foot padding, and the fine fur of the rex provides little protection from friction.

    Holland Lop

    • Weighing from 3 to 4 pounds with floppy ears, a sweet face and a loving disposition, the Holland lop is a popular pet and show rabbit. Called the dwarf of Europe, the rabbit originated in Holland, bred from the larger French lop standard and a Netherland dwarf. Brought to the United States in 1976, it achieved breed status by 1979. Second in worldwide popularity to the Netherland dwarf, Holland lops come in many colors including fawn, white, black and white and fawn and white.

    Dutch Rabbit

    • Easily identifiable by a triangular white blaze between two pockets of color surrounding their eyes, Dutch rabbits weigh from 3.5 to 5.5 pounds. With white front legs, shoulders and upper backs, the rest of their back and the color surrounding their eyes may be chocolate, black, gray, blue, blue-gray, tortoise or steel. Popular as pets and show rabbits, their history dates to 1864 when they arrived in England from Holland. Bred from the now extinct Brabancon blue, the standardized Dutch rabbit we know today dates to 1880s England.