All pet rabbits are of the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) species, although there are many different pet rabbit breeds with a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes. There are over 50 generally recognised pet rabbit breeds, a selection of which are listed below.
Lop Rabbits
The lop rabbit breed has long floppy ears. The biggest Lop rabbits, such as the French Lop can grow very big, up to nearly 7 kg. The English Lop is not quite as big, but has very long ears, up to 50 cm long. There are smaller breeds of Lop rabbit, such as the Dwarf Lop and Mini Lop. They are a good looking, gentle and friendly pet rabbit breed, and come in many colours.
Dutch Rabbits
The Dutch rabbit breed has very distinctive colour markings. The front of the Dutch rabbit’s head, front section of the body and part of the back feet are white, while the sides of the head, ears, and rear half of the body are coloured. The coloured parts are usually the same colour as each other, with black or blue being the most common. They are also friendly as pet rabbits, and can grow up to 2.5 kg.
English Rabbits
English rabbits, also known as English Spot rabbits, are easy to recognise with their distinctive markings. Mostly white, they have a butterfly marking on the nose, colouring around the eyes and along the spine, and coloured spots down each side. These are gentle and friendly, but very active rabbits that need lots of exercise, and grow up to 3.6 kg.
Angora Rabbits
Angora rabbits have a very long, soft coat (or wool) and require more care than most other pet rabbit breeds, with brushing, cleaning and trimming required regularly. There are various types of Angora, and they can grow up to between 2.5 kg to nearly 4 kg.
Pet Rabbits
The breeds listed above are some of the more common pet rabbit breeds, but there are many breeds and mixes that make great pet rabbits, either as house rabbits or outdoor rabbits.
