Pet Rabbit Breeds

The category "Pet Rabbit Breeds" is nearly as large as the category "rabbits."

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The word "pet" refers, in our opinion, to the function you wish the rabbit to serve in your life. This being the case, a pet rabbit can be of any size, fur, color or personality that suits your needs.

Are you searching for the best pet rabbit breeds?

You can turn nearly any rabbit of any breed into a pet rabbit with kindness, handling, and socialization.

Many folks select dwarf-sized rabbits as pets because they eat less food, need less housing space, and are very cute. But frankly, there are a number of very excellent standard and large breeds that also make fine pets. Flemish Giants, for example, are said to be very laid-back and docile.

We raise standard Rex rabbits. Rex rabbits are considered a medium-sized breed. They also make wonderful pets. Plus, the amazing rex fur means you'll love petting your pet rabbit!

In my opinion, there are very few breeds of rabbits that would not make good pets, so don't think you must limit yourself to dwarf pet rabbit breeds if you are an adult, teenager, or even a precocious child.

Well, what about pet rabbit breeds for children?

Children have small hands and small laps. Perhaps this is why folks seem likely to purchase small rabbits for children. Small is fine -- just be sure that the little one knows how to handle the rabbit safely before you turn him loose with the animal unsupervised.

Pet Rabbit Breed Suggestions

(Other than lionheads, we included no wooled breeds, due to the additional grooming required. If you'd like a wooly rabbit as a pet, by all means check them out at our All Rabbit Breeds page.)

Hmm, we're thinking visitors to Raising-Rabbits might be interested in YOUR pet rabbit breeds...

Do you know your pet rabbit breed?

What kind of rabbit is your pet? Is it a mixed or unknown breed, or a pedigreed rabbit? Is it a big breed or a small one?

Feel free to share with other visitors about your pet rabbit, and your recommendations for a pet rabbit breed. We think it will be a big help to them. (While you're at it, you can even share pictures of your pet bunnies!)

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Our Rabbit Breeds page is a good place to go if you want to check out other categories of rabbit breeds other than the little ones.

If you need to continue your search, or if you think a 4-H or FFA project might end up turning into a breeding project or a lifelong hobby (it's happened too many times to count!), we’ve provided various categories and lists of rabbit breeds by type, fur, size, etc.

All Rabbit Breeds: Find links to every breed's National Breed Club on our Breed Catalog page. You'll also find a brief description of all 47 rabbit breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).

Whichever pet rabbit breed you like best, we strongly recommend you purchase from a reputable breeder of your chosen breed. A rabbit breeder is familiar with his breed of rabbits, and can offer you a healthy, pet rabbit. The reputable breeder guarantees his rabbits' health. And, it is in his best interest to sell you a fine rabbit, since you will tell others about your awesome pet, and he may get more business.

Nevertheless, you might find that perfect pet rabbit at a shelter. Granted, it's a big 'might.'

If you decide to look for pet rabbits at shelters and rescue organizations, please be aware of these important observations:

• The rate of sickness among rescue rabbits is very high, some estimate as high as 9 out of 10 rabbits. Sick rabbits are often cranky rabbits; if the prior owners didn't know how to recognize the symptoms or did not want to deal with vet bills, they may have simply relinquished the rabbit to a shelter.

  Please do not feel compelled to 'rescue' a sick rabbit. It is best euthanized.

• Healthy rabbits are friendly rabbits. Healthy rabbits don't ever need their teeth trimmed. Please don't buy any sales pitches telling you that fussy rabbits or long teeth are normal conditions. They're not.

• Healthy rabbits are a delightful addition to a family. This is why the actual percentage of truly abandoned rabbits hovers somewhere around 2%, not the much larger percentages that are often used as a ploy to separate you from a sizable donation. Just lettin' you know.

  If you’re in the market for a pet rabbit and have no plans other than to give a rabbit a home for the long term, then by all means, check first with a shelter or rescue organization. Just be very, very careful.

• Learn about rescue and shelter rabbit populations.

Before making your final choice about which pet rabbit breeds to choose from, we hope you'll choose a healthy pet rabbit no matter which pet breed you choose, or where you get it from.

Be sure to check the nose and front paws for mats or moisture - signs of pasteurella, also known as snuffles.

Snuffles is not curable. If you take home a sneezing rabbit, you're in for a very long haul, lots of vet bills and medications that only help for short stretches of time. A sick rabbit does not feel good. No matter how cute, it's far better to leave the sick bunny in favor of a healthy one.

For more information:
SNUFFLES
Rabbit Diseases

What if, despite your best efforts and research, you end up with a mean pet rabbit?

We are not those who advocate you tough-it-out for years and years with mean animals. A vicious rabbit is no help to anyone.

Sometimes a "vicious" rabbit is actually a sick rabbit. Rabbits who are sick from severe or incurable diseases are best put down humanely.

One day I found a little black rabbit hopping around on our property. As the rabbit nosed around our barn eating feed my rabbits had dumped on the ground, I managed to get near enough that the rabbit bit me. That's when I put two and two together, and figured the rabbit had been released into the woods because it was mean.

A day or two later, I managed to catch the rabbit, and put it into one of my cages. Now the rabbit could eat clean food and have access to all the water it needed.

Only a few days later, the rabbit began tilting its head to the side. Along with this symptom, the rabbit could hardly stand up straight. It kept losing its balance.

Ah, the animal was sick. Very sick. It had an inner ear infection or even a brain infection, almost certainly caused by pasteurella multocida, the germ that causes snuffles. No wonder it had gotten mean. It felt really crummy.

I put the animal out of its misery humanely. That's when I discovered it was also covered in parasites.

(There are many reasons why NOT to release unwanted pet rabbits into the wild...this little black rabbit illustrated several of them.)

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