Pet Rabbit Breeds


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

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 breeds for pet rabbits? 

Sponsored Links

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.


Domestic Rabbit Breeds E-book

Are you trying to decide which breed is best for you?

Do you see a bunny available, but haven't heard of that kind before?

Are you curious about the different types of rabbits?

Check out our ebook, Domestic Rabbit Breeds. We also have lots of other great books with everything you need to know about rabbits, from housing to healthcare. Check out our BOOKSTORE.

As the leaves fall, so do our prices! All of our ebooks are ON SALE, 30% off!
BUY NOW for $12.99 $8.99!


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.  

Broken black rex rabbit

Pet Rabbit Breed Suggestions

There's not a doubt in my mind that you'll find pet rabbits of every single breed around the world. That said, this list presents the popular breeds for pet rabbits in the United States, plus a few breeds we think you might like as pets. Please know that this list is by no means authoritative!


Cinnamon ~ Dutch ~ Dwarf Hotot

English Spot ~ Flemish Giant ~ French Lop ~ Harlequin

Himalayan ~ Holland Lop ~ Lionhead ~ Mini Lop ~ Mini Rex

Mini Satin ~ Netherland Dwarf ~ Palomino ~ Polish

Rex ~ Tan ~ Thrianta


Black Otter Rex Doe and bunnies


(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, or purchase our complete Domestic Rabbit Breeds e-book.)

Click here to learn more about small and dwarf-sized rabbit breeds.

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

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.  

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.

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 high, some estimate as high as 8 or 9 out of every 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. Fussy crankiness should not be considered normal pet rabbit behavior. 
  • Healthy rabbits don't need their teeth trimmed. 
  • Healthy rabbits are a delightful addition to a family.  This is why the actual percentage of rabbits abandoned for no reason hovers somewhere around 2%.



Bunnies Day Out!

You want your fluffy friend to enjoy life with you, so now you can take them along in comfort and style in a fashionable tote from Oskar and Friends. They can accommodate up to a 15 pound rabbit. The have 3 great styles, the everyday tote (pictured), the travel carrier, and the frontpack/backpack. They also come in several colors. These quality carriers are only $65, so they also make a very reasonable gift. 

  • Adjustable safety tether and zip top mesh for extra security
  • Easy to clean
  • Vegan materials including faux leather
  • Machine washable bed pad
  • Multiple pockets for carrying treats

To find out more about all the great features of the pet carriers from Oskar and Friends, Click Here!




Choose a Healthy Pet Rabbit

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 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 rabbit breed you choose, or where you get it from.

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

For more information:
Snuffles
Rabbit Diseases
Keep Your Rabbit Healthy


Domestic Rabbit Breeds E-book

Are you trying to decide which breed is best for you?

Do you see a bunny available, but haven't heard of that kind before?

Are you curious about the different types of rabbits?

Check out our ebook, Domestic Rabbit Breeds. We also have lots of other great books with everything you need to know about rabbits, from housing to healthcare. Check out our BOOKSTORE.

As the leaves fall, so do our prices! All of our ebooks are ON SALE, 30% off!
BUY NOW for $12.99 $8.99!

Girl in field playing with pet lop rabbit






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...

This is Fizzgig the Lionhead 
Is he considered to be a Harlequin Lionhead Rex? Fizzgig is about 8 months old. We rescued him from the animal shelter after our rabbit Burrito passed. …

What Breed is My Rabbit? 
Hi, I have a black small buck. He is about 3 months old. He has a very distinctive sheen on his coat, and he has blackish purple-ish eyes? Is he possibly …

Just got my daughter an adorably soft, docile young rabbit but what kind is she??? 
The rabbit is a young doe, or so I was told. She's so extremely soft and incredibly sweet. She is all white with a black ring around one eye. The other …

Can anyone tell me what breed my bunny is? 
I just got my bunny today. He is very sweet and oh my goodness extremely soft. I can't remember what breed the man said he is. Honestly I was too wrapped …

idk what breed my rabbit is 
He is gray and white, is small and has short ears. Oh and his fur is soft but not like a rex or mini rex. ** ** He looks like a bit of a mixture, …

A Cottontail's Loyalty 
I have an amazing but sad story of true bunny loyalty in the most unlikely form: a cottontail rabbit. After a year of keeping Brownie in my house, I released …

Don't know his breed, can you help? 
I bought a 5-6 month old rabbit a couple days ago for my daughter from a pet store. The store had his labeled as a "mini lop" but his ears don't "lop" …

Mini Rex  
Hi, I currently have 5 mini rex rabbits they are a gorgeous breed very friendly and entertaining personalities. My otter doe has recently had kits proud …

New Zealand White  
New Zealands are a good breed to raise because they produce rather large litters of kits(baby rabbits)

I know it's a pedigree but...? 
I went to a local breeder and looked at the baby bunnies they have. All of the bunnies are healthy and extremely socialized and I could tell because they …

I love my Holland Lops! 
Holland Lops are awesome pets! I have 3 of them and I love the breed! I love their floppy ears and they only get to about 4lb. My buck is so nice, when …

Would like more info on my brown rabbit 
It is a brown rabbit with a little bit of white on the side of it and he is pretty small when he is balled up. When he lays out he is between 1 to 3 feet …

Rabbit Lover 
My Rabbit Is 8 Months Old, And Is About The Size Of A Small Guinea Pig. I'm Trying To Find More Like Him, Very Hard To Find.

Lionhead does 
Hey I was just wondering how many times I can healthily breed my does without them being stressed out and over bred? Also can I house does together once …

My Rabbit 
Here is a picture of my pet rabbit. I don't know what breed she is but she has blue eyes and is a mixture of beige, grey and white!

Holland Lops Great Pets 
I have Holland Lops. My Holland Lop buck is extremely friendly- he'll run up when you walk by his cage and lick your fingers. He gets angry with me sometimes …

My Cottontail Sidey 
My pet rabbit literally dropped into my life four months ago, May 2014. I work as a letter carrier and was surprised when a crow flew by and dropped a …

Mixed rabbit is actually classified as a breed 
I got my bunny off craigslist for 25$. Her mom was a Mini Rex/Mix and her dad was a Rhinelander. For awhile I thought that she was a harlequin but I checked …

Mama Rabbit is a what? 
See my other page to see the daddy rabbit. I still don't know what breed they are. The daddy is brown with grayish highlights (nose, tips of ears, feet, …

What are these? 
I am clueless about what Breed(s) of rabbits I have. I am including a picture. We thought they were 2 sisters, but it turned out to be brother and sister …

New Zealand Red Rabbits 
I raise New Zealand Reds. They are a very nice breed to own or raise. New Zealands in general have a very nice, even temper. They are calm and gentle, …

Chloe is a ??  Not rated yet
Chloe has now passed to the Heavens above. Rest In Paradise my sweet baby! She was 10 years old when she passed and I had gotten her from the shelter …

What Breed is this rabbit?  Not rated yet
I got this guy yesterday and they had no idea what his breed is. When he's laying out he looks rather muscular and he's got rather large hind feet. He's …

What breed is my rabbit? Not rated yet
My sister's roommate was leaving and had a pet rabbit, which she gave to me. She wasn’t sure what breed she was and I’m not sure either. The bunny is soft …

Click here to write your own.

How I Care for My Netherland Dwarf Not rated yet
Grace is a very energetic girl!! She's a little shy about people. She can be very sweet, and a bit aggressive at times. If I were to spay her, …

Lionhead Not rated yet
Hello! I purchased a cute lionhead that I thought was a younger one out of the pick only to find out she is pregnant. She gave birth but showed no …

Do you know this rabbit breed? Not rated yet
We just got him yesterday. He's apparently about a year old. He is very soft, but very timid. His ears peak straight up and his eyes are big and beautiful! …

What breed is he? Not rated yet
I just got him from a friend. He is only 2 months old. Any idea on the breed? Thanks in advance! ** ** Very cute rabbit! Those are some …

PLEASE HELP!! What breed is my rabbit? Not rated yet
My rabbit's name is Pierre. I was told he was a dwarf when I got him. He is one year old. I think he is a broken mini rex, but I'm not sure. He is about …

American Blue Not rated yet
Murphy is a 1 yr old male who came to me because of anger issues. He is a fantastic house bunny. Very calm, easy going and not angry at all. We recently …

We have 4! Not rated yet
Buggsy is our Mini-Rex Rabbit. He is the sweetest and most kind rabbit. He loves to play and has never once nipped any of us! We also have a Mini-Lop, …

Netherland Dwarf Baby Not rated yet
This is Hopscotch, he is 6 weeks old and adorable! His mother a solid back Nethie, and his father is a chocolate Nethie.

Lililop Not rated yet
My Rabbit is a mini-lop. Her color is opal and she has roll-back fur. She was born in September but we are not sure what day. We got her from a lady near …

Holland Lop Not rated yet
My Holland Lop is very cute very friendly and social. He loves to be held and poops a lot! He has peed on me twice and pooped on me once.

Dutch and Lionhead Not rated yet
My dutch is a doe, her name is Chloe. She is the sweetest rabbit. She just had a litter, 6 in all. My lionhead is a buck, his name is Bob, sweet and funny. …

Beautiful Doe Not rated yet
I have a Siamese Satin. She wasn't considered good enough for show, because one ear has a habit of falling sideways, but she's smart as a whip, and sweet …

What breed my rabbit is? Not rated yet
Please help! I got my rabbits from a rabbit breeder a few days ago and I want to find out what breed they are. According to the breeder they are both girls. …

Dutch bunny Not rated yet
We gave our daughter a dutch rabbit for her 10th birthday. Coccoa as she has been named by our daughter has been a true delight. She is very quiet and …

Rowdy The Three Month Old Rabbit Not rated yet
Rowdy is 3 months old and is a she. She is brown, white,black, and has a little bit of gray. And has mixed patches of all of these colors mixed together. …

My rabbit's nature Not rated yet
My female rabbit is white. She has pink eyes and she is an outdoor rabbit. She is big from pregnancy - she's not a dwarf rabbit. She loves to play and …

Mini Lop Not rated yet
I have two mini lops. One is bigger than the other though.......... they are the same age (14 weeks)!!!!! Why is one bigger? * * Very cool rabbit! …

Rabbit Breed Not rated yet
Doe is all white with pink eyes buck is white with grey ears and pink eyes. Buck is about 10 pounds and doe is about 12. * * Best guess: Doe …

Harvey the dwarf rabbit Not rated yet
I have a Beautiful Dwarf named Harvey, and I love him dearly. He eats a lot!! And does not get Fat!! I love rabbits, and always have. I never think …

Breeding behavior 3 days after kindling bunnies Not rated yet
I have 2 meat bunnies. Well, the doe has been trying to get on top of the male and she has an attitude, is she pregnant??? She just had a litter 3 day …

Holland Lop or Rex make great pet rabbits Not rated yet
We've had several Holland Lop rabbits as pets, and to show in 4H. Its funny to watch and play with them because the males have such wonderful personalities. …

I Love Lops! Not rated yet
I had a lop rabbit for 9 years that was given to me by a neighbor who couldn't show her with 4-H anymore because she was blind in one eye. She was a Holland …

Click here to write your own.

Double-Value Guarantee

Our policy is to always OVER-deliver on value,
which is why your purchase is fully covered by our
Double-Value Guarantee.

Go ahead - take any of our e-books for a test drive. Peruse our detailed informational and educational e-books. Examine our plans for building rabbit cages, runs, or metal or PVC hutch frames. Check out the Rabbit Husbandry info e-books.

If you aren't completely satisfied that your e-book purchase is worth at least double, triple or even quadruple the price you paid, just drop us a note within 45 days, and we'll refund you the entire cost. That's our Double-Value Guarantee.

Note: When you purchase your e-books, they will be in PDF format, so you can download them to any device that supports PDF format. We advise making a back-up copy to a drive or cloud account. If the books are lost, you can also purchase another copy from Raising-Rabbits.

Double-Value Guarantee

Our policy is to always OVER-deliver on value,
which is why your purchase is fully covered by our
Double-Value Guarantee.

Go ahead - take any of our e-books for a test drive. Peruse our detailed informational and educational e-books. Examine our plans for building rabbit cages, runs, or metal or PVC hutch frames. Check out the Rabbit Husbandry info e-books.

If you aren't completely satisfied that your e-book purchase is worth at least double, triple or even quadruple the price you paid, just drop us a note within 45 days, and we'll refund you the entire cost. That's our Double-Value Guarantee.

Note: When you purchase your e-books, they will be in PDF format, so you can download them to any device that supports PDF format. We advise making a back-up copy to a drive or cloud account. If the books are lost, you can also purchase another copy from Raising-Rabbits.


New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.