List of Rabbit Breeds

Rabbit breeds are different varieties of the domestic rabbit created through selective breeding or natural selection. Breeds recognized by organizations such as the American Rabbits Breeder Association or the British Rabbit Council may be exhibited and judged in rabbit shows. Breeders attempt to emulate the breed standard by which each breed is judged.

Chinchilla Rabbits
The American Chinchilla is larger than the Standard Chinchilla but otherwise identical. Standard Chinchillas bred for large size produced this breed.

Bred to be a meat rabbit, the American Chinchilla Rabbit is a stocky, hardy pet. American Chinchilla Rabbits do not require regular grooming. Adult American Chinchilla Rabbits weigh different for each sex. Males (Bucks)- 9-11#, and Females (Does) 10-12#. These stocky rabbits have a slight curve to their medium length bodies, beginning at the nape of their necks and following through to the rump. They carry their ears straight erect. In show, type is judged to be more important than color. American Chinchilla Rabbits are a six-class breed in show. The American Chinchilla Rabbit was bred from large Standard Chinchilla Rabbits in order to produce a meatier rabbit. They were originally called Heavyweight Chinchilla Rabbits.

American Chinchilla Rabbits will be disqualified in show for having a body type that resembles a Flemish Giant Rabbit. Junior and intermediate American Chinchilla Rabbits may be shown in age classifications higher than their own if they are overweight. Bucks and does under six months and nine pounds are considered juniors. Intermediate American Chinchilla Rabbits are bucks and does six to eight months of age. Bucks weigh less than eleven pounds and does less than twelve. Senior bucks and does are over eight months of age and bucks weigh between nine and 11 pounds. Doe American Chinchilla Rabbits weigh between ten and 12 pounds.

Flemish Giant

Typically about 5 kg, although it is not uncommon to find adult Flemish Giants weighing 7 kg or more.

The Flemish Giant rabbit is a semi-arch breed. As one of the largest breeds of domestic rabbit, its back arch starts from the back of the shoulders and carrying through to the base of the tail giving a "mandolin" shape. The body of a Flemish Giant Rabbit is long and powerful with good muscular development and relatively broad hindquarters. Bucks have a broad, massive head in comparison to does. Does may have a large, full, evenly carried dewlap (the fold of skin under their chins). The fur of the Flemish Giant is known to be glossy and dense, and when stroked from the hindquarters to the head, the fur will roll back to its original position. ARBA standard has seven different colors, black, blue, fawn, light gray, sandy, steel gray and white. 

Holland Lop

The Holland lop is the third smallest breed in the lop family in the US. The fur should be rollback, dense, fine, glossy, and about 1 inch long. The Holland lop is a compact breed. To be showed a Holland Lop should have a flat face, and sit up in a distinct manner. Most holland lops seem to lose that figure as they get older. This breed often makes a very good pet due to their generally friendly temperament. Female Rabbits should start having babies at 6 months old. 

Lion Head

The Lionhead rabbit is one of the newest breeds of domesticated rabbits. It has a furred body, but Angora-like wool surrounding the face, reminiscent of the mane of a male lion, hence the name. There may also be wool along the flanks, though this is not a desirable characteristic. Lionheads come in many of the same colors as other breeds. However, the wool on the mane and flanks diffuses the color, so that black rabbits will often have gray-looking manes and flank wool.

The Lionhead rabbit is a compact breed, usually weighing between 2.5 and 4.0 pounds. It also tends to have a rounded head and slightly shorter ears than most breeds.

The Lionhead rabbit is thought to have originated in Belgium. It is reported to have been produced by breeders trying to breed a long coated dwarf rabbit by crossing a miniature Swiss Fox and a Belgian dwarf. The Lionhead seemed to have been more popular than the long coated dwarf, and so breeders carried on this trend in breeding them intentionally, and so came what we know today as the Lionhead rabbit.

While single-maned Lionhead kits look like other rabbits, double-maned kits are distinct from all others. When they are born, they are bald around the abdomen, sides, bottom, and cheeks, giving them a peculiar "mohawk" appearance. The bald areas are where the wool grows in later as they mature.

This rabbit has an energetic, but sweet personality. They are great loving pets. But they do tend to act conceited.They are for the more experiened rabbit owner. Lionhead rabbits are easy to breed and are good mothers, even fostering kits from other litters or breeds.

Rex

The Rex breed is distinguished by its specific velvet-like fur that is often used to substitute for the use of other animals in fur coats. Rex fur has shortened guard hairs. The resulting coat is short and very dense, and because the undercoat and the guard hairs are the same length unlike a normal furred rabbit where the guard hairs extend past the undercoat hairs.

Standard Rex are used for fur, meat production, show and pet. Since 1985, the large scale breeding of Rex for fur has declined in the US, although they are still farmed and used today in the fur and meat market. These are prolific rabbits having large litters, often numbering nine or more. They are known as good mothers and are used as foster mothers for other rabbit breeds. Some lines of Rex are prone to sore hocks. Some breeders have developed lines of Rex with broader feet and thicker fur to reduce the incidence of sore hocks in the Rex breed.

This breed of rabbit has been referred to by some as the "Velveteen" rabbit for its velvety soft fur. This is likely the inspiration for development of the velveteen lop.

The Rex is a commercial breed.