Choosing an Exotic Pet - Care of Exotic Pets

Rabbits come in an array of breeds with different colors, sizes, shapes and coat types. The subtle differences between breeds will be of most interest to those who show their bunnies. The average owner would probably be interested mainly in size and coat type. Keep in mind that a pet store rabbit is not necessarily pure bred or at the very least may not meet the ideal breed standards. This in no way reflects on their quality as a pet, though! This guide is just meant to help potential owners sort through the sometimes confusing array of breeds. Rabbits vary in size from the smaller dwarf breeds (at under 2.5 lbs) to some of the giant breeds (sizes up to 16 pounds). Owners also need to be aware that the longer coated breeds need daily grooming.

Alaskan
6-8.5 lbs (2.7-3.9 kg)
Black
Thick coat.
Originated in Germany
American
9-12 lbs (4.1-5.5 kg)
Blue, white
Medium build, narrow head.
American Checkered Giant
11 lbs or greater (5 kg)
White with black or blue markings (along spine, body spots, cheek spots, colored ears, eye circles and butterfly mark on nose).
American Chinchilla
9-12 lbs (4.1-5.5 kg)
Chinchilla
Dense, fine hair that is smooth and glossy (1 1/4 inch long coat).
Relatively round body.
American Fuzzy Lop
3.5-4 lbs (1.6-1.8 kg)
Variety of coat colors
Compact muscular body, dense, coarse coat, and of course, ears folded over to slightly below the jaw.
American Sable
7-10 lbs (3.2-4.5 kg)
Sepia brown
Medium build with soft, dense fine coat with coarse guard hairs.
Angora
Variety of sizes and colors
English angora: 5-7 lbs (2.3-3.2 kgs), long silky hair.
French angora: 7.5-10.5 lbs (3.4-4.8 kg)
Giant Angora: 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg) and up, soft fine undercoat (wool), straight stiff guard hairs, and a wavy fluff with a guard tip inbetween.
Satin Angora: 6.5-9.5 lbs (3-4.3 kg), very fine wool.
Argentes
5-8 lbs (2.3-3.6 kg)
Black, blue, brown, or creamy white.
Belgian Hare
6-9.5 lbs (2.7-4.3 kg)
Reddish tan or chestnut with slate blue undercoloring. Slender build, fairly stiff coat.
Britannia Petite
Under 2.5 lbs (1.1kg)
Ruby eyed white, black otter, black, chestnut agouti.
Slender, fine boned build with a sleek, silky coat.
Californian
8-12 lbs (3.6-4.5 kg)
White, with black nose, ears, feet and tail.
Rounded body, medium build, and short smooth coat.
Champagne d'Argent
9-12 lbs (4.1-5.5 kg)
Bluish white with black hairs interspersed and slate blue undercolor.
Plump body. Black at birth; white hairs start showing at about 2 months.
Checkered Giant
Over 11 lbs (5 kg)
White with black or blue markings (along spine, body spots, cheek spots, colored ears, eye circles and butterfly mark on nose).
Long, hare-like body.
Chinchilla
5.5-6.5 lbs (2.5-3.1 kg)
Chinchilla
Fine boned.
Cinnamon
8.5-11 lbs (3.9-5 kg)
Rust or cinnamon color with grey ticking on back and grey on belly. Rust colored spots inside hind legs as well as butterfly mark on nose and eye rings.
Creme d'Argent
8-11 lbs (3.6-5 kg)
Creamy white with orange undercoat, and butterfly marking on nose.
Dutch
3.5-5.5 lbs (1.6-2.5 kg)
White with black, blue or brown, chocolate, steel or tortoise.
The front of the face, body, and the back feet are white; the rest is colored.
Dwarf Hotot
Under 3 lbs (1.4 kg)
White with black eye rings. Rounded body.
English Lop
Over 9 lbs (4.1 kg)
Agouti, broken, self, shaded, ticked or wide band color groups. Very long lop ears.
English Spot
5-8 lbs (2.3-3.6 kg)
White with black, blue, chocolate, gold, grey, lilac or tortoise. Marking include butterfly mark on nose, colored ears, eye rings, spine marking (which is herringboned) and a spot on the cheek and a chain of spots along the body. Long arched body (like a hare).
Flemish Giant (Patagonian)
13 lbs (5.9 kg) and over
Black, blue, fawn, light grey, sandy, steel grey, white. Long rabbit, heavy build (but shouldn't be fat).
Florida White
4-6 lbs (1.8-2.7 kg)
Pure white. Rounded body.
French Lop
10 lbs (4.5 kg) and over.
Agouti, broken, self, shaded, ticked or wide band groups.
Muscular heavy build.

Giant Chinchilla
12-16 lbs (5.5-7.3 kg)
Chinchilla coloration. Heavy build, rounded body.
Giant Papillon
13-14 lbs (5.9-6.4 kg)
White with markings - similar to English Spot except patches on sides instead of spots.
Harlequin
6.5-9.5 lbs (3-4.3 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate, lilac.
Striking patterns alternating bands of color and white, with half the face white and the other half colored, and the ear on the white side colored, and vice versa.
Havana
4.5-6.5 lbs (2-3 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate. Compact, rounded body.
Himilayan
2.5-4.5 lbs (1.1-2 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate, lilac. Coloration develops on cooler extrmities - ears, nose, tail, feet and legs.
Holland Lop
Under 4 lbs (1.8 kg)
Agouti, broken, pointed white, self, shaded, ticked, or wide band color groups. Muscular build, lop ears.
Hotot
8-11 lbs (3.6-5 kg)
White with black eye ring. Well rounded body.
Jersey Wolly
Under 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Wide variety of colors, long wooly coat.
Lilac
5.5-8 lbs (2.5-3.6 kg)
Lilac coloration. Compact body and dense coat.
Mini Lop
4.5-6.5 lbs (2-3 kg)
Agouti, broken, pointed white, self, shaded, ticked, or wide band color groups. Muscular and compact.
Mini Rex
3-4.5 lbs (1.4-2 kg)
Black, blue, broken group, castor, chinchilla, chocolate, himilayan, lilac, lynx, opal, red, seal tortoise, white.
Netherland Dwarf
Under 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)
Self group, shaded group, agouti group, tan pattern group, fawn, himilayan, orange, steel, tortoiseshell. Ears seem to short for head.
New Zealand
9-12 lbs (4.1-5.5 kg)
Black, red, white. Long muscular body.
Palomino
Under 9.5 lbs (4.3 kg)
Golden, lynx.
Polish
Under 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate, blue-eyed white, ruby-eyed white. Also has very short ears.
Rex
7.5-10.5 lbs (3.4-4.8 kg)
Black, black otter, blue, broken group, californian, castor, chinchilla, chocolate, lilac, lynx, opal, red, sable, seal, white.
Rhinelander
6.5-10 lbs (3-4.5 kg)
White with black and bright golden orange markings (6-8 round markings on each side of the back part of the body, as well as a spine marking, butterfly mark on the nose, eye circles, colord ears, and round cheek spots).
Satin
8.5-11 lbs (3.9-5 kg)
Black, blue, broken group, californian, chinchilla, chocolate, copper, red, siamese, white.
Silver
4-7 lbs (1.8-3.2 kg)
Black, brown, fawn with silver/white guard hairs.
Silver Fox
9-12 lbs (4.1-5.5 kg)
Jet black with silvering.
Silver Marten
6-9.5 lbs (2.7-4.3 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate, sable with silver-tipped guard hairs.
Standard Chinchilla
5-7.5 lbs (2.3-3.4 kg)
Chinchilla coloration. Rounded body.
Tan
4-6 lbs (1.8-2.7 kg)
Black, blue, chocolate, or lilac with tan (eye circles, nostrils, jowls, ears, backs of legs, toes, chest, belly, tail and neck collar).
While the breed of a rabbit, in most cases, has little impact on its quality as a pet, a potential owner may be interested in the adult or full grown size of the rabbit. This page lists breeds recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, grouped by size.
Small - 2 to 6 lbs (0.9-2.7 kg)

American Fuzzy Lop Britannia Petite Dutch Dwarf Hotot Florida White Havana Himilayan Holland Lop Jersey Wolly Mini Lop Mini Rex Netherland Dwarf Polish Silver Tan

Medium - 6 to 9 lbs (2.7-4.1 kg)

American Sable Belgian Hare English angora English Spot French angora Harlequin Lilac Rex Rhinelander Satin Angora Silver Marten Standard Chinchilla

Large - 9 to 11 lbs (4.1-5 kg)

American American Chinchilla Beveren Californian Champagne d'Argent Cinnamon Creme d'Argent English Lop Giant Angora Hotot New Zealand Palomino Satin Silver Fox

Giant - 11 lbs (5 kg) and over Checkered Giant
Flemish Giant (Patagonian)
French Lop
Giant Chinchilla