Over the last few centuries, rabbits have been domesticated and bred to be the adorable and friendly pets we have today. While they don’t have as extensive a history as dogs, rabbits have been bred for many attributes, including wool production, meat, and beauty standards. Of course, all rabbits are unique and have their own personality, but it can be fun to learn about what kind of breed the rabbit you adopted is..
To determine the breed of your rabbit, you need to pay close attention to their body shape, the size of the rabbit, the set of their ears, and the overall coloring. The texture of a rabbit’s fur and specific markings are also indicators for some types of rabbit breeds.
It’s important to remember that not all rabbits that have been adopted from an animal shelter are purebred rabbits. Many have not been bred or are the accidental children of two different breeds of rabbits (all the different breeds of domestic rabbit are the same species). Most shelters will also mistake the breed, calling all lops ‘mini lops’ or all large rabbits ‘flemish giants’ when they are actually a different breed. However, you can use your rabbit’s physical traits to determine what breed they are, or at the very least, which breeds their parents might have been.
American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Recognized Rabbit Breeds
| Breed | Size | Color(s) |
| American | Large (9 – 11lbs) | White with red eyes or dark grey |
| American Chinchilla | Large (9 – 12lbs) | Grey |
| American Fuzzy Lop | Small (3.5 – 4lbs) | Wool coat in various colors, dark ears, eyes and nose |
| American Sable | Large (8 – 10lbs) | Tan with dark head, ears, and feet |
| Argente Brun | Large (8 – 10.5) | Dark brown mixed with a lighter brown |
| Belgian Hare | Medium (6 – 9lbs) | Red brown coat with light markings around the eyes, chin, and hips |
| Beveren | Large (8 – 12lbs) | Blue, black, blue-eyed white |
| Blanc de Hotot | Large (8 – 11lbs) | White with black ‘eyeliner’ |
| Britannia Petite | Small (2 – 2.5lbs) | Various colors, but especially white with red or blue eyes |
| Californian | Large (8 – 10.5lbs) | White with red eyes and black markings on their nose, ears, feet and tail. |
| Champagne d’Argent | Large (9 – 12lbs) | Silver with black guard hairs |
| Checkered Giant | Large (11 – 13lbs) | White with black nose ears and eyes, a stripe running down the back, and spots on their cheeks and sides |
| Cinnamon | Large (9 – 11lbs) | Light brown with darker head, ears and paws |
| Creme d’Argent | Large (8.5 – 11lbs) | White with orange undercoat |
| Dutch | Medium (4 – 5.5lbs) | White with dark ‘pants’ and a dark mask on their face and ears |
| Dwarf Hotot | Small (2.5 – 3.5lbs) | White with a black ‘eyeliner’ ring |
| English Angora | Medium (5 – 6lbs) | Various |
| English Lop | Large (9 – 10.5lbs) | Various |
| English Spot | Medium (5 – 8lbs) | White with spots and dark markings on their nose, cheeks, ears, and a line down their back. |
| Flemish Giant | Large (9 – 15+) | White, black, blue, and shades of grey and brown |
| Florida White | Medium (4 – 6lbs) | White with red eyes |
| French Angora | Large (7.5 – 10.5lbs) | Various |
| French Lop | Large (10 – 15lbs) | Various |
| Giant Angora | Large (9.5 – 10lbs) | Various |
| Giant Chinchilla | Large (12 – 15lbs) | Grey |
| Harlequin | Medium (6.5 – 9.5lbs) | Orange or white with dark marks on their face, ears and cheeks, and striped bands on their body |
| Havana | Medium (4.5 – 6.5lbs) | Brown, blue, black, and white spotted |
| Himalayan | Small (2.5 – 5lbs) | White with red eyes and black or brown ears, nose and feet |
| Holland Lop | Small (2 – 4lbs) | Various |
| Jersey Wooly | Small (1 – 3lbs) | Various |
| Lilac | Medium (6 – 8lbs) | Lavender |
| Lionhead | Small (2.5 – 3.5lbs) | Various solid colors |
| Mini Lop | Medium (4.5 – 6lbs) | Various |
| Mini Rex | Small (3.5 – 4.5lbs) | Various |
| Mini Satin | Small (3 – 4.5lbs) | Various |
| Netherland Dwarf | Small (1 – 2.5lbs) | Various |
| New Zealand | Large (10 – 12lbs) | White with red eyes, red, black, blue, or spotted |
| Palomino | Large (8 – 10lbs) | Cream |
| Polish | Small (2.5 – 3.5) | White with red or blue eyes, black, brown, blue, or white spotted |
| Rex | Large (7.5 – 10.5) | Various |
| Rhinelander | Large (6.5 – 10lbs) | White with orange and black spots and marks on their nose, ears, and down the back |
| Satin | Large (8.5 – 11lbs) | Various |
| Satin Angora | Medium (3.5 – 9.5lbs) | White, grey, brown, or tan |
| Silver | Medium (4 – 7lbs) | Black brown or fawn |
| Silver Fox | Large (9 – 12lbs) | Black with white guard hairs |
| Silver Marten | Medium (6.5 – 9lbs) | Black, blue, or brown with white underbelly |
| Standard Chinchilla | Medium (5 – 7lbs) | Grey |
| Tan | Medium (4 – 6lbs) | Dark with a red-orange underbelly |
| Thrianta | Medium (4 – 6lbs) | Red |
Small rabbit breeds (up to 5 lbs)
American Fuzzy Lop
The American Fuzzy Lop was first recognized as a breed in 1989. They were bred on the American coasts from Holland Lop and French Angora rabbits to get a long, wooly coat on a compact rabbit. These little buns can be a variety of fun colors, including a mix of colors, with darker ears and markings around their eyes and nose.
- Size: up to 4 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Colors: A variety of colors including spotted. They will have dark ears and dark marks on their eyes and nose.
American Fuzzy Lop rabbits get their temperament from their Holland Lop cousins. These small bunnies are generally very energetic and friendly rabbits that are very social and happy to play, making them great family pets.
2. Britannia Petite
Britannia Petite rabbits are one of the smallest recognized breeds. They are descended from the English Polish rabbits and were bred to be show rabbits and have a more refined bone structure. These tiny rabbits have and elegant arched body shape, with big bug eyes and relatively short ears. Britannia Petite rabbits are most well known for being white with red eyes, but they have also been bred to have blue eyes and have different colored coats.
- Size: Up to 2.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 6-10 years
- Color: Originally they were white with red eyes, but now they can have blue eyes or they can be a variety of colors, included spotted patterns.
Britannia Petite rabbits can be incredibly energetic and therefore a little more difficult to handle than other small rabbit breeds. They need a lot of time to exercise and are less likely to enjoy sitting still and cuddling.
3. Dwarf Hotot
Dwarf Hotot rabbits were first bred in Germany by combining the original Hotot with the Netherland Dwarf. These small rabbits are known for being stark white with fancy, black eyeliner eyes. They have a compact face and rounded body with cute, short ears.
- Size: Up to 3.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-10 years
- Color: White with a black ring around their eyes that looks like eyeliner.
Dwarf Hotot rabbits are generally more docile and less energetic than other breeds of rabbit. They can be great pets that even enjoy sitting on your lap while being pet.
4. Himalayan
The Himalayan rabbit breed is so old that their origins have been mostly lost in history. It is unknown whether they originally came from Russia, China, Egypt, or some other neighboring region, but they were recorded as being bred for show in Britain by the late 1800’s. Himalayan rabbits are known for their soft white fur with dark colored markings on their feet, nose and ears. These rabbits usually have red eyes also.
- Size: 2.5 – 5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Color: White with red eyes and dark marking (black brown, lilac) on their ears, nose and feet.
Himalayan rabbits are known for being one of the most gentle and patient small breeds of rabbit. They rarely get territorial toward humans, and are not particularly active. Because of their small size and calm demeanor, Himalayand rabbits are often relatively easy to handle and make calm companion pets.
5. Holland Lop
Holland Lops are one of the most popular breeds of rabbit. They were bred in the Netherlands as one of the first dwarf lop breeds. They have a thick body type with thick and fluffy fur. Their face is compact with ears that flop down around their heads. These rabbits are bred in a very large variety of colors, including coats that are one color or patches of colors.
- Size: up to 4 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-14 years
- Colors: A wide variety of different colors and combinations of colors.
Holland lops are known to be a very friendly and active breed of rabbit. The males, especially, tend to be very social and outgoing. This makes them great companion pets that are a fun addition to the family.
6. Jersey Wooly
Jersey Wooly rabbits were first bred in New Jersey by breeding a Netherland Dwarf and a French Angora rabbit. They have a thick, wooly coat and short ears. Their coats can be all kinds of different colors and their eyes can be typical dark colored, or even blue or red.
- Size: up to 3 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-10 years
- Colors: A wide variety of colors and combinations of colors.
Jersey Wooly rabbits are one of the most gentle and patient rabbits. They are even known as the ‘no-kick bunnies’ because of how easily they are handled. They can make great companion pets because of their willingness to be handled and cuddled.
7. Lionhead
The Lionhead rabbit was originally bred in Belgium as the result of a genetic mutation that caused woolly fur to grow only around the head and back feet. Lionhead rabbits were not officially recognized as a breed of rabbits in the United States until very recently, in 2014. These rabbits are fairly small and are characterized by thick wool fur growing around their heads like a lion’s mane.
- Size: up to 3.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-10 years
- Colors: Various solid colors, but don’t typically have spotted patterns.
These little rabbits tend to be very energetic bunnies. They will be very playful and like to zoom around the room. They also tend to be sweet natured rabbits, and while they might not sit still for long periods of time, they are unlikely to lash out when they are being handled.
8. Mini Rex
Mini Rex rabbits were first bred in Texas to be a small version of the large 9 lb Rex rabbits. These rabbits have a soft, velveteen coat that is characteristic of Rex rabbits. They have a short neck with strong shoulders, and they can come in pretty much any color coat.
- Size: up to 4.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-10 years
- Colors: A wide variety of coat colors.
Mini Rex rabbits generally have very calm demeanors while also being social rabbits. They can great personalities for family pets. These little rabbits are also great for people with allergies since they are one of the most hypoallergenic pets you can get. They have short coats that produce very little dander.
9. Mini Satin
Mini Satin rabbits went through a number of false starts, but were finally recognized in 2005 as an official rabbit breed. Satin rabbits are known for having very shiny coats. Originally they were bred to be white rabbits, but they have since been recognized with 16 color varieties.
- Size: up to 4.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Colors: A wide variety of coat colors.
Mini Satin rabbits can be very skittish. While not necessarily unfriendly, they can be quick to nip when they are scared. Since this is a relatively new breed or rabbit, breeders are still working to improve the demeanor of Mini Satin rabbits to make them better for family pets.
10. Netherland Dwarf
Netherland Dwarfs were first bred in Holland in the early 1900’s. These tiny rabbits are one of the smallest recognized breeds and they’re one of the most popular around the world. Their coats can be almost any color, and they are characterized by large eyes and small ears.
- Size: up to 2.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 10-12 years
- Colors: A wide variety of coat colors.
Netherland Dwarfs tend to be a little more skittish than other small rabbits. They are naturally shy and tend to hide away from humans. However, if these rabbits are socialized with humans at a young age, they can be happy, energetic rabbits to have in the family.
11. Polish
Polish rabbits are from England and were likely bred from Dutch and Himalayan rabbits back in the 17th century. These rabbits are known for being small with a short head and short ears. The coat color of Polish rabbits is limited and includes white with red or blue eyes, black, blue, chocolate, or mixed.
- Size: up to 3.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-6 years
- Colors: White with red eyes or blue eyes, black, brown, blue, or white with spots.
With a longer history of domestication, these rabbits tend to be more docile than other breeds. They are generally affectionate and calm, and may even be tolerant of being picked up and cuddled. Polish rabbits also tend to be one of the easiest breeds to train.
Medium (5 – 8 lbs)
12. Belgian Hare
Belgian Hare rabbits were bred with wild rabbits in Eastern Europe. They have a very distinct silhouette, with a face shape and body structure that resembles a hare. Their coats are a rust brown color with a lighter colored underbelly.
- Size: 6-9 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-11 years
- Colors: A reddish brown coat with light cream colored markings around the eyes, chin, and hips.
Belgian Hare rabbits are one of the most high maintenance rabbit breeds. They are very energetic and require a lot of attention since they can easily get nervous and hurt themselves. While Belgian Hares can be kept as family pets, they are mostly raised as elegant show rabbits.
13. Dutch
Dutch rabbits have a long history. They were originally bred in Holland from rabbits that were raised for meat. Breeders began selecting for the distinctive markings on these rabbit’s face and body and raising them as show rabbits. Dutch rabbits are relatively small and will have a dark mask on their face and a dark backside of their body. They have broad ears and long back legs.
- Size: 4-5.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Colors: White with black, brown, or some variation of grey markings that look like pants, and dark ears with a mask on their face that creates an upside down V
Dutch rabbits are still one of the most well known and popular rabbit breeds. They are generally very energetic and social, and can be easily trained. These rabbits do tend to get bored very easily though, so they’ll need lots of toys to keep them entertained, and you may need to be extra careful when bunny-proofing your home.
14. English Angora
Originating from Turkey, English Angora rabbits are the smallest Angora breed. They have very long, woolly fur, even on their faces and ears. Their thick and silky fur can get so long that they look like big puff balls of fur. While white is most common, English Angoras can come with many different colored coats.
- Size: 5-6 lbs
- Average lifespan: 7-12 years
- Colors: A wide variety of coat colors.
English Angora rabbits are often calm and docile rabbits that will easily bond with people. They do require many hours of grooming to keep their fur from becoming unruly or causing blockages in the rabbit’s stomach.
15. English Spot
English Spot rabbits are another very old breed of rabbit, who’s origins aren’t known. By the mid 1800’s they were being raised as show rabbits. They are a running breed, and are one of the few breeds that are shown by moving on the show table rather than posing. English spots will have markings on their nose, eyes, cheeks, ears and a stripe down their back. They will also have a random assortment of spots along their sides.
- Size: 5-8 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-9 years
- Colors: White with dark marks around their eyes and on their cheeks. Dark ears with a line down their back and spots.
Because English Spot rabbits have been bred for a long time as show rabbits, they are usually more easily handled than other breeds. They can be very gentle and affectionate, making them great companion pets.
16. Florida White
Florida White rabbits were originally bred in Florida to be small versions of New Zealand rabbits for use in laboratories. They have since become a popular pet rabbit and even frequently win Best in Show at conventions around the US. Florida White rabbits are white with red eyes. Most of the time, they will have uppity ears, but occasionally one or both of their ears will droop a little.
- Size: 4-6 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Colors: White with red eyes
Florida White rabbits were bred to be easy for laboratory staff to handle, so they are typically sweet and calm. Some of these rabbits also tend to be a little ‘lazy’ and prefer to lay around for most of the day.
17. Harlequin
Harlequin rabbits were first bred in France and have very unique markings. These rabbits will have a split in color running down the middle of their face and will have alternating colors on their ears and feet. They will also have bands or bars running along their body.
- Size: 6.5-9.5 lbs
- Average lifespan: 5-8 years
- Colors: Orange or white with alternating dark marks on their face, ears and feet. Dark bands around their body
Harlequin rabbits tend to be very energetic and curious. They can be great social pets, but also have the tendency to be troublemakers and may require extra supervision.