Whether you are already a happy rabbit owner or are looking to have one for the first time, choosing the right breed is essential! This is because each rabbit breed has its own nature quirks and behaviors.
So, what are the different fluffy rabbit breeds? There are many rabbit breeds that you can consider getting, and some of them are:
- Dwarf Rabbit—These rabbits are a cute, cuddly, and docile breed with a large head, compact body, short face, and upright ears, along with large eyes.
- Pygmy Rabbit—This rabbit breed is small and gray in color with a pinkish touch during winter but turns brown in summer. Its tail is almost hidden, and its ears are small for a rabbit.
- Dutch Rabbit—A very identifiable breed with its color pattern, which is black and white. It has a well-rounded, compact body with a round head and small, stocky erect ears.
In this article, you will get to know some of the other rabbit breed options that you have, along with their characteristics and origin. So, hold on in your seat, and let’s start!
11 Fluffy Rabbit Breeds
Dwarf Rabbit
Dwarf rabbits are small rabbits with large eyes and heads with relatively shorter bodies. This attribute makes them look like baby rabbits even when they are grown up.
Average dwarf rabbits weigh up to 3 pounds or approximately 1.4 kilograms and have a body length of 7.5 to 9 inches. Moreover, this breed is friendly in nature and is hesitant to make loud noises once they feel comfortable in their new place.
- Appearance: Dwarf rabbits have large heads, short compact bodies, large eyes, and short upright ears. This breed has diverse colors, including brown, gray, black, white, etc.
- Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
- Size: 3 pounds in weight, 7.5 to 9 inches body length
- Color: Brown, gray, black, white
- Place of Origin: Netherland
- Characteristics: Dwarf rabbits carry dwarf genes, which means typically undersized even when they’re grown-ups. Nonetheless, they have large heads, big eyes, short faces, and tiny erect ears.
English Spot
English spot is another mid-sized English rabbit breed selectively multiplied from English wild rabbits during the late 19th century.
They’re most noticeable due to their black and white mottled coloration, identical to the Checkered Giant or Rhinelander.
They have long, lean bodies and moody temperaments, making them less fitting to being home with other pets. Since these rabbits are bred to be show-rabbits, they are one of the best rabbits with pleasant temperaments out there!
They are very accustomed to being held, picked up, and petted. Hence, these rabbits are usually very affectionate with their owners and will love to spend more time with you.
- Appearance: English spots are medium-sized rabbits with a maximum weight of approximately 8 pounds. They have long, lean legs and full arch body shape, short, dense fur, and long upright ears with spherical tips. Also, they don’t shed much and need only a little grooming.
- Lifespan: 6 to 8 years
- Size: 5 to 8 pounds in weight, 15 to 20 inches in body length
- Color: Blue, black chocolate, gray, gold, lilac, and tortoise base—all have spots.
- Place of Origin: England
- Characteristics: English spots are adaptable, friendly, and low-maintenance rabbits. They’re medium-sized with a full arch body shape, long, lean legs, thick fur, long erect ears with round tips.
Mini Lop
Although not a large rabbit, the Mini lop is recognized as an average-sized breed compared to the tiny Holland lop. They are approximately 2 pounds and have an overall calmer and more passive demeanor.
Like most lops, they are available in a diverse palette of color choices, including blue, black, lilac, chocolate, white, etc.
Despite their relatively small size, the Mini lop is a sturdy and stocky breed with a compact body and short neck.
Moreover, they own rounded, furred tips with ears hanging down the face sides. The fur is medium length, with a soft underlayer surrounded by longer guard hairs.
- Appearance: Despite their relatively small size, the Mini lops are sturdy and stocky breeds with short necks and compact bodies. On top of that, their ears hang down their face sides and possess rounded furred tips. Their fur is average length, with a soft underlayer wrapped by longer guard hairs.
- Lifespan: 7 to 14 years
- Size: 3 to 6 pounds in weight (full-grown), 4 to 5 inches in height
- Color: Black, chocolate, white, lilac, blue, chestnut, chinchilla, opal, orange, cream, red, tortoise, etc.
- Place of Origin: Germany
- Characteristics: Mini lops have a reputation of being calm but can get hyperactive when put with others. They have fair temperaments and can get playful with their owners.
Chinchilla Rabbit
Chinchilla rabbits are usually bred to be fur and meat rabbits. This breed originated from France and was introduced into the U.S in 1919.
Moreover, this breed can be exhibited or kept as a pet. What’s good about the Chinchilla rabbit is that it doesn’t require regular grooming.
These rabbits are not well known outside the U.S and have become rare due to the fur and meat trade decline. As a result, they are listed as critical species by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
- Appearance: The American chinchilla rabbit has a dark, thick, and smooth coat with average length. Its body is stocky and compact since it was originally bred for fur and meat purposes.
- Lifespan: 5 to 10 years
- Size: 9 to 11 pounds in weight (average), 17 to 19 inches in height
- Color: Chestnut, brown, tan—mixed in bands with blue, black, and white.
- Place of Origin: France
- Characteristics: American chinchillas are docile, hardy, and very gentle rabbit breeds. Furthermore, they are exemplary breeders, with an average of 6 to 9 kits. They also deliver large litters and have fine mothering instincts. The bunnies of this breed grow faster and attain market weight quickly.
Pygmy Rabbit
The pygmy rabbit is the smallest leporid breed in the world. Adults’ average weight is 4.4 pounds with approximately 9.3 to 11.6 inches body length.
It’s best to note that female pygmies are slightly larger in size than males. These rabbits have long claws, which they use for burrowing, and can run up to 15 miles per hour!
In addition, the Pygmy rabbit comes only in one color—which is gray, that transitions with the seasons.
- Appearance: Pygmy rabbits own gray furs tipped with brown on their upper rear. Their abdomen is generally white, tinged with nude. On top of that, their chest, legs, and napes are cinnamon-brown in color.
- Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
- Size: 4.4 pounds in weight, 9.25 to 11.65 inches in length
- Color: Gray
- Place of Origin: Southwestern Montana
- Characteristics: Pygmy rabbits are the smallest leporid that fearful and impulsive. They are also homebodies and never wander further than 200 yards away from their dens.
Dutch Rabbit
Dutch rabbits are usually 3.5 to 5.5 pounds in weight, with distinctive markings—white blaze on their nose and the saddle on their back as well as the white-collar that make them unforgettable.
Contrary to their name, this prevalent breed originated in England.
Moreover, Dutch rabbits are pure domestic breeds that are small to medium in size, with well-furred, large upright ears and compact bodies.
They also have firm and long hind legs that tend to hop rather than walk.
Their feet have long nails for traction with fur on the bottom for warmth.
- Appearance: Dutch rabbits possess well-rounded, compact bodies, rounded heads, short, shiny flyback fur, and short, well-furred ears. On top of that, they have dark brown eyes and are diverse in color, including blue, black, gray, tortoise, etc.
- Lifespan: 6 to 9 years
- Size: 3.5 to 5.5 pounds in weight, 11 to 14 inches in body length
- Color: Blue, black, chocolate, chinchilla, steel, gray, and tortoise
- Place of Origin: England
- Characteristics: The Dutch rabbit is gentle in nature and is very friendly and loving around its owners, seeking lots of attention. This breed is energetic and doesn’t want to be kept in its cage for long periods.
Dwarf Hotot
The Dwarf hotot is a very unique rabbit breed due to its distinct all-white body color with black “eyeliner” that no other breed has.
As their name implies, the Dwarf hotot is a miniature rabbit, weighing between 2.5 to 4 pounds when fully grown.
Moreover, the Dwarf hotot has a round head, short neck, and a stout, compact body type. They are easily distinguishable from other miniature rabbit breeds with their equally small round heads crowned by ears like the Netherland Dwarf.
However, their flattened faces and distinctive black ‘eyeliner’ make them easy to distinguish.
- Appearance: Dark hotots have distinct eyeliner-like black markings around their eyes. Their bodies are short and compact with particularly short, erect ears.
- Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
- Size: 2.5 to 4 pounds in weight
- Color: Blue, black, chocolate
- Place of Origin: France
- Characteristics: Dwarf hotot is an alert, vigorous, and curious rabbit breed. Its most notable characteristic is the black eyeliner-like markings around its eyes.
This breed can become quickly connected to its owner, making them one of the good options to keep as a pet.
Jersey Wooly
The Jersey wooly rabbit weighs approximately 1 to 3 pounds, making it one of the dwarf breeds. Furthermore, they have a compact body and small, upright ears, standing at roughly 2 to 3 inches long.
They also have a square, fierce head that lives up to its ‘Mug Head’ nickname. Jersey woolies love being held and petted, making them ideal as pets.
However, you must handle them properly as improper handling can easily hurt their delicate, causing severe stress. Occasionally, this breed may not want to be held, so it’s best to observe its behavior.
- Appearance: Jersey wooly has a short, compact, semi-arched body with a square, small bold head, upright ears, and a long shaggy coat.
- Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
- Size: 3 pounds in weight
- Color: Chinchilla, white, opal, and chestnut
- Place of Origin: New Jersey
- Characteristics: This breed has a short stature and is usually playful and even-tempered. On top of that, Jersey wooly loves cuddles and plenty of attention.
This breed is classified into six groups based on their shade—the Agouti group includes opal, chinchilla, and chestnut colors. Others incorporate white-colored rabbits, and the self-group comprises white rabbits with red and blue eyes, chocolate, black, blue, lilac-colored wooly.
Lionhead
The lionhead is a petite rabbit breed with a striking fluffy wool mane comparable to a male lion. It has compact yet erect ears that are relatively large at approximately 2 to 3 inches long.
Furthermore, they come in a wide color range, including white, blue, tortoise, black, tan, etc. These rabbits are naturally playful, friendly, and social but can also be timid.
They need day-to-day interaction and an average amount of upkeep. On top of that, lionheads need a mixed diet and housing that provides them space to exercise.
They are generally good-natured, clever, and energetic and like to play and socialize. However, some lionheads can be relatively skittish, but they usually don’t bite.
- Appearance: This rabbit breed is pretty small—weighing approximately 3 pounds and 8 to 10 inches in length. Their mane encircles their head with a distinct soft wool mane identical to a male lion. They have compact bodies, but their upright ears are somewhat large at about 2 to 3 inches long.
- Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
- Size: 2.5 to 2.3 pounds in weight, 8 to 10 inches long
- Color: White, blue, black otter, tan, tortoise, chestnut, sable martin, chinchilla, chocolate, sable point, smoke pearl, siamese sable, fawn, frosted pearl, golden, red, orange, opal, and lilac.
- Place of Origin: Belgium
- Characteristics: This breed is naturally good-natured, energetic, and intelligent. They like to play and socialize and make close bonds with their owners, as they love petting and cuddling.
Angora
The Angora rabbit is one of the oldest domestic rabbit types, bred for long coat fibers known as Angora wool. These are collected by combing, shearing, or plucking.
Since this breed doesn’t have identical allergy-causing qualities like other animals, their wool is a good alternative. Moreover, they are pretty delicate, and their back can break if not handled well.
These rabbits are not a good option if it’s your first time handling a rabbit. This is also not an ideal pet for a child under 12 as they require much attention and care—particularly in grooming.
- Appearance: Angora rabbits are embellished with fur and have wool on their entire face and ears besides their front feet and upper nose. They are also temperate in nature, but they are not ideal for those who do not like to groom frequently.
- Lifespan: 5 to 8 years
- Size: 8 to 10 pounds in weight
- Color: Gray, brown, black
- Place of Origin: Ankara, Turkey
- Characteristics: These rabbits are mild, pleasant, calm in nature. They are very easy to train and require frequent grooming. They are also friendly towards their owners and other pets.
Harlequin
The Harlequin rabbits have a well-muscled, commercial body type, weighing up to 9.5 pounds when fully grown. The coat of this breed is short, so there’s only minimal shedding taking place.
This rabbit species is regarded as unique due to its markings and two colors—part orange and part black or white. Their diet consists primarily of hay with a mix of pellets, fruits, and vegetables.
- Appearance: These rabbits are medium to large and usually weigh about 7 to 9.5 pounds. They also have a commercial body type with a round-shaped head. Furthermore, their ears are medium in length and are upright on top of their head.
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Size: 7 to 9.5 pounds in weight (matured)
- Color: Orange and either black, blue, chocolate, or lilac
- Place of Origin: France
- Characteristics: The Harlequin rabbit is naturally intelligent, playful, and docile. Like other breeds, they respond to their own name and are gentle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Fluffiest Rabbit Breed?
The English Angora is the fluffiest rabbit breed of incredibly soft wool but does require high maintenance. It’s bred for wool production, and its coat is highly prized and glossy.
What Is the Most Expensive Rabbit Breed?
The Harlequin rabbit—originally known as the Japanese rabbit is the most expensive breed at an exorbitant price of $40 in 1917—which is practically $900 in today’s value of money.
Currently, it’s sold for $900 to $1000 in the market, depending on their pedigree. But, there are also non-pedigreed Harlequin rabbits priced at $50 to $200.
What Are the Small Fluffy Rabbits Called?
The small, fluffy rabbits are called Dwarf rabbits, referring either to a rabbit with dwarfing gene or to any small breed of domestic rabbit. This is a genetic disorder that occurs in many animals, including rabbits.
Summary
Large or small, aggressive or gentle, and with any color you could want, rabbits make fantastic pets. We hope our guide to rabbit breeds has been a great help in choosing the suitable rabbit breed for your home!
List of Sources
Characteristics of Angora Rabbit Fiber Using Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer