rabbits: Mar 7, Rabbit Breed Descriptions. All rabbit breeds listed, linked to more info

This is the first page of our long list of short rabbit breed descriptions. It is our table of contents linking you to history, breed information, and pictures for each breed.

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You'll find alphabetized breed descriptions starting with A through F below. If the rabbit breed title is a link, you can follow it to our full rabbit breed description, history and pictures.

If the breed is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, our All Rabbit Breeds page may offer links to the National club, where you might find even more info, including breeder lists.

Skip A-F, and go to rabbit breed descriptions from G to N

Skip A-F, and go to rabbit breed descriptions from O to Z

Enjoy these rabbit breed descriptions from A to F!

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- A-Am

Alaska Rabbit
Medium-sized black glossy rabbit originating in Germany, weighing 7-9 lb (3.17 - 4.07 kg). Created for their fur, which is plush and intensely pigmented.

Altex
Not a show breed, but a purebred Terminal Sire rabbit for commercial meat use originating in the USA. Meant for mating with commercial New Zealand White or other commercial crossbred does. Bucks and does weigh 13 lbs. As a superior meat producer, the Altex is intended to improve profitability and the lives of rabbit raisers in developing countries.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Am (Return to Top of Page)

American Rabbit
The American is a commercial meat rabbit originating in the USA in 1918. Comes in deep blue or white, and weighs 9-12 lbs (up to 5.45 kg). This breed is critically endangered, but possibly rebounding slowly. It has a mandolin body shape and substantial depth in the hindquarters.

American Fuzzy Lop (see Lops for rabbit breed description)

American Sable (see Sable for rabbit breed description)

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Angora, Chinese - French
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Angora, Chinese
Chinese breeders in China developed a large, Red-Eyed-White Angora breed specifically for the commercial wool market. Their fleece is approximately 15% bristle fiber. They weigh 4.1 - 4.4 kg (9 - 9.75 lb).

Angora, Dwarf
Developed simultaneously in several countries, these "little fluff balls" are miniature English Angoras weighing 1.10 - 1.75 kg. They are recognized in several varieties; some dwarf angoras, such as those in France, are larger and more resembling the French Angoras.

Angora, English
Angoras have been bred for their wool in England for more than 500 years. These are the rabbits with wool and furnishings covering nearly every part of the rabbit. Their silky wool grows to 5 inches or longer, and mats fairly easily. Angoras come in a plethora of colors, and weigh 5 - 7.5 lb (2.26 - 3.4 kg).

Angora, French
French Angoras are considered the original Angora breed. Their faces have short wool however the ears may be tasseled. Wool is to be dense, and up to 4 1/2 inches or more in length. They come in many colors and weigh between 7 1/2 to 10 1/2 lbs.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Angora, German - Satin
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Angora, German
Originating in Germany, this is an English Angora that has been selectively bred for greatly increased wool production. Wool is dense and silky but not cottony. They come in Ruby-Eyed-White only, and weigh 5.5 - 12 lb, larger being better.

Angora, Giant
The Giant Angora originated in the USA and has the attributes of German Angora rabbits bred to a larger size and with a commercial body. They come in Red-Eyed-White only, and weigh 9.5 pounds or more. No upper limit to weight.

Angora, Mini English
These New Zealand bred rabbits are a scaled down version of English Angoras, and are very rare. They come in a myriad of colors. Any weight over 2 kg (about 4.5 lb) is a disqualification.

Angora, Satin
Originating in Canada, this is a French Angora with satinized wool. It comes in all the accepted angora colors. The wool is soft with lovely sheen. The Satin Angora weighs 6.5 - 9.5 lb (3.5 - 4 kg)

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Argentes, Bleu - Champagne
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Argente, Bleu
A heavily silvered blue/lavender rabbit weighing 2.72 kg (6lb) according to the BRC standard. Source for this breed is possibly the Argente Clair, a German rabbit. Argente Bleus are called Klein Silber (Little Silver)in Germany, and Klein Zilver in Holland.

Argente, Brun
Originating in France, the Argente Brun was extinct, however was recreated in 1941. This is a silvered brown rabbit weighing 2.72 kg (6lb).

Argente, Champagne
This attractive French breed now exemplifies meat qualities within a once highly valued pelt the shade of old silver. In the USA, they are raised for meat and weigh up to 12 lb. Champagnes in the UK are called Argente Champagne and weigh 3.62 kg (8lb).

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Argente, Clair - St. Hubert
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Argente, Clair
This German rabbit is called Light Groot Silver in Germany. They are Champagne d'Argents but with the recessive dilute blue as an undercoat instead of black. They are heavily silvered, and weigh between 3.5 - 5.5 kg (7 3/4 - 12 1/2 lb).

Argente, Crème
Argent Cremes originated in France where they have over 150 years of breeding history. This is a moderatedly silvered orange rabbit weighing a petite 2.26 kg (5lb) in the UK. The standard in the USA, however, calls for rabbits weighing between 8 to 11 pounds. This is a very attractive meat and fur rabbit in the USA, appreciated most by homesteaders.

Argente, Noir
The Argente Noir is a recent addition (2003) to the silvered rabbit collection. They originate in Holland, most likely from a scaled down version of the Champagne d'Argent. They weigh in at 2.72 kg (6 lb).

Argente, Saint Hubert
The St Hubert Argent is a heavily silvered black agouti rabbit already well established in France in the 1880's. It included the genes of wild European rabbits with Champagnes, Belgian hares and common French farm rabbits. Once extinct in its native France, the breed was resurrected in France using Champagnes and Belgian Hares, and recognized in its native land in 1993. In the UK, the Saint Hubert Argent weighs 2.72 kg (6lb).

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Ba (Return to Top of Page)

Baladi
The Baladi is the result of attempts to create a heat-resistant rabbit for use as meat. It originates from Egypt, where native rabbits were crossed with Flemish Giants. The Baladi does tolerate heat better than NZWs, for example. They come in black, red and white, weigh around 2.7 kg (6lb) and have typical litters of 5-6 kits.

Bauscat
The Bauscat originated in Egypt from imported French Giant Blanc du Bouscat rabbits. This French breed weighs up to 13 1/4 lb. After 60+ years of battling the harsh Egyptian climate, the endangered Bauscat breed now weighs less than 8 lb.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Be (Return to Top of Page)

Beige
Both England and the Netherlands can claim development of the Beige, which is a lilac-colored rabbit weighing up to 6 1/2 lbs. In the UK, the Beige was briefly called Isabella, but the name reverted to Beige, however the Swedes now recognize a blue tortoiseshell variety of the Beige, and call it the Isabella Rabbit.

Belgian Hare
Originating in Belgium, the Belgian Hare was refined in England until they had achieved a domestic rabbit that was sleek and racy like the English wild hare.

Belgian Silver
This breed has as its background the Champagne d’Argent completely. The difference is in the degree of silvering. The Belgian standard calls for medium ticking or silvering, as in the American Silver Fox breed, while the Champagne is more fully silvered. Belgian Silvers weigh up to 5.5 kg (12.25 lb).

Beveren
Beveren rabbits are meat and fur rabbits. The BRC recognizes 5 'self' colors: blue, white, black, brown and lilac. In the UK, their weight is to exceed 3.62 kg (8lb). In the USA, Beverens are black, blue and blue-eyed-white, and max out at 12 lb (5.45 kg). They are an endangered breed in the USA.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Bl (Return to Top of Page)

Blanc de Hotot
The Blanc de Hotot is another French rabbit named after the area in which they were developed (Hotot-en-Auge). These are large, frosty-white rabbits with dark eyes and narrow black eye-circles weighing up to 11 pounds (5 kg).

Blanc de Popielno
The Blanc de Popielno, or Popielno White rabbit, is a meat rabbit breed that is roughly comparable to the New Zealand White rabbit in production capability. In a study conducted in 1989, NZWs were quicker to market, however the Popielno Whites made up for this lack in slightly greater reproductive performance and fewer losses of the young kits.

Blanc de Vendee
This albino rabbit breed got its start in France around 1911. This is a prolific white breed with a short, dense coat on a large pelt that would please the furriers. The Blanc de Vendee is most probably a red-eyed-white Beveren out of pure Blue Beveren stock, by Madam Douillard's own admittance. Blanc de Vendee weigh about 3.5 gm (7.75 lb), and today are few in number.

Blue of Ham
This breed dates to 1900 in the town of Ham-sur-Heure in Belgium. The Blue of Ham represented every good trait in a rabbit at the time. Flemish Giants and Vienna Whites went into their make-up. Because of their similarity to Flemish Giants, the Blue of Ham was eventually limited to a maximum weight of 6 kg (13.25 lb) which is still very large for a rabbit.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Bo-Bra (Return to Top of Page)

Bourbonnais Grey
The Bourbonnais Grey rabbit is local to central France. This breed is thought to be probably a cross between local French farm rabbits and the Gray Flemish Giant rabbit, with the addition of crosses to the Normand breed. The first showings of the Bourbonnais Grey as a breed occurred in 1921. This is a muscular, meaty rabbit weighing from 3.5 to 5 kg (7.7 - 11 lb). The Flemish Giant blood is still recognizable in its body type.

Brazilian (Rustico, pronounced HOOstico)
These are European domestic rabbits of unknown origins, probably brought to Brazil long ago by Portuguese sailors. In 1978, Dr. Kathleen Blair, a wildlife biologist on assignment in Brazil’s Caparao National Park, found these gentle "Rusticos" running free among other domestic livestock. She acquired some and bred them for the purpose of high-protein meat for the poor.

Brazilians are hardy in heat and cold. They thrive on poor forages. They are naturally docile; does and bucks cohabit peacefully, and the bucks will help guard the nest and look after the young.

The animals come in many different colors, both self, agouti and pointed, but always dilute; eyes are blue-gray. Bucks are smallish at 7 pounds (3.175 kg), while does may weigh up to 11 pounds (5 kg).

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Bri-Bro (Return to Top of Page)

Britannia Petite (British Polish)
Britannia Petites are a tiny arched breed weighing no more than 2 1/2 pounds, and is presented standing up on its front paws. With the introduction of new colors came the dwarf gene. Pure strains of REW may breed true without producing lethal peanuts. This breed is currently recognized in Black, black otter, chestnut agouti, REW, and sable marten.

British Giant
The British Giant is a conglomeration of various large rabbit breeds in existence in England in the 1900’s, including the Continental Flemish Giant from Belgium. Also included were Flemish Giants from America to bring in other color genes to add to those available in the UK at the time. First exhibited and named in 1960, British Giants are unquestionably the largest of the British rabbit breeds today.

Brown Chestnut of Lorraine
French breed the color of brown chestnuts, resulting from local French rabbits enhanced with Black and Tans. Once thought extinct the breed was discovered to have survived WWII within a single rabbitry. Brown Chestnut of Lorraine rabbits weigh roughly 2 kg (4 1/2 pounds), are said to have rich coloration and excellent meat.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- C (Return to Top of Page)

Caldes
Caldes rabbits are the result of an experimental meat rabbit project in Caldes de Montbui, near Barcelona, Spain. Six separate breeding lines were established in 1983 with the goal of producing the ideal meat rabbit. The breed is maintained in government and commercial ranches. The Caldes rabbit is a red-eyed-white (albino) rabbit well acclimated to Spain’s hot climate, and participates in studies to determine ideal rabbit practices. The Caldes may be Spain’s answer to the USA’s New Zealand Whites, in terms of excellence for meat production.

Californian Rabbits
The Cochinelle rabbit was the original name for Californian rabbits, which were developed in California in order to create the ideal meat and fur rabbit. They consist of New Zealand Whites bred to a Chinchilla-colored cross-bred buck. (The breeder spent 7 years crossing Himalayans with Standard Chinchillas before achieving this ideal buck.) Cals are white with black points (Himalayan-marked), weigh up to 9 1/2 pounds and exhibit a meaty commercial body. In the UK, they are also recognized in chocolate, blue and lilac points.

Carmagnola Grey
Il coniglio grigio di Carmagnola - the Carmagnola Grey is a large, chinchilla-colored rabbit derived from local domestic farm rabbits in the area of Carmagnola, in northwest Italy. Nearly extinct, the Italian government in conjunction with the University of Turin now maintains a population of roughly 500 Carmagnola Greys. This large, docile rabbit weighs around 5.5 kg (12.1 pounds). This breed is appreciated as producing high quality rabbit meat in Italy.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Cha-che (Return to Top of Page)

Champagne d’Argent
Also see Argente, Champagne for short rabbit breed description

Chaudry
The Chaudry is a French commercial rabbit, produced by combining every pure albino rabbit known in France. Minimum weight is 4 kg (8 3/4 pounds). The Chaudry is known for being prolific.

Checkered Giant
Black Checkered Giant Rabbit The Checkered Giant can be traced back to large spotted rabbits in France and Germany in the 1800’s. Added to the bloodlines of these spotted rabbits were Flemish Giants and French Lops, creating a very large spotted rabbit at first resembling an English Spot, but without the nose markings. Markings have been standardized in the USA as shown, and are accepted in black and blue spots. There is no maximum weight requirements; minimum is 11 pounds for a buck and 12 pounds for a doe.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Chin (Return to Top of Page)

Chinchilla, American
Using Standard Chinchillas, various breeders in the USA selected for greater size and weights, looking for larger pelts and finer meat. American Chinchillas were accepted by the ARBA in 1924. They weigh between 9-12 pounds, carry a commercial body type with chinchilla fur.

Chinchilla, Giganta
Development of the Chinchilla Giganta began in 1917 by interbreeding chinchilla rabbits with Flemish Giants and other European giant breeds. These enormous chinchilla-coated rabbits quickly spread throughout Europe, and were recognized in France by 1948. We suspect Chinchilla Gigantas are larger than the Giant Chinchillas of the USA but identical in every other way, as similar breedings were made with the same goal in mind - a very large chinchilla-coated rabbit useful for both fur and meat.

Chinchilla, Giant
To create Giant Chinchilla Rabbits, the Standard Chinchilla was crossed mainly with White Flemish Giants and American Blues, with a touch of New Zealand Whites and Champagne d’Argents. Today the Giant Chinchilla is heavy boned and long bodied, with commercial value being a prime consideration. Maximum weight listed as 16 pounds (does).

Chinchilla, Standard
The stories vary on how the Standard Chinchilla came about, however France is clearly the country of origin. The breed is the result of native French farm rabbits, plus Beveren and Himalayan. Black and Tans were mixed in to improve fur quality. It is likely that the chinchilla fur color predated the 'invention' of the Standard Chinchilla rabbit. Standard Chinchillas weigh up to 7 1/2 pounds.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Ci-Cz (Return to Top of Page)

Cinnamon
The Cinnamon rabbit breed is the result of the Fred Houseman family’s pet Easter bunnies bred to New Zealand White rabbits. Add in a rescued Checkered Giant and a crossbred Californian. Eventually the Houseman children had 2 ‘russet’ rabbits, genetically dark tortoiseshell. The kids’ breeding project gained the attention of the father, and then the ARBA. Cinnamons weigh up to 11 pounds and have a commercial body type.

Crème d’Argent (see Argentes) for rabbit breed description

Criollo
Criollos are the native (domestic), multi-hued rabbits found in the rural areas of Mexico and probably other South American countries. They have become acclimated to tropical heat as natural selection resulted in a smaller frame. Efforts are underway to create a rabbit breed that can perform well in the tropics, and the Criollo is part of the gene pool.

Cuban Brown
Little is known about the Cuban Brown rabbit, other than it is a self chocolate rabbit. The description of Cuban Browns closely matches Havana rabbits, which actually are native to Holland.

Czech Albin
The Czech Albin is a glossy white dual-purpose utility rabbit created in the 1920s by a Professor Zofka. They weigh 3.25 - 5 kg. Today their popularity in Czechoslovakia is waning.

Czech Spot
The first Czechoslovakian-created rabbit is the Czech Spot. It got its start with "common stable rabbits" in the very beginning of the 1900s. Today they can be found in black, blue, agouti and tri-colored, and weigh 3-4 kg, and are marked similarly to the larger Checkered Giants.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- D (Return to Top of Page)

Deilenaar
The Deilenaar is a Dutch breed that is ‘warm red brown’ due to a bright agouti fur and black tipped fur. Their unique mackereling pattern is required to be "wavy" and not even. Body type is tight and cobby, meaty and muscular, however no weight limits are listed on the BRC standard of excellence.

Dutch
Dutch rabbits originate with the Brabancon Blue, a marked and smaller version of the Blue Beveren that is now extinct. They looked like 8 pound Dutch rabbits with a narrow blaze and abbreviated white saddle. Today’s Dutch markings and type were standardized in England in the late 1880’s. Dutch rabbits weigh up to 5 1/2 pounds.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- Dwarf (Return to Top of Page)

Dwarf Hotot
Tiny all-white rabbit with a 1/8th inch band of black around the eyes. The Dwarf Hotot was created simultaneously in West and East Germany in the 1970’s, one breeder using Netherland Dwarfs alone, and the other crossing Hotot with Netherland Dwarf. Through a fortuitous exchange of rabbits, the breed was enhanced and standardized. In the USA the maximum weight is 3 pounds.

Dwarf Papillon
Created in Germany, the Dwarf Papillon is a pint-sized Checkered rabbit that weighs in at 2.75 - 4 pounds (1.20 - 1.80 kg). Czech Spots, themselves a small version of Checkered Giant, were crossed with Netherland Dwarfs to create the dwarf Papillon.

Dwarf Swiss Fox
The long-furred Swiss Fox was miniaturized in both Germany and Holland by crossing with Netherland Dwarf and Polish rabbits. They were recognized in the Netherlands in 1994.

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- E (Return to Top of Page)

Enderby Island
Dark silvered rabbits were released on Enderby Island south of Australia in 1865, whose offspring were intended as nourishment for any shipwrecked sailors. They indeed served this purpose for over 100 years, however in 1992, it was decided to eliminate all non-native populations in favor of native species such as sea lions. 49 rabbits survived the rescue, and became the foundation for the breed now known as Enderby Island rabbits. They are found in Champagne and Crème varieties, and ideally weigh 2 kg (4.4 pounds).

English Spot
Medium-sized arched rabbit with very distinctive spots on sides, spine and nose. Ears are colored. From the haphazardly-marked rabbits of the 1800’s, breeders have standardized and refined the spots, which are today well-recognized. In the UK, the breed is known simply as the "English" rabbit, and weigh 6 - 8 pounds (2.72 - 3.62 kg) (5 - 8 pounds in the USA).

RABBIT BREED DESCRIPTIONS -- F - Fle (Return to Top of Page)

Fauve de Bourgogne
This is an ancient French rabbit originally known as the "Deer of Burgundy." They varied in color and markings, until breeders decided to fix the chosen traits in the breed. Today the Fauve de Bourgogne is a yellowish-red rabbit with excellent commercial traits that somewhat resembles a New Zealand Red Rabbit. Permitted weights are 3.5 - 5 kg (7 3/4 - 11 pounds). Sometimes called Burgundy Yellow, they are included in many breeding programs in developing nations.

Fee de Marbourg (Marburger)
The Fee de Marbourg hails from Germany beginning in 1912, and recognized in Germany in 1924. The Fee de Marbourg is a deep Lilac color, and carries a lot of Havana blood. They weigh 2 - 3.5 kg (4.3 - 7.75 pounds). The breed also goes by the name of Marburger.

Flemish Giant Rabbit
Flemish Giants are the mammoths of the rabbit world, weighing 14+ pounds (6.36 kg) with no maximum constraints, and have contributed their genes to various other huge breeds. In the USA, Flemish Giants should be large yet balanced, and can be found in seven color varieties.

Flemish Giant (British)
In the UK, rabbits recognized under the name of Flemish Giant are distinct and smaller than the Flemish of the USA and Europe. They are accepted only in a dark grey steel, yet this is a false steel, as the belly is white. It should weigh a minimum of 11 pounds (4.97 kg), with no maximum weight listed.

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Mar 7, Rabbit Breed Descriptions. All rabbit breeds listed, linked to more info

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