Choosing a rabbit depends largely on the answers to a few questions that vary with each owner. How much room do you have? What do you want the rabbit for? Do you like long floppy ears? How much time do you have to devote to grooming?
Rabbits vary from 2 pounds to 20. There’s short haired and wooled breeds and Rex and Satins. The less room you have the smaller the breed you have to choose from. If you don’t have time to spend on grooming don’t even look at the wooled breeds, which take daily attention to grooming to maintain their coat.
What do you want a rabbit for? If you want to raise meat rabbits it eliminates most under 7 pounds or so as smaller breeds are too inefficient to be practical for raising fryers. If you are looking for a 4-H or youth project how big is the child? Asking a small child to properly handle a checkered giant or even a satin can result in injury to both child and rabbit. On the other hand a larger child may be more comfortable with the larger breeds than a tiny one. Temperament matters too. Are you opposed to selling rabbits for meat or prekilled snake or dog food? If so avoid any of the marked breeds, which typically have a high cull rate to get the proper markings for show. Do you prefer an active rabbit or a quieter more mellow one?
Research your choices and talk to breeders about the different breeds. With purebreds you have a predictable size. To some degree the ear size can indicate rabbit size. The further the ears go back on the topline generally indicates a large rabbit, while small rabbits will have tiny ears.
Generally those interested in large breeds might like Flemish Giants, Giant Chinchilla, American Chinchilla, Beveren or Checkered Giants. The latter tend to be a challenge to handle and can be somewhat temperamental.
On the other end of the range the smaller rabbits such as the Netherland Dwarf, Polish, Britannia Petite or dwarf Hotot can be good for those with limited room.
Small to medium active breeds include tans and English Spots, both being marked breeds can be found normally inexpensively due to the number of mismarked animals that are born. Dutch are also a marked breed and from a pet standpoint can be very gentle to handle.
The larger meat breeds include Californians, New Zealands, American Sables and Rex. Rex have a distinctive coat that can be used for pelts as well as the meat, while Satins are also a dual purpose breed but with a distinct sheen to the coat.
Whatever breed you choose look that the teeth meet evenly. Check for overall health including clear, bright eyes and clean ears. Whether for pet, show or breeding health is important. If looking for a pet rabbit look for temperament closely behind health as a qualifying factor. The show animals should be looked over to make sure there are no disqualifying points.
Joining the American Rabbit Breeders Association is a good idea for all owners. There is a great deal of information available when you join including a care and selection guide and a magazine that even pet owners can benefit from.
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