Dwarf or toy rabbits are gaining more and more popularity as pets, being one of the most loved pets by children. In addition to their charming appearance, these lagomorphs are highly intelligent, playful animals capable of forming very strong bonds with their humans.
However, before adopting a rabbit as a pet, it is essential to get to know them better in order to provide them with the essential care they need to preserve their good he alth and offer them complete and balanced nutrition. In this sense, it is important to know the different breeds of dwarf rabbits, since each of them has its own physical and behavioral characteristics.
In this article on our site, we will show the ten most popular dwarf or toy rabbit breeds in the world. In addition to learning a little more about their origins and characteristics, you can also be enchanted by the most beautiful photos of these small lagomorphs.
1. Mini lop or belier rabbit
The mini lop, also known as dwarf lop or belier rabbit, is one of the most popular dwarf rabbit breeds, despite being relatively new. Some theories affirm that it is a French breed, while other hypotheses suggest that the mini lop would be a descendant of the Flanders rabbit, of Belgian origin, having been developed in Germany during the 70s.
They are characterized by a short and wide body, rounded in shape and with well-developed muscles, a round and large head compared to the size of the body, long ears, hanging and rounded at their ends.
The Mini Lop's coat is dense, soft and of medium length, showing a good number of guard hairs. A wide range of coat colors are accepted on these dwarf rabbits, in solid or broken patterns. Body weight should vary between 2.5 and 3.5 kg in adult individuals, and life expectancy is calculated between 5 and 7 years.
two. Dutch Dwarf or Netherland Dwarf
The Dutch Dwarf is one of the smallest dwarf or toy rabbit breeds, with body weights ranging from 0.5 to 1kg Although compact, his body is solid and muscular, allowing him great flexibility in his movements. Its head is large in relation to the size of its body, while its neck is very short. The ears are small, erect, and slightly rounded at the ends. Its fur is shiny, soft and inviting to the touch, and can show different shades.
As its name suggests, it is a breed of dwarf rabbit originating in the Netherlands However, the specimens we know in today may differ greatly from their ancestors, which were developed at the beginning of the 20th century. After being exported to other countries (especially to England), these small lagomorphs have been subjected to numerous crosses to generate more attractive aesthetic characteristics, reduce their size and vary the color of their fur.
Not to be confused with the dutch rabbit, which is medium-sized and originated in England.
3. Columbia Basin Dwarf Rabbit
The Columbia Basin Dwarf Rabbit is considered to be the smallest of the dwarf or toy rabbit breeds, as the adult individuals hardly exceed 500 grams in weight.
During the 1990s, the breed was almost declared extinct, but 14 surviving specimens were later found and brought back. However, to this day the Columbia Basin Dwarf Rabbit is still one of the rarest rabbit breeds in the world.
4. English Angora Rabbit
The dwarf English Angora rabbit became very popular for its cute appearance and the particular dense fur that covers its entire compact body. Of all the dwarf rabbit breeds, the English Angora is one of the largest, as it can weigh between 2.5 kg and 4 kg and appears particularly robust due to its abundant fur.
Initially, their upbringing was dedicated mainly to the economic exploitation of their coat, known as "Angora wool". This abundant, long coat requires careful maintenance to prevent knotting, dirt build-up and the formation of hairballs in the rabbit's gastrointestinal tract.
As the name suggests, the ancestors of the English Angora rabbits originated in Turkey, more precisely in the Angora region (now called Ankara), but this breedborn in England There are also other types of "Angora" rabbit that are classified according to their country of creation, such as the French Angora rabbit. Not all Angora rabbits are dwarfs or toys, in fact, there is a giant Angora rabbit, which can weigh up to 5.5 kg in adulthood.
5. Jersey Wooly or woolly rabbit
Continuing with the dwarf or toy rabbit breeds, we will talk about a particularly peculiar and little-known breed: the Jersey Wooly or woolly rabbitThis breed is developed in the United States, more specifically in New Jersey. Its great success as a pet is due not only to its adorable appearance, but also to its character extremely docile and affectionate
In fact, in its place of origin, the Jersey Wooly is popularly known as the " the bunny that doesn't kick", since they have a very balanced behavior and hardly present symptoms of aggressiveness in rabbits and are very friendly in the daily tract.
This breed of dwarf rabbit was born in the 70's, from crosses between French angora rabbits and Dutch dwarf rabbits. The Jersey is characterized by the compact and muscular body, the square head, the small and erect ears that measure only about 2 inches. Adult individuals can weigh up to 1.5 kg, and their life expectancy is estimated to be between 6 and 9 years.
6. Holland lop
The Holland lop is another breed that originated in Holland. Its birth is attributed to a Dutch rabbit breeder Adrian de Cock, who has made some selective crosses between the English Lop, French Lop and Netherland Dwarf breeds during the 1940s, obtaining from them the first Holland Lop specimens.
Holland Pop dwarf rabbits usually weigh between 0.9 and 1.8 kg, exhibiting a compact and solid body that is entirely covered by abundant hairs smooth and soft. The head is noticeably flattened, with long ears that are always drooping, giving this lagomorph a very cute appearance. The breed standard accepts various colors for the coat of the Holland Lop, also recognizing bicolor and tricolor individuals.
7. Britannia Petite
The Britannia Petite is another breed of rabbit originating in England, from rabbits brought from Poland. It is one of the oldest dwarf or toy rabbit breeds, whose development dates back to the 19th century, mainly due to the exhibitions that were very successful in Europe at that time.
Its most characteristic feature is the so-called "full-arch body", which has been very popular at rabbit shows. This means that the region that goes from the base of its neck to its tail forms a single arch, which seen from the side has the shape of a quarter circle. The belly is slightly tucked up, the head is wedge-shaped, and its large eyes are somewhat bulging. The ears are short, pointed and usually erect
Dwarf rabbits of this breed stand out for having great energy and need a high dose of daily physical activity to maintain stable behavior. Due to their small size, they do not need a large space to meet their energy expenditure needs, but it is recommended that they have an open space where they can run freely, jump and play with their families.
8. Lionhead
Lionhead, or "lion's head" in Spanish, is one of the most striking breeds of dwarf rabbit. In fact, its name refers to its most characteristic feature, which is the long, puffy hair on its head that resembles a lion's mane. But many specimens lose their "mane" when they reach adulthood.
Another striking feature of these toy rabbits are their ears, which can exceed 7 cm in length, making them very large compared to the size of their body. But there is also a variety of lionhead with shorter, more erect ears.
Lionhead rabbits are one of the dwarf or toy rabbit breeds that can weigh up to 2 kg and appear particularly robust because of the abundant fur that covers its body and that can be of a wide variety of colors. The eyes are rounded and are always well apart from each other, the snout is elongated and the head is rounded.
This can be considered a breed of "shared origins", since it originates in Belgium but ends up being developed in England. Little is known precisely about its ancestors, but the Lionhead we know today is believed to have been influenced by crosses between the Swiss Fox and the Belgian Dwarf.
9. Miniature Cashmere Lop or Longhaired Belier Rabbit
The Miniature Cashmere Lop, also known as the Belier Longhair Rabbit, is also among the most popular dwarf rabbit breeds. These small lagoforms of English origin feature a broad, compact and muscular body, with a broad head with a slightly curved profile, a slouch neck that is barely visible, and large, bright eyes.
However, its most striking features are its long, dense, abundant fur, which can exhibit a variety of solid colors and patterns, and his long floppy ears, which give the miniature cashmere lop a really cute look. The precious coat of this breed of toy rabbit requires careful maintenance to avoid the formation of knots, the accumulation of dirt in the hairs, and the digestive problems associated with hairballs in the gastrointestinal tract.
10. Dwarf Hotot or Dwarf Hotot
We end our list of dwarf or toy rabbit breeds with the Dwarf hotot, a breed attributed to Mrs. Eugenie Bernhard and his name reveals his place of origin: Hotot-en-Auge, in France. Since their birth in 1902, these dwarf rabbits have gained enormous popularity throughout the world for their beautiful appearance and their docile and very affectionate temperament.
The most characteristic features of this breed of dwarf or toy rabbit are its completely white fur and the black ring that surrounds its bright brown eyesThis "liner" dramatically highlights the eyes of the dwarf hotot, making them appear much larger than they really are. Also noteworthy are their small ears, which are rare among all rabbit breeds.
Despite its small size, the dwarf hotot has a great appetite, so its guardians must be especially vigilant to avoid overweight and obesity in their rabbits.
Other breeds of dwarf or toy rabbits
Have you been wanting more? Although we have shown you 10 breeds of dwarf or toy rabbits, the truth is that there are many more. Therefore, below we show you 5 breeds of toy or dwarf rabbits:
- Mini satin: is a breed of dwarf rabbit originating in the United States, in the mid-20th century, probably from the Havana rabbit. It has gained much popularity for its distinct coat that displays an attractive satiny appearance. It is estimated that this characteristic known as "satin factor" has appeared for the first time spontaneously, from a natural mutation in the genes that determine the type of fur of the Havana rabbit. It is a recessive gene, so mini satin specimens are usually very rare and show high inbreeding.
- American fuzzy lop: The history of this breed of dwarf rabbit is intertwined with that of the Holland lop, as its first specimens appear thanks to the attempt to incorporate new patterns and color combinations into the holland lop's coat. For many years, the American Fuzzy Lop was considered a woolly variety of the Holland Lop, only gaining official recognition as a breed in 1988 by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The American Fuzzy Lop rabbit features a compact body with balanced proportions, a rounded head with a flat face, a very tucked-up and almost imperceptible neck, and straight hanging ears. Its fur is also abundant and woolly, although it does not resemble Angora rabbits.
- Mini rex/dwarf rex: the mini rex rabbit has been developed in France, more precisely in the town of Luché-Pring, in the mid-1920s. When the breed first appeared, all specimens were tan. Subsequently, several selective crosses were made to obtain the wide variety of solid colors and patterns that today characterize this breed of dwarf or toy rabbit. Despite its small size, the mini rex has a robust and muscular body that can weigh between 3 and 4kg in adulthood. It is also characterized by large, erect ears, velvety-textured fur, and large, alert eyes.
- Dwarf polish: Little is known exactly about the origins of this breed of dwarf or toy rabbit. While the name "polish" means "Polish", in a likely reference to the ancestors of this breed, there are many theories as to the birthplace of the Miniature or Dwarf Polish. Some hypotheses suggest that it originated in England, while others point to possible German or Belgian roots. Its most outstanding features are its elongated and arched body (with about 20 or 25 cm in length), the oval face and the short ears that must remain together from the beginning to the tips. Before becoming popular as a pet, the Polish dwarf rabbit was created for the exploitation of its meat, which has had a very high market value in Europe.
- Belier Dwarf (Dwarf lop): this is a breed of dwarf or toy rabbit whose adult body weight is between 2 and 2.5 kg. The dwarf belier features a short, compact body with a rounded back, broad shoulders, and a deep chest. The legs are short and strong, and the head is well developed, especially in males. Their ears are wide, hanging, have rounded ends and are well covered with hair, so their interior should not be visible from any angle.
