By Sienna Walsh · Last updated 20 May 2026 · Health content reviewed by Priya Nair (RVN)
“What rabbit breed should I get?” is one of those questions where the honest answer is “you’ve already decided based on the photo, but let me at least talk you out of the worst options.” Rabbit breeds vary enormously — from a 1kg Netherland Dwarf that fits in a shoebox to a 6kg Flemish Giant the size of a small dog. Coat care goes from “no brushing ever” through to “two sessions a week or the rabbit gets fly strike”. Temperament is real and breed-linked.
This pillar walks through 12 of the most common pet rabbit breeds in Australia and the UK, with the adult size, lifespan, grooming reality, and temperament notes from our team. Pair with our rabbit diet pillar and litter training guide for the day-to-day care.
The quick-comparison table
| Breed | Adult weight | Coat care | Lifespan | Temperament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherland Dwarf | 0.9-1.2 kg | Low | 10-12 yrs | Spicy, quick, not great with kids |
| Holland Lop | 1.4-1.8 kg | Low-medium | 7-12 yrs | Friendly, popular family rabbit |
| Mini Lop | 2.5-3.5 kg | Medium | 7-12 yrs | Confident, social, easy to bond |
| Mini Rex | 1.5-2 kg | Very low (plush coat) | 8-12 yrs | Calm, often handler-friendly |
| Rex (standard) | 3-4 kg | Very low | 5-10 yrs | Curious, cuddly, slow-moving |
| Lionhead | 1.4-1.8 kg | HIGH (mane) | 7-10 yrs | Variable — some sweet, some spicy |
| English Angora | 2-3 kg | EXTREME daily | 7-12 yrs | Calm, but the coat dominates everything |
| English Lop | 4-5 kg | Medium (long ears) | 5-7 yrs | Mellow giant, ear-care needed |
| French Lop | 5-7 kg | Medium | 5-8 yrs | Big, placid, dog-like |
| Flemish Giant | 6-9 kg | Low | 5-8 yrs | The gentle giant — but huge |
| Continental Giant | 7-10 kg | Low | 4-7 yrs | Largest pet breed, dog-sized |
| New Zealand White | 4-5 kg | Low | 7-10 yrs | Calm, classic show rabbit |
Small breeds (under 2kg)
Netherland Dwarf
The smallest commercially-bred pet rabbit, originally from the Netherlands in the 1940s. Big head, big eyes, tiny body — they look like an animated cartoon. Most popular show rabbit globally.
- The honest temperament: Netherlands are spicy. They scratch, kick, and bolt. We don’t recommend them as a first rabbit for a family with young children — the kids want a cuddle and the rabbit wants to be left alone.
- Health watch: dental issues are common. The selectively-bred short face means upper and lower teeth don’t always align.
- Good for: single adults, experienced handlers, smaller spaces.
Holland Lop
The most popular pet rabbit in Australia by a wide margin. Compact body, lopped ears that hang at the cheek, expressive face.
- Temperament: generally friendly, social, tolerates handling. The breed standard selects for calm.
- Coat: short, smooth. Weekly brush during moult, otherwise low-maintenance.
- Health watch: ear infections (lops can’t move air through the ear canal like upright-eared breeds — clean weekly).
- Good for: first-time owners, families with school-age kids who’ve been taught to handle gently.
Mini Rex
The “velvet rabbit”. Mini Rex coat is genuinely different — short, dense, plush. It feels like nothing else. Adult size is dwarf-ish but not tiny.
- Temperament: notably calm. Often the easiest small rabbit to handle.
- Coat: brilliant — no brushing required most of the year. Light shed during moult.
- Health watch: their coat is so short their footpads sometimes lack protection — watch for sore hocks if housed on hard floor.
- Good for: households that want a calm rabbit, allergy-considerate homes (short coat sheds less).
Lionhead
Recently-recognised UK breed (early 2000s) defined by the wool mane around the head. Single-mane vs double-mane lines look different — single grows out and short, double keeps a mane on the flanks too.
- Temperament: wildly variable. Sweet ones are very sweet; spicy ones are very spicy. The breed is too new to have stable temperament.
- Coat: high maintenance. The mane mats. Daily comb during moult, weekly otherwise.
- Health watch: mane-matting around the rear can cause fly strike in summer — keep that area trimmed.
- Good for: owners who enjoy grooming. Skip if you’re not willing to brush.
Medium breeds (2-4kg)
Mini Lop
Confusingly named — the Mini Lop is bigger than the Holland Lop. Australian and UK Mini Lops are roughly 2.5-3.5kg. Stocky, lopped ears, calm.
- Temperament: social, confident, easy to bond with another rabbit. The “labrador of rabbits” — friendly default.
- Coat: short, easy.
- Health watch: ear infections (lop ears), and they can put on weight quickly — meter the pellets.
- Good for: bonded pairs, families wanting a confident rabbit.
Standard Rex
The bigger, original Rex. Famous velvet coat, calm temperament, often willing to sit on a lap. Slower-moving than dwarf breeds.
- Temperament: docile, curious, often hand-friendly. Many “house rabbits” are Rexes.
- Coat: the lowest-maintenance coat of any rabbit, plus the touch is special.
- Health watch: sore hocks (same as Mini Rex), and they can be slow to spot food competitors in mixed groups.
- Good for: free-roam house rabbit setups, gentle older children, allergy-considerate homes.
New Zealand White
Classic large white show rabbit (also the most commonly farmed meat/lab rabbit, which is unfortunate naming). Pink eyes, all-white coat, big and calm.
- Temperament: stable, calm, traditional show breed.
- Coat: short, easy.
- Health watch: red-eye sensitivity to bright sun — provide shade.
- Good for: owners with space, families wanting a placid larger rabbit.
Large breeds (4-6kg)
English Lop
The breed with the truly enormous ears — 60cm+ ear span from tip to tip. Mellow, often described as “dog-like”, but the ears need genuine care.
- Temperament: calm, often laid-back to the point of laziness.
- Coat: short — but the ear surfaces need weekly inspection and the rabbit can stand on its own ears.
- Health watch: ear injuries, ear infections, heat stress (large ears = heat dump that backfires in cold weather).
- Good for: dedicated owners who’ll handle the ears as part of weekly care.
French Lop
Big, blocky, lopped-eared. 5-7kg adult. Often kept as house rabbits because they’re surprisingly calm and binky less destructively than smaller breeds.
- Temperament: placid, dog-like in some lines, slow.
- Coat: medium, weekly brush.
- Health watch: hocks, weight gain, dental.
- Good for: people who specifically want a big rabbit and have the space.
Giant breeds (6kg+)
Flemish Giant
One of the oldest pet rabbit breeds, dating to 16th-century Belgium. Adult weight 6-9kg. About the size of a Cocker Spaniel.
- Temperament: the “gentle giant” reputation is real. Calm, tolerant of handling, surprisingly affectionate.
- Coat: short, easy.
- Health watch: shorter life expectancy (5-8 years vs 10-12 for small breeds). Joint issues. Sore hocks. Heart conditions in older Flemish.
- Good for: experienced owners with space and a vet who handles exotics.
Continental Giant
The biggest commercially-bred pet rabbit, often 8-10kg adult. Continental Giants regularly exceed Flemish in length. Not the longevity champion.
- Temperament: mellow, slow-moving.
- Coat: low maintenance.
- Health watch: shortest lifespan of common pet breeds (4-7 years). Joint and cardiac issues are near-universal in older Continentals.
- Good for: very specific owners only. The cost-per-rabbit-year is high.
Specialty coat: English Angora
The breed that looks like a haystack. English Angora coats grow ~2.5cm a month and reach extremes. Matted coats lead to fly strike, skin sores, and welfare problems. Daily grooming is not optional.
- Temperament: mostly calm — high-strung Angoras get stressed by the unavoidable handling.
- Coat: daily care + 3-monthly clipping. Hours of work.
- Health watch: wool block (digestive blockage from ingested fur), heat stress, fly strike.
- Good for: dedicated owners who treat the coat as a hobby in itself. Probably skip if you’re a normal pet owner.
Picking a breed — the honest filter
- First rabbit, family with school-age kids: Holland Lop, Mini Lop, Mini Rex.
- House rabbit, free-roam, want one with personality: Standard Rex, Mini Lop, French Lop.
- Small space, single adult, OK with sass: Netherland Dwarf or Holland Lop.
- Lots of space, want a big floor friend: Flemish Giant.
- Don’t pick: Continental Giant (welfare concerns at that size), Angora (unless you genuinely want a daily grooming commitment), or Lionhead unless you’ll actually brush daily.
Crossbreeds and rescue rabbits
Most rescue rabbits are crossbreeds — and crossbreeds are excellent pets. Hybrid vigour, longer lifespan than purebreds, and rescue staff know each rabbit’s temperament from observation. The downside is unpredictability in adult size and coat. Visit the rescue, sit with the rabbit for 30 minutes, and the right one will tell you who they are.
Where to next
Whichever breed you choose, the day-to-day reality is the same. Read our rabbit diet pillar for the 85% hay rule, our litter training guide, and our rabbit bonding pillar if you’re considering a pair (rabbits are social — most should be kept in bonded pairs).
Sources: Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) breed standards, American Rabbit Breeders Association breed guide, RSPCA AU Rabbit Welfare.
Page last updated 19 May 2026. We re-check our pet-care content regularly and update when something changes.
