Skip to main content

Rabbit Breeds · 17 full guides

Rabbit Breed Guides

WARN publishes full guides to 17 rabbit breeds, each with size, coat, lifespan, temperament and common health problems. Browse by popularity, by size, or by which breeds are most tolerant in a family home.

Browse by what you need

Each list says how it was compiled. Where a list is our editorial selection rather than a filter over recorded data, it says that too.

All 17 breeds, A–Z

Every breed has a full guide covering history, temperament, grooming and care needs, lifespan and the health problems the breed is prone to.

Rabbit Breeds: frequently asked questions

How many rabbit breeds are there?
Around 50 recognised by the British Rabbit Council and roughly 50 by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, with the two lists overlapping but not matching. WARN publishes full guides to the 17 most searched.
What should I know before getting a rabbit?
Four things people are rarely told: rabbits need a bonded companion rather than living alone, they need several square metres of space rather than a hutch, they live eight to twelve years, and they need a vet with rabbit experience — many general practices see them rarely.
Are rabbits low-maintenance pets?
No. They need daily fresh hay and vegetables, litter tray cleaning, regular nail and dental checks, annual vaccination against myxomatosis and RHD, and a large secure space. They are commonly sold as easy starter pets, and that is the root of most rabbit welfare problems.
Should I adopt or buy a rabbit?
Adopt. Rescues are consistently full of rabbits given up within a year of purchase, many already neutered, vaccinated and bonded into pairs. An adult rescue rabbit also comes with a known temperament, which a baby rabbit does not.

Before you go

The animals people take on, and then can't keep

Rabbits are among the most surrendered pets there are — usually bought small and appealing, then given up within a year once the reality of a decade-long, space-hungry, handling-averse animal sets in. The pattern is not unique to rabbits. It is the same pattern behind surrendered dogs, cats and exotic pets across every country WARN works in.

WARN funds partner-led rescue, veterinary care and the education work that stops the cycle earlier — helping people understand what an animal actually needs before they take it on, which is cheaper and kinder than rescuing it afterwards.

Support WARN's rescue work → How to adopt responsibly