Pet Rabbit Breeds.

[Ranch Girl]

I have a nice new hutch that was built for a rabbit, but I can't decide on which bunny I want! I've had a Dwarf rabbit and she was very evil, then I had a Holland Lop and she was the sweetest thing. I like the Dutch and the Jersey Woolies and the Polish. Can you help me out? Thanks SO MUCH!

 

[Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick]

We just bought a harliquin (sp?) and she is small, easy to take care of, and super sweet. I would just do research for what you like and go from there. We picked ours up at the local tractor supply co. and we love her so much already. Good luck with your search.

 

[Ranch Girl]

What breed would you suggest?

 

[SarahFair]

I just got 2 Flemish Giants..
They are pretty awesome and suppose to be "gentle giants"

 

[Ranch Girl]

Well you see I don't really have a place or breeder near me that has Flemish Giants.
My hutch is kind of small, I could probably put a giant in there but I want a rabbit breed that I can hold and cuddle.
Do you think it would be a good idea to have 2 rabbits in the same hutch?
I guess if I did that the rabbit wouldn't really bond with me, it would bond with the other bunny ... :/

 

[kelsystar]

Can't beat lops for sweetness. Plus they're small.

 

[Ranch Girl]

Can't beat lops for sweetness. Plus they're small.

Yes, Lops are the sweetest rabbits! It' hard to beat them.

 

[Bunnylady]

Can't beat lops for sweetness. Plus they're small.

Yes, Lops are the sweetest rabbits! It' hard to beat them.

I don't know about that, I have known some pretty cranky lops! There's one (a family pet) that has been entered in the local fair for the last few years, and all of the youth volunteers are afraid of her (she's very territorial.) And with both French and English Lops running in the 10 pound range, I can't say as they are all that small, either.

Harlequins, at 6 to 9 pounds, are my largest breed, and generally the most docile. Even so, I have had some that tried to be a bit nasty about their feeders, and they can be quite fierce about their babies! On the other hand, a couple of my top ten "Rabbits I Wish Could Have Lived Forever" were Harlequins. Believe it or not, there are a couple of Netherland Dwarfs on that list too, and I am not a huge fan of Dwarfs as a rule (even though I breed them.)

After 20+ years breeding rabbits, I think I can safely say that I have seen pretty much the full range of temperament that rabbits can exhibit. I find that trying to typify the character of a breed is pretty much a waste of time - you will always find exceptions, sometimes so many exceptions that the original statement may become meaningless! I think the most valuable advice I can give is, know your rabbit's breeder. I have a couple of friends that I would recommend to anyone to get a rabbit from, because every rabbit I have ever gotten from them was fall-out-in-your-arms friendly. They breed for temperament, and will not work with cranky rabbits. They put a lot of "handle" on their babies, so the little ones are people oriented from the get-go. The breeding and breeder are far more important than the breed, IMO.

But with all that said, my rabbitry is named "Wyldan Woolies Rabbitry." Guess what my favorite breed is!

 

[Ranch Girl]

I LOVE JERSEY WOOLIES!!!!!!!! But I( don't know anybody around here that has any ...
What about lionhead rabbits? Are they sweet? I know somebody that has thoughs and Dutch bunnies.

 

[nicktide]

As a kid I had a cute B and W Dutch bunny. He was very nice. I now have a Velveteen Lop (looking for a girl in the Maryland area) and he is extremely sweet and everything I read about them says they are very nice. Also English Lops and Rex's are generally nice as well. Hope this helps.

Jay