With so many rabbit breeds out in the world today, it can be challenging to find the right rabbit breed for you, especially if you are going to be a first-time rabbit owner. Being presenting with all the rabbit breed options without knowing which is better for new rabbit owners can be a bit overwhelming.
Here is the list of our top picks of rabbit breeds for first-time owners.
Here are the ten best breeds of rabbits that are perfect for first-time rabbit owners:
- Chinchilla Rabbit
- Beveren Rabbit
- Rex Rabbit
- French Angora Rabbit
- Florida White Rabbit
- Blanc De Hotot Rabbit
- Dutch Rabbit
- Himalayan Rabbit
- Lionhead Rabbit
- Harlequin Rabbit
So, these rabbits are good for first-time rabbit owners, but what makes them good for you?
Let us go through these rabbit breeds in a bit more detail to help you understand them better and help you make an informed decision about which rabbit to get.
10 Breeds Of Rabbit For First Time Owners
Rabbits can be a great pet to keep you company, but you do need a rabbit breed that suits your experience level as some breeds can be a bit difficult to care for.
So, here are our top picks for rabbit breeds for first-time owners.
1. Chinchilla Rabbit
The Chinchilla rabbit breed first originated in France and was then subsequently bred into three different ‘breeds’ that are under the same name. These three are the Standard Chinchilla rabbit, the American Chinchilla rabbit, and the Giant Chinchilla rabbit.
Each of the rabbits are a different size ranging from between 5.5 to 16 lbs (2.5 to 7.3 kgs) when they are fully grown. All three different types have a lovely, sweet nature and are docile, gentle, and highly sociable.
The Chinchilla rabbits are able to thrive both indoors and outdoors. They are easy to care for as their diets are easy to cater for, and they do not require grooming every day.
The Chinchilla rabbits are also extremely healthy, and you rarely need to worry about them developing any health complications.
2. Beveren Rabbit
The Beveren rabbit is a large rabbit that can weigh between 8 and 12 lbs (3.6 and 5.4 kgs). This rabbit’s origin is unknown, with some people claiming that it was first bred in England, while others claim it came from Belgium.
This rabbit is an extremely intelligent, energetic, and curious creature that loves affection. The Beveren rabbit does require a big enclosure due to their size, but they are generally easy to look after as they do not require any special treatment.
These rabbits are usually healthy; as long as they have a good diet that consists of 70% hay, they will rarely have any problems.
3. Rex Rabbit
This rabbit first originated from France in 1919 and only made its way to the United States of America in 1924; from there, it has grown in popularity ever since.
The Rex rabbit is a very playful, affectionate, and intelligent rabbit that are quite sociable with their owners as they love human interaction. These rabbits are large in size and generally weigh between 7.5 and 10.5 lbs (3.4 and 4.7 kgs) when they reach adulthood.
The Rex rabbits are suited for both indoor living and outdoor living, but they do require pace to run as they have a good amount of energy.
These rabbits are generally quite healthy and do not really have any major health concerns that you need to be aware of. As long as you give them a well-balanced diet and space to exercise, they will be healthy.
4. French Angora Rabbit
The French Angora rabbit actually first originated from Turkey, then was brought to France in 1773 by sailing ships. These rabbits are known for their luscious long fur that is extremely soft.
These rabbits are a friendly bunch that are calm and gentle, and full of love. French Angora rabbits are large rabbits that will weigh between 7.5 and 10.5 lbs (3.4 and 4.7 kgs) then they are adults.
These rabbits are able to thrive both indoors and outdoors as long as they have enough space to live comfortably.
French Angora rabbits are relatively easy to care for, but due to their long fur, they can suffer from a condition called wool block if their fur is not groomed regularly.
5. Florida White Rabbit
This rabbit originated from the state of Florida in the United States in the early 1960s. Florida White rabbits are extremely friendly and relaxed rabbits, and they love spending time with their owners.
These rabbits are small or mini rabbits as they will only weigh about 4 to 6 lbs (1.8 to 2.7 kgs) when they reach adulthood. Due to their size, they are best suited for indoor living; this will protect them from any predators in your area.
Florida White rabbits are extremely easy to look after as they were bred to be easy-going rabbits in all areas, including care.
These rabbits are exceptionally healthy and will usually only develop health problems if they are not given a balanced diet and clean bedding.
6. Blanc De Hotot Rabbit
This breed of rabbit was developed in Normandy by a woman named Eugenie Bernhard, who was the second woman in history to breed a new rabbit breed.
These rabbits are extremely sweet in nature; they love their people and are very friendly and active. Blanc De Hotot rabbits are large in size and will weigh about 8 to 11 lbs (3.6 to 4.9 kgs) when they are fully grown.
These rabbits are comfortable living both indoors and outdoors as long as they have enough space to exercise.
They are generally healthy rabbits that do not usually have any hereditary health issues, but they can suffer from overgrown teeth as their teeth grow quite fast. If you keep their teeth at a reasonable size and you supply them with a balanced diet and clean bedding, then they should have no issues.
7. Dutch Rabbit
Dutch rabbits first originated in England and started to grow in popularity from there as their temperaments are so sweet and affectionate. These rabbits love human contact and will fast become your best friend with their adorable charm.
They will weigh about 3.5 to 5.5 lbs (1.5 to 2.4 kgs) when they are fully grown, making them small-sized rabbits. Due to their size, these rabbits do better when living indoors, where they are safe from weather and predators.
Dutch rabbits are easy to care for as they basically just need a balanced diet and a loving home to thrive. They are susceptible to some health issues, but these are usually easy to treat, and they do not happen regularly as long as their basic needs are cared for.
8. Himalayan Rabbit
This rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit that is one of the oldest breeds of rabbits in the world, which dies means that their origin is unclear. They will generally weigh about 2.5 to 5 lbs (1.1 to 2.2 kgs) when they are adults.
These rabbits are gentle, calm, and docile, with a sweet nature. They can live comfortably indoors and outdoors, given that they have a good amount of space to roam as they like to explore their environment.
Himalayan rabbits are easy to care for, but if you keep them outside them be sure to bring them in on cold nights as they are sensitive to cold temperatures.
They are a generally healthy breed of rabbits, but they do require you to check them regularly for mites, overgrown teeth, and flystrike.
9. Lionhead Rabbit
This rabbit first originated in Belgium and France before it made its way to the United States. Lionhead rabbits are highly popular as pets as they are extremely affectionate and gentle. They are smart and easy to train, with an overall good nature to them.
These rabbits are small-sized rabbits as they weigh between 2.5 and 3.75 lbs (1.1 and 1.7 kgs) when they reach adulthood. The Lionhead rabbits are best suited for indoor living due to their size.
These rabbits usually have no health issues, but they can suffer from some respiratory and eye issues that you need to watch for. Other than those, they are generally easy to care for.
10. Harlequin Rabbit
These rabbits originated from France and were bred for their unique coloration rather than their fur or body type like other rabbits. Harlequin rabbits are active and playful as well as curious and affectionate; they love playtime with their owners just as much as cuddle time.
These rabbits can weigh between 6.5 and 9.5 lbs (2.9 and 4.3 kgs) when they are adults, making them medium to a large-sized rabbits. They can thrive living both indoors and outdoors; as long as they have space to explore, then they will be fine.
Harlequin rabbits are healthy creatures in general, but they can suffer from overgrown teeth, which can be uncomfortable for them.
Other than watching their teeth, they are relatively easy to look after. Just give them a healthy, balanced diet, room to roam, and lots of attention, and they will be fine.
What Makes A Rabbit Good For First Time Rabbit Owners
All the Rabbits that have been mentioned above are perfect for first-time rabbit owners, but what makes them this perfect?
When you are looking for a breed of rabbit as a first-time owner, you need to look for a rabbit breed that is affectionate, so they are easy to bond with, they need to be easy to groom and care for so that you do not need to know and understand any special requirements that other rabbits may need.
Then you need to look at rabbit breeds that are generally healthy and that are not susceptible to a plethora of health issues, which can become costly and will require a keen and experienced eye to pick up.
All the rabbits that were mentioned in this article are affectionate, easy to care for and groom and they are generally in good health, with some only really needing their teeth to be watched, so they do not get overgrown.
These factors are what make them perfect rabbit breeds for first-time rabbit owners.
Conclusion
There are many rabbit breeds out there that are great for first-time rabbit owners. Hopefully, the information that is in this article made it a bit easier to choose the right rabbit breed for your first rabbit.
These rabbits are a good introduction to the world of owning rabbits, and they will help you gain some rabbit-owning experience without any worry.
If you are looking for a rabbit of specific color or style, check out black rabbit breeds, white rabbit breeds, and long-haired rabbit breeds as well.
Good luck with your first rabbit!