Various varieties of domestic rabbits are bred through selective breeding or natural selection. At this article, I will list a few common breeds of rabbits that are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association along with a brief description.
Rabbit Breeds
American: This breed was standardized early in the 20th century. The two categories available are the blue and white. The sub-varieties available under this breed are:
- American Fuzzy Lop: This breed was derived by breeding two Holland Lops each carrying a recessive wool gene. The rabbits belonging to this breed have lopped ears and their body is covered with thick wool.
- American Sable: The rabbits belonging to this breed have different levels of sandy (sable) coloring.
- English Angora: This breed has been derived from French Angoras and are gentle in nature but require a lot of grooming.
- French Angora: This breed has guard hairs on the surface and wool as an undercoat.
- Satin Angora: This breed is so named because of its extremely soft texture of its wool. These are very easy to groom and the wool they produce is very strong.
Blue of Ham: This breed of rabbit was very popular during the first few decades of the 20th century but became extinct during the sixties. However, a Belgian breeder was able to recreate the rabbit by using off-springs.
Britannia Petite: This breed of rabbits weigh about 2.5 lb and are thought to have been derived from small wild rabbits. They have a wild temperament and are not suitable for pets. However, if handled properly these rabbits can be calm.
American Chinchilla: This breed of rabbits are bred for their meat. They are a hardy pet and do not require regular grooming. They have a medium length body which is slightly curved. Their ears are straight and erect. These rabbits are also good breeders and on an average their litter consists of 7 – 10 babies.
