The Continental Giant, also known as the German Giant, [1] is a very large breed of rabbit which was originally bred for meat. [2] It is recognized by the British Rabbit Council in two categories, colored and white, [3] [4] but is not recognized as a breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
The Continental Giant, first documented in 1893, [2] is said to have descended from the Flemish Giant. [2]
The longest Continental Giant on record is approximately 4 feet 4 inches (c. 132 cm) in length, [5] and the heaviest weighs 53 lbs (c. 24kg). [2] The average lifespan for the breed is 4–5 years. [2] The record for the longest Continental Giant was held by the breeder Annette Edwards since 2004, across three generations of rabbits. [6] Continental Giant rabbits are more likely to suffer femoral fractures and it is hypothesized to be caused from a weakness of bone. [7] In 2010, Ralph was recognised as the world's heaviest rabbit by Guinness World Records. [8]
The Angora rabbit, one of the most ancient groups of domestic rabbit breeds, which is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool. They are gathered by shearing, combing or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA): the English Angora, the French Angora, the Giant Angora and the Satin Angora. Other unrecognized breeds include the German Angora, the Finnish Angora, the Chinese Angora, the Japanese Angora, the Korean Angora, the Russian Angora, the St Lucian Angora and the Swiss Angora.
Dwarf rabbit refers either (formally) to a rabbit with the dwarfing gene, or (informally) to any small breed of domestic rabbit or specimen thereof, or (colloquially) to any small rabbit. Dwarfism is a genetic condition that may occur in humans and in many animals, including rabbits. True dwarfism is often associated with a cluster of physical abnormalities, including pituitary dwarfism. The process of dwarfing is used to selectively breed for smaller stature with each generation. Small stature is a characteristic of neoteny, which may account for the attraction of dwarf animals.
The Californian, also known as the California White, is a breed of domestic rabbit initially developed for the fur and meat industries by George S. West of Lynwood, California, starting in 1923. West maintained a herd of 300 genetically pure New Zealand Whites, which he began crossing with Standard Chinchilla rabbits for their dense coat and Himalayan rabbits. This new breed, named after the state of its origin, was first shown in 1928, and a standard was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1939.
The Mini Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is different from the Miniature Lop breed that is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Mini Lop [US] and the Miniature Lop [UK] are different from the Dwarf Lop breed that is recognized by the BRC. The Mini Lop is similar to several other small rabbit breeds, such as the Dwarf rabbit.
Chinchilla rabbits are a group of three rabbit breeds that have been bred for a coat that resembles that of chinchillas. Despite their name, they are not related to and cannot interbreed with chinchillas, which are a species of rodent. Rabbits are lagomorphs. A mutation diluted the yellow pigment in the hairs to almost white, changing in this way the color of the fur of the wild rabbit (agouti) into chinchilla.
The Flemish Giant rabbit is the largest breed of domestic rabbit. Flemish Giants are historically a utility breed used for their fur and meat. They are often kept as pets as they are known for being docile and patient when being handled.
The French Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit developed in France in the 19th century from the selective breeding of English Lop and Flemish Giant stock. The French Lop resembles the English Lop, but the French Lop is heavier in stature and does not have the exaggerated ear length of the English Lop. Weighing approximately 4.98 kg to 5.21 kg, it has an average lifespan of five to seven years. The French Lop is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
Lionhead is a breed of domestic rabbit recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The Lionhead rabbit has a wool mane encircling the head, reminiscent of a male lion as its name implies. Other Lionhead characteristics include a high head mount, compact upright body type, short well-furred 2- to 3+1⁄2-inch ears, and a weight of 2.5 to 3.75 pounds.
The term rex rabbit refers informally to one of at least eight breeds of domestic rabbit. One such breed is the Rex, which is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Other modern-day rex rabbit breeds are listed below. Care must be taken to distinguish the rex rabbit breeds from the three types of rex rabbit fur for which they are known.
The American Rabbit is a breed of rabbit, recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1917. According to the ARBA Standard of Perfection, American rabbits have a mandolin body shape. It has also been noted for a docile temperament and good mothering abilities. As with all domestic rabbits, the American breed is of the species Oryctolagus cuniculus, the European wild rabbit.
The Checkered Giant, known as Géant Papillon in French, is a breed of domestic rabbit that originated in France. One of the largest rabbit breeds, the Checkered Giant is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The Checkered Giant is one of the minority of rabbit breeds with specific coat markings. The markings defined in the breed standard of the Checkered Giant differ somewhat from those in the breed standard of the Giant Papillon. For ARBA show purposes, a mature Checkered Giant buck must weigh a minimum of 11 pounds (5.0 kg), and a mature doe must weigh a minimum of 12 pounds (5.4 kg). ARBA does not specify a maximum weight for Checkered Giants.
The Argenté rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of French show rabbits. The British Rabbit Council (BRC) recognises six varieties: Argenté Bleu, Argenté Brun, Argenté Crème, Argenté de Champagne, Argenté Noir, and Argenté St Hubert. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognises the Champagne d'Argent, the Crème d'Argent and the Argenté Brun. A rare variety, the Argenté Clair, is not currently recognised by either the BRC or ARBA.
The Tri-Colour Dutch is a breed of domestic rabbit created in the Netherlands by crossing tortoiseshell Dutch rabbits with Harlequin rabbits. The Tri-Colour Dutch breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council but not by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. The coat of the Tri-Colour Dutch is white in the same places as a Dutch rabbit, but the coloured portions of the coat are a mix of orange with either black, blue or chocolate.
The Cinnamon rabbit is a breed of domesticated rabbit created "accidentally" in 1962 and named for its coat color. The Cinnamon is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) but not by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
The New Zealand is a breed of rabbit, which despite the name, is American in origin. The breed originated in California, possibly from rabbits imported from New Zealand. New Zealand rabbits are available in five colors recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association (ARBA): white, red, black, blue, and broken. Crossbreeding can result in many other variations, such as gold tipped steel and chestnut agouti. They average 10–12 lb (4.5–5.4 kg) with the does being slightly larger than the bucks. New Zealands are bred for meat, pelts, show, and laboratory uses, being the most commonly used breed of rabbit both for testing and meat production. They are also bred as pet rabbits but mostly breed for meat.
The Altex is a commercial breed of domestic rabbit developed, beginning in 1994, for cuniculture, specifically for the rabbit meat industry. The Altex breed is not recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) or by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
The Rhinelander is a medium-sized breed of domestic rabbit that originated in Germany. Rhinelanders are known for their distinctive facial "butterfly markings", a spine marking, colored ears, cheek spots, eye circles and side markings of black with orange or of blue with fawn. The Rhinelander breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
The Blanc de Termonde is breed of domestic rabbit that originated in Belgium It was developed from Flemish Giant and Beveren stock, originally for commercial meat production.
The Lilac rabbit is a dove-blue coloured breed of domestic rabbit. A uniform pink shade of dove is called for by the breed standard, with matching eyes. Lilacs are mid-sized, docile and hardy rabbits. Developed in Great Britain in the early 20th century, the breed spread to the United States in 1922. Population numbers remain low enough that it is currently listed by The Livestock Conservancy as a breed to watch. The Lilac breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
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