Rabbit Breeds and their Basic Temperaments

With so many different breeds of rabbit available how do we decide on which one is right for us?  Are we won over by the cuteness of the Netherland, the smallest breed, or do we fall for the lovable fluffy cashmere lop? The porcelain Polish, the demure Satin or maybe the huge floppy Flemish Giant. Before we use size as a deciding factor maybe we should think about temperament.

Before we begin generalising about the varying temperaments of a few rabbit breeds remember there are always exceptions. It also helps if breeders regard temperament as being all-important and select for that as well as ‘type’ (who wants the perfect type bunny if it doesn’t want to have anything to do with humans and just bites and scratches you!).

Netherland Dwarfs- they can be highly-strung or hyperactive although some are happy to be cuddled if handled consistently. Netherlands need constant careful handling when young to develop into friendly bunnies. They are more active than larger breeds.

Dwarf Lops- are the nicest, most placid bunnies.  They are generally quiet, willing to sit with you and do very little mischief. They love to display their personality and curiosity, and often display less fear of humans. Their robust body and medium size makes them more suited to being handled by children.

Mini Lops- are lovers, particularly bucks. They are friendly and very curious but not as docile and 'floppy' as the Dwarf. Mini lops need properly frequent handling when young to develop into good bunnies. Mini lops can be more hyper than Netherlands.

Mini Cashmeres- are lovers, particularly bucks.

Fuzzy lops and Cashmere lops- often quieter than mini lops but some are characters. Cashmeres are full of spunk but easy to handle and very affectionate, possibly because they need a lot of grooming and learn to love handling.

French Lops- the most placid of all the lop breeds according to the UK rabbit breeders. Think of them as a bigger, slower Dwarf Lop.

Dutch- most Dutch are great pets and very affectionate, but it really depends on the bloodlines. Try to meet the parents! Given a lot of affection they can develop great personalities.

Magpies- they are very friendly and laid back and would be great as a child’s pet....

Polish- most rabbit breeders feel that these are one of the nuttier breeds. They can be very particular as to who can handle them, and are only for mature handlers who like a challenge. Think 'Chihuahua on caffeine'.

Standard Chinchilla, Silver Fox, and Giant Chinchilla – these gentle giants can get very affectionate.  Nice bunnies for younger kids as they are too big to pick up, which saves everyone from getting hurt. They are calm, easy going animals, some even say boring because they don't chase you all over the place.

NZ Whites- depends on bloodlines.  Some commercial lines seem to have lost personality but other lines produce animals that are much like Californians.

Californians- (as for NZ Whites). If properly handled, they are affectionate and quiet although they seem to dislike being picked up a lot.

Swiss Fox- They are an independent and cheeky breed - a bit like a Siamese cat - demand attention but soon let you know when they have had enough. Especially when you are grooming them! They are always naughty on the judging table – the breeders say they have ADD and need something to play with all the time. It is a battle of wills to get them to "pose" properly. Would not recommend as a child’s pet, but for teenagers and adults they are great.

Mini Rex-as the name suggests a smaller version of the standard rex.  Like the rex they are similar in temperament.  They can be quite affectionate to their owner especially if raised with lots of attention. The Mini can also be quite willful and for eg. Will certainly let you know when they don’t want to be held or cuddled, tending to scramble out of your grasp.

Rex - are very individualistic rabbits.  If they love their owner, they are devoted to them and them alone. Great house pets but they love to chase cats.   If they dislike their owner, you cannot change their minds – can get quite difficult to handle.

Angora - independent minded and it takes time to win them over but they are very affectionate.  Will nuzzle legs and require your attention a lot. Dislike discipline.

Flemish Giants - they are quite active when young, they have great personality and provide a lot of laughs.  As they get older they slow down into gentle giants that just seem to like to watch the world go by.

Satins - A cuddly teddy bear is the best way to describe this placid breed.  They love and thrive on attention.  As soon as they see a familiar face they will run up to the front of their cage almost begging for you to stop and stay a while. A good all round family pet especially for younger children who do not mind a bigger rabbit. If not given attention though, can be skittish and nervous.

Cross Breeds - As you can imagine you can find the whole range of bunny temperaments in this area. A good rule is that MOST of the time the bigger the bunny the gentler the nature, as is with most other animals. If possible check out the parents. As with dogs X breeds tend to not have the problems that some purebreds MIGHT have, though in rabbits this is not nearly as much of  a problem.

If you are buying for a child you must take great care in purchasing the right bunny for both the child's sake and the bunny. You need a very tolerant and robust breed. Please do not fall for a particular breed because of their looks as an unsuitable temperament could mean disaster. A high maintenance breed (eg Angora) or a highly-strung breed (eg Polish) is unsuitable for a child under 7 years old.  

Having said all this, I think that how a rabbit is handled in the first 3 months of its life is the most important factor in what kind of personality it has.  Rabbits that have not been handled well in those first three months tend to be fearful regardless of breed and it takes a lot of work to tame them down. Rabbits that have been properly handled (gently and often) are the best of the lot and the most tolerant. 

Temperament is partly inherited, but what we do to them affects their personality regardless of breed. Some breeds labelled ‘too jumpy and temperamental’ have displayed unusual tameness on the show table. This just proves that anyone can do it if you have the dedication and patience to work with your preferred breed.