Mini rabbit, dwarf or toy breeds

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 26 January 2021
Update Date: 27 September 2024
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Top 8 Small Rabbit Breeds
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The mini rabbits, dwarf or toy rabbits are gaining more and more popularity as pets, being one of the most beloved pets for children. besides your charming appearance, these lagomorphs are very intelligent animals, fun and capable of creating very strong bonds with their humans.

However, before adopting a rabbit as a pet, it is essential to know these animals better to know the essential care they need to preserve their good health and provide complete and balanced nutrition. In this sense, it is important to know the different breeds of dwarf rabbits, as each one of them has its own physical and behavioral characteristics.


In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll show you the 10 breeds of mini dwarf or toy rabbits most popular in the world. In addition to learning a little more about their origins and characteristics, you will also be able to appreciate very cute pictures of these little lagomorphs.

1. Rabbit belier or mini lop or

O mini lop, also known as dwarf lop or belier rabbit, is one of the most popular dwarf rabbit breeds, although it is relatively new. Some theories claim that it is a French breed, while other hypotheses indicate that the mini lop would be a descendant of the Flemish rabbit, of Belgian origin, having been developed in Germany during the 70s.

These mini rabbits are characterized by their short, ample body, rounded shape and well-developed musculature, a round and large head compared to their body size and long, drooping and rounded ears the edges.


The mini lop's coat is dense, smooth and of medium length, with a good amount of guard hair. A wide variety of colors are accepted in the coat of these dwarf rabbits, in solid or blended patterns. Body weight may vary between 2.5 and 3.5 kg in adult individuals, and life expectancy is estimated between 5 and 7 years.

2. Dutch Dwarf Rabbit or Netherland Dwarf

O dutch dwarf rabbit is one of the smallest breeds of dwarf or mini rabbits, with a body weight that varies between 0.5 and 1 kg. Although small, your body is solid and muscular, which allows great flexibility in your movements. Its head is large in relation to its body size, while its neck is very short. The ears are small, erect and have slightly rounded tips. Its fur is shiny, smooth and invites to the touch, being able to present several shades.


As its name indicates, it is a breed of dwarf rabbit originated in the Netherlands. However, the examples we currently know of these mini rabbits may differ greatly from their ancestors, which were developed in the early 20th century.After being exported to other countries (especially England), these small lagomorphs were subjected to numerous matings to generate more attractive aesthetic characteristics, reduce their size and vary the color of their coat.

We must not confuse them with the rabbit dutch, which is medium sized and originated in England.

3. Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit

O Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit is considered the smallest type of dwarf or toy rabbit, as adult individuals hardly surpass the 500 grams of weight.

During the 90's, this mini rabbit breed was almost declared extinct, but later 14 individuals were found that survived and allowed to recover it. However, to this day, the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit is considered one of the rarest breeds of rabbit in the world.

4. Angora Rabbit (mini) English

The English Angora Dwarf Rabbit has become very popular for its adorable appearance and characteristic. dense coat, that covers your entire little body. Of all the dwarf rabbit breeds, the English Angora is one of the largest, as it can weigh between 2.5 kg and 4 kg, and it looks especially robust due to its abundant coat.

Initially, its creation was mainly dedicated to the economic exploitation of its fur, known as "angora wool". This long, abundant coat requires careful maintenance to prevent knots, dirt accumulation and hairball formation in the mini rabbit's gastrointestinal tract.

As the name indicates, the ancestors of English Angora rabbits originated in Turkey, more precisely in the region of Angora (today called Ankara), but the breed was born in England. There are also other types of "Angora" rabbits, which are classified according to their breeding country, such as the French Angora rabbit. Not all Angora rabbits are dwarf or mini, in fact there is a giant Angora rabbit, which can weigh up to 5.5 kg in adulthood.

5. Jersey Wooly or Wooly Factor

Continuing with the mini rabbit breeds, we'll talk about an especially peculiar and little-known breed: the Jersey Wooly, or woolly rabbit. This breed was developed in the United States, specifically in New Jersey. His great success as a pet is due not only to his adorable appearance, but also to his personality. extremely sweet and affectionate.

In fact, in its native New Jersey, Jersey Wooly is popularly known as "bunny that doesn't kick", since it has a very balanced behavior and hardly presents symptoms of aggressiveness in rabbits, being very kind in daily dealings.

This breed of dwarf rabbit was born in the 70s, from the crossing of French Angora rabbits and Dutch dwarf rabbits. The jersey is characterized by its small, muscular body, square head and small, erect ears, which measure just 5 cm. Adult individuals of this mini rabbit breed may weigh until 1.5 kg, and their life expectancy is estimated between 6 and 9 years.

6. Holland lop

O Holland lop is another breed of dwarf rabbit that originated in the Netherlands. Its birth is attributed to a Dutch rabbit breeder, Adrian de Cock, who carried out some selective crossings between the English lop and netherland Dwarf (Dutch dwarf) breeds during the 1940s, obtaining from them the first specimens of the holland lop.

Holland lop dwarf rabbits can weigh between 0.9 and 1.8 kg, showing a compact and massive body, which is entirely covered by abundant smooth and soft hair. The head is remarkably flat, with large ears that are always drooping, giving this lagomorph a very cute look. The breed standard accepted various colors for the coat of the holland lop, also recognizing the bi-colored and tricolored individuals in these mini rabbits.

7. Britannia Petite

O Britannia Petite is another breed of dwarf rabbit originated in England, from rabbits brought from Poland. It is one of the oldest breeds of dwarf or toy rabbits, whose development took place in the 19th century, mainly due to the exhibitions that were very successful in Europe at the time.

Its most characteristic feature is the so-called "full bow body", which was very popular at rabbit shows. This means that the region from the base of the neck to the tip of its tail forms a single arc, which seen from the side is in the shape of a quarter circle. The belly is slightly drawn in, the head is wedge-shaped and the eyes are large and bulging. the ears are short, pointed and usually upright.

Dwarf rabbits of this breed stand out for having great energy, and they need a high dose of daily physical activity to keep their behavior stable. Thanks to their small size, these rabbits do not need a large space to meet their need for energy expenditure, but it is recommended that they have an open space where they can run freely, jump and play with their family members.

8. Rabbit Lion or Lionhead

lionhead, or ’Coelho Leão’ in Portuguese, is one of the most striking breeds of dwarf rabbits. In fact, its name refers to its most characteristic feature, which are the long, armed hairs on its head, similar to a lion's mane. However, many individuals lose the "mane" on reaching adulthood.

Another striking feature of these toy rabbits are their ears, which can exceed 7 cm in length, being very large compared to their body size. But there is also a variety of lionheads with shorter, erect ears.

Lionhead rabbits are one of the breeds of dwarf or toy rabbits that can weigh heavily. up to 2 kg, and they appear particularly robust due to the abundant coat that covers their body, and can be of a wide variety of colors. The eyes are rounded and are always well apart, the muzzle is long and the head is rounded.

This can be considered a breed of "mixed origins", as it originated in Belgium but ended up being developed in England. Little is known about their ancestors, but it is estimated that the lionhead we know today was influenced by crosses between the swiss fox and the Belgian dwarf.

9. Mini lop or longhaired belier rabbit

The mini lop, also known as longhaired belier rabbit, is among the most popular dwarf rabbit breeds. These small lagomorphs of English origin stand out with a broad, compact and muscular body, with a head that is also broad and with a slightly curved profile, a retracted and barely visible neck, and large, bright eyes.

However, its most striking features are the long, dense and abundant coat, which can display lots of solid colors and patterns, and large drooping ears that make the mini lop look really adorable. The precious fur of this breed of toy rabbit requires careful maintenance to prevent the formation of knots, the accumulation of dirt in the fur, and the digestive problems associated with fur balls in the gastrointestinal tract.

10. Dwarf Hotot or Dwarf Hotot

We ended our list of dwarf or mini rabbit breeds with the Dwarf Hotot or Dwarf Hotot, a breed attributed to Mrs. Eugenie Bernhard, and its name reveals its place of origin: Hotot-en-Auge, in France. Since their birth in 1902, these dwarf rabbits have gained enormous popularity around the world for their beautiful appearance and docile and very affectionate temperament.

The most characteristic features of this breed of dwarf or mini rabbit are its completely white coat and the black rim that surrounds her bright brown eyes. This "outline" incredibly highlights the dwarf hotot's eyes, making them appear much larger than they really are. It is also worth highlighting its small ears, which are uncommon in all rabbit breeds.

Despite its small size, the dwarf hotot has a large appetite, so its guardians should be especially vigilant to avoid overweight and obesity in their rabbits.

Other breeds of mini rabbits or dwarf rabbits

Do you still want more? Although we have already shown 10 breeds of dwarf rabbits, the truth is that there are many others. So, below we'll show you another 5 mini rabbit breeds:

  1. Mini satin: is a breed of dwarf rabbit originating in the United States in the mid-twentieth century, probably from the Havana rabbit. It gained a lot of popularity for its distinctive coat, which has a beautiful satin appearance. It is estimated that this characteristic, known as the "satin" factor, appeared for the first time spontaneously, from a natural mutation in the genes that determine the type of coat of the Havana rabbit. It is a recessive gene, because the mini satin samples are usually very rare and have high inbreeding.
  2. American fuzzy lop: the history of this breed of dwarf rabbit is intertwined with that of the holland lop, as its first specimens emerged thanks to the attempt to incorporate new patterns and color combinations into the holland lop's coat. For many years, the American fuzzy lop was considered a woolly variety of the holland lop, gaining official recognition as a breed only in 1988 by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The American fuzzy lop rabbit has a compact body of balanced proportions, a rounded head with a flat face, a very retracted and almost imperceptible neck, and ears that hang in a straight line. Its coat is also abundant and woolly, although it does not resemble Angora rabbits.
  3. Mini rex/dwarf rex: the mini rex rabbit was developed in France, more precisely in Luché-Pring, around the 20s. When the breed first appeared, all specimens were cinnamon in color. Subsequently, several crosses were made to obtain the wide variety of solid colors and patterns that now characterize this breed of dwarf or toy rabbit. Despite its small size, the mini rex has a robust and muscular body and can weigh between 3 and 4 kg in adulthood. It is also characterized by large, erect ears, a velvety-textured coat and large, alert eyes.
  4. Dwarf polish: little is exactly known about the origins of this breed of dwarf or mini rabbit. Although the name "polish" means "Polish", in likely reference to the breed's ancestors, there are many theories about the birthplace of the mini polish or dwarf. Some hypotheses point to its origins in England, while others point to possible German or Belgian roots. Its most outstanding features are its long, arched body (about 20 or 25 cm long), the oval face and the short ears that remain together from the base to the bridges. Before becoming popular as a pet, the dwarf polish rabbit was bred to export its meat, which had a very high market value in Europe.
  5. Dwarf Belier (Dwarf lop): this is a breed of dwarf or toy rabbit whose body weight in adulthood is between 2 and 2.5 kg. The dwarf belier features a short, compact body with a rounded back, broad shoulders and a deep chest. The legs are short and strong, and the head is well developed, especially in males. Their ears are wide, hanging, have rounded tips, and are well covered with hair, so that their insides cannot be seen from any angle.

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