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Among several popular rabbit breeds out there, it’s an overwhelming task to find a suitable one for you and your family. Rabbits are one the most commonly found pet animals in Indian households, right after cats and dogs. In fact, people often prefer a cute little bunny for their children, as they are very popular among kids, harmless, and socialize quite easily. It’s an overwhelming task to pick the best one among several rabbit breeds.
Read: Petslife rabbit food review
Rabbits come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and behavior. American Rabbit Breeder Association (ARBA) officially recognizes around 50 breeds of rabbits and 19 strains. It’s quite difficult to choose a rabbit that would suit your family.
Out of the 50 rabbit breeds worldwide, only a few breeds are available in India. In this article, we will discuss the best rabbit breeds in India, their availability, lifespan, and price.
Price of most popular rabbits in India
| Breed | Approximate Price in India (INR) |
|---|---|
| Lionhead Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 |
| Blanc de Hotot Price in India | Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 5,000 |
| New Zealand White Price in India | Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500 |
| English Lop Price in India | Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 4,000 |
| English Spot Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,500 |
| Soviet Chinchilla Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,000 |
| Dutch Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500 |
| Flemish Giant Price in India | Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 6,000 |
| Satin Rabbits Price in India | Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,500 |
| American Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 800 to Rs. 2,000 |
| Dwarf Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 800 to Rs. 2,500 |
| Himalayan Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,500 |
| Californian Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 800 to Rs. 2,500 |
| Rex rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000 |
| British Angora Price in India | Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 6,000 |
| French Angora Price in India | Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000 |
| Holland Lop Price in India | Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 4,000 |
| Polish Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,500 |
| Jersey Wooly Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,000 |
| Harlequin Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,500 |
| Havana Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,500 |
| Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,500 |
| Tan Rabbit Price in India | Rs. 800 to Rs. 2,000 |
Lionhead Rabbit
Lionhead rabbits are very popular. They have a wool mane encircling the head, reminiscent of a male lion as its name implies. They can be easily trained because of their very friendly and well-behaved nature. After the cross between the dwarf-sized breeds, this new breed appeared. In contrast to this, these are the new little bunnies with a weight of 1.3 to 1.7 kgs. These small rabbits are known to be very intelligent and have a very charming personality; that’s why they have become the favorite pets of many people around the world.
- Lifespan: 8 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Blanc de Hotot
Blanc de Hotot, having a small, compact, heavily-built body and black rings around each eye, is a medium-sized breed of domestic rabbit. These rabbits also have a friendly personality which makes them a good choice for a pet.
- Lifespan: 7 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
New Zealand White
New Zealand White rabbits make ideal pets for children because of their docile, calm nature. They’re easy to train and can be taught tricks. Due to their size, they are a particularly strong breed and care should be taken when handling them.
- Lifespan: 8 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
English Lop
The English Lop is best known for its long, oversized ears that fall on either side of its face. The ears are round and should not point at the end. They have large heads with wide-set eyes a mandolin-shaped bodies. Their feet should be straight with the front feet not bow-legged or bent and the tail should be straight (not screwed).
- Lifespan: 6 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
English Spot
The English Spot is a medium-sized breed that is most noted by the distinctive colored markings on its body, including the butterfly nose marking, eye circles, cheek spots, herringbone, colored ears, and a chain of spots. The English Spot’s fur type is flyback. The breed comes in seven different varieties, including black, blue, chocolate, lilac, tortoise, gray, and gold. English Spots have a full arch body, with long front legs that carry them off the table. English Spots are most known for their curious and fun-loving nature.
- Lifespan: 7 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Soviet Chinchilla
The soviet chinchillas have the densest fur of all mammals that live on land. In the water, the sea otter has a denser coat.
Chinchillas require special care as they tend to fall sick more often than not.
- Lifespan: 9 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Dutch Rabbit
Rounded and balanced — that’s the body shape of an ideal Dutch rabbit. These small rabbits, typically 3.5 to 5.5 pounds, sport distinctive markings that make them unforgettable. Dutch is the only breed to guess when you see the white blaze on the nose, white collar around the neck, and white saddle on the back. Despite the name, this popular breed was actually first developed in England.
The Dutch dwarf rabbits are also known as Netherland dwarf rabbits. These types of rabbit breeds are one of the smallest rabbit breeds. The Dwarfing gene is dominant in them; therefore, they appear to be small in size. They weigh 1.13 kgs only.
- Lifespan: 9 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Flemish Giant
As one of the oldest recognized breeds and one of the largest, the Flemish Giant makes quite an impression in the rabbit world. Developed in Belgium, this breed is known for being gentle. Flemish Giants are recognized in seven varieties by the American Rabbit Breeders Association and are known for having a semi-arch body type.
- lifespan: 10 years
- price in India: Rs. 1500
Satin Rabbits
Satin rabbits originated in the United States in the 1930s and are named for the striking satin sheen on their coat. The unique shine of the coat is caused by a gene mutation that causes the guard hairs to be transparent, reflecting the light in an unusual way. Satin rabbits have a calm temperament and are generally very good-natured. They are gentle, friendly rabbits and usually good with children.
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- price in India: Rs. 5000
American Rabbit
The American rabbit is considered a rare breed by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy which lists the American as critical. This breed possesses a calm temperament making it an excellent project. They come in two varieties (colors) Blue and White.
- Lifespan: 9 years
- price in India: Rs. 4000
Dwarf Rabbit
Netherland Dwarf rabbits are a unique breed that will give your home extra excitement and personality. This breed of rabbits was honed over multiple generations to perfect both its petite size and its friendly nature.
While Netherland Dwarf rabbits can seem skittish at first, end even hesitant around loud noises, once they become comfortable in a new location, they quickly become part of the family.
These bunnies are actually quite active and their small frames are quite comical as they dart around a room.
- Lifespan: 11 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Himalayan Rabbit
The Himalayan rabbit is one of the oldest rabbit breeds, so much so that its origin has practically been lost in history. Some say it did indeed originate somewhere in the Himalayan mountain area, however, others describe it as being seen in other areas of the world.
- Lifespan: 9 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Californian Rabbit
This rabbit breed has a commercial body type and should ideally weigh between 8-11 lbs. They also have a muscular bodies with full shoulders and hindquarters, which are as deep as they are wide. Their coat is usually completely white with Himalayan-like markings. Their ears are broad and medium in length and should point straight up.
- Lifespan: 6 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Rex rabbit
The Rex rabbit is a gorgeous bunny with a soft coat that feels like velvet to the touch. They’re a perfect choice for a home looking for a handsome rabbit with an affectionate personality.
- Lifespan: 7 years
- price in India: Rs. 4000
British Angora
Also known as English Angora, these small, compact rabbits have broad, flat heads and short ears with plenty of woolly fur on them. They also have fur on their faces (unlike any other Angora), as well as woolly feet.
- Lifespan: 8 years
- price in India: Rs. 4000
French Angora
One of the wooliest, cutest and friendliest rabbit breeds is the French Angora. This gentle giant is the star of most rabbit shows and is also an all-around loving pet. The French Angora has a commercial-type body with a strong build, sturdy frame and straight ears.
There are many types of Angora rabbits, but unlike its cousins, the French Angora does not have facial fur. There are some tufts of fur on the rear legs while the rest of its body is covered with coarse guard hairs and crimped underwool strands.
- Lifespan: 8 years
- price in India: Rs. 2000
Holland Lop
Holland Lops dials up the cuteness factor too high. Small and lop-eared, looking at them usually makes people’s hearts melt. It’s one of the most popular breeds in the United States.
The Holland Lop weighs no more than 4 pounds and has average length, rollback fur, and distinctive lop ears. The standard of perfection for the breed calls for Holland Lops to have a compact body type that is short, massive, and thickset. It also specifies the ideal for the head, ears, fur, and other characteristics.
- Lifespan: 10 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Polish Rabbit
Polish rabbits are a small, compact breed with a finely-built frame, and large bold eyes. Their best trait is their personality. They are also gentle, loving, intelligent, and cuddle-bunnies. Because of this, they make excellent pets for children as well as for those individuals with coordination difficulties. Interestingly, they are the most popular breed used by magicians for performances. They are also wonderful as exhibit animals for kids, and as pets for those who live in apartments, as they don’t require a vast amount of space.
- Lifespan: 5 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Jersey Wooly
The Jersey Wooly is one of the most docile rabbits. It’s a popular show rabbit because of its thick, Angora-like coat, but it also makes an adorable pet because of its love for human attention and care.
The Jersey Wooly is a small rabbit developed by crossing the French Angora and the Netherland Dwarf. The resulting rabbits were made smaller with the influence of the dwarfing gene.
Unlike the Angora rabbit, Jersey Woolies do not need to be sheared or trimmed. They’re a low-maintenance breed that only needs to be brushed once a week and more often during shedding seasons to avoid the wool block.
- Lifespan: 10 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Harlequin Rabbit
There are two kinds of Harlequin Rabbit including the Magpie Rabbit and the Japanese Harlequin Rabbit. The magpie harlequin rabbit comes in white color and usually has a combination of white with black, blue, chocolate, or lilac. However, the colors of the Japanese Harlequin Rabbit are mostly orange mixed with lilac, blue, chocolate, or black. Moreover, the distinctive body marking has different patterns including bars, bands, or both. Both rabbit breeds are medium-sized with round heads and medium ears.
- Lifespan: 5 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Havana Rabbit
The Havana rabbit breed is a lovely breed that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Club in five color types. They are lovely show rabbits with a great shiny coats and good body conformation. They also make very nice pets with their sweet natures.
- Lifespan: 9 years
- price in India: Rs. 4000
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
Netherland Dwarf rabbits are a unique breed that will give your home extra excitement and personality. This breed of rabbits was honed over multiple generations to perfect both its petite size and its friendly nature.
While Netherland Dwarf rabbits can seem skittish at first, end even hesitant around loud noises, once they become comfortable in a new location, they quickly become part of the family.
These bunnies are actually quite active and their small frames are quite comical as they dart around a room.
- Lifespan: 8 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Tan Rabbit
The Tan rabbit is a fancy rabbit breed, which means that it is popular for showing and exhibitions as well as being a pet. This old breed has been around since 1880 when domestic rabbits were bred with wild rabbits and breeders then worked to refine the tan markings.
Although it has been recognized in the US since the 1960s, the Tan has only really begun to gain popularity in recent years. They can be kept as indoor or outdoor pets and are generally considered to be good family animals that are intelligent and energetic.
- Lifespan: 10 years
- price in India: Rs. 3000
Are rabbits legal in India?
Yes, it is perfectly legal to have a rabbit as a pet.
FAQs
Do rabbits get attached to their owners?
Rabbits bond closely with their owners. They recognize them by voice and sight and will even come on command. Bunnies may even follow their owners from room to room and jump up on their laps when called.
What do rabbits hate the most?
There are several scents that will help keep rabbits away from your home. Most commercially available rabbit repellents replicate the scent of predator musk or urine. Rabbits also hate the smell of blood, crushed red peppers, ammonia, vinegar, and garlic.
Why do rabbits die suddenly?
Fear-related heart attack: It is possible for a rabbit to die of fright. Loud sounds, such as cats, dogs, loud music, or screaming can lead to a heart attack and put a rabbit into shock, causing sudden death. It can day several days for the rabbit to die this way, and it does not happen often, but it is quite possible.
What foods can kill a rabbit?
Sugary human foods such as candy and soda are harmful to rabbits. Bunnies should not eat chocolate, avocado, apple seeds, tomato plants, almonds, belladonna, foxglove, or wild carrots. Other dangerous foods include ragwort, wild peas, and bracken.
Are rabbits rodents?
Rabbits differ from rodents in having an extra pair of incisors and in other skeletal features.
Are rabbits nocturnal?
Rabbits are crepuscular, i.e. they’re at their most active at dawn and dusk. Rabbits sleep a lot during the day so many people assume they’re nocturnal but that’s not true.
Are rabbits good pets?
Although they are cute, rabbits are NOT good pets for children. They are prey animals who hate being picked up from the floor and cuddled.
Are rabbits herbivores?
Yes, they have a plant-based diet and do not eat meat.
Do rabbits eat fruits and vegetables?
Rabbits don’t naturally eat root vegetables/fruit. Carrots/fruit are high in sugar and should only be fed in small amounts as occasional treats. Rabbits need mainly hay and/or grass, some leafy greens, and a small, measured amount of pellets.
What fruits can bunnies eat?
Give to a bunny once or twice per week
Apple (no seeds)
Banana.
Berries: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries.
Cherries (no seeds)
Grapes.
Melon.
Nectarine.
Orange.
What fruits can Rabbits not eat?
Rabbits should never be fed avocado, fruit pips, or rhubarb. Even small amounts of these foods can be fatal. Other foods such as muesli, dog or cat food, and nuts are not toxic to rabbits, but they can lead to illnesses and digestive problems, such as diarrhea if consumed regularly.
Do rabbits eat apples?
Feed your rabbit only 1 or 2 slices of apple per week. Although apples are rich in flavonoids, antioxidants, and fiber, they’re also high in sugar. This can cause dental problems and obesity in rabbits. Apples are delicious treats for rabbits.
What is better a bunny or a guinea pig?
Rabbits have more personality and make better companion pets. They also have more complex needs, so guinea pigs are less of a responsibility than rabbits. If you have time and can adhere to a schedule, rabbits are an excellent company. Guinea pigs are less demanding family pets. Guinea pigs are a little more fragile than rabbits, and so are more suitable for older children. Younger children (under constant adult supervision) can handle a lot of different rabbit breeds. Rabbits do have more neurons in their brains than guinea pigs do. This should have made them smarter and more intelligent than guinea pigs.
Which is the largest rabbit breed?
The Flemish Giant rabbit is a very large breed of domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus), normally considered to be the biggest breed of the species.
Which is the smallest rabbit breed?
The Netherland Dwarf is the smallest of the domestic rabbits.
Which is the best temperament rabbit breed?
Jersey Wooly Rabbit.
Dutch Rabbit.
Mini Lop Rabbit.
Chinchilla Rabbit.
Polish Rabbit.
Lionhead Rabbit.
Californian Rabbit.
Himalayan Rabbit
Can we keep rabbits as pets in India?
Imported rabbit breeds are legally permitted to be kept as pets in India while native wild rabbit breeds are not allowed as pets. As per the Wild Life Protection Act, of 1972, rabbits that are native to India are termed wild and protected.
where can I buy a holland lop rabbit?
Market in a nearby city? Where do you live?