Rex rabbit
The Rex is a medium rabbit, up to 10½ lb, with a short, plush coat that stands upright like velvet. ARBA calls it the number one breed for fur, and it has a commercial meat body under the coat. It comes in 16 varieties. ARBA names it among the breeds prone to sore hocks, so bare wire floors need resting boards.
- Cold tolerance
- Heat tolerance
- Space needed
- 6.25 sq ft
Is the Rex right for you?
Good fit if
- You want a pelt worth keeping as well as meat
- You want a wide choice of colour: there are 16 varieties
- You want to show in a breed with plenty of competition
Poor fit if
- Your cages have bare wire floors and you don't want to add resting boards
- You want the standard meat breed. Penn State ranks New Zealand Whites first and Californians second
- Your rabbits would sit in a hot yard with no shade
Appearance and varieties
The coat sets the Rex apart. On a normal-furred rabbit the guard hairs are longer than the undercoat. On a Rex they are nearly the same length, so the coat is short, plush and stands upright. ARBA describes the feel as velvet-like.
Under the coat is a commercial-type body. Texas A&M describes it as medium in length with good depth, well-rounded hips and a well-filled loin. Bucks may weigh up to 9½ lb and does up to 10½ lb. Unlike most commercial breeds, the Rex is shown in four classes rather than six.213
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Amber | The newest variety, accepted in October 2007.1213 |
| Black | 12 |
| Blue | 12 |
| Broken | A group: any recognised colour with white, or white with two colours (tri-colour). All judged together.1213 |
| Castor | The first variety to be perfected, named for its likeness to beaver fur. The breed was first called Castorrex.1213 |
| Chinchilla | 12 |
| Chocolate | 12 |
| Himalayan | ARBA's name for it. The breed club's site lists this variety as Californian.122 |
| Lilac | 12 |
| Lynx | 12 |
| Opal | 12 |
| Otter | A group of four: black, blue, chocolate and lilac. Black otter was accepted in 1988 and the other three in 2008.1213 |
| Red | 12 |
| Sable | 12 |
| Seal | 12 |
| White | 12 |
Production numbers
What to expect from a healthy doe. If two sources disagree, you see the full range.
| Measure | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fur | ARBA calls the Rex the number one breed used in fur production1 | |
| Meat | Commercial-type body; Texas A&M credits the breed with excellent meat-producing qualities35 | Penn State's table lists the Rex's main use as fur, not meat |
| Gestation | 28–32 days7 | Give the doe a nest box by day 28. Figure for rabbits in general. |
| First breeding age | 6–8 months7 | ARBA's recommendation for medium breeds |
| Weaning | 6–8 weeks7 | ARBA's recommendation for best growth; always before 10 weeks |
Planning a litter? Use the rabbit gestation calculator.
Housing, feed and health
Housing
Penn State recommends a cage at least 30 in wide, 30 in deep and 20 in high for each mature buck or doe. The legal minimum ARBA publishes for a rabbit of this weight is 4 sq ft, which is a floor rather than a target.
ARBA names Rex, along with Flemish Giants and Belgian Hares, as breeds prone to sore hocks, and says they may need a solid floor or a resting board in a wire cage, depending on the condition of the foot pads.
ARBA gives 55–70°F as the ideal range. Rabbits acclimated to cold cope well with it; they do poorly above 85°F, so give shade and moving air in summer.57
Feed
Advice differs by purpose. For a breeding herd, Penn State says bucks and does without litters need 6–8 oz of pellets a day, and pregnant or nursing does should have all they can eat. For a pet rabbit, Utah State University Extension recommends grass hay as about 80% of the diet with only a small measure of pellets.
Either way, give fresh, clean water every day.515
Health
ARBA names the Rex among the breeds prone to sore hocks and says they may need a solid floor or a resting board. Penn State lists cleanliness, good ventilation, close observation and protection from sun and rain as the basics, and names a respiratory disease caused by Pasteurella as a serious cause of losses in does. Alabama Extension says rabbits don't cope well above 90°F, especially in humid weather.
This is a starting point, not medical advice. If your rabbit stops eating or seems unwell, call a vet who treats rabbits, or your county extension office.7516
Price and where to buy
Prices are per rabbit, read from four breeders' pages on 2026-10-08. Three ask $25–55. The $100 figure is one breeder's price for rabbits free of show disqualifications. One page was last updated in October 2025, one shows its rabbits as out of stock, and one carries no date.
Where to look
Start with a breeder you can visit. Nobody pays to be on this list.
| Seller or directory | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ARBA Find a Breeder | Directory | Search by breed and state |
| National Rex Rabbit Club | Breed club | Breeder directory |
| Hidden Brook Acres | Breeder | Pedigreed; $50 pet or breeding quality, $100 free of disqualifications |
| Acorn Creek Farmstead | Breeder | $55 each, or $150 for two does and a buck; waitlist |
| Quails and Tails Rabbitry | Breeder | $25 each with a three-generation pedigree |
Budgeting for housing and feed as well? See the rabbit cost guide.
Similar breeds
| Breed | Adult weight | Litter size | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rex (this breed) | 8–10.5 lb | $25–$100 | ||
| Mini Rex | Up to 4.5 lb | $20–$90 | ||
| New Zealand | 9–12 lb |
History
The coat began as a mutation in a herd in the Coulonge commune in France. The breed club says the first animals were shown to a village priest, Abbé Gillet, who called them the king's rabbits, and rex is Latin for king. The first colour to be perfected was castor, and the breed was first known as Castorrex.
The Rex was shown publicly at the Paris International Rabbit Show in 1924 and imported to the United States the same year by John Fehr and Alfred Zimmerman. American breeders then worked on its body and health and added colours. The National Rex Rabbit Club was founded in 1958.1321
Common questions
How big do Rex rabbits get?
The show maximum is 9½ lb for bucks and 10½ lb for does. Penn State gives a mature weight of 8–11 lb.25
How long is a Rex rabbit pregnant?
Rabbit gestation is typically 28–32 days. ARBA says to give the doe a nest box by day 28 at the latest.7
At what age can you breed Rex rabbits?
ARBA recommends that medium breeds start breeding at 6–8 months. Take the doe to the buck's cage, or use neutral ground.7
What colours do Rex rabbits come in?
Sixteen varieties: amber, black, blue, broken, castor, chinchilla, chocolate, Himalayan, lilac, lynx, opal, otter, red, sable, seal and white. Broken and otter are groups that cover several colours.12
Why is a Rex rabbit's fur so soft?
A mutation makes the guard hairs nearly the same length as the undercoat, so the whole coat is short and stands upright.21
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- American Rabbit Breeders Association, Recognized breeds: Rex.
- National Rex Rabbit Club, About the NRRC.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Rabbit Project Reference Manual (AS 2.010, April 2000).
- Utah State University Extension, Understanding the Basics of Rabbit Care.
- Penn State Extension, Rabbit Production.
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- American Rabbit Breeders Association, hosted by University of New Hampshire Extension, ARBA Recommendations for the Care of Rabbits and Cavies.
- Quails and Tails Rabbitry, Rex rabbits.
- Dynamite Acres, Rex Rabbits - Purebred and Pedigreed.
- Hidden Brook Acres, Rex Rabbits.
- Acorn Creek Farmstead, Standard Rex Rabbits.
- American Rabbit Breeders Association, ARBA Official Breed ID Guide: Rabbit (updated January 2026).
- National Rex Rabbit Club, Varieties.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Conservation Priority List.
- Utah State University Extension, Pet Rabbit Projects: Getting Started (PDF).
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Summer Heat and Rabbit Production, UNP-0082 (PDF).
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