Best breed for a newbie?

[Arztwolf]

Next year I'm moving to Washington State (in TX right now) and will FINALLY have a big enough house to have a rabbit! I've owned horses, all manner of poultry (chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, turkeys) and bred goats for several years, so I have SOME experience with livestock. Just not with rabbits.

I understand the basics (feeding, health, cage, etc), but I don't have a clue about breeds. I know each rabbit is an individual, but what breeds tend to be, on average, mellow, sturdy, and healthy?

 

[Maleficent]

No experience with them myself but I have heard good things about Himalayans. They are commonly suggested for children.

 

[shazza]

generally the larger the rabbit, the more laid-back it will be. the smaller breeds have fast metabolisms and thus are more active in general, though again every rabbit is individual.

so giant breeds like flemish giant and french lop will generally be very laid back, lazy bunnies that are very tolerant to being handled. some meat breeds like new zealand and meat mutts can also be great pets. my meat mutt kits are super friendly and the adults are laid back and like to sleep all day. but, i also hear the himilayans and dutch are smaller breeds that are great kid's project rabbits because they're very calm.

 

[Arztwolf]

No experience with them myself but I have heard good things about Himalayans. They are commonly suggested for children.

I like what I've read about those, also fascinating the color change if a kit gets cold in the nest. <br /><br /> __________ Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:12 pm __________ <br /><br />

generally the larger the rabbit, the more laid-back it will be. the smaller breeds have fast metabolisms and thus are more active in general, though again every rabbit is individual.

so giant breeds like flemish giant and french lop will generally be very laid back, lazy bunnies that are very tolerant to being handled. some meat breeds like new zealand and meat mutts can also be great pets. my meat mutt kits are super friendly and the adults are laid back and like to sleep all day. but, i also hear the himilayans and dutch are smaller breeds that are great kid's project rabbits because they're very calm.

Flemish Giants are another one that sounds like a good fit. Do you know of any health issues associated with their massive size?

Are lops prone to ear infections? Someone once told me to stay away from those due to ear issues.

Dutch and New Zealand sound good, too.

 

[shazza]

as far as i know flemish are pretty healthy, but i don't actually have any so i'm not 100% sure. they can get sore feet if kept on wire due to their weight, but if it is a house rabbit that shouldn't really be an issue.

i breed mini lops so not QUITE the same, but i've never had ear issues and neither has their breeder. i suppose theoretically they could be slightly more prone than a top-eared rabbit, but a good breeder will breed away from health issues like that. the biggest "issue" with my breed at least is sometimes they can have weepy eyes and i imagine at least the bucks may have issues seeing directly in front of them because of the size of their heads, but mine have no issue navigating so i don't think it's that big of a deal.

 

[SableSteel]

Flemish are pretty healthy if you get it from a good breeder. Their standard warns of hip problems though, and their weight makes them prone to sore hocks if you keep them on a wire floor. Lops aren't really prone to ear infections, but each lop breed has its own health problems. hollands & fuzzy lops are more likely to get maloclussion, french lops are prone to eye problems (and mini lops to a lesser degree) and english lops can get some structural issues if you don't find a good breeder. Mini lops are probably the healthiest lop

Himalayans are what I would recommend (Im a bit biased though, they're what I breed ) compared to all the other small breeds, they tend to be the healthiest and friendliest, and cost less to feed than a large breed.

 

[Arztwolf]

Flemish are pretty healthy if you get it from a good breeder. Their standard warns of hip problems though, and their weight makes them prone to sore hocks if you keep them on a wire floor. Lops aren't really prone to ear infections, but each lop breed has its own health problems. hollands & fuzzy lops are more likely to get maloclussion, french lops are prone to eye problems (and mini lops to a lesser degree) and english lops can get some structural issues if you don't find a good breeder. Mini lops are probably the healthiest lop

Himalayans are what I would recommend (Im a bit biased though, they're what I breed ) compared to all the other small breeds, they tend to be the healthiest and friendliest, and cost less to feed than a large breed.

You wouldn't happen to know any Himalayan breeders in Oregon or Washington state, would you?

 

[SableSteel]

You wouldn't happen to know any Himalayan breeders in Oregon or Washington state, would you?

I know plenty. Theres some beautiful himalayans around there. Ill message you some names

 

[SixGun]

I would third the recommendation on Himi's. Good all around breed, gentle, stoic and not a 15 lb. + undertaking liked a Giant.

 

[olafthebunny]

For a pet....Holland lop, mini rex, rex, dutch, dwarf hot tot....yeah that's all i got.

 

[Lowstorm]

Find a cheap meat mutt and I bet you'll have an all around good rabbit. Us 'meat breeders' tend to cull things that we just don't tolerate behavior wise (mean doe? Keep a kit, cull her, end up with a sweet line instead of killer line) and some people breed spots and colors into the lines. At least, that's what I like and do. My meat mutts turn into great pets, and they are very sweet until the very end. (Don't worry, I'm so far away I'm not trying to sell. Just don't forget, mutts can be great too!)

 

[SarniaTricia]

Find a cheap meat mutt and I bet you'll have an all around good rabbit. Us 'meat breeders' tend to cull things that we just don't tolerate behavior wise (mean doe? Keep a kit, cull her, end up with a sweet line instead of killer line) and some people breed spots and colors into the lines. At least, that's what I like and do. My meat mutts turn into great pets, and they are very sweet until the very end. (Don't worry, I'm so far away I'm not trying to sell. Just don't forget, mutts can be great too!)

I started with a line of meat mutts... I bred for colours and pattern.... loved those rabbits... sold the whole lot to a young couple starting their own backyard meat rabbit setup... (Want to focus on my show rabbits.. Magpie Harlequin... not that I would let bad attitude happen in my barn!!)