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English Spot Rabbit

Family: Leporidae

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Oryctolagus cuniculusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy: Nathan Hager

    The English Spot Rabbit is prized for its beauty and graceful appearance!

     English Spot rabbits are mid-sized rabbits that are very active. They eat very little compared to most breeds its size. This, along with their love for running and jumping, contributes to the breed's long, slender build.

     The English Spot Rabbot has a generally calm disposition and tolerates other pets very well. When handled starting at a young age, they can make good pets. But they are not the best choice for small children due to their high energy level.

     English Spot does are known for being great mothers. Sometimes they will even raising young rabbits of other breeds in addition to their own litters.

For more information about Rabbits and their care see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Rabbit

Background:      The origins of the English Spot are uncertain. It is believed to be a descendent of the English Butterfly, and is known to go back to at least the mid-1800s. The breed was brought to the United States in 1910. Once sporting patches of color, the English Spot was selectively bred to achieve today's spotted pattern.

Description:      The English Spot's body has a full arch and long, slender limbs that are perfect for running. Its head is well proportioned with the rest of the body, and its ears are fairly long, colored and upright.
     The most important feature in the English Spot is its markings. Only half of the rabbits most litters have the traditional markings, with spots and a stripe down the back. These are the only ones that are featured in shows. The rest of the average litter is split between solid-colored and partially marked rabbits.

Color differences:      Recognized varieties of the English Spot include black, blue, chocolate, gray, gold, lilac, and tortoise. All of these names refer to the rabbit's spots, as no background color other than white is permissible.

Availability      English Spots are reasonably easy to find, especially if you aren't looking for show quality. Prices range from $5 for pet quality rabbits to $50 for show and breed stock.

References Photo contributed by: Nathan Hager of 4 Ever Friends Rabbitry
"English Spot Rabbit", Copyright 2001-2008 Bryntel Technologies
"What Is the English Spot", Copyright American English Spot Rabbit Club
"English Spot FAQ", "English Spots for Sale", Copyright 2002-2008 Stephanie Bartlett
"For Sale", Copyright GloryAcres.net
"List of Rabbit Breeds", Wikipedia, Copyright 2008

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Latest Comments
We got our rabbit Thumper from a rescue so have sketchy details of his background. We were told he was a mini rex... but he looks just like an english spot. I'm sure he must be, he has the dark grey ears, stripe down his back, butterfly pattern on his nose with circles round his eyes but only has a couple of spots down his sides. He is quite lean with petite long legs and long soft ears. He loves having his head rubbed. Thumper is a very curious cheeky little bunny who loves to investigate everything, full of energy. He is also a complete pig, I have never seen such a slender bunny eat so much food. He's like a vacuum cleaner and just scoffs anything you put in front of him! I never thought about showing or breeding him, and probably won't but its nice to know what type of bunny he could be! debbie 2009-08-10
We've had our english spot, annabelle, for about 6 months. We got her for free and we had no idea what on earth she was until we got into 4-H. She's not quite show quality but she's our pet and that's all that matters. She is wonderful with my kids (7yr old and a 9 month old) and really enjoys our dogs and cats. She is extremely curious which just adds so much to her personality. We just recently got her a bunny friend and we are still in the process of introducing them to each other, although they seem to do really well together. The only bad thing about her is that she is really active so until my 7 yr old gets a little older and gets more experience with her, we will just be showing our guinea pig at shows for now. But, for anybody considering one, if nothing else, their entertainment factor alone will keep you busy for a long time! mamasaurus 2009-01-27
I bought my English Spot in Germany because she was the only one out of the litter that had brown eyes, not blue eyes, and she has no muzzle markings and neither does any of her litter. I named her Sayuri because she reminded me of the white-painted geishas with their black lined eyes and long black hair (long black ears). Her black stripes and spots seem very light until she is wet, and then they are VERY prominent. She came out with bushier fur than most. Also, she has a silver-type lining on the bottom of both irises in her eyes. I think they call it wind eyes, or eyes of the wind or something in that line. One of her litter, Chiyo (a boy), came out exactly like her even though their father is a black Havana rabbit, and Arwen (girl) came out exactly like her, except she is the only one with blonde markings. Where the black spots should be, there is blonde, and she is the only rabbit with blue eyes out of the litter of five. The other three came out looking like their father, all black with one, Bonzo (boy) having a tan stomach. Sayuri is very intelligent, litter trained herself and her whole litter before they turned 8 weeks old, responds to her name, commands, and acts in general like a house cat. She might be a year old in September if the seller was telling the truth about her age. Krystil Pinlac 2008-08-03
These Rabbits look very cool and I love the spot designs on them! Kendra 2008-07-04
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Hi, I got my english spot rabbit free, and I am glad that I found this site because I have now recognised that my rabbit, is a pure breed, with traditional markings. And due to this discovery I am now entering him into my local county's show. so thanks. Anonymous 2008-12-28
Hi! I'm 13, and even though I don't have one, I love English Spots! They're so pretty, and are supposed to have a good disposition. Thanks a bunch for the information! Hannah 2008-08-01

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