Mini Rex Rabbit

Family: LeporidaeSee More about FloppyOryctolagus cuniculus

A sweet, cuddly nature along with a plush velvety coat makes the Mini Rex a favorite pet bunny!

   Outwardly the Mini Rex rabbit looks like a miniature version of the larger Rex Rabbit. Sporting graceful proportions and that nice plush "Rex fur", this is a very good looking rabbit. It has become one of the most popular and readily available pet rabbits and is good with children.

   The Mini Rex is an adorable medium sized rabbit that makes a wonderful companion. Generally friendly and moderately active, they will enjoy playing or just relaxing and being petted. Because of its relatively small size it is easy to handle, as well as easy to house and feed.

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

Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae Genus: Oryctolagus Species: cuniculus

Background:

   The Mini Rex is accepted as a new breed in Great Britain and the United States. This breed was first recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association in 1988.

Description:

   The Mini Rex grows to 3.5-4.5 lbs. They are well-muscled with good shoulder and hip widths. Their ears stand straight and erect.

   Monna R. Berryhill, who is from Texas, first bred them and has shared the following information with us:

Castor colored Mini Rex rabbit Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The main feature of Rex rabbits is their very beautiful and very soft fur. It feels just like velvet when you pet it. This is because the longest guard hairs have been bred away and the secondary guard hairs have been reduced to the same length as the undercoat hairs.

Color differences:

   Though there are lots of different colors of Mini Rex, they have to be particular colors if they are going to be show bunnies rather than pets. But those that are pets are every bit as cuddly and soft.
   The Mini Rex varieties allowed for showing are: Black, Blue, Castor, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Himalayan, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Red, Seal, Tortoise Broken color (any recognized color and white with the exception of Himalayan) and Red-eyed White.

Lastest Animal Stories on Mini Rex Rabbits View all 418 Animal Stories on Mini Rex Rabbits Add Your Animal Story

Sarah b - 2013-05-11 My bunny Oreo is very very soft and cuddly! Oreo is 3 years old and very nice. Oreo likes to eat bunny food, carrots, grass, dandelions, lettuce and apples. She does not bite unless she is very hungry and needs food. I like to play with Oreo outside in the summer. In the winter Oreo runs around in the basement and in the summer she likes to be in her cage under the pine tree. Clarice Brough - 2013-05-11 Oreo sounds like an awesome friend, and I llike her name too. Does she look like an oreo cookie? I think being under the pine tree in the summer must be very nice for her, a cool shaded spot. Isabelle Lavallee - 2013-05-12 Hey can I change Oreo's name like Hershys or somthimg? Reply

Gemma - 2008-11-10 I've had mine for quite a long time now. He's called Jasper, he's 3 this November 08 and he's castor brown. My experience with him has been lovely and I recommend all you guys out there on getting one. They feel like velvet and I sometimes watch eastenders with him on my lap :D haha. He sometimes bites my clothes when I'm not looking, but overall he's a generally relaxed bunny. We keep him indoors because he's not neutered and we feel it's healthier for him because he's out of the damp. You may need to get them a new chew toy every say, 6 months, because they do love chewing which is good for their teeth. Their eye lashes can get quite long and so can their claws so always keep nail cutters handy ;). I love Jasper and I always will. They like to have little holes to go in like their burrows in the wild. They're a bit like dogs because they have the same affection. Anyway .. hope you get one :p Anne - 2011-01-06 I've raised rabbits for about 4 years now and 2 of my rabbits did the same thing. The first one was a lop and on thanksgiving weekend we brought them inside and we found it doing the same thing and it died. When we went to the vet to get the rabbit's check-up, we told the vet about our rabbit and he said the first thing you need to know about rabbits is that rabbits can kick so hard that they can break their backs. Our other rabbit that was a mini rex and on the second day we got it. It was dragging its feet and it died because it broke its back. S. - 2013-02-05 Always use proper holding technique when handling your rabbit. Support the lower back with one hand and underneath the front feet with the other. NEVER allow the rabbit to kick against a surface while forcibly being held---the feet should face away from you when picking up the rabbit. Rabbits do not like being restrained, so only do so when you have to pick him/her up. When petting the rabbit, place him/her in your lap and allow them to sit unrestrained. The best way to pet the rabbit in your lap is to let them go there on their own. Reply

Indy & cappicino - 2007-10-09 This year my bunny got very sick and we didnt know why. We thought she might have lead poisoning from an old chair she chewed, thank goodness she didn't. we took her to a vet and found out we were feeding her the wrong food. Just incase you dont know, you are supposed to feed rabbits timithy hay, not pellets as they are just treats. Some symptoms of a bad diet are: small rabbit dropping, not urinating, loss of hair, no appitite, not very active, and licking furniture. She got sick in July but didnt show symptoms until September. Now my bunny is great and healthy once again. She is now almost one and i am very glad that she is ok. I didnt write this to be a show off and tell you i know every thing, i wrote it for your bunnies health. So if you are a first time mini rex owner treat them like horses. S. - 2013-02-05 Actually, a good-quality alfalfa and timothy-hay-based rabbit pellet SHOULD be fed to a rabbit in unlimited amounts up until one year of age. After that, they should receive pellets based on their weight as a nutritional supplement, timothy-hay based pellets only. For example, an adult Mini-Rex at 5 pounds max. should receive about 1/8th cup daily. S. - 2013-02-05 Of course, you should always provide timothy-hay in unlimited amounts as well. Reply

Marybeth - 2007-11-06 Last December I fostered 3 mini rex brothers, never thinking they would become part of the family. They were neutered after 4 months old and they just turned 1 year old this past October. Jack is lavender, Ben and Tim are black. Fresh greens are fed daily...never pellets. Timothy hay always and alfalfa chews as treats. For their birthday I made cakes: rice cakes with a banana/blueberry mash spread. If Tim had his choice, he would only eat carrots and pears. But to keep a full variety and healthy diet, I mix and dice various fruits and greens daily. I really enjoy making edible chew toys and keeping their hutch and runner comfy and cozy. I love them very much...And to think I consider myself a cat person..... Reply

Monna R. Berryhill - 2004-04-08 I am the developer of the Mini Rex rabbit and I want to correct some mis-information you are publishing on this website. The Mini Rex is the direct result of the crossing of a Black Dwarf Rex buck (imported from Holland in 1984 by Marylouise Cowan of Maine) with an undersized Lynx Rex doe. The first cross produced Mini Rex and through selective breeding, the breed was "invented". The crossing of a Netherland Dwarf and a Rex was done in Holland by the developer of the Dwarf Rex and was many generations away from having the true Rex fur. Reply

Michelle Hapeman - 2003-11-07 Hi! My name is Michelle, our family just adopted a 3 month old mini rex from a local pet shop. She is a complete lovebug, wants to be held almost constantly, and has incredibly velvety fur, the color of hot chocolate with milk. Our 3 daughters just adore our new little friend, and are debating whether to call her Snuggles or Betsy. We are very pleased with the breed we chose, and she seems to be litterbox training herself (we put litter in a shallow tupperware dish). We strongly recommend this breed for families. Reply

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