12 of the Cutest & Smallest Breeds of Rabbits in the World
Rabbits, no matter what size they happen to be some of the cutest creatures on the planet, and for a long time now have been among the most popular family pets. There are lots of different breeds, some more common than others. Then there are the rarer bunnies which are often extremely unique looking. But have you ever seen the tiny little bundles of fun, a few of which are quite rare breeds too?
Below is a list of the tiniest breeds of rabbits that can be in the world today.
The Amazing Columbia Basin Pygmy
The delightful and incredibly tiny Columbia Basin Pygmy rabbit is not only the world's smallest breed but it is one of the rarest on the planet too. These little creatures only weigh in at less and a pound when they are fully grown. Back in the nineties, it was thought the breed had been lost forever, but 14 of them were found and rescued.
However, unlike most breeds, the Columbia Basin Pygmy did not breed as successfully in captivity which meant a breeding programme was started using Idaho Pygmy Rabbits and crossing them with pure bred Columbia Basins. The results were much more successful, ensuring the breed lives on.
The Fascinating English Angora
This amazing looking breed is simply delightful with thick fur completely covering the rabbit from head to toe. The little creature really does look like a little ball of fur!
The English Angora comes in a variety of colours but they do need rather special care. This includes masses of grooming which the rabbits really enjoy. Secondly, they need to be fed a special diet for them to stay nice and healthy.
The Cute Netherland Dwarf
Weighing in at between 1¾ – 2½ lbs, the Netherland Dwarf has to be one of the cutest small breeds of rabbits around. They are compact little bunnies with large heads, short necks and tidy small upright ears. The breed has a lovely glossy, thick coat and they can be found in many different colours.
When it comes to taking care of a Netherland Dwarf, they do need special care and attention. However, these little bundles of fun do have a tendency to nip which means they are not the best choice for families with small children.
The Delightful Mini Plush Lop
Another delightfully small rabbit that makes a great choice of family pet. They only weigh between 2½ – 3¾ lbs and are known to be incredibly affectionate little beings.
The breed first appeared in the late nineties and was created by Devie D'Anniballe by crossing the Mini Rex with the Holland Lop.
The Stunning Lionhead
The gorgeous Lionhead first originated in Belgium but over time breeders in the UK have continued to breed these tiny rabbits very successfully. They only weigh between 3 – 3¾ lbs and are the cutest little bunnies ever.
Their fur is thick and can be anything from 2 to 3 inches long with a lovely lion-like mane around their necks. There are two types, the lopped eared and the upright eared.
Over time, the breed has become increasingly popular with people because they make such lovely affectionate pets.
The Fluffy Jersey Wooly
This fluffy little bunny only weighs in at between 2¾ – 3½ lbs and the breed is delightfully compact giving them a real cute appeal. The little rabbits have short hair on their faces and upright ears but on their bodies, their fur is thick and long.
Jersey Woolys come in all sort of different colours and make great pets.
When it comes to care, however, these little creature do need to be fed on a special diet to stay healthy and they need lots of grooming!
The Dinky Holland Lop
The Holland Lop also known as the Miniature Lop, is the smallest of the lop-eared breeds around. They are extremely lively little bunnies that just adore playing so you need to have lots of time for them.
These tiny little creatures weigh in at just around 2¾ lbs but can go up to 4lbs.
The Holland Lop is a cute little rabbit with a slightly flattened head and short body that appears huge! Their lop ears and prominent crowns give them their cute appeal, which is why they have become a popular breed with many people.
You can find them in all sorts of colours and their fur is lovely, being fine and very soft.
The Pretty American Fuzzy Lop
American Fuzzy Lops boast a flat “bulldog” face with gorgeous lop ears. They have lovely long fur and over time, breeders have come up with lots of different colours for the breed.
They weigh in at around 3 to 4lbs and make lovely pets as long as you have the time to look after them properly.
Because the breed boasts wool-type fur, they need a lot of special grooming and to stay healthy, American Fuzzies need to fed a special diet too!
The Racy Britannia Petite
This tiny, racy looking breed only weighs in at around 2 – 2 ½lbs with narrow heads and arched bodies which are reminiscent of tiny hares. The breed comes in a variety of colours including white, otter, black, chestnut, agouti and sable marten.
The Britannia Petite is not the best choice for novice rabbit owners because they are quite flighty and do have a tendency to nip.
The Gorgeous Dwarf Hotot
The Dwarf Hotot has to be one of the prettiest little bunnies on the planet. They weigh in at 2 – 3lbs and boast a completely white coat but it's their eye markings which are really striking. These delightful little creatures have a black band around each eye which makes them look enormous!
The Sweet Miniature Cashmere Lop
This gorgeous small breed of rabbit has gained a massive following since the larger breed of Cashmere Lop was first discovered in the eighties by a Welsh lady called Miss Turner. Some ten years later, the miniature Cashmere Lop appeared on the scene.
These little bunnies make fantastic family pets although they do need a lot of grooming as well as having to be fed a special diet to stay healthy!
The Gorgeously Compact Mini Satin
The Mini Satin is a lovely compact breed that first made an appearance in the rabbit world back in the seventies when Ariel Hayes created the breed in the States.
These lovely little bunnies weigh in at just 4½lbs and they make lovely family pets, being a really popular breed both on this side of the Atlantic and the States.
