Rex Rabbit

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, dense, plush rex coat on a medium, well-rounded commercial body

The Rex is famous for fur that stands straight out from the skin instead of lying flat, which gives it a deep, velvety plush feel. This happens because the guard hairs are shortened to roughly the same length as the soft undercoat. In the American standard the ideal fur length is about 5/8 inch, within a range of 1/2 to 7/8 inch, while the UK standard asks for roughly 1/2 inch. The body is medium in length with rounded hindquarters, a fairly broad head, upright ears in proportion to the body, and comparatively small feet. Even the whiskers tend to be curly.14253

Personality what they are like

Rex rabbits are generally easy-going, gentle and good-natured. Many enjoy interactive play and will settle for a cuddle once they trust their people, which has earned the breed a reputation as one of the friendlier pet rabbits. Like all rabbits they are happiest when handling is calm and they are allowed to keep all four feet on the ground.36

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Low to moderate energy, but still an athletic rabbit that can clear around three feet in a jump. Plan for at least three to four hours a day of supervised free time outside the main enclosure so it can run, hop, dig and explore.136

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The short plush coat needs very little work: a gentle brush once or twice a week is usually plenty, or simply a wipe with a slightly damp cloth. Brush gently because the fur is dense and short. Trim nails about every four to six weeks.36

Home where they are happiest

Can live indoors or outdoors as long as outdoor housing is secure from predators and sheltered from weather; bring them inside in hot spells. The Rabbit Welfare Association recommends a permanent living area of at least 3 m x 2 m and 1 m high for a pair of average-sized rabbits, including a sheltered section of about 6 ft x 2 ft.37

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Unlimited good-quality hay (roughly a pile the size of the rabbit each day) should make up most of the diet, plus fresh leafy greens daily, a small measured portion of rabbit pellets or nuggets, occasional fruit as a treat and constant fresh water.36

Company who they like around

A sociable breed that does best with a compatible rabbit companion, such as a neutered male and neutered female pair, alongside daily time with its people.367

The story where it all began

The story starts in 1919 on a French farm, where Desiré Caillon found rabbits with unusual short, upright fur in a litter of ordinary grey rabbits. A local priest took an interest, obtained two of the rex-coated rabbits and set about breeding them carefully to fix and improve the coat. The early rabbits were a brownish beaver shade, so the breed was first called Castorrex; as more colours appeared the name shifted to Colorrex and finally to plain Rex. Eugène Kohler at the University of Strasbourg also worked on developing the breed. The Rex made its public debut at the Paris International Rabbit Show in 1924 and was accepted as a standard breed in parts of Europe from 1925. Breeding stock sold for very high prices, and within a few years Rex rabbits had spread to Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and England. They were first imported into the United States in 1924 by John C. Fehr and Alfred Zimmerman. The American breed club, the National Rex Rabbit Club, was founded in 1958. Over time the Rex became prized both as a show rabbit and for its fur, and it later gave rise to the Mini Rex as well as curly-coated British relatives, the Astrex and Opossum.123

Recognised by the official bits

ARBA

Recognised as Rex in 16 varieties: Amber, Black, Blue, Broken, Californian, Castor, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Otter, Red, Sable, Seal and White. Senior bucks 7.5-9.5 lb (ideal 8), senior does 8-10.5 lb (ideal 9).4

ARBA

Recognises 16 colour varieties.3

British Rabbit Council

Recognised as Rex with around 32 varieties; the BRC also standardises the curly-coated Astrex and Opossum and the smaller Mini Rex as separate breeds.1

British Rabbit Council

Astrex and Opossum listed as BRC-only rex-coated breeds, each 6-8 lb; Mini Rex recognised by both ARBA and BRC.8

Europe (various national standards)

Accepted as a standard breed in parts of Europe since 1925.1