At a glance the quick version
Fur & Feather gives an ideal weight of 3.5-4 kg; the Wikipedia breed list gives 5-9 lb (2.3-4.1 kg).
Coat and looks how to spot one
short normal fur
A sturdy, rounded, medium-sized rabbit with erect ears. Its pale pearl base coat is overlaid with blackish-brown guard hairs, so the whole rabbit looks as if it wears a light charcoal veil.12
Personality what they are like
Described as good natured, which makes it a pleasant breed to handle.1
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Needs daily time to run, hop and explore, with puzzle feeders, tunnels and toys to keep it busy.3
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Its short coat needs little more than a regular brush-through. Routine care is mostly regular hands-on checks of coat, nails and teeth plus grooming to keep the coat in good order.23
Home where they are happiest
Needs a secure living area of at least 3m x 2m x 1m with room to hop, stretch, play and hide, plus toys, tunnels and foraging chances for enrichment.3
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Plenty of hay forms the base of the diet and keeps the constantly growing teeth worn down, with fresh leafy greens and a measured portion of good-quality pellets. Carrots are best kept as an occasional treat.3
Company who they like around
A sociable animal that is happiest living with at least one other rabbit; the RSPCA usually rehomes rabbits in pairs.3
The story where it all began
The Sallander was developed in 1975 in Salland, a region of the Netherlands that gave the breed its name. It crossed to Britain in the early 1990s, where it is kept by rare-variety fanciers.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The breed takes its name from Salland, the Dutch region where it was created in 1975.1
- 2
Its coat combines a pearl base with darker guard hairs, giving a soft charcoal haze over the body.1
- 3
It first reached UK show tables in the early 1990s and is cared for by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club.1
- 4
The Sallander is recognised in Britain but not by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.2
Recognised by the official bits
- British Rabbit Council
- Recognised; looked after by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club.1
- ARBA
- Not recognised.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Sallander. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- BrushingDaily while moultingevery week
- Nail trimevery 6 weeks
- Teeth checkTeeth never stop growingevery week
- Fresh hayUnlimited hay every dayevery day
- Spot cleanevery day
- Full cleanevery week
- Bottom checkCheck the fur around the tail stays clean, especially in summerevery day
- Free roamAt least 4 hours of running space a dayevery day
- VaccinationsSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Sallander - Fur & Feather furandfeather.co.ukused for origin, year, UK introduction, weight, coat colour, temperament, club
- List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, weight range, ear and fur type, BRC/ARBA recognition
- Rabbits - RSPCA rspca.org.ukused for general rabbit care: space, diet, companionship, exercise, grooming
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.