Sussex Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Also called Sussex, Sussex Gold, Sussex Cream

Recognised breedShort profile

From England; created by Judy leMarchant in 1986 and named after the county of Sussex.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight3.2 to 3.6 kg1 2

Sizemedium

Fur & Feather gives a desired weight of 3.4 kg; the Wikipedia breed list gives 7-8 lb (3.2-3.6 kg).

Warm gold or cream ticked coat

Handy medium size

A modern British breed with a clear origin story

1 2

Coat and looks how to spot one

short normal fur

A medium-sized, erect-eared rabbit with a warm-toned short coat. The Gold is a red-gold rabbit lightly ticked with cream and milk chocolate, while the Cream is a pinkish beige ticked with lilac and pale cream.1 2

ColoursGoldCream1 2

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

The short coat is easy to keep neat with an occasional brush. Routine care is mostly regular hands-on checks of coat, nails and teeth plus grooming to keep the coat in good order.2 3

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

Breeder Judy leMarchant created the Sussex in England in 1986 and named it after her home county. The Gold variety gained a British standard in 1991, and a Cream variety was added afterwards.1

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
The Sussex is one of the younger British breeds, created in 1986.1
2
It is named after the English county of Sussex.1
3
The Gold coat is red-gold with light ticking in cream and milk chocolate shades.1
4
The Gold was standardised first, in 1991, with the Cream joining it later.1

Recognised by the official bits

British Rabbit Council: Recognised; the Gold variety was standardised in 1991 and the Cream followed later. 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 Sussex Rabbit. 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

Start a free diary

Lilac Rabbit

Thrianta

Golden Glavcot

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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.

Sussex - Fur & Feather furandfeather.co.ukused for origin, creator, year, varieties, colours, weight, club
List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for weight, colours, 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.