At a glance the quick version
German standard 3.5-4.25 kg; Fur & Feather ideal 3.5-4 kg; Wikipedia breed list about 9 lb (4.1 kg).
Coat and looks how to spot one
short normal fur
A thickset, rounded medium rabbit with a buff to yellowish-red coat reminiscent of chamois leather. Dark-tipped guard hairs lay a sooty veil over the head and ears, and a broad sooty band runs along the belly.12
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.4
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short coat needs only 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.34
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.4
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.4
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.4
The story where it all began
David Gärtner, a teacher from Waltershausen in Thuringia, crossed Russian (Himalayan-type), Silver and Belgian Giant rabbits and got an unexpected chamois-coloured rabbit, which was recognised in 1908 once its size had been brought down. British sources describe it as a Himalayan by large Argente cross, and it arrived in the UK in the late 1960s.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its colour was named after the chamois, the mountain goat-antelope whose coat it resembles.1
- 2
It was first recognised in Hannover in 1908 under the name 'Gemsfarbige Thüringer'.1
- 3
The Thuringer colour pattern appears in other breeds too, where it is sometimes called Madagascar or tortoiseshell.1
- 4
A heavier meat line, the Diemitzer Gemsen, was later developed by Karl Maul.1
- 5
British fanciers have been showing it since it arrived in the late 1960s.2
Recognised by the official bits
- British Rabbit Council
- Recognised; looked after by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club.2
- ARBA
- Not recognised.3
- German standard
- Recognised in Hannover in 1908 as 'Gemsfarbige Thüringer'; standard weight 3.5-4.25 kg.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Thuringer. 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.
- Thüringer (Kaninchenrasse) - Wikipedia (German) de.wikipedia.orgused for breeder, parent breeds, recognition year, German weight, colour, history, facts
- Thuringer - Fur & Feather furandfeather.co.ukused for UK origin account, UK introduction, weight, colour, body type, club
- List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for weight, 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.