Furry Diary

Wheaten Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus

Also called Wheaten

Rare breedShort profile

From United Kingdom. Created by Hugh Halliday in the early 1980s from crosses of fur breeds including the Silver Fox and the Havana.12

At a glance the quick version

Weight2.49 to 3.17 kg12
Lifespan8 to 12 years34
Sizesmall

UK breed guide gives an ideal of 2.49-3.17 kg; Wikipedia gives about 2.5-3.2 kg (5.5-7 lb). No separate buck/doe figures found.

Glowing wheat-coloured coat
Handy, compact size
Short coat that is easy to look after
12

Coat and looks how to spot one

normal (short) fur; compact small-to-medium body

A neat rabbit whose short, glossy coat is the warm yellow of ripe wheat. The colour is richest along the back and fades to a paler shade on the sides, hindquarters and chest.12

ColoursWheaten (pale wheat yellow)12

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Rabbits need daily time to run, hop, dig and explore beyond their sleeping quarters. Give a large, safe exercise area joined to the hutch, with toys and tunnels to keep them busy.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The short normal-length coat needs only a quick brush now and then, a little more often while the rabbit is moulting. Check nails and teeth as part of a regular routine.13

Home where they are happiest

The RSPCA recommends a living area of at least 3 m x 2 m x 1 m high so rabbits can hop, stretch out and stand up fully; a hutch on its own is not enough and should open into a run or be paired with daily free-roam time. Provide hiding places and shelter from heat, cold and draughts.3

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Unlimited good-quality hay or grass should make up most of the diet, with fresh water always available, a daily portion of leafy greens and a small measured amount of rabbit pellets.34

Company who they like around

Rabbits are sociable and the RSPCA advises keeping them with at least one compatible rabbit companion, along with calm, regular time with people.3

The story where it all began

British fancier Hugh Halliday set out in the early 1980s to breed a rabbit that was yellow all over, drawing on fur breeds such as the Silver Fox and the Havana. By 1994 the line bred true and a standard had been accepted. It remains a rare variety in Britain, looked after by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club, and it led directly to a sister breed, the Wheaten Lynx.12

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Its creator's goal was simple: a rabbit that was yellow all over.1

  2. 2

    The Silver Fox and the Havana are among the fur breeds in its family tree.1

  3. 3

    The breed was breeding true and had an accepted standard by 1994.1

  4. 4

    It is recognised in Britain but not by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.2

  5. 5

    It has a sister breed, the Wheaten Lynx, with an orange coat tipped in silver.5

Recognised by the official bits

British Rabbit Council
Recognised breed with a standard accepted by 1994; cared for by the Rare Varieties Rabbit Club.1
British Rabbit Council
Listed as BRC-recognised and not recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Wheaten Rabbit. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

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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.

  1. Wheaten - Fur & Feather breed guide furandfeather.co.ukused for origin, creator, ancestry, standard date, weight, colour, breed club
  2. List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, weight range, BRC and ARBA recognition, colour
  3. Rabbits - RSPCA rspca.org.ukused for lifespan, space, diet, companionship, exercise
  4. Domestic rabbit - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for general lifespan and diet
  5. Wheaten Lynx - Fur & Feather breed guide furandfeather.co.ukused for sister breed

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.