18 Best Types of Rabbits For Pets Or Meat
Image from Airwolfhound via Wikimedia Commons
Rabbits are one the easiest kinds of animals to raise for livestock for survival or self sufficiency. Rabbits can also make great pets. In a SHTF scenario, you could turn your pets into a reliable source of high protein, low fat food.
There are lots of different kinds of rabbits and the ones that make the best pets aren’t the best type for meat raising. The types of rabbits for pets are smaller with more emphasis on a soft coat and cuteness. Their names include words like “dwarf” and “mini.” The types of rabbits for meat are bigger, bulkier, and are often bred commercially.
Deciding which route to go depends on whether you want to start right now raising rabbit for meat or whether you’d like to give raising rabbits a shot without jumping in with both feet. Even if you don’t want to start actively raising rabbits for meat right now, you can learn about how to care for rabbits by getting a couple for pets. Best of all, you will already have everything you need to get started raising rabbits for meat, including knowing how to care for them.
Here we have the 8 best types of rabbits for pets and the 10 best types of rabbits for meat.
Best Types of Rabbits For Pets
1. Holland Lop
Holland Lops weigh about 2 to 4 pounds. They are good with kids although they don’t like being held. Such a small animal is less than ideal for livestock, but they make great pets.
Image from Harold Cecchetti via Wikimedia Commons
2. Dwarf Hotot
Dwarf Hotot rabbits are a breed created from a livestock breed, but now that they have been “dwarfed” they only weigh about 3 pounds. This type of rabbit likes to be snuggled, which makes it one of the best types of rabbits for pets.
3. Mini Lop
Mini Lops are one of the most popular breeds in the world for people to keep as pets. A “mini” rabbit, these lops are cute and cuddly but very small. One of the reasons mini lops are so well-liked is that they will play with toys in their cage.
4. Dutch
A Dutch rabbit is a good choice if you are looking for a pet but want to be prepared for emergency survival. These are one of the best types of rabbits for pets because they are calm and good with kids, but they are bigger than the dwarfs and minis on our list. These can grow to be about five and a half pounds.
5. Mini Rex
Mini Rex rabbits are kept as pets because they are very soft and gentle. This breed grows about 3.5 to 4.5 pounds and they have particularly nice fur. Their “not-mini” ancestors the Rex Rabbits are on our list for best types of meat rabbits.
6. Mini Satin
Mini Satin rabbits are also well known for soft fur. These calm minis are good with kids and other animals. Like the Mini Rex rabbits, Mini Satins have a larger version on the meat rabbit list.
Image from SableSteel via Wikimedia Commons
7. Polish
Even though they aren’t called “dwarf” or “mini,” Polish rabbits are still pretty small. This breed can be litter trained and doesn’t need a lot of exercise, which makes it a pretty laid-back pet.
8. Netherland Dwarf
The Netherland Dwarf rabbit is considered on the list of types of rabbits for pets because it is so tiny and adorable, but it’s not a good pet for homes with kids, other animals, or lots of loud noises. They are only about one or two pounds and love to spend time with humans, which make them a good pet for the elderly.
Best Types of Rabbits For Meat
1. Palomino Rabbits
Palomino rabbits grow to be about 8 to 10 pounds and are pretty good-natured. That makes them a great choice to keep around in case of emergencies or to get started breeding for meat.
2. Flemish Giants
Flemish Giants are huge rabbits that can grow to be over 20 pounds. But the drawback is they have a bigger bone structure and require more food than other breeds. Still, these big rabbits are great for meat.
Image from Lucile Petit via Wikimedia Commons
3. New Zealand Whites
New Zealand Whites grow to be about 8 to 12 pounds and are commonly commercially bred. If you see rabbit on the menu at a restaurant, you are probably eating a New Zealand White.
4. Californian Rabbits
Californian Rabbits weigh about 8 to 10 pounds and are build a little more square than other rabbits. They are a cross between New Zealand Whites and Chinchillas and they have white fur with black spots.
5. Satins Rabbit
The Satins rabbit has very nice fur in lots of different colors. But they also have a good amount of meat, which makes them a nice rabbit to have around a homestead.
6. Silver Foxes
Silver Fox rabbits have silver fur with black gradients, which makes them very beautiful. They also have a good amount of meat. This breed is a little more rare.
7. American Chinchilla
Chinchillas weigh about 9 pounds. These rabbits produce quality meat and they also have luxurious fur. This is a good type of rabbit for homesteading because you will want to use the meat and the fur.
8. Champagne D Argent
Champagne D Argent rabbits are a very popular meat rabbit breed. They have been around as a breed since the mid 1600s and come in shades from white to dark brown. Champagne D Argent rabbits grow to about 9 to 12 pounds.
9. Cinnamons Rabbit
A Cinnamons rabbit is a good selection for survivalists with children because it is good both as a pet and as livestock. They grow to be about 10 pounds and have cinnamon colored fur. It’s a little harder to find a Cinnamons because they are a fairly new breed.
10. Rex Rabbit
Rex rabbits are a good choice for survivalists because they grow to be about 8 to 10 pounds and have really nice fur. The fur also comes in lots of different colors and shades, even blue.
Image from Mr. Rex via Wikimedia Commons
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For something super cute to watch look up guinea pig agility on YouTube. You can make your own agility course for your piggy to play on! Rabbits also can do agility, check out rabbit hopping videos. My son has two rabbits that compete in rabbit hopping and have been featured on The Dodo.
‘I gave my rabbit a kiss, went back up, gave all the dogs kisses, and then went in his truck and drove to the school,’ he said. He said his rabbit was his ‘best friend’.
My first experience of rabbit hunting, I hit the rabbit with both barrels of 12 G. Don’t shoot rabbits. My first and last hunting experience.