16 Rarest Rabbit Breeds (and What Makes Them So Special)

Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Laura Thompson

The rarest rabbit breeds in the world are rare for a reason. Often they have been bred to produce rare colors, patterns, and textures not seen in other rabbits.

In this article, we’ll explore 16 of these rarer breeds and what makes them so special – from their special qualities to why they’re so rare.

If you’re looking to adopt some new friends, or just want to learn more about these adorable animals, keep reading!

List of the Rarest Rabbits Breeds in the World

1. American Rabbit

The American Rabbit may be rare, but it is one of the most popular breeds. It’s no wonder why! They’re cute and cuddly with their soft fur and round faces.

These rabbits make great pets for families especially because they are easy to care for and learn quickly what behavior will get them treats and attention from you

2. Blanc d’ Hotot Rabbit

The Blanc d’ Hotot rabbit is incredibly adorable with its ear tufts that are white in color.

These rabbits can be kept as pets if they’re socialized early on, but are best known for their fur which has been used to make muffs and other furry items! Their fur was popular with royalty back when owning muffs was the trend.

3. American Chinchilla Rabbit

The American Chinchilla rabbit is rare because of its soft silver coat that looks like the fur you’d see on a chinchilla.

These rabbits are friendly, but they can be skittish around new people and situations – making them less than ideal as pets for young children who may not understand how to treat these bunnies.

4. Satin Angora Rabbit

With its long, silky coat that hangs off its body, it’s no wonder that the Satin Angora Rabbit is a sought-after breed.

These rabbits are a great breed for those interested in showing bunnies at competitions! They can be kept as pets but do require daily grooming to keep their coats looking beautiful and healthy.

5. Giant Chinchilla Rabbit

The Giant Chinchilla rabbit is rare because of its long, white coat that looks like chinchilla fur.

These rabbits are perfect for those who live in cold climates and want a bunny to cuddle with since they’re known as one of the warmest breeds!

They also require regular grooming sessions so their coats stay healthy and clean which makes them a great breed for those who have the time to care for them.

6. Giant Angora Rabbit

The Giant Angora rabbit is known for its long, fluffy coat that makes it look like a polar bear!

These rabbits are very friendly and love to cuddle with their humans. They also don’t mind being held which makes them great for families who want an affectionate bunny around the house.

7. Creme d’Argent Rabbit

The Creme d’Argent rabbit is rare because of its light, silvery coat.

These rabbits are sensitive to the sun so it’s best to keep them indoors during sunny days and on their leash when taking walks outside.

They’re also known for being quite feisty which may make them not ideal as pets for families with young kids.

8. Cinnamon Rabbit

The Cinnamon Rabbit has a beautiful reddish-brown coat.

These rabbits are friendly and love being around humans which makes them great pets for families with kids!

They’re also hypoallergenic so they can be a good choice if you or someone in your home has allergies that tend to flare up around rabbits.

9. Belgian Hare Rabbit

The Belgian Hare Rabbit is famous for its long, upright ears that are white at the tips.

These rabbits can be kept as pets if they’re handled early on and socialized with other people so they don’t become skittish around humans!

But they may not be suitable for small kids since these bunnies can grow to quite large.

10. American Sable Rabbit

The American Sable rabbit is rare because of its beautiful, glossy coat that looks like it’s been dipped in a jar of paint.

These rabbits are calm and gentle which makes them great for kids! They’re also known as one of the best breeds to have around if you want your bunny to become an indoor pet since they don’t mind being kept in a cage.

11. Beveren Rabbit

The Beveren has beautiful, fluffy fur that almost looks like a polar bear’s coat.

These rabbits are friendly and affectionate which makes them great for families with kids – but they may be too small to handle by themselves since they’re not very heavy!

12. Standard Chinchilla Rabbit

The Standard Chinchilla rabbit is by no means standard! It has long, silvery-white fur that looks like chinchilla’s coats.

These rabbits are sensitive to the heat and sun which makes them not suitable for warm climates!

They’re known as one of the friendliest breeds around – but they require a lot of attention from their human owners.

13. American Silver Fox Rabbit

The American Silver Fox rabbit is rare because of its beautiful, silver-white coat.

These rabbits are known to be quite secretive which makes them not ideal for families with kids that may scare the bunny!

But they’re also incredibly smart so if you have time to train them they can become fun pets who love learning tricks and playing games.

14. Lilac Rabbit

The rare Lilac rabbit has a beautiful, powder-blue coat.

These rabbits are considered to be one of the calmest breeds around which makes them great for families with kids!

They also need regular grooming sessions so their coats stay clean and healthy – but they’re otherwise very low maintenance pets who don’t mind being kept in a cage.

15. Silver Rabbit (brown, fawn, and black)

The rare Silver rabbit has a beautiful, silver coat.

These rabbits are known for being social and friendly which makes them perfect if you’re looking to bring home an indoor pet!

They may not be the best choice if your family is very young since they can become skittish around kids that aren’t careful with their movements.

16. Rhinelander Rabbit

The Rhinelander rabbit is known for its beautiful, white-and-tan coat.

These rabbits are very friendly and love to be around humans which makes them great pets if you’re looking to bring home an indoor pet!

It may not be the best choice of bunny breed if your family is young since they can get scared

Note: I used the number of exhibitors and rabbits from a number of recent ARBA conventions as well as the individual breed nationals. So it only covers breeds listed by the Standard of Perfection.

Why are these rabbit breeds rare?

Some of America’s breeds are in urgent danger of dying out, I discovered. Tans, Britannia Petite, and Palominos are really not very rare in terms of showing healthy populations.

Other rare breeds, such as the Dark Chinchilla, American Silver Fox Rabbit, and Belgian Hare Rabbit have been bred continually despite dwindling numbers.

The rare Lilac rabbit was listed as rare because some defections from the Standard might eventually lead to it being removed as a recognized breed as well as some countries banning it outright as a pet – imagine that!

Some rare rabbit breeds are usually popular as meat rabbits and are not often kept as pets. Other breeds like the Angoras are on this list because they’re highly prized for their fur mats.

These breeds exist in dangerously isolated breed pools and are becoming inbred as dedicated fans find it difficult to locate replacement stock.

Also in desperation, they dilute the pool using English Spot on Belgian Hares for example. Owners are scattered and cannot find each other.

Some breeds not on the list like Checkered Giant are in marked decline compared to former years. Still, there are about 600 Checker Giants and that’s not too bad.

Of each of these rabbits listed there are at most 300-500 individuals around. For the top few breeds actually much less. Americans in white are in danger of being dropped from the Standard and Silver Foxes in blue already have been.

For those breeds created in America, most have not been exported. If they die out here, we cannot send them off for replacements. I would encourage anybody with a rabbitry and an interest in rare breeds to make room for one of these bunnies.

Final Thoughts

Well anyway that’s the list that I made and I welcome any input – but these are some of the rarest rabbit breeds that you’ll ever find, or rather, find them very hard to find.

The Rhinelanders and Beverens seem poised for a comeback of sorts and the Hares have as always a small but very dedicated group of breeders.

The American, Hotot, and American Chinchilla are in the most urgent need. They will be dropped from the Standard if they do not start appearing more at shows.

Speaking of a rare breed the Alaskan has been dropped in America and is bred only in very small numbers in Germany and England.