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Popularity - What's your favourite breed?

F

Floofbunny

Young Bun
Not too long ago, I wanted to see the popularity of certain breeds in the uk.
I looked on pets4homes (most popular pet selling site in uk) and tallied up the results.

I put down the 11 most numerous breeds.

It isn't full proof, as some breeders post multiple times and some Thank they have a breed when they don't.
Also statistics would of changes since then.
But it's a good gist of it.

Here are the results:

Total
4918 rabbits

3971 (-minus mixed), 4525
3343- brachcephalic (67.97%, 84.18% or 73.87%)
334- normal (6.79%, 8.41%, 7.38%)

1. Mini lop-1804 (36.68%)

2. Mixed- 554 (11.26%)

3. Lionhead - 531 (10.79%)

4. Netherland Dwarf - 458 (9.31%)

5. Rex (pets4homes doesn't separate mini rex and rex. So this includes both) - 294 (5.97%)

6. Mini lion lop- 267 (5.42%)

7. Continental giant- 180 (3.66%)

8. French lop- 170 (3.45%)

9. Dutch- 113 (2.29%)

10. Dwarf lop- 113 (2.29%)

11. New Zealand - 41 (0.83%)


Unsurprisingly, 3/4 of the top four most numerous rabbits are brachycephalic.
With mini lop sitting at over 35% of all pet rabbits for sale.

It is also more common to find a mini lop than a mixed breed.

The quantity being bred follows the trends in certain breed popularity. Mostly the "cute" factor is in play. If it's not popular, few will breed more or even be able to acquire some in the first place.

My favourite breed is Rex and minirex.I
I'm also a fan of dutch, tri colour Dutch and silver fox.
The second to last became a rare breed and the last is not even in the uk anymore.

It's frustrating looking for non brachycephalic breeds, most of the market is mini lops.

What's your favourite breeds and are they on this list?
 
Floofbunny said:
Not too long ago, I wanted to see the popularity of certain breeds in the uk.
I looked on pets4homes (most popular pet selling site in uk) and tallied up the results.

I put down the 11 most numerous breeds.

It isn't full proof, as some breeders post multiple times and some Thank they have a breed when they don't.
Also statistics would of changes since then.
But it's a good gist of it.

Here are the results:

Total
4918 rabbits

3971 (-minus mixed), 4525
3343- brachcephalic (67.97%, 84.18% or 73.87%)
334- normal (6.79%, 8.41%, 7.38%)

1. Mini lop-1804 (36.68%)

2. Mixed- 554 (11.26%)

3. Lionhead - 531 (10.79%)

4. Netherland Dwarf - 458 (9.31%)

5. Rex (pets4homes doesn't separate mini rex and rex. So this includes both) - 294 (5.97%)

6. Mini lion lop- 267 (5.42%)

7. Continental giant- 180 (3.66%)

8. French lop- 170 (3.45%)

9. Dutch- 113 (2.29%)

10. Dwarf lop- 113 (2.29%)

11. New Zealand - 41 (0.83%)


Unsurprisingly, 3/4 of the top four most numerous rabbits are brachycephalic.
With mini lop sitting at over 35% of all pet rabbits for sale.

It is also more common to find a mini lop than a mixed breed.

The quantity being bred follows the trends in certain breed popularity. Mostly the "cute" factor is in play. If it's not popular, few will breed more or even be able to acquire some in the first place.

My favourite breed is Rex and minirex.I
I'm also a fan of dutch, tri colour Dutch and silver fox.
The second to last became a rare breed and the last is not even in the uk anymore.

It's frustrating looking for non brachycephalic breeds, most of the market is mini lops.

What's your favourite breeds and are they on this list?
Click to expand...
That's interesting!

I'd have guessed mini lops would be the most common/popular tbh.

My favourite rabbit is probably a continental giant, although I've never owned one!

I have 2 rexes and a californian and a nethie cross atm.

I love all my buns, but if I had to get another I'd get a californian again for sure. They're so sweet and gentle and have great, funny personalities from my experiences with them! I don't think they're ugly at all, but I can understand they're not a cute as a little mini lop.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk
 
interesting - thanks for compiling & sharing your findings.

I really like Dutch bunnies, bunnies that look like wildies & English spot markings
 
Oh that's interesting!

Very similar to above, my fav are Dutch, English spot and Belgian hare
 
It would be interesting to see if some breeds are rehomed more than others and try to understand the reasons. ie it could be temperament or it could be that those breeds are more likely to be bought first time round by people who don't do their research and got them because they are "cute" etc.

I was talking to a friend who ran a rescue for quarter of a century and said I couldn't understand why some of the rarer breeds are not more popular. She said that a breeder friend of hers(!!) said he breeds predominantly mini lops because they find rare breeds really hard to sell. Shockingly Belgium Hares are amongst the rabbits he cannot easily find homes for.

I am torn with my favourite breed .. it is a toss up between Dwarf Lop and Thrianta.

It was Thriantas specifically that I was questioning why they were not more popular - every one I have owned has an amazing temperament and they are rather aesthetically pleasing.
 
My first loves were all Netherland Dwarfs, then I fell in love with Mini Rex, and then Lionheads. I currently have all three breeds. I also had a Dutch.
 
My first love was Netherlands but then a Lionhead came along. I find Lionheads much easier to live with, they are usually very sweet. I am surprised that Dutch Rabbits are so low on the list but not surprised that Minilops are high as everyone seems to want them. If I had no other Rabbits and had a choice I would have a French Lop (black). Two actually. Dutchies used to be the favourite years ago and make good pets as they are fairly small and usually very healthy.
 
I love belgian hares, dutch rabbits and nethies or nethie crosses. I also love agouti wild looking rabbits and lionhead crosses.
 
Bunny Buddy said:
It would be interesting to see if some breeds are rehomed more than others and try to understand the reasons. ie it could be temperament or it could be that those breeds are more likely to be bought first time round by people who don't do their research and got them because they are "cute" etc.

I was talking to a friend who ran a rescue for quarter of a century and said I couldn't understand why some of the rarer breeds are not more popular. She said that a breeder friend of hers(!!) said he breeds predominantly mini lops because they find rare breeds really hard to sell. Shockingly Belgium Hares are amongst the rabbits he cannot easily find homes for.

I am torn with my favourite breed .. it is a toss up between Dwarf Lop and Thrianta.

It was Thriantas specifically that I was questioning why they were not more popular - every one I have owned has an amazing temperament and they are rather aesthetically pleasing.
Click to expand...

I have seen in rescues a lot of mini lops and mixed breeds.
Any one buys a mixed breed as their cheap, but give up on rabbits later when they realise it's not like a hamster in care or kids get bored.

Mini lops are also the most requested for in rescue centres apparently.
The idea of getting a super cute lop is everywhere- I blame tiktok and influencers.
 
My faves are lionheads, and not all of them are flat faced. The one I have at the moment has a normal shaped head, similar to a Dutch rabbit. Lionheads are very affectionate and love being held and stroked. Also easy to litter train.
 
Last edited:
Zarla said:
My faves are lionheads, and not all of them are flat faced. The one I have at the moment has a normal shaped head, similar to a Dutch rabbit. Lionheads are very affectionate and love being held and stroked. Also easy to litter train.
Click to expand...

Amber and Zorro agree as do I. Mine are lap bunnies and that is fine with me!
 
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