Mini Rex Rabbits

The Mini Rex is a relatively new breed, presented to American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1984. The first accepted Mini Rex variety was the castor in 1988. At the 1994 ARBA Convention the new breed made history by taking two BIS back to back with Castors. By 2001, more Mini Rex were registered with the ARBA than any other breed.

The mini rex is known for its sweet temperament. Angel Rabbitry prides itself on breeding for great temperament. Our bunnies do not bite, nor are they aggressive in any manner. We have a lot of children who come to our Rabbitry and want their experience with bunnies to be fun and something they want to do on a long term basis. They love to be stroked and petted. In fact, the more you pet your Mini Rex, the thicker the coat will grow. (When you pet the rabbit it grooms itself more because of the smell of your hands on its coat!) They love to lie on their back and have their tummy rubbed and will fall asleep. They can be litter box trained easier than a cat and many people have them as indoor pets.

The Mini Rex rabbit is a very diminutive rabbit with an ARBA guideline maximum senior show weight of only 4 1/2 pounds for does and 4 1/4 pounds for bucks. Its body is rather short and close coupled. The top body line rises gradually from the base of the ears to a high point over the center of the hips and then rounding downwards to the base of the tail. A mini rex when posed looks like a small basketball with a head on it. When viewed from the tail end, a Mini Rex is approximately as wide as it is high. When viewed from above, the body tapers down slightly from the hips to the shoulders. The ears are rather short and thick and are carried erect.

This popular pet and show rabbit has a magnificent, plush velvet-like coat that must be felt to be appreciated. The fur is one of the most notable features of this breed. The fur is approximately 3/8 of an inch in length and when felt with the bare hands is like rubbing a piece of plush velvet. The guard hairs are the same length as the under fur giving an extremely plush, silky, feeling to it when stroked. The fur has a lustrous appearance and has a distinct springy feel when depressed.

ARBA standards recognizes 17 colors/varieties for the Mini Rex including: black, castor, blue, chinchilla, opal, tortoise, chocolate, lynx, seal, white, lilac red, himalayan, broken, REW, Otter and Sable Point pattern. Breeders are continually trying to develop new colors.

Angel Rabbitry is a Mini Rex Rabbit Rabbitry located in Payette Idaho