Mini Rex rabbits: size, colours, temperament and care

What is a Mini Rex rabbit?

A Mini Rex is a small breed that carries the rex coat: fur so short and even that it stands upright and feels like plush velvet. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) credits Monna Berryhill of Texas with developing it in 1984, and it became a recognised breed in 1988. ARBA says it now regularly ranks first or second for entries at its national conventions, which makes it one of the most popular breeds in the United States.

In the UK the breed has the same name. The British standard, published in Fur and Feather, describes the Mini Rex as the Standard Rex in every way except size. If you are weighing it against the bigger version, our Rex rabbit profile covers the full-sized breed, and our rabbit breeds guide shows where both sit among the other breeds.

How to recognise a Mini Rex

The coat is the giveaway. Run a hand over a normal rabbit and the fur flattens and springs back; run a hand over a rex-furred rabbit and it feels like stroking a soft carpet.

• Fur about 1.3 cm (half an inch) long, short, firm and plush, with no long guard hairs poking out
• Curly or kinked whiskers, a side effect of the rex coat
• A compact, rounded body with a bold, broad head
• Upright ears in proportion to the head
• Small size: most adults weigh under 2 kg (4.5 lb)

Plenty of small pet-shop rabbits have rex fur without being purebred Mini Rex. That makes no difference to a pet. A rabbit with rex fur and drooping ears is a cross, not a Mini Rex, because the breed standard has upright ears.

Mini Rex rabbit size and weight

Most adult Mini Rex rabbits weigh about 1.4 to 2 kg (3 to 4.4 lb), according to WebMD's vet-reviewed profile, and does (females) usually weigh slightly more than bucks (males). The show standards are close to each other on both sides of the Atlantic.

Small does not mean low-space. A Mini Rex runs, jumps and digs as much as a big rabbit, so plan the home around the rabbit's behaviour, not its weight. Our rabbit cage size guide explains why.

Mini Rex colours: castor, otter, chinchilla, broken and more

Mini Rex rabbits come in many colours. WebMD names broken black, a black and white patched rabbit, as the best known. Most colour names are shared with the Standard Rex, so the National Rex Rabbit Club's variety list is a good guide to what each one means.

Not every colour you see for sale is a recognised show variety. A "harlequin Mini Rex", with bands of orange and black, may be a lovely pet but is not on every club's list. If showing matters to you, ask the breeder which club standard the rabbit is bred to.

Mini Rex temperament

Mini Rex rabbits are curious and very much individuals. WebMD notes that many don't enjoy being picked up but are happy to play with you on the floor, and that as prey animals they are sensitive to stress and fear. A frightened rabbit may kick, scratch or nip, especially in the first months in a new home.

WebMD suggests the breed suits families with children over 8, with adults in charge of daily care. That matches the wider advice from rabbit charities: rabbits are poor pets for small children because they dislike being lifted and their backs break easily if dropped. Our guide on how to tame and bond with a rabbit shows the slow, floor-level approach that works best.

How long do Mini Rex rabbits live?

About 8 to 12 years, according to WebMD. Poor diet and a small hutch shorten that. Neutering, a hay-based diet, a big home and a neutered rabbit friend all help. Our rabbit lifespan guide walks through each life stage.

What a Mini Rex needs that other rabbits don't

Most of a Mini Rex's care is the same as any rabbit's. Three things are different: the feet, the coat and the temperature.

Soft floors for thin-furred feet

The RSPCA names Rex rabbits as more likely to get pododermatitis (sore hocks) because they have less protective fur on their feet. Give solid floors, never wire or bars, cover hard floors with soft, dry flooring such as rugs, fleece or deep hay, and keep the litter area clean and dry. Check the underside of the back feet every week.

Light grooming only

The British Rabbit Council says Rex coats need minimal grooming. A soft brush, a damp cloth or a damp hand during a moult is enough, and it notes that a moulting rex can look patchy for a while, which is normal. Skip slicker and wire brushes. Never bath a rabbit unless your vet asks you to.

Space as big as any breed

The RSPCA minimum for two rabbits is a living space of 3 m × 2 m × 1 m (10 ft × 6 ft 6 in × 3 ft), shelter and run joined so they can use it all the time. It keeps rabbits at 10 to 20°C (50 to 68°F) and asks for shade once it approaches 20°C (68°F). Our guide to indoor or outdoor rabbits helps you choose where that space goes.

Weekly care checklist

• Look at the underside of both back feet for bald, red or scabby patches
• Weigh your rabbit on kitchen scales and note it down
• Check the bottom is clean and dry (daily in warm weather, for flystrike)
• Look at the front teeth and feel along the jaw for lumps
• Wipe the coat with a damp hand if it is moulting
• Deep clean the litter tray and replace soiled flooring
• Check nails; most rabbits need a trim every 4 to 6 weeks

What do Mini Rex rabbits eat?

The same as any rabbit: mostly hay. WebMD puts hay at about 85% of a Mini Rex's diet, ideally timothy or another grass hay, with leafy greens, a small portion of rabbit pellets (nuggets), and fruit only as a rare treat. Change any part of the diet slowly, over two to four weeks.

• Hay: unlimited, fresh every day. A pile at least as big as the rabbit is a good daily guide.
• Greens: a handful twice a day, such as romaine lettuce, coriander (cilantro), parsley, dill and spring greens.
• Pellets: PDSA suggests one tablespoon of nuggets a day for a rabbit under 3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz), which covers every Mini Rex. More pellets mean less hay eaten.
• Water: always available, in a bowl and a bottle so you know they are drinking.

For which vegetables are safe, see our safe food list for rabbits and our full rabbit diet guide.

Common Mini Rex health problems

WebMD names too little hay as the most common health problem in the breed, because it leads to overgrown teeth and a slow gut. Watch for these:

• Sore hocks: bald, red or scabby skin under the back feet. Book a vet visit within a few days, sooner if there is an open sore.
• Dental disease: dropping food, drooling, a wet chin or eating less. See a vet within a day or two.
• Gut stasis: no droppings, no eating, or a hunched, still rabbit. This is an emergency: ring a vet the same day.
• Flystrike: maggots on a dirty bottom in warm weather. Ring a vet straight away.
• Myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD): both usually fatal and both preventable by yearly vaccination in the UK.

Our rabbit health guide covers each of these in more detail.

Where to find a Mini Rex rabbit

Start with rescues. Plenty of rex-furred rabbits, purebred and crossed, wait in rescues, and a rescue rabbit usually comes neutered, vaccinated and already living with a friend. In the UK, search Rabbit Rehome, which lists rabbits from rescues across the country. In the US, the House Rabbit Society's adoption page links to local rabbit rescues by state. Our guide on where to get a rabbit covers what to ask a rescue.

If you want a purebred Mini Rex from a breeder, ARBA has a find-a-breeder directory on its Mini Rex page, and UK breeders show through British Rabbit Council clubs. Ask any breeder:

• Can I see the mother, and where the rabbits live?
• How old is the kit? It should be at least 8 weeks old before leaving its mother.
• Have the parents had sore hocks or tooth problems?
• Has the rabbit been vaccinated, and will you take it back if it doesn't work out?
• Do you sell in pairs, or can you help me find a companion?

Prices vary too much to quote reliably. For what a rabbit costs to keep over its life, see our rabbit cost guide.