Mini Rex Rabbit: Facts, Care, Diet, Pictures & More
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The adorable Mini Rex Rabbit is the miniature version of the standard Rex Rabbit, with a small size and sociable temperament. They make popular pet rabbits for both first-time and experienced rabbit keepers. With soft, velvety fur and cartoon-like cuteness, what’s not the love about the Mini Rex Rabbit?
Part of being a responsible rabbit owner is by doing plenty of research on their care, so this article will give you insight into what you can expect from caring for this rabbit breed.
| Size: | Miniature |
| Weight: | 3–4.5 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 7–10 years |
| Similar Breeds: | Netherland Dwarf Rabbits, Mini Satin Rabbits, Polish Rabbit |
| Suitable for: | First-time and experienced rabbit owners alike |
| Temperament: | Calm, playful, easygoing |
The Mini Rex is a relatively newer rabbit breed that can be kept as a pet and used in shows. The Mini Rex is a combination of a Dwarf Rex buck and a small Lynx Rex doe. These two rabbits were paired, and three out of the seven offspring in the litter were kept and formed the foundation of the Mini Rex Rabbits we keep as pets today.
Mini Rex Rabbit Breed Characteristics
How Much Do These Rabbits Cost?
This rabbit breed was first recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1988, and the breed itself was developed by the late Monna Berryhill in 1984. The Mini Rex breed was presented at an ARBA convention in 1986 but was only approved as a distinctive breed 2 years later.
Mini Rex Rabbits aren’t considered to be rare, so you can expect a Mini Rex Rabbit to cost between $20 to $200 or more depending on where you purchase them from. A pedigree and show-quality Mini Rex Rabbit is going to cost more than if you were to buy them from a pet store or rabbit breeder. You can also find Mini Rex Rabbits in some shelters or rescue centers if they are frequently rehomed in your area. The markings, color, age, and size of the Mini Rex Rabbit will influence their overall cost. If the Mini Rex Rabbits have unique and rare markings and colors, they are going to cost more than a Mini Rex with standard colorations.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Mini Rex Rabbit
Do These Rabbits Make Good Pets? 👪
Mini Rex Rabbits are intelligent and have a good temperament which naturally makes them good pets for rabbit lovers. They are great companion animals for beginners who are familiar with proper rabbit care, along with experienced keepers who want a small-sized and well-tempered rabbit. The Mini Rex Rabbit has an easygoing, playful, yet affectionate temperament that will be appealing to many rabbit owners.
Even though Mini Rex Rabbits are on the smaller side, they still require a large enclosure and safe roaming area. They may take up more space than other pets like guinea pigs or rats, and their care can be costly. Choosing to care for Mini Rex Rabbits means committing to them for the next 7 to 10 years, so make sure a rabbit is going to be a good pet for you before getting one.
Does This Rabbit Get Along with Other Pets?
Rabbits shouldn’t be housed with other pets other than their species, since they have specific care requirements. Other animals like dogs and cats can also hurt your rabbit, so it isn’t a good idea to allow your rabbit to frequently interact with other animals.
Like other rabbits, the Mini Rex is social and should be kept in pairs of the same sex. However, if you get a female Mini Rex Rabbit spayed, she can be introduced to the male. It is not recommended to keep rabbits in opposite-sex groups unless they have been sterilized since they are prolific breeders and can overwhelm you with many litters.
Getting your Mini Rex Rabbits sterilized can also help prevent hormone-induced behaviors and reduce their risk of reproductive system cancers. Even if you can spend lots of time with your rabbit, you still won’t be able to provide them with the right type of social interaction they can only get from other rabbits. If they are properly introduced and socialized, Mini Rex Rabbits can be kept with other breeds of rabbits. Keep in mind that different breeds of rabbits can reproduce with one another, so the sterilization rule still applies.
Things to Know When Owning a Mini Rex Rabbit
Food & Diet Requirements 🥕
A Mini Rex Rabbit’s daily diet should consist of:
- 85% Hay and grass
- 10% Leafy greens and vegetables
- 5% High-fiber pellets
Mini Rex Rabbits are herbivores, so plant-based foods are going to form the majority of their diet. A large percentage of their diet should contain hay and dried grasses, which is essential for a rabbit’s digestion. Alfalfa, timothy, meadow, oat, and orchard hay are some of the best hays you can feed to your rabbit, and they are readily available at many pet stores. Your Mini Rex Rabbit should have batches of hay in their enclosure at all times, and it should be replaced regularly when it is running low.
The rest of your Mini Rex Rabbit’s diet should consist of leafy greens and fresh vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, celery, and herbs like mint and parsley. You should ideally wash these fresh foods before feeding them to your Mini Rex Rabbit to get rid of pesticide residue and dirt. Only a small percentage of your Mini Rex Rabbits’ diet should consist of high-fiber pellets that have been specifically formulated for rabbits.
Habitat & Hutch Requirements 🏠
The enclosure is going to be where your Mini Rex Rabbits spend most of their time, so ensuring it is safe and appropriately sized for them is important. A large enclosure is going to provide your rabbits with enough space to move freely and display their natural behaviors. Since the Mini Rex Rabbit is smaller than other rabbit breeds, they can be kept in slightly smaller enclosures.
A minimum size enclosure for Mini Rex Rabbits is going to be around 24 inches wide, 24 inches high, and 36 inches long. This will need to be doubled according to how many rabbits you plan to keep inside. The more rabbits you keep in the enclosure, the larger it needs to be. You can also keep Mini Rex Rabbits in a secured hutch with fencing for free roaming.
Exercise Needs 🐇
Exercise is important for Mini Rex Rabbits, and they can become bored and restless if they are cramped up in an enclosure all day. You should aim to give your Mini Rex Rabbit around 3 hours of exercise per day out of the enclosure. This helps to keep them mentally stimulated and allows them to burn off energy.
This means that you will need to take a few hours out of your day to allow your rabbit to exercise, and a great way to do so is to let your rabbit free roam. You should only let your Mini Rex Rabbit free roam in a secure area such as a bunny-proofed room or a small, fenced area. The enclosure door should be left open so that your rabbit can drink water and eat their hay when necessary.
It’s best to not let your Mini Rex Rabbit free roam unattended, so be sure that they can do it in an area where they are supervised and not while you are away at work.
Training 🥎
Their high intelligence makes these rabbits easy to train, but they won’t be as trainable as a dog or cat. Most rabbits will have a mind of their own regardless of how well they have been trained. You can teach a rabbit to poop and urinate in a litter tray which can make cleaning and maintaining their enclosure a lot easier.
Grooming ✂️
Rabbits are generally clean animals that have fairly easy grooming requirements thanks to their low-maintenance fur. Mini Rex Rabbits don’t need to be brushed or bathed because they have a short and soft coat, but it can help to loosen and remove some fur and prevent hairballs. If your rabbit has fleas, dirt, a medical condition, or stains on their fur that they cannot groom out themselves, you can bathe them with a rabbit-safe shampoo in a shallow container. Rabbits get quite stressed when suddenly introduced to water for a bath, so only bathe them when it is necessary.
You will also need to get your Mini Rex Rabbits’ teeth and nails checked at a veterinarian and trimmed to prevent them from getting overgrown.
Lifespan and Health Conditions 🏥
The Mini Rex Rabbit has a lifespan of 7 to 10 years, which is the same as many large or giant dog breeds. Healthy Mini Rex Rabbits that are well cared for can easily live to this age. Most Mini Rex Rabbits are healthy and suffer from few health problems when cared for properly, they are still prone to both serious and minor health conditions that can affect their lifespan.
If your Mini Rex Rabbit is sick, they require veterinary treatment. Before getting a Mini Rex Rabbit, make sure that you have money aside to take them to an exotic veterinarian when necessary. If you decide to keep rabbits of the opposite sex together, you will also need to get one of them neutered or spayed.
- Conjunctivitis
- Urine burns
- Ringworm
- Abscesses
- Fleas
- Ear mites
- Splay leg
- GI Stasis
- Enterotoxemia
- Bloat
- Ulcerative pododermatitis (sore hocks)
- Rotavirus
- Pneumonia
- Coccidiosis
- Heat exhaustion
- Myxomatosis
- Uterine adenocarcinoma in intact (unspayed) female rabbits.
Male vs Female
Both male and female Mini Rex Rabbits make good pets, but there are slight differences between the two genders that are worth noting. Male rabbits are generally considered more mellow and social, although this will vary with rabbits. Whereas female rabbits are seen as more independent and reserved.
In unneutered males, they can show a lot of aggressive or territorial behaviors related to their hormones which can be managed by getting them neutered. Female rabbits may be prone to tumors in their reproductive system, and spaying helps to minimize their risk of developing these tumors.
The 3 Little-Known Facts About Mini Rex Rabbits
1. Mini Rex Rabbits Can Be Found in a Wide Variety of Colors.
A Mini Rex Rabbit’s coat colors and markings aren’t limited to standard colors like brown, white, or black, but unique ones too. This includes lilac, chinchilla, blue, red, sable, and even silver. You can find Mini Rex Rabbits with either a patterned, broken, single, or tricolored coat. This gives you plenty of coat variations to choose from if you want to own a Mini Rex Rabbit.
2. They Are a Newer Breed of Domesticated Rabbit.
In comparison to other rabbit breeds, the Mini Rex Rabbit hasn’t been around for a very long time. They were developed sometime around 1984 but were only recognized as a breed in 1988.
3. Their Soft and Velvety Fur is the Result of a Genetic Mutation.
Most pet rabbits have fur that forms against their bodies, but both the standard Rex and Mini Rex Rabbit have upright fur. Mini Rex Rabbits have a plush undercoat and soft hairs that are not only easy to maintain but give them a velvety texture. This is the result of a genetic mutation that causes rabbits’ fur to grow to the same length with shorter guard hairs and was developed in the early 1900s.
Final Thoughts
If you like the look of the standard Rex rabbit, but the mini version of it sounds more appealing, the Mini Rex Rabbit is a great choice. These rabbits are generally easy to care for if you have the budget, time, and commitment to look after a rabbit for the next 7 to 10 years. When fed a healthy diet consisting of hay, along with housing them in suitable pairs and large enclosures, your Mini Rex Rabbit can live a long and healthy life with you.
- Related Read: Polish Rabbit Breed Info: Pictures, Temperament & Traits
Featured Image Credit to: Marcus Horry Photos, Shutterstock
