Rex

The Rex is a medium-sized domestic rabbit best known for a coat that feels like cut velvet against your hand. Rather than lying flat, the fur stands upright, and the guard hairs sit at the same length as the undercoat, so the whole body has an even, plush surface. This texture is what sets the breed apart and why it is often called the velvet rabbit.

Most adult Rex rabbits tip the scales at roughly 3.5 to 4.5 kg, putting them in the medium size bracket. The body is rounded and solidly built, with upright ears and a broad head. The breed comes in plenty of recognised colours, and a smaller Mini Rex has also been developed for keepers after the same coat in a more compact package.

Temperament is where the Rex really shines. It is friendly, affectionate, gentle, calm and easygoing. Many Rex rabbits settle well into handling and are happy with a quiet routine, which makes them a solid choice for a household after a calm indoor companion rather than a bundle of energy.

Who it suits

The Rex suits keepers after a calm, handleable rabbit who can offer daily attention and room to move. The plush coat needs gentle care, and the breed does best with supervised, respectful handling, so households with very young or boisterous kids should keep a close eye on interactions. First-time owners can manage a Rex just fine if they commit to a proper diet, clean housing and regular health checks.

The Rex rabbit hails from France. The breed traces back to the early 1900s, when a coat mutation turned up in litters of ordinary farm rabbits. Instead of the usual mix of longer guard hairs over a shorter undercoat, these rabbits carried fur of almost uniform length that stood up from the body and felt like plush.

French breeders spent the 1910s and 1920s working to fix the mutation into a stable type. The recessive gene behind the coat had to be paired carefully to keep the velvet texture consistent from one generation to the next. Early stock was sometimes patchy in fur quality, and selective breeding lifted the density and evenness over time.

The breed caught attention at shows in France before being exported overseas. It reached the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1920s, where breeders developed it further and locked in a range of colours. The standout coat made the Rex valued both as a show animal and, historically, for its pelt.

A dwarf version, the Mini Rex, came later by crossing Rex stock with smaller rabbits to get the same coat in a scaled-down size. These days the standard Rex and the Mini Rex are kept right around the world, mainly as companion and exhibition rabbits, including here in Australia.

The Rex has a rounded, well-muscled body held fairly upright, with a broad head and ears that stand erect. Adults typically weigh around 3.5 to 4.5 kg. The breed's calling card is its coat: short, dense and upright, with guard hairs and undercoat sitting at roughly the same length. The result is a smooth, springy surface that feels like velvet under the hand.

Coat and colours

The coat is the breed's most recognisable feature. Because the guard hairs don't poke out beyond the undercoat, the fur stands up evenly and gives a plush, level look. Recognised colours range from solid shades such as black, blue, white and lilac through to patterned varieties like castor, chinchilla, opal and broken (white with coloured markings). Coat density and even texture are the main things show judges look for. The whiskers are often short or curled, a normal side effect of the same coat gene.

The Rex has a name as one of the calmer rabbit breeds around. Common traits are friendly, affectionate, gentle, calm and easygoing. Plenty of individuals are happy to sit near their owners and accept a gentle stroke, and some learn to seek out attention once they trust a household.

With family members the breed tends to be relaxed and tolerant of routine handling, especially when introduced to people slowly. With strangers a Rex might be a bit reserved at first and warm up over repeated, quiet visits. Like all rabbits, it can startle at sudden movements or loud noises, so a steady environment helps keep it settled.

Around other pets the Rex can live alongside calm cats or dogs trained not to chase, though supervision matters. Two rabbits can bond into a stable pair if they're desexed and introduced gradually on neutral ground. Every rabbit has its own personality, so temperament varies between individuals.

Grooming

• Brush about once a week with a soft brush or by hand; the short coat doesn't need heavy grooming
• Avoid over-brushing, which can damage the dense velvet texture
• Check and trim nails every 6 to 8 weeks
• Check ears and teeth while you're grooming
• Spot-clean soiled fur with a damp cloth rather than a full bath, which stresses rabbits out

Exercise

• Give at least 3 to 4 hours of supervised time out of the hutch each day
• Set up a safe, rabbit-proofed run or room for hopping and stretching
• Add tunnels, boxes and chew toys to keep the rabbit active
• Sensitive footpads mean soft, solid flooring beats wire every time

Environment

Keep the Rex indoors or in a sheltered space that stays roughly between 10 and 21 degrees Celsius. Rabbits cope with cool conditions far better than heat, and an Australian summer can push temperatures well past what's safe for them. Bring the hutch indoors or into a shaded, well-ventilated spot once the mercury climbs into the 30s, and keep it away from drafts and damp once the weather turns cold.

The foundation of a Rex's diet is grass hay, such as timothy or meadow hay, which should be on offer around the clock. Hay supports digestion and wears down the rabbit's continuously growing teeth. Fresh leafy greens add variety and moisture, and a small daily serve of quality pellets tops up extra nutrients. Fresh water needs to be available at all times.

Treats and extras

Use fresh herbs and small pieces of fruit, such as apple with the seeds removed, as an occasional treat rather than everyday food. A rabbit on unlimited hay and varied greens usually doesn't need supplements. Check with a rabbit-savvy vet before adding anything extra, and keep treats to a small slice of the overall diet.

The Rex is generally a hardy rabbit with a lifespan of about 5 to 8 years, and some live longer with attentive care. Most health problems can be headed off with the right diet, clean housing and regular handling checks. The breed's short coat makes it a touch more prone to pressure sores on the feet than fuller-coated rabbits.

Preventive care

• Provide unlimited grass hay to support teeth and gut health
• Use soft, solid flooring to protect the feet
• Check appetite and droppings every single day
• Keep the rear end clean, especially once the weather warms up
• Book annual vet checks and ask about vaccination where relevant

A Rex needs a hutch big enough to stand fully upright, stretch out and take a few hops. A solid floor matters because the breed's lightly padded feet are prone to sores on wire. The setup should sit in a sheltered indoor or covered space, away from drafts, damp and direct heat, with daily access to a larger run.

Setup checklist

• Solid-floor hutch or pen with soft, absorbent bedding
• Litter tray in a chosen corner
• Constant hay supply and a heavy water bowl or bottle
• Hide box, tunnels and safe chew toys
• Shaded, well-ventilated spot free of drafts

Rex rabbits reach sexual maturity at roughly 5 to 8 months, with smaller individuals maturing a touch earlier. For mating, the doe is usually taken to the buck's hutch rather than the other way around. Gestation runs about 31 days, after which the doe gives birth to a litter in a nest box she lines with her own fur.

Average litters run to 4 to 8 kits, born hairless and with their eyes closed. The doe nurses once or twice a day, so an undisturbed nest is normal even when the mother isn't seen much with the young. Kits open their eyes at around 10 days and start nibbling solid food not long after. Weaning happens at about 6 to 8 weeks. Responsible breeding calls for healthy parents, attention to coat quality and colour, and a plan for placing the young.