Rex

The Rex is a medium-sized domestic rabbit, best known for a coat that feels like cut velvet under the hand. Rather than lying flat, the fur stands upright, and the guard hairs run the same length as the undercoat beneath, giving the whole body an even, plush finish. This texture is what sets the breed apart, and it's the reason keepers often just call it the velvet rabbit.

Most adult Rex rabbits come in somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 kg, putting them squarely in the medium bracket for pet rabbits. The body is rounded and well muscled, with a broad head and ears that stand up straight. Breeders have fixed the coat into dozens of recognised colours, and there's a smaller Mini Rex besides, for anyone who wants the same velvet feel in a more compact rabbit.

Temperament is where the Rex really earns its keep. It's a friendly, affectionate breed, gentle and calm by nature, and most individuals settle well once they trust their household. That even temper suits homes looking for a quiet indoor companion rather than a rabbit that needs constant entertaining.

Who it suits

The Rex suits keepers after a calm, easy-going rabbit who don't mind giving it a bit of daily attention and room to stretch its legs. The plush coat wants gentle care, and this is a breed that does best with supervised, respectful handling, so households with very young children should keep a close eye on things. First-time owners can manage a Rex just fine once they commit to a proper diet, clean housing, and regular health checks.

The Rex rabbit hails from France. Its story starts in the early 1900s, when a coat mutation turned up in litters of ordinary farm rabbits. Instead of the usual mix of long guard hairs over a shorter undercoat, these rabbits grew fur of nearly even length that stood up from the skin and felt like plush to the touch.

French breeders spent the 1910s and 1920s working to fix that mutation into a reliable type. The gene behind the coat is recessive, so pairings had to be managed carefully to keep the velvet texture consistent from one generation to the next. Early litters were patchy in fur quality, and it took years of selective breeding to even out the density and finish.

The breed caught the eye at French shows and was soon exported further afield. It reached Britain and the United States during the 1920s, where breeders refined the type and settled a wide range of colours. The unusual coat made the Rex sought after both for showing and, in earlier decades, for its pelt.

A dwarf version, the Mini Rex, came later, bred by crossing Rex stock with smaller rabbits to shrink the frame while keeping the same coat. These days both the standard Rex and the Mini Rex are kept the world over, mostly as companion and exhibition rabbits.

The Rex carries a rounded, well-muscled body held fairly upright, topped with a broad head and ears that stand straight up. Adults typically come in around 3.5 to 4.5 kg. The coat is the breed's calling card: short, dense, and upright, with guard hairs and undercoat running to much the same length. That's what gives the smooth, springy surface that feels like velvet under your hand.

Coat and colours

The coat is what people remember about this breed. Because the guard hairs don't reach past the undercoat, the fur stands up evenly all over, giving that level, plush look. Recognised colours include solid shades such as black, blue, white, and lilac, and patterned varieties like castor, chinchilla, opal, and broken (white with coloured patches). Coat density and an even finish count for a lot at shows. The whiskers often come out short or curled, which is just a normal side effect of the same coat gene.

The Rex has a name as one of the more even-tempered rabbit breeds around. Friendly, affectionate, gentle, calm, and docile come up again and again in descriptions. Plenty of individuals are happy to sit near their owner and take a bit of gentle stroking, and some will actively seek out attention once they trust the household.

With family members the breed tends to stay relaxed and put up with routine handling well, especially where people are introduced slowly. Around strangers a Rex can be standoffish at first, warming up over a few quiet visits. Like any rabbit, it can startle at sudden movement or loud noise, so a steady, predictable home helps it settle.

The Rex can live alongside calm cats or dogs that have been trained not to chase, though supervision matters. Two rabbits will bond into a stable pair if both are neutered and introduced gradually on neutral ground. Personality still varies from one rabbit to the next, same as with people.

Grooming

• Brush once a week or so with a soft brush, or just by hand; the short coat doesn't call for heavy grooming
• Don't overdo the brushing, it can wear down the dense velvet texture
• Check and trim the nails every 6 to 8 weeks
• Have a look at the ears and teeth while you're grooming
• Spot-clean soiled patches with a damp cloth rather than a full bath, which rabbits find stressful

Exercise

• Give the rabbit at least 3 to 4 hours of supervised time outside the enclosure every day
• Set up a safe, rabbit-proofed run or room where it can hop about and stretch out
• Add tunnels, boxes, and chew toys to keep things interesting
• The feet are sensitive, so solid flooring suits better than wire

Environment

Keep the Rex indoors, or somewhere sheltered that stays roughly between 10 and 21 degrees Celsius. Irish weather rarely pushes temperatures much past that, but rabbits cope with the cold far better than the heat, and can struggle once it climbs into the mid-20s. Give it shade, good airflow, and shelter from draughts and damp.

Grass hay, timothy or meadow hay, forms the backbone of a Rex's diet and should be on offer at all times. It keeps digestion moving and wears down teeth that never stop growing. Fresh leafy greens add variety and a bit of moisture, and a small daily portion of good-quality pellets tops up the nutrients. Fresh water needs to be available round the clock.

Treats and supplements

Fresh herbs and small pieces of fruit, apple without the seeds is a good one, work well as occasional treats rather than everyday food. A rabbit getting unlimited hay and a varied mix of greens usually needs no supplements at all. Check with a rabbit-savvy vet before adding anything extra, and keep treats to a small share of the overall diet.

The Rex is a generally hardy rabbit with a lifespan of about 5 to 8 years, and some go on well beyond that with attentive care. Most health issues are avoidable with the right diet, clean housing, and routine checks during handling. The short coat leaves the breed a touch more prone to pressure sores on the feet than rabbits with fuller fur.

Preventive care

• Keep unlimited grass hay on hand to support teeth and gut
• Use soft, solid flooring to protect the feet
• Check appetite and droppings every day
• Keep the rear end clean, especially when it's warm
• Book an annual vet check and ask about vaccination where it's relevant

A Rex needs an enclosure big enough to stand fully upright, stretch out, and take a few hops without bumping the sides. Solid flooring matters here, since the breed's lightly padded feet are prone to sores on wire. House it somewhere sheltered, indoors or in a covered spot, well away from draughts, damp, and direct heat, and give it daily access to a bigger run.

Setup checklist

• Solid-floor cage or pen with soft, absorbent bedding
• A litter tray in one corner
• A constant hay supply and a heavy water bowl or bottle
• A hide box, tunnels, and safe chew toys
• A shaded, well-ventilated spot free of draughts

Rex rabbits reach sexual maturity at roughly 5 to 8 months, with smaller individuals getting there a little sooner. For mating, it's usual to bring the doe to the buck's enclosure rather than the other way round. Gestation runs about 31 days, after which the doe kindles in a nest box she lines with her own fur.

Average litters run to 4 to 8 kits, born hairless with their eyes shut. The doe nurses once or twice a day, so it's normal for the nest to look quiet even when the mother is rarely seen with the young. Kits open their eyes at around 10 days old and start nibbling solid food not long after. Weaning happens around 6 to 8 weeks. Responsible breeding calls for healthy parents, close attention to coat quality and colour, and a plan already in place for where the young will go.