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How Big Do Dwarf Bunnies Get? – Amazing Facts #Images

Rabbits or bunnies are beautiful and cute. Keeping them can indeed be a delight for the pet lovers. But, do you know that keeping a dwarf bunny has become a trend over the past few years. If you think the idea is good enough, there are a few things you should be aware of like how big do they get, how much is their life or how to get rid of mites on them.

In this post, we shall tell you the facts on how big do the dwarf bunnies get, their life and so on.

How Big do Dwarf Bunnies Get?

Well, that would be something that would depend on the species of the rabbit. They come with a host of advantages and benefits. They can be rather easy to handle and have been known to be living for long enough.

The ideal size of a dwarf bunny would be around 3 pounds. A host of them may be found to be weighing between 2 to 2.5 pounds. There are a few species that can reach a weight of up to 5 pounds.

The dwarf rabbits have dwarfing genes. Some of them may not have the dwarfing genes but can become dwarf due to selective breeding. There are a few mixed breed rabbits, and these are termed, false dwarfs.

If you want to know exactly how big do dwarf bunnies can get, it may be a good idea to check out a few species for a clear understanding.

Breed of the Dwarf Bunnies

Weight

Netherlands Dwarf Rabbit

Under 2.5 lbs

Dwarf Lop Rabbit

4.5 to 5 lbs

Dwarf Lionhead Rabbit

Under 3.75 lbs

Dwarf Hotot Rabbit

Under 3 lbs

Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit

Under 1 lb

Mini English Angora Rabbit

Under 3.5 lbs

Jersey Wooly Rabbit

1-3 lbs

Britannia Petite Rabbit

1½ – 2½ lbs

Miniature Cashmere Lop Rabbit

3.5 lbs

The above table must have given you a fair idea on how big the various species of dwarf bunnies get. Now, let us see their survival period.

How Long do Dwarf Bunnies Live?

Like we already stated before, dwarf rabbits live longer than their regular counterparts. The lifespan of a rabbit can change as a result of multiple reasons. It would be dependent on multiple factors such as the overall health, the diet, and the care that you shower on the pet.

Ideally speaking, every rabbit would be living better, and for a more extended period when kept indoors as a pet than it is kept outdoors. An indoor cat will not be vulnerable to predators or other issues such as extreme temperatures that it would be subjected to if outdoors.

The ideal lifespan for a regular rabbit is around 8 to 12 years. Do dwarf rabbits live for the same period? Experts claim that dwarf rabbits tend to live longer than the regular or larger rabbits. If you take proper care, they will live for more than 12 years.

The right option to make sure that your dwarf bunny lives long enough would be to take proper care and offer them the right kind of diet. Excellent dental care would be one of the factors that would ensure better health and subsequently, a better lifespan.

What makes Dwarf Rabbits What They Are?

The rabbits have since long been domesticated by humans. However, the major purpose of keeping them as pets during the initial days was to use them as food or for the fur. The thinking has changed in recent times, and the people have begun keeping rabbits as pets just the way they keep cats and dogs.

The dwarf rabbits have been one of the most common rabbit types that pet owners love to keep. They are easier to handle and can be quite cute when compared to the larger rabbits.

But, what causes this dwarfism in rabbits? The experts believe that the dwarfism in rabbits is due to the genetic mutation. The deactivation of the HMGA2 gene can be one of the reasons that are found to have affected the people face dwarfism.

There are some cases where some rabbit breeds are created through clinical procedures or genetic programs. There are a few issues associated with such induced dwarfism in some cases. Significant in that case would be tooth and jaw problems.

Now, let us see a brief description of different breeds of dwarf bunnies including the details on how big they can get.

Different Dwarf Bunny Breeds [Images of Few Full Grown Dwarf Bunnies]

Now that dwarf bunnies have become one of the trends in popular pets; there have been several new dwarf rabbit breeds being developed in recent years. There have been more than 49 recognized rabbit breeds currently available in the US and other regions across the world.

Some of the rabbit breeds you may find interesting can include:

Netherland Dwarf Rabbit

The Netherland Dwarf rabbit is one of the popular breeds among the dwarf bunnies. It is referred to as Netherland Dwarf as it originated in the Netherlands in the 1900s. The breed was created with the help of a Polish rabbit. These days the Netherland Breed is used these days as a means of foundation option for other breeds.

Netherland Dwarf rabbit

It can grow up to a weight of up to 1.75 to 2.5 pounds. The length would be around 33 to 50 centimeters. It has short, soft fur which is available in multiple colors such as gray, white, black, and brown. If you have small children at your home, they may not be the right choice.

These rabbits love a quiet environment and thus can be one of the excellent options for the homes that have an adult-only home.

Dwarf Lop Rabbit

The rabbit is also called a Mini Lop. They have long and floppy ears and thus can be a great option in terms of different sizes and shapes. The Dwarf Lop Rabbit is one of the latest rabbit breeds.

Dwarf Lop Rabbits

They were created with the use of larger breeds and smaller breeds to arrive at the best Dwarf Lop rabbits. You can have access to multiple colors and patterns. Even the fur is shorter and that we would find that the best option for low maintenance. They are best known for good temperament. If you love the calm and affectionate nature of your pets, the Dwarf Lop Rabbit is a great option.

If you have kids, make sure they are appropriately handled by your kids. Make sure you take enough care of them from ear infections and ear mites as they are found to be more susceptible to those issues. They also tend to have a narrow ear canal and thus become clogged.

American Fuzzy Lop

It should be one of the lowest weighing dwarf rabbit breeds. They weigh not more than 3 to 4 pounds under ideal conditions. They have a flat face, and that is precisely why they are referred to as bulldogs.

American Fuzzy Lop

They have wool fur, and they would be in need of a high degree of grooming. They would also need you to have special dietary needs. They can be quite social with humans. These rabbit breeds can be an excellent option with their playful nature. In fact, they would be one of the best options if you want your pets to be just like toys.

Coming to the health issues that they can face, the most common issues that they would face would be wool block problems. Just take care that they are groomed well to avoid that.

Britannia Petite Rabbit

It is one of the smallest rabbits ever and comes with just around 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. It is quite small and fine-boned. They also tend to be quite slender.

Britannia Petite

Just like Netherland Breed, these dwarf breeds are also evolved from Polish breeds. They do come with a full arch body. They also come with a wedge-shaped head and also have larger eyes. Erect ears and shorter and softer coat are a few features that would make it a great option. The shorter coat will ensure that you would need not much grooming.

The hare-like physique is what would make one of the attractive breeds. We indeed love the fine-boned structure offered by the dwarf breed.

Dwarf Hotot Rabbit

It only weighs 2 to 3 pounds when it grows up. The rabbit comes with a white coat. It does have a compact body with a shorter neck and a round head. It has a dense and short coat of fur. The ears are thicker and shorter.

Dwarf Hotot Rabbit

It is developed by breeding different breeds of rabbits with the regular-sized Hotot rabbit. Most of the Dwarf Hotot rabbits are bred from Netherland Dwarf and White Hotot. The cute ring around their eyes would make them look quite cute enough. Yet another feature we loved with them is rollback fur. That would mean the fur is upright when rubbed.

These dwarf rabbit breeds are known to be efficient and comfortable being handled by the owners. They have been found to be a good option for a family with kids. They are quick enough in learning tricks and things,

As for health issues, they are likely to develop issues such as malocclusion.

Holland Lop

The Holland Lops can reach a weight of 3 to 4 pounds at the maximum. If you are checking out the smallest rabbit breed with lop ears, this should be the best option for your needs. They are available in multiple colors and patterns.

holland lop

They train faster enough but do not like too much handling. That would make them not suitable for a family with small kids. Adult children should ideally be fine. The breed is known to be chewing a lot. It would be a good idea to offer it enough of chewable things.

Yet another special feature that these dwarf rabbit breeds come with would include they need plenty of playing space and also need a lot of exercises.

Jersey Wooly Rabbit

That should be one of the smallest breeds among the dwarf rabbit breeds that are quite popular enough. It comes with a compact body and small ears. The square and bold head give it the name Mug Head.

Jersey Wooly Rabbit

The Jersey Wooly rabbit is also referred to as “No Kick Bunny.” This has more to do with the fact that the rabbit breed is quite calm and docile in nature. They would need more brushing and cleaning during spring and shedding seasons. Avoid giving it a full bath. The rabbit can get extreme stress and cardiac problems.

The Jersey Wooly rabbit is bred with a crossbreed between French Angora rabbit and a Netherland Dwarf rabbit. The breed weighs around 3 to 3.5 pounds. The rabbit comes in multiple colors and patterns.

Dwarf Lionhead Rabbit

The dwarf rabbit breed weighs 3 to 3.75 pounds when fully grown up. They are named after lions because of the thick, medium-length fur that gives it an appearance of a mane. The rest of the body of the dwarf rabbit is short, and even the fur is not as dense as that on the mane.

Dwarf Lionhead RabbitThe breed requires additional grooming because of the mane. The Lionhead rabbit is likely to face a few severe health issues such as malocclusion, hairballs, and digestive and respiratory health conditions. They are one of the most preferred breeds, thanks to their affectionate nature. They love playing with their owners.

The breed was developed with a breed between Swiss Fox with a Netherland Dwarf. The thick and long coat would be one of the best options that make it one of the much-preferred options. You would need to keep it matt free by brushing its hair at least once in a week.

Dwarf Rabbit Health Issues

You can expect almost all the health issues you may come across in case of regular rabbits with dwarf rabbits as well, prime among them being mites on rabbits and the signs of shaking in rabbits. In addition, you can also come across a few other health issues solely related to their dwarfism.

Dwarf rabbits normally have severe breathing-related problems in many cases. Snuffle related breathing problems can include runny nose, sneezing, and inner ear complications. Yet another serious health issue quite common with dwarf bunnies would be Gastrointestinal stasis. This happens when the digestive system of the rabbit slows down and stops altogether.

An unspayed female rabbit can face issues such as uterine cancer. It would be advisable to opt for the spaying procedure right in time.

One major issue you would face would be severe dental issues. Rabbits have a significant issue where the teeth keep continuously keep growing. The abrasive diet takes care of the issues, but pet rabbits do not get access to such a diet usually. Dental malocclusion is yet another huge issue that you would come across.

Now, the most important thing is what diet plays a major role when dwarf bunnies are getting big.

What Type of Diet do Dwarf Rabbits Need?

Dwarf rabbits have a delicate digestive system. They would need diet quite rich in fiber. Quality hay, freshwater, and fresh greens are a few options that should get your task done. You can even go with the commercially available options as well.

Some of the hot favorite food items that your rabbits would love can include salad greens, parsley, carrots (with the tops), celery, broccoli, and radish tops. The point to remember here is that you should scale down the food quality and amount that have been designed for the regular rabbits.

You can also provide things to chew. Some good options can be chew sticks and apple, willow, or aspen branches.

It’s not just about the diet of your bunny, you also need to know how to take care of them.

How to Take Care of Dwarf Bunnies?

Dwarf rabbits can be quite skittish. Of course, every rabbit exhibits that behavior, but you would find it a little extreme in the case of dwarf Rabbits. However, they love being caressed.

The dwarf rabbits can be fearful in the beginning, but once they get used to the care, they will be the best in getting docile, sociable, and affectionate. In any case, we would advise socializing them right from when they are still babies.

  • Make sure you keep them away from direct sunlight, drafts, and loud noises.
  • Yet another essential factor that needs attention would be that they are not much kid-friendly. They are very small and delicate, and the way kids handle them can damage their back or other delicate body parts.
  • Rabbits love playing whenever they are free. Ensure that you have a good collection of toys so that they will stay in good health and do not get bored.
  • Grooming it regularly would be one of the excellent options to keep them safer. Make sure you brush the coat at regular intervals. Bathing the rabbits may not be a great choice. It can cause stress, shock, or even cardiac arrest in some severe cases.

These are basic care tips. You also need to ensure that your bunny is well vaccinated as per your location and the needed vaccines. This in all, shall keep the bunny healthy and cute enough to accompany you for a long period of your life.

Concluding Thoughts on Dwarf Bunny’s Size & Weight

Well, choosing and keeping a dwarf rabbit can be an extremely tough task as such. While they may be small in stature, they need a lot of space. Make sure you have understood everything well about the dwarf rabbits and the breeds available before you make a final choice.

We assume the tips and tutorials offered here should ideally help you get access to the best results in finding the right bunny and the right breed.

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