Rabbit colors
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Coat colors
Rabbits come in a variety of different coat colors, and different breeds may have different names for the same coloration. Colors may also belong in different groups depending on the breed.
The following table seeks to give a general overview of possible rabbit coat colors and may not be exhaustive or accurately described in accordance to ARBA for show and breeding purposes. See Rabbit coat genetics for a detailed description on deciphering color genotypes.
Color | Genotype | Group | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Agouti | A_ B_ C_ D_ E_ | Agouti | Also known as castor and chestnut. Overall impression is a reddish sand color edged with white. Back is a slate undercolor with thin orange/yellow band and black tips. Belly is a slate undercolor with white top color . Ears laced black. Underjaw, eye circles, inside of ears, under-tail are white. Nape of neck and groin streaks orange. Brown eyes. Nails are dark horn or black. |
Black | aa B_ C_ D_ E_ | Self | Entire coat is a rich jet black extending well down the hair shaft. Undercolor is a dark slate blue. Brown eyes. Nails dark horn or black. |
Black Otter | atat B_ cchdcchd D_ E_ | Tan | Main body color is black with a white or pale cream belly. Underside of chin and tail should be pale cream. The dividing color between body and belly color should be orange. Nostrils and triangle at back of neck should be tan. Eye circles and inside of ears should be fawn. Brown eyes. |
Black Tortoiseshell | aa B_ C_ D_ ee | Shaded | |
Blue | aa B_ C_ dd E_ | Self | The dilute color family of black. Entire coat is a dark blue extending well down the hair shaft. Undercolor is a slate blue. Brown or blue-gray eyes. Nails are dark or light horn. |
Blue-eyed White | __ __ __ __ __ vv | Self | Solid white coat color over entire body. Bright blue eyes. Nails pink. |
Chinchilla | A_ B_ cchdcchd D_ E_ | Agouti | Overall impression is a sparkling silvery-gray edged with white. Back is a slate undercolor with a pearly white band and black tips. Belly is a slate undercolor with a white top color . Ears are laced black. Underjaw, eye circles, inside of ears, and under-tail are white. Blue, blue-gray, or brown eyes. Nails dark horn or black. |
Chocolate | aa bb C_ D_ E_ | Self | Entire coat is a rich, chocolaty brown extending well down the hair shaft. Color similar to bittersweet chocolate. Undercolor is a dove-gray or light slate. Brown eyes showing ruby-red pupil in low-light. Nails are dark or light horn. |
Chocolate Chinchilla | A_ bb cchdcchd D_ E_ | Agouti | |
Chocolate Sable | aa bb cchl_ D_ E_ | Shaded | |
Cinnamon | A_ bb C_ D_ E_ | Agouti | Also known as chocolate chestnut or chocolate agouti. |
Cream | A_ B_ C_ dd ee | Agouti | |
Fawn | A_ B_ C_ dd ee (Hollands) A_ bb C_ dd ee |
Agouti | The dilute color family of orange. Back is rich golden-straw color with a pale-cream undercolor. Belly surface color, undercolor, and underside should be light cream to white. Brown eyes. |
Frosty | A_ B_ cchd_ D_ ee | Agouti | Also known as ermine, frost point, or frosted pearl. |
Himalayan | aa B_ ch_ D_ E_ | Self | |
Japanese Black | A_ B_ C_ D_ eje enen | Harlequin | Dense black and golden orange color. Brown eyes. Nails can be light or dark. |
Japanese Blue | A_ B_ C_ dd eje enen | Harlequin | Lavender blue and golden fawn color. Brown or blue-gray eyes. Nails can be light or dark. |
Japanese Chocolate | A_ bb C_ D_ eje enen | Harlequin | Dark chocolate and golden orange color. Brown eyes with a ruby cast. Nails can be light or dark. |
Japanese Lilac | A_ bb C_ dd eje enen | Harlequin | Body is golden fawn and dove gray with a heavy pink surface tint. Blue-gray eyes with a ruby cast. Nails can be light or dark. |
Light Gray | A_ B_ cchdcchd D_ E_ ww | Agouti | Body is a uniform light gray with ticking of black-tipped guard hairs and slate-blue undercolor with off-white intermediate band. Belly is white with slate blue undercolor. Undertail should match belly. Brown eyes. |
Lilac | aa bb C_ dd E_ | Self | The dilute color family of chocolate. Entire coat is a dove-gray with a pinkish tint extending well down the hair shaft. Undercolor is a light dove-gray. Blue-gray eyes. Nails light horn. |
Lynx | A_ bb C_ dd E_ | Agouti | Also known as lilac agouti. The dilute color family of cinnamon. |
Magpie Black | A_ B_ cchd_ D_ eje enen | Harlequin | Dense black and white color. Brown or blue-gray eyes. Nails can be white or dark. |
Magpie Blue | A_ B_ cchd_ dd_ eje enen | Harlequin | Lavender blue and white color. Blue or blue-gray eyes. Nails can be white or dark. |
Magpie Chocolate | A_ bb cchd_ D_ eje enen | Harlequin | Dark chocolate and white color. Brown or blue-gray eyes with a ruby cast. Nails can be white or dark. |
Magpie Lilac | A_ bb cchd_ dd eje enen | Harlequin | Body is white and dove gray with a heavy pink surface tint. Brown or blue-gray eyes with a ruby cast. Nails can be white or dark. |
Opal | A_ B_ C_ dd E_ | Agouti | Also known as blue agouti. The dilute color family of chestnut. Overall impression is a gray dusted fawn color edged with white. Back is a slate undercolor with thin fawn band (or wide fawn band) and blue tips. Belly is a slate undercolor with white top color . Ears laced blue. Underjaw, eye circles, inside of ears, under-tail are white. Nape of neck and groin streaks yellow-orange. Blue-gray or brown eyes. Nails dark or light horn. Opal is a dilute chestnut agouti. |
Orange | A_ B_ C_ D_ ee + rufus modifiers | Agouti | Also known as orange agouti. |
Red | A_ B_ C_ D_ ee ww | Wide band | |
Ruby-eyed White | __ __ cc __ __ | Self | Pure white coat color over entire body, right down to the skin. Bright blood red eyes. Nails white or flesh-colored. Dominant over BEW. |
Sable Marten | at_ B_ cchl_ D_ E_ | Tan | Body has a sepia saddle extending from neck nape to tail. Paler sepia color on flanks and chest. Face, outside of ears, front of the foreleg, outside of the hind feet, and upper side of tail should match saddle color. Undercolor should match surface color. Nostrils, inside of ear, triangle, chest, eye circles, jowls, belly, inside of front and rear legs, and under-tail are white. Evenly distributed white tipped guard hairs on sides, flanks, and rump. Brown eyes. |
Sable Point | aa B_ cchl_ D_ ee | Shaded | Nose, ears, feet and tail are a rich sepia brown. Colored points are to fade to a rich creamy body surface color. Creamy white undercolor. Dark shading around the eyes is allowed. Brown eyes. |
Sandy | A_ B_ C_ D_ E_ ww | Agouti | Body is a reddish sandy with dark ticking and slate blue intermediate color with brassy reddish intermediate band. Ears are laced with black. Belly and under-tail are cream to white. Brown eyes. |
Seal | aa B_ cchlcchl D_ E_ | Shaded | |
Self Chinchilla | aa B_ cchd_ D_ E_ | Self | |
Siamese Sable | aa B_ cchl_ D_ E_ | Shaded | Also known as black sable. Surface color of the head, ears, back, outside of legs, and top of the tail is a rich sepia brown. The sides chest, belly inside of legs, and under the tail is to fade to a lighter sepia color. The dark face color is to be gradual and free from blotches and streaks from the eyes to the jaws. Slightly lighter that surface color undercolor. Brown eyes. |
Smoke Pearl | aa B_ cchl_ dd E_ | Shaded | Also known as blue sable. The dilue color family of siamese sable. |
Squirrel | A_ B_ cchd_ dd E_ | Agouti | Also known as blue chinchilla. The dilute color family of chinchilla. |
Steel Gray | A_ B_ C_ cchdcchd D_ ESE | Steel | Body is a black steel gray with moderate even ticking of light gray guard hairs and slate-blue undercolor. Belly and under-tail is white with slate-blue undercolor. Brown eyes. |
Additional resources
- Wildriver Rabbitry, Genetics 101
- The Nature Trail. Rabbit Color Genotypes Chart
- Mink Hollow Farm. An Illustrated Guide to Rabbit Coat Colours*
- Dominik Czernia, PhD. (2023). Rabbit Color Calculator
The following are some miscellaneous breed-specific color guides from various rabbitries:
- LionheadRabbit.com. Varieties and Colors (Lionhead)
- Blossom Acres Rabbitry. Lionhead Color ID (Lionhead)
- Spring Creek Gems. Spring Creek Color Breeding Program (Netherland Dwarf)
- Cottonwood Farms and Kokopelli Acre. Color crossing rules for Mini Rex rabbits (Mini Rex)
- Wildriver Rabbitry
Eye colors
- Gatzby. (2018). Rabbit Eye Colors (17 Images)