Quick answer: Keep a Rex indoors on unlimited grass hay and a measured timothy pellet. Give it a solid-floor pen of at least 12 square feet. Plan for an adult that can reach the American Rabbit Breeders Association maximum of 10.5 pounds.
A Rex is an ARBA breed capped at 10.5 pounds with a short plush coat shown in 16 colors. This page is a research-desk brief that compares published ARBA figures with current maker labels. We did not keep Rex rabbits on site, run feeding trials, or score animals on a show table.
Our inclusion rule is narrow. We cover standard Rex only, not Mini Rex. We leave out muesli mixes, alfalfa-only adult diets, outdoor hutch-only setups, and show-conditioning routines.
We compare only adult foods whose maker pages list a crude-fiber minimum of 25 percent. We also include one grass hay.
What a Rex is, and what it is not
The American Rabbit Breeders Association lists the Rex maximum weight as 10.5 pounds. Use that number for housing, pellets, and handling.
ARBA also lists 16 color varieties for the plush coat. The same page calls the Rex the “King of the Rabbits.” It also calls Rex the number one fur-production breed.
ARBA dates the public debut to the Paris International Rabbit Show in 1924. John Fehr and Alfred Zimmerman imported the breed to the United States that same year.
Do not confuse this rabbit with a Mini Rex. ARBA lists the Mini Rex maximum weight as 4.5 pounds. That is a 6-pound gap at the official caps.
ARBA says Monna Berryhill developed the Mini Rex in Texas in 1984. The breed was recognized in 1988.
A standard Rex is a medium house rabbit. It is not a dwarf or a wool breed. Plan space and food for the 10.5-pound cap.
The Hay-First Rex Plan
We call our working method the Hay-First Rex Plan. Hay leads, pellets follow, and greens stay measured.
The House Rabbit Society states that hay should comprise 85 percent of an adult rabbit’s diet. The Merck Veterinary Manual, in its July 2026 pet-owner review, puts grass hay at 85 to 90 percent.
Those two figures agree. A Rex that fills up on pellets is off plan.
The House Rabbit Society says a good pellet should have 18 percent minimum fiber. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes pellets containing 15 to 20 percent crude fiber.
Our research team compared current maker labels against those published floors. The three adult pellets in the table all list fiber at 25 percent or higher.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials publishes a model labeling guide. That guide requires a minimum and a maximum crude-fiber guarantee on rabbit feeds.
AAFCO says the maximum may not exceed the minimum by more than 5 percentage points.
Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food lists crude fiber at 25.00 percent minimum and 29.00 percent maximum. Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets lists the same 25 to 29 percent window. Both sit inside a 4-point spread.
Supreme Petfoods lists Science Selective Adult Rabbit Food crude fiber as a single 25.0 percent figure. That is a one-number label, not a min-max pair.
House Rabbit Society pellet math is simple. Its diet page calls for 1/4 cup of pellets per 6 pounds of body weight per day. At the ARBA Rex cap of 10.5 pounds, that scales to just under 1/2 cup.
The Merck Veterinary Manual uses a different cue. It lists timothy-based pellets at about 1/4 cup per 5 pounds per day. At 10.5 pounds, that scales to just over 1/2 cup.
Oxbow’s adult table is higher at the top end. For rabbits over 10 pounds, Oxbow lists 3/4 cup of Essentials Adult Rabbit Food daily. Unlimited grass hay still sits beside that cup.
Those three published cues do not match. Use one table as a start, then watch body condition.
House Rabbit Society greens are measured too. Its diet page asks for at least 2 cups of chopped vegetables per 6 pounds per day. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists about 1 cup of fresh vegetables per 2 pounds per day.
Pick one published cue and stay consistent. Do not stack both.
The House Rabbit Society prefers timothy-based pellets for adults. The Merck Veterinary Manual says non-breeding adults generally should not get alfalfa hay or alfalfa-based pellets.
That is why first-ingredient order is in the table. Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food and Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets list timothy first. Science Selective Adult Rabbit Food lists alfalfa meal first.
For a wider pellet field, see our best rabbit pellets guide. This table is Rex-specific.
Coat care for plush fur
ARBA describes Rex fur as a short, dense, velvet-like coat. Guard hairs sit near the same length as the undercoat. That mutation made the breed.
The coat is short, not a no-groom coat. Rex rabbits still shed, and loose hair can mat in the plush pile.
Do not clip a Rex as if it were an Angora. The job is light brushing and a check for mats.
Our research team did not time Rex shedding cycles. Follow a written method instead of a calendar we did not measure.
Use our step-by-step rabbit grooming guide for hold and brush direction. A soft slicker or a rubber brush is enough.
See the rabbit grooming kit review for tool attributes. Skip metal combs meant for long wool.
Check the dewlap, the rump, and the hocks. Those spots trap shed hair first.
House Rabbit Society notes that rabbits who skip hay can develop painful points on the teeth. Coat care does not replace hay.
Temperament and daily life
ARBA does not publish a Rex temperament score. Any “calm Rex” claim that lacks a named study is marketing, not a standard.
House rabbits are social. The House Rabbit Society says they need several hours of supervised time outside the enclosure each day.
That applies to a Rex as much as to any other house rabbit. Treat each rabbit as an individual. Do not buy the breed for a promised lap-dog personality.
Children can help with hay and water. An adult still owns the daily care. The House Rabbit Society puts the pen in a family room, not behind a closed door.
A bored Rex will chew cords and furniture. Bunny-proof first. Add a hide, a tunnel, and a hay-topped litter box.
Housing that fits a 10.5-pound adult
House a Rex indoors. The House Rabbit Society lists predator risk, weather, and disease as reasons to keep rabbits inside. An outdoor hutch-only setup is outside our inclusion rule.
The House Rabbit Society puts the minimum indoor enclosure at 12 square feet of living space. The example on that page is a 4-foot by 3-foot pen. Larger is better.
That 12-square-foot floor is a living space, not a travel crate. The same group says a cage should be three to four times the stretched-out adult body length.
Pens are the preferred modern option on the House Rabbit Society housing pages. A cage can be a bedroom. It is not the whole home.
Use a solid floor. Wire floors cut Rex hocks. The short coat does not pad the feet.
Give the rabbit room to hop three or four times in a line. It should stand on its hind legs without hitting a roof.
A 10.5-pound adult needs more air than a Mini Rex. Keep the pen in a room you use. The House Rabbit Society warns against a solid closed door between you and the rabbits.
Add a litter box, a hide, and a heavy water bowl. Put hay in the box so the Rex eats where it toilets.
If you use a small cage, keep an open-door policy inside a larger bunny-safe area.
Pellet and hay attributes we compared
Comparing published specs, we kept four currently sold products. Each meets the 25-percent fiber floor or the grass-hay fiber listing. We did not rank them.
Oxbow lists mature rabbits as over 1 year for Essentials Adult Rabbit Food. Supreme Petfoods lists Science Selective Adult Rabbit Food for adults aged 20 weeks and older. Small Pet Select lists its timothy pellets for rabbits 7 months or older.
Those age gates do not match. Stay on a young-rabbit formula until the maker’s adult age, then switch slowly.
Oxbow’s own switch schedule runs four weeks. Week one is three parts old food to one part new. Week four is the new food alone.
Small Pet Select lists 1/4 to 1/2 cup per 6 pounds from age 1 to 5 years. That band overlaps the House Rabbit Society 1/4-cup cue.
Supreme Petfoods says a typical 2.5-kilogram adult needs about 60 to 70 grams per day. A 2.5-kilogram rabbit is about 5.5 pounds, not a full-size Rex.
Oxbow Western Timothy Hay lists crude protein at 7.00 percent minimum. Crude fiber is 32.00 percent maximum. Moisture is 15.00 percent maximum.
| Product | First ingredient on maker page | Crude protein | Crude fiber | Calcium | Maker feeding cue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food | Timothy grass meal | 14.00% min | 25.00% min, 29.00% max | 0.35% min, 0.75% max | 8–10 lb: 1/3–1/2 cup; 10 lb+: 3/4 cup, plus unlimited grass hay |
| Science Selective Adult Rabbit Food | Alfalfa meal | 14.0% | 25.0% | 0.6% | 60–70 g/day for a 2.5 kg adult, plus hay and vegetables |
| Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets | Timothy hay | 14% min | 25% min, 29% max | 0.4% min, 0.6% max | Ages 1–5 years: 1/4–1/2 cup per 6 lb, hay 24 hours a day |
| Oxbow Western Timothy Hay | Timothy grass hay | 7.00% min | 32.00% max | Not listed | Large handfuls daily; mix grass hays |
Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food lists vitamin A at 10,000 IU per kilogram minimum. Science Selective Adult Rabbit Food lists vitamin A at 20,000 IU per kilogram. Small Pet Select lists vitamin A as 8,650 IU per pound maximum, a different unit.
House Rabbit Society tells owners to wash vegetables for at least two minutes because of RHDV2.
FAQ
Is a Rex the same rabbit as a Mini Rex?
No. ARBA lists them as two breeds. The Rex maximum is 10.5 pounds, and the Mini Rex maximum is 4.5 pounds.
How much should an adult Rex weigh?
ARBA publishes a maximum of 10.5 pounds for the Rex. It does not print an ideal pet weight on that breed page. A house Rex under the cap can still be a true Rex.
How much hay does a Rex need each day?
Unlimited grass hay. The House Rabbit Society puts hay at 85 percent of the adult diet. The Merck Veterinary Manual puts it at about 85 to 90 percent.
Oxbow tells owners to place large handfuls of Western Timothy Hay in the habitat daily.
How much pellet should a 10-pound Rex get?
Oxbow lists 3/4 cup of Essentials Adult Rabbit Food for rabbits over 10 pounds, plus unlimited grass hay. House Rabbit Society math is 1/4 cup per 6 pounds. That is just under 1/2 cup at 10.5 pounds.
Start with one published cue. Then adjust for body condition.
Does the Rex coat need daily clipping?
No. ARBA describes a short, dense, velvet-like coat, not wool. Brush out shed hair with a soft tool.
Can a Rex live in a small pet-store cage?
Not as its only home. The House Rabbit Society sets a 12-square-foot indoor minimum and prefers pens. A small cage can be a bedroom if the door stays open into a larger bunny-safe space.
Are Rex rabbits good pets for children?
They can be, if an adult owns the daily work. The House Rabbit Society wants the pen in a family room, plus daily time out. ARBA does not publish a child-safe temperament score for the breed.
