At a glance the quick version
Livestock Conservancy: bucks 9-11 lb, does 10-12 lb. Wikipedia gives 4-5.5 kg with does slightly larger; PetGuide gives 9-11 lb. ARBA maximum 12 lb.
Coat and looks how to spot one
short flyback coat on a semi-arched (mandolin) body
A big, long-bodied rabbit with a gently arched 'mandolin' outline that rises toward the hips. The fur is fine, soft and lies back smoothly after being stroked.123
Personality what they are like
A relaxed, mellow rabbit that tends toward the quiet side. It is usually gentle when handled and settles happily into a calm household routine.321
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Not a high-energy breed, but it still needs daily time out of its enclosure to stretch, hop and explore; regular play with its owner keeps it engaged.35
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The short, silky coat is easy to keep: brush a few times a month and more often during heavy moults. Avoid bathing.3
Home where they are happiest
The RSPCA recommends a living area of at least 3 m x 2 m x 1 m high so a rabbit can hop, stretch, hide and play; a hutch alone is not enough and should be combined with a large run or daily free-roam time. Being a large breed, the American appreciates generous floor space; it can live indoors or outdoors with good shelter.53
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Mostly good-quality hay, with a measured portion of high-fibre pellets, daily fresh greens and vegetables, the occasional bit of fruit and constant fresh water.35
Company who they like around
Rabbits are a highly social species and the RSPCA advises keeping them with at least one compatible, neutered rabbit companion, plus calm, regular time with people.5
The story where it all began
Lewis H. Salisbury bred the first of these blue rabbits in Pasadena, California, keeping his exact recipe private, though Vienna, Beveren, Blue Imperial and Flemish Giant blood is suspected. First shown as the German Blue Vienna, it was renamed American during World War I and was a popular fur and meat rabbit until numbers dropped after the 1950s. Dedicated breeders have since helped it recover.123
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It was first called the German Blue Vienna and got its American name because of anti-German feeling during World War I.1
- 2
The Livestock Conservancy describes the blue variety as having the deepest blue colour of any rabbit.2
- 3
Because one of its suspected ancestors, the Blue Imperial, no longer exists, recreating the breed from scratch would be very hard.1
- 4
The breed is included in Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste.1
Recognised by the official bits
- ARBA
- Blue variety recognised in March 1918 by the National Breeders and Fanciers Association of America (ARBA's forerunner); White added in 1925. Today two varieties, Blue and White, with a maximum weight of 12 lb. National club: americanrabbits.org.2
- ARBA
- Listed as a recognised breed in Blue and White, maximum weight 12 lb.4
- The Livestock Conservancy
- Listed on its heritage breed Conservation Priority List in the Watch category (Wikipedia notes it was Critical in 2005 and Threatened in 2012).2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a American Rabbit. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- BrushingDaily while moultingevery week
- Nail trimevery 6 weeks
- Teeth checkTeeth never stop growingevery week
- Fresh hayUnlimited hay every dayevery day
- Spot cleanevery day
- Full cleanevery week
- Bottom checkCheck the fur around the tail stays clean, especially in summerevery day
- Free roamAt least 4 hours of running space a dayevery day
- VaccinationsSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upevery year
You might also like
Beveren
Flemish Giant
New Zealand Rabbit
Vienna RabbitLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- American rabbit - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, history, varieties, weight, body type, conservation history, fun facts
- American Rabbit - The Livestock Conservancy livestockconservancy.orgused for conservation status, history, weights by sex, varieties, temperament
- American Rabbit - PetGuide petguide.comused for lifespan, temperament, grooming, diet, housing
- Recognized Breeds - American Rabbit Breeders Association arba.netused for ARBA recognition, varieties, maximum weight, national club
- Rabbits - RSPCA rspca.org.ukused for space guidance, companionship, general care
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.