Furry Diary

Opossum Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Also called Opossum, Opossum Rex, Opossum-Rex

Rare breedShort profile

From Sources differ: the Wikipedia breed list gives Switzerland, while the German Wikipedia traces an English version to breeder T. Leaver around 1924 and a German line to Joppich in 1928.12

At a glance the quick version

Weight2.7 to 3.6 kg1
Sizemedium

6-8 lb (2.7-3.6 kg).

One-of-a-kind stand-up curly coat
Rex coat in a longer length
Accepted in any recognised colour
12

Coat and looks how to spot one

long, curly rex fur

A Rex-type rabbit with a semi-long coat in which the curled hairs stand straight out from the body. It was bred to look like opossum fur and keeps the typical Rex character of shortened guard hairs.132

ColoursAny BRC-recognised colour1

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Rabbits keep themselves clean, so routine care is mostly regular hands-on checks of coat, nails and teeth.4

Home where they are happiest

Needs a secure living area of at least 3m x 2m x 1m so it can hop, play, stretch, hide and exercise, with toys and foraging opportunities for enrichment.4

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Hay should form the foundation of the diet, as constant chewing keeps the teeth worn down, with fresh leafy greens and a measured amount of pellets alongside. Carrots are best kept as an occasional treat.4

Company who they like around

A social animal that should live with at least one other rabbit; a neutered male and female pair is often the easiest match.4

The story where it all began

The Opossum was an attempt to create a rabbit coat resembling opossum fur. In England, T. Leaver produced a curly, long-coated rabbit around 1924, and in 1928 Joppich bred a single male with similar hair from a German short-haired litter. It remains a rare breed in the Rex section of the British standard.21

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Its curled hairs stand out at right angles to the body rather than lying flat.2

  2. 2

    The breed's name comes from the goal of imitating opossum fur.2

  3. 3

    It is the long-coated counterpart of the short, curly Astrex.3

  4. 4

    The first German example was a single male born into a short-haired litter in 1928.2

Recognised by the official bits

British Rabbit Council
Recognised in the Rex fur section; any BRC-recognised colour is accepted.1
ARBA
Not recognised.1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Opossum Rabbit. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

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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.

  1. List of rabbit breeds - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for weight, origin, coat and ear type, BRC/ARBA recognition
  2. Rexkaninchen - Wikipedia (German) de.wikipedia.orgused for Astrex and Opossum-Rex history and coat
  3. Rex rabbit - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for rex coat structure and rex mutation origin
  4. Rabbits - RSPCA rspca.org.ukused for general rabbit care: diet, companionship, space, enrichment

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.