09/22/2026
I'm working on a project and came across this awesome post. Pedigrees and registering. All the info you need. 📃🐇🥕
I often get a ton of questions about pedigrees and registration and what the difference is between the two. In short, not all pedigreed rabbits are registered rabbits, but all registered rabbits are pedigreed. My hope is that this post helps answer and explains a lot of the frequently asked questions about pedigrees, registration and their significance !
Let’s start with what a pedigree is !
A pedigree is simply a written record of a rabbit's ancestry that is produced by the breeder who bred the rabbit. Think of a rabbit pedigree as a family tree that contains at least three generations of the rabbit’s family. The pedigree must include the rabbits parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Three generations is the minimum requirement, but some pedigrees may go back several more generations.
Now that we know what a pedigree is, let’s get into the specifics of what it must contain.
A completed pedigree should contain certain information. A full pedigree at minimum must contain the prefix + name given by the breeder, Date of birth, ear number, weight, and color (variety) of the rabbit. The other three generations of rabbits (Parents - Great Grandparents) must have the prefix + name, ear tattoo, weight, and color (variety) listed for each rabbit listed in the lineage. Additional Information that can also be listed on the pedigree for each rabbit is the date of birth, registration number, the grand champion number, the number of legs if applicable and some like to list their winnings also.
A rabbit without a pedigree CAN be shown however a rabbit who does not have a completed or full pedigree with name, color, ear number, and weight for each rabbit listed on the pedigree cannot be REGISTERED or Granded with the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association).
I know the terminology can be confusing, all rabbits do have four legs however A leg is also the name for the award a rabbit receives when they have won their class at an ARBA sanctioned show. In order to receive a leg there must be at least five rabbits in the class and three different exhibitors in order for a leg to be won. It is possible for them to win their class and not gain a leg. A rabbit is eligible to become a grand champion once it has won three Legs. In order to become a Grand champion it must first be registered.
Pedigreed Rabbits are not automatically Registered. There is a process they must go through, and they are not automatically registered because their parents were registered.
In order to be registered the owner must be a current ARBA Member, The rabbit must be inspected by a licensed registrar and they must meet all the senior requirements for the breed and variety. The registrar will review the pedigree, weigh and inspect your rabbit, once the inspection is complete and Application will be filled out and signed. Once the application is complete the rabbit will be tattooed with the registration tattoo placed in their right ear. (It does cost a small fee to register your rabbit). The application is then sent off and you will receive your registration paperwork in the mail in a few weeks.
You can find a registrar at any ARBA sanctioned show, or you can located one using the ARBA website
Since pedigrees are created by breeders, how do pedigrees remain accurate even after several generations?
The truth is a pedigree is only as accurate as the person who wrote it, and is not a measure of the quality of the rabbit. It is important to always assess the rabbit as a whole, and not make decisions based on the pedigree.
It is CRUCIAL to not alter ANY of the information listed on the pedigree. A common issue I see is the person who purchases a rabbit changing the prefix or the rabbitry information of a rabbit that they have purchased. The name/prefix listed on the pedigree should NEVER be changed. The rabbitry name or initials listed on the pedigree are there to give credit to the breeder/rabbitry with producing that rabbit and to enable others to track down and ask questions later down the road if needed. Our prefix is “Cofield Farms”, all rabbits produced by us and sold with pedigrees will have this prefix listed on their pedigree along with their ear number or name that they were given by us. This allows us to keep up with our rabbits, and hopefully see them listed on someone else's pedigrees someday!
The pedigree should ALWAYS give credit to the breeder who produced the rabbit and the name should not change based on who the owner is. This ensures accuracy and being able to track bloodlines and offspring years later. When this information is changed on a pedigree you are taking credit for producing a rabbit that you did not produce, This is considered unethical, and can alter the legitimacy of the pedigree, not to mention cause a large amount of trouble down the road if someone attempts to track down the original breeder. Changing names, changing breeder prefixes, and changing other important information is detrimental to the years of hard work and breeding that has gone into the animal ! It is important that ALL information on the pedigree remain the same in order for the pedigree to remain an accurate record.
Pedigrees can be hand written, made using a template, or made using computer software. We have used global pedigree in the past but have been using kintraks for around a year and I love it.
Almost all of our rabbits are fully pedigreed but not all are registered that is something we are working towards 💕
We only sell our Brood/Show quality rabbits with pedigrees, Pet and homestead rabbits we do not sell with pedigrees. Please enjoy the example pedigree of John and Jane doe above ❤️
I hope that this is helpful and as always if you have any questions please let me know ! If anyone would like to add anything I may have missed feel free to do so in the comments !
Here is the Link for more information about registering your rabbits through ARBA
https://arba.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/HOW-TO-REGISTER-A-RABBIT-or-CAVY-rev-7-17-23.pdf
https://arba.net/for-registrars/
