Objective To explore the sensitivity response to bacterial endotoxin of WHBE rabbits. Methods The fever was studied after the WHBE rabbits and Japanese white rabbits were intravenously injected bacterial endotoxin in different doses (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 EU/kg), and on the normal rabbits as the control group. Heating curves were drew, and analyzed the fever peak, the temperature difference at 180min, temperature response index and heating rate. Through curve fitting the fever threshold doses were calculated. Results The results of the study showed that the increase of bacterial endotoxin dosage had a promotive effect on the febrile response of the rabbits. It had no significant influence on gender factor for the febrile response of the WHBE rabbits and Japanese white rabbits induced by bacterial endotoxin. 5 EU/kg and 10 EU/kg dosages of bacterial endotoxin-induced pyrogenic reactions on WHBE rabbits were higher than those of Japanese white rabbits, and the heating rates of WHBE rabbits were 60.7% and 92.9%, while the heating rates of Japanese white rabbits were 39.3% and 82.1%. Furthermore, the pyrogenic threshold doses of endotoxin in WHBE rabbits and Japanese white rabbits were 5.72 EU/kg and 7.93 EU/kg after intravenous injection. Conclusion WHBE rabbits had better sensitivity on pyrogenic reactions induced by bacterial endotoxin and are suitable to pyrogen test.