Lop Rabbit

1 Breed Overview

The Lop Rabbit is one of the most popular pet-rabbit breeds today. Unlike other rabbits, its ears hang down, its body is not large, its temperament is gentle, and it lives harmoniously with people. Its only drawback is a rather short life — usually 5–7 years.

The Lop Rabbit was discovered in the 1970s and only became an officially recognized new breed at the 1980 American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) show. Its ears droop; by appearance the coat comes in short, medium, and long lengths, and the face shape also varies. Adult weight is about 2.5 kg and body length around 40 cm. Individuals differ from other rabbits in size, coat color, and length. Europe has several lop breeds, and ‘lop rabbit’ is their general name.

Key facts: Chinese name chui er tu (droopy-ear rabbit); aliases Bunny rabbit, Mini Lop, Dwarf Lop; temperament timid and easily startled, prefers quiet, cold-tolerant but heat-averse; reproduction viviparous (live-bearing); price not high, usually around 80–150 yuan.

2 Morphological Characteristics

The Netherland Dwarf Lop is often confused with the Mini Lop, but it is actually smaller. The Netherland Dwarf Lop weighs about 2–2.5 kg, with the ideal weight around 1.4 kg. The Mini Lop reaches 2.3–3 kg. Thanks to its naturally gentle temperament and cute, tiny size, the Netherland Dwarf Lop is a very suitable pet for young children.

3 Care Knowledge

A Lop Rabbit kept at home usually does not fall ill, but if the keeping conditions are poor or not to its liking, it can suddenly die, so the owner should mind its care routine.

One: About bathing the Lop Rabbit.

Don’t bathe a baby rabbit. Rabbits are very clean and lick their own fur every day, so bathing is not advised. If you must bathe, choose good sunny weather, and avoid water entering its ears — or it will get otitis media (middle-ear infection).

Two: Combing the Lop Rabbit.

Most lop breeds have a lot of fur, so at shedding season they lose far more than short-haired rabbits. If you don’t comb often, the coat mats easily, and over time skin redness follows from coat problems. Experts generally advise grooming a lop the way you would a long-haired breed, and the drooping ears are a key spot to groom.

Three: The Lop Rabbit fears heat.

The Lop Rabbit’s dense fur resists severe cold, but it fears heat because its sweat glands are poorly developed and it cannot cool by sweating. The comfortable temperature is 15–25°C for adults and 30–32°C for kits.

Four: The Lop Rabbit is a night owl.

By day the Lop Rabbit eats and then rests or sleeps in the cage, but at night it becomes unusually active and eats often. Tests show it eats about 75% of its daily feed at night, so you must keep feeding it evening hay.

Five: The Lop Rabbit likes a dry, clean environment.

It fears dampness, likes cleanliness, and hates filth. So in management you must create a dry, clean living space: keep the cage dry and scrub it every week; keep feed, water, and utensils clean. Dark, damp, stale air is the main cause of the Lop Rabbit’s infections.

4 Living Environment

The Lop Rabbit adapts strongly to its environment. A caged Lop Rabbit needs a comfortable floor pad; a free-roaming one should be trained to use a toilet, so the space stays hygienic.

1. The rabbit’s living space should be sanitary, dry, and ventilated; damp, unclean conditions breed bacteria and cause skin disease.

2. If a kit lives in a dog crate, add a board inside for it to rest its feet; without it, it gets pododermatitis (sore hocks), which is hard to cure.

3. A caged rabbit needs at least 1 hour of exercise a day.

4. To stop random messing, train it to use a toilet; clean its urine and droppings daily, or over time they release ammonia.

5. Don’t bathe a baby rabbit. Rabbits are very clean and lick their own fur daily, so bathing is not advised. If you must, choose sunny weather, avoid water in the ears (or it gets otitis media), and never use human products like body wash or soap. Dry it at once after bathing, or it catches a cold.

5 Feeding Guidelines

The Lop Rabbit’s staple food is best hay — it keeps the body healthy and helps wear the teeth, killing two birds with one stone. Vegetables and fruit are only occasional snacks; a rabbit that eats too many vegetables becomes smelly.

1. When you first bring a kit home, before naming it, give it coccidiosis prevention medicine — coccidiosis strikes acutely and many kits die of it; diarrhea is next.

2. If the rabbit gets diarrhea from vegetables, give it 4 tablets of lactase (or lactic-acid bacteria tablets / probiotics) promptly.

3. A rabbit’s teeth grow continuously, so give it a chew stick; some rabbits like to bite wires — watch out.

4. A rabbit has no sense of fullness, so control its portions or it may eat itself to death.

5. A rabbit should not eat much starch; starch is bad for it.

6. Never pick a rabbit up by the ears. The ears are vital organs; a rabbit has no sweat glands and must dissipate heat through its ears. The ears are not there to be grabbed — if you injure the ear nerves by grabbing, the ears will not stand or turn. The correct way: support the back with one hand and lift the rump with the other, keeping the legs and belly forward.