Within the group of dwarf rabbits, among which are the Dutch dwarf rabbit or the lionhead rabbit, we find the mini lop rabbit This little bunny stands out for his ears, because they are, far from being like those of other breeds, they hang down on the sides of his head. They are considered to be the miniature variety of the belier rabbit, also known as lop rabbits.
Origin of the mini lop rabbit
The mini lop rabbit breed originated back in the 70s, when they began to be shown at shows in Germany. It was there that some breeders crossed belier or lop rabbits with other varieties, such as chinchilla rabbits, seeking to dwarf the belier. Thus, they first obtained specimens of what is now known as the dwarf lop, to then continue the crosses and give rise to the mini lop, which until 1974 was called Klein Widder which means “hanging ears”.
The mini lop rabbit breed was accepted by the American Rabbits Breeders Association in 1980, becoming an official recognized breed. Today, it is one of the preferred pet rabbit breeds.
Physical characteristics of the mini lop rabbit
Mini lops are rabbits of small size, rarely exceeding 1.6 kilograms in weight, with an average of 1, 4 and 1, 5 kilograms. Their life expectancy is usually between 8 and 10 years.
The body of the mini lop is compact, solid and with strongly developed muscles. The legs of these rabbits are short and hairy. The head is wide and curvilinear in profile, with a wide snout and marked cheeks. The ears are prominent at the base, long, rounded and always hanging to the sides of the head, hiding the inside of them. They have large, round and very bright eyes, and their color matches that of their fur.
The fur of these rabbits is short or medium, depending on the specimen, it is always very dense, soft and shiny. It is abundant in the ears, legs, head and tail.
Mini lop rabbit colors
There is a wide range of colors included in the official standard of the breed, some of them are:
- Cinnamon
- Blue gray
- Orange
- White
- Chocolate
- Chinchilla
- Tricolor
All these colors, and some more not mentioned, can be either solid or white-based bicolors, as well as tricolors.
Mini lop rabbit character
The mini lops stand out for being adorable bunnies, because not only do they have a captivating appearance, but they are also friendly, active, playful and extremely tame and affectionateThey like to give and receive affection, so it's not hard to see them begging for pets or staying for hours on their owners' laps.
They are never aggressive, on the contrary, their sweetness makes them ideal for families with small children, the elderly or single people, as they exude love and patience.
Mini lop rabbits can be nervous if they are not getting enough activity, but if they are free to move around in a large enough space and toys at your disposal, it will be enough.
Mini lop rabbit care
Mini lop rabbits require some attention to be he althy and have a balanced character. One of these cares is to have a space adapted for them If we need to have them caged, it is recommended that this be for the shortest time possible, in a conditioned, clean cage and large.
His fur requires constant brushing, it is recommended to brush it practically every day or every other day. Baths are not recommended, nor is peeling.
Your diet must be based on the intake of fresh vegetables, hay and specific feed for dwarf rabbits. You must always have a source of clean and fresh water at your disposal. Here is a list of recommended fruits and vegetables for rabbits. On the other hand, to prevent digestive problems in our mini lop rabbit, it is also important to know what foods we do not give him.
Prohibited foods for rabbits
Among the foods that are bad for rabbits, the following stand out:
- The potato
- The sweet potato
- Garlic
- The onion
- The Turnip
- Leeks
- The banana and the banana
- The avocado
- Bread
- The seeds
In short, we should avoid giving our rabbit foods with sugar or fat. For more information, we leave you this other article "Forbidden foods for rabbits" where you will find a much broader list.
Mini lop rabbit he alth
The he alth of mini lops can be affected by a number of factors. One of the most notorious is that the anatomy and morphology of their ears make them very sensitive to ailments of the auditory apparatus One of the most common is otitis, infections of the heard that, in addition to being very painful, they can wreak havoc on the he alth of these little ones. To avoid them, it is best to perform regular ear cleanings with specific products for them. We can ask our veterinarian to teach us how to clean our rabbit's ears, being essential to make sure that, once the cleaning is finished, the ear is completely dry, since humidity is a big problem for bacteria.
Other diseases of the mini lop rabbit
Other conditions they may have are:
- Uterine cancer
- The development of hairballs in the rabbit's stomach
- The deadly viral hemorrhagic disease
- Dental problems
- Infections such as coccidiosis
Mini lop rabbit for adoption
If we are looking for a mini lop rabbit to be part of our family, we recommend thinking twice, just like when adopting any other animal, because it is a commitment that we cannot break. Before adopting a mini lop rabbit, we recommend taking into account the advice in this article: "Tips for adopting a rabbit". Also, keep in mind that, although the mini lop rabbit is sociable, it is still a prey animal in nature, so we must be patient with ituntil we earn your trust.
Once you have taken this into consideration, we advise you to first go to animal protection associations, because in this way we promote responsible adoption and we combat animal abandonment.
