Holland Lop Info & Care
NAME: Holland Lop
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Oryctolagus cuniculus
AVERAGE LIFESPAN: 7-14 years
AVERAGE SIZE: around 4 lbs
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
They have a wide, short body, consequently giving them a compact body shape. They pose similarly to a cat, resting mostly on their hind legs and only slightly on their two front ones. The head is broad, with the distinct puff of fur at the back, called the “crown”. The crown should be thick and wide and raised above the head. While their stocky body and fluffy round head would have been enough to say these bunnies are cute, it’s their floppy ears that make this breed district. Without a doubt, their most famous feature is their large fur-covered ears which fall on either side of their heads. The ears are well-furred and thick, and there are in the shape of a teaspoon (rounded tips and wider at the bottom). The slack ears that frame their adorable faces only add to the appeal these bunnies have for prospective owners. This breed of rabbit is recognized in a variety of colors and groups. They are divided up into two classifications: solid (one color only) and broken (which contain patches of one or two other colors). Some (of the many) examples include chestnut agouti, chinchilla, chocolate and opal in the “Agouti” group, tortoise, seal, smoke pearl and sable points in the “Shaded” group and cream, fawn, frosty, orange, tricolor, and red in the “Wide Band” group.
TYPICAL PERSONALITY:
Individual rabbit personalities vary, but the majority of Holland Lops do share some personality traits. Holland Lops as a breed are friendly, curious and fun, and male Holland Lops might be friendlier than females.
ORIGINS:
The Holland Lop was created in the Netherlands by Adriann de Cock whose purpose was to have the results of a miniature French lop. This was done by breeding French Lops with the Netherland Dwarf, and strengthening the lop gene by adding in some English Lop blood.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Oryctolagus cuniculus
AVERAGE LIFESPAN: 7-14 years
AVERAGE SIZE: around 4 lbs
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
They have a wide, short body, consequently giving them a compact body shape. They pose similarly to a cat, resting mostly on their hind legs and only slightly on their two front ones. The head is broad, with the distinct puff of fur at the back, called the “crown”. The crown should be thick and wide and raised above the head. While their stocky body and fluffy round head would have been enough to say these bunnies are cute, it’s their floppy ears that make this breed district. Without a doubt, their most famous feature is their large fur-covered ears which fall on either side of their heads. The ears are well-furred and thick, and there are in the shape of a teaspoon (rounded tips and wider at the bottom). The slack ears that frame their adorable faces only add to the appeal these bunnies have for prospective owners. This breed of rabbit is recognized in a variety of colors and groups. They are divided up into two classifications: solid (one color only) and broken (which contain patches of one or two other colors). Some (of the many) examples include chestnut agouti, chinchilla, chocolate and opal in the “Agouti” group, tortoise, seal, smoke pearl and sable points in the “Shaded” group and cream, fawn, frosty, orange, tricolor, and red in the “Wide Band” group.
TYPICAL PERSONALITY:
Individual rabbit personalities vary, but the majority of Holland Lops do share some personality traits. Holland Lops as a breed are friendly, curious and fun, and male Holland Lops might be friendlier than females.
ORIGINS:
The Holland Lop was created in the Netherlands by Adriann de Cock whose purpose was to have the results of a miniature French lop. This was done by breeding French Lops with the Netherland Dwarf, and strengthening the lop gene by adding in some English Lop blood.
Feeding Your Bunny
DIET: Their diet should consist of 70 percent good-quality hay and the rest a balanced mixture of fruits, vegetables, pellets, and leafy greens. Bunnies need a constant supply of fresh water by bottle. Water crocks or bowls are also great options since bunnies have easy access and may drink more water, but they require frequent cleaning since bunnies get a lot of fur and hay in the water.
PELLETS: The main diet of a rabbit should be rabbit pellets. Rabbits can also be fed certain vegetables, and hay. The most common recommended amount of pellet to be fed daily is 1 ounce per 1 pound of rabbit. If your rabbit weighs 4 pounds, then it should receive 4 ounces of rabbit pellets. Bunnies up to 4 months old should be fed as much as they will eat. Good quality pellet should be 16% to 18% protein, and at least 16% fiber. Rabbit pellets can spoil or get mold on it, both can cause illness in your rabbit, therefore only buy enough pellets to feed your rabbits for about a month.
HAY: Bunnies need hay to keep their digestive systems moving and to keep their ever-growing teeth trimmed. Timothy hay or orchard grass are ideal, but make sure the hay is not moldy - most bagged pet store hays are not fresh. Unless you have a local farm with fresh pesticide-free hay, then ordering online is your best bet. Buying in bulk is fine as long as you keep the hay dry and ventilated. Since bunnies cannot vomit hairballs, fiber in their food and hay helps to keep things going towards the “exit.” Timothy hay is high in fiber and low in protein, calcium, and calories, so it is the most recommended hay for rabbits.
TREATS: Until your bunny is 6 months or older, they should receive no treats other than a pinch or two of raw oats once or twice a week. Always begin slowly and stop if your rabbit has mushy poop after eating a treat for many rabbits have quite sensitive digestive systems. You can offer a bunny that is older than 6 months about 1/2 to 1 cup of greens daily. At 6 months more rich treats such as carrots and fruits can be offered once or twice a week.
Good Veggies:
Herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, clover, peppermint, mint and dill. For fresh greens you can use spinach, kale, beet greens, mustard greens, and collard greens, romaine, and leaf lettuce. NO ICEBURG.
Carrot (small chunks only; feed sparingly - no baby carrot)
Pumpkin, squash, zucchini, bell peppers (feed sparingly)
Cauliflower, celery, eggplant, asparagus, artichoke
Pumpkin and radishes (leaves too)
Fruits: (small chunk or slice 1-2 times per week)
Apple (no seeds)
Banana (feed sparingly)
Pear chunk
Strawberry (leaves too)
Blueberries (leaves too), blackberries and raspberries
Plum/Peach slice, pit removed
Pineapple
Apple branches
Black oil sunflower seeds
Dandelions, flowers and grass that are found in untreated lawns
Cheerios (feed sparingly)
Oats
Pine cones
PELLETS: The main diet of a rabbit should be rabbit pellets. Rabbits can also be fed certain vegetables, and hay. The most common recommended amount of pellet to be fed daily is 1 ounce per 1 pound of rabbit. If your rabbit weighs 4 pounds, then it should receive 4 ounces of rabbit pellets. Bunnies up to 4 months old should be fed as much as they will eat. Good quality pellet should be 16% to 18% protein, and at least 16% fiber. Rabbit pellets can spoil or get mold on it, both can cause illness in your rabbit, therefore only buy enough pellets to feed your rabbits for about a month.
HAY: Bunnies need hay to keep their digestive systems moving and to keep their ever-growing teeth trimmed. Timothy hay or orchard grass are ideal, but make sure the hay is not moldy - most bagged pet store hays are not fresh. Unless you have a local farm with fresh pesticide-free hay, then ordering online is your best bet. Buying in bulk is fine as long as you keep the hay dry and ventilated. Since bunnies cannot vomit hairballs, fiber in their food and hay helps to keep things going towards the “exit.” Timothy hay is high in fiber and low in protein, calcium, and calories, so it is the most recommended hay for rabbits.
TREATS: Until your bunny is 6 months or older, they should receive no treats other than a pinch or two of raw oats once or twice a week. Always begin slowly and stop if your rabbit has mushy poop after eating a treat for many rabbits have quite sensitive digestive systems. You can offer a bunny that is older than 6 months about 1/2 to 1 cup of greens daily. At 6 months more rich treats such as carrots and fruits can be offered once or twice a week.
Good Veggies:
Herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, clover, peppermint, mint and dill. For fresh greens you can use spinach, kale, beet greens, mustard greens, and collard greens, romaine, and leaf lettuce. NO ICEBURG.
Carrot (small chunks only; feed sparingly - no baby carrot)
Pumpkin, squash, zucchini, bell peppers (feed sparingly)
Cauliflower, celery, eggplant, asparagus, artichoke
Pumpkin and radishes (leaves too)
Fruits: (small chunk or slice 1-2 times per week)
Apple (no seeds)
Banana (feed sparingly)
Pear chunk
Strawberry (leaves too)
Blueberries (leaves too), blackberries and raspberries
Plum/Peach slice, pit removed
Pineapple
Apple branches
Black oil sunflower seeds
Dandelions, flowers and grass that are found in untreated lawns
Cheerios (feed sparingly)
Oats
Pine cones
Grooming/Living Spaces/Bunny Health
GROOMING: A Lop’s coat is of the rollback variety, dense, glossy, and is medium in length. Their smooth and glossy coat does not require much grooming to keep it in good condition- the Holland Lop is a low-maintenance rabbit breed. As a rule of thumb, a weekly or bi-weekly grooming session should suffice. Simply brush your bunny with a slicker brush or a fur splitter (wide toothed comb) to keep their coat tangle-free and lustrous. Of course, the purpose of coat grooming is not only to maintain your rabbit’s beautiful appearance. Rabbits are avid groomers, and, as such, will ingest a lot of their own hair. This could lead to deadly intestinal blockage- so the goal is to minimize the amount of loose hair your pet can ingest.
MOLTING: Hair brushing is particularly important during the molting season that happens around 2 times a year. At the change of seasons, you may notice your rabbit will begin to shed a little more than usual. During these heavy-shedding periods, you will need to brush your bunny a few times a day.
BATHING: Bathing is never recommended for rabbits, as it can cause stress and that’s the last thing you want for your pet. If your Holland Lop gets dirty, simply use a moistened cotton ball to clean their fur.
NAILS: Bunnies’ nails need to be trimmed about every month to six weeks. It is often easiest to gently wrap your bunny in a small towel and trim one paw at a time. The only important instruction is to find the pink “quick” in the nail, and don’t trim too close. Cornstarch, flour, or blood-stop powder can help if you accidentally nick the quick. Use a flashlight or sunshine to help you see inside dark nails. Long nails will cause your rabbit pain, make him sit in an unnatural position, and may get caught in wires and snap off sometimes breaking the toe. If they get too long they can curl under and back into the toe, which is very painful for the rabbit. It is also very hard to clip the nails once they have started to curl.
HABITAT: The majority of bunny owners keep their pets indoors, as they are family pets, and the same is with the Holland Lop. In case you want to have your bunny hop freely about your house, you will need to rabbit-proof it. No wires, chords or other unsafe objects your bunny could chew on. They should also have their own litter and a cage to retreat to when they feel like it. An indoor Holland Lop’s enclosure should have sides made of strong wire to prevent them from chewing through the cage, but never with a wire bottom. Cages and hutches with wire bottoms will hurt your pet’s feet and lead to sore hocks, so make sure that they are only hopping on soft, comfy bedding instead. Pet owners need to spot-clean the bedding every day to rid it of feces and replace the entire bedding ideally every week. The cage should be large enough for the rabbit to stretch out comfortably- this shouldn’t be difficult, as the Holland Lop is relatively small. The minimum size is 18 inches by 25 inches, but bigger would be even better. Of course, no matter the how spacious the cage is, your pet will need a lot of out-of-cage time to exercise and be content. In addition to playtime in rabbit-proofed space, you can take out your Holland Lop for some outdoor fun. Let them hop and play in a safely enclosed part of the garden or yard, with your supervision, of course.
SUBSTRATE/BEDDING: A common misunderstanding is to place bedding all over the solid floor of the cage. This will confuse the bunny. Bedding/litter should only be placed in the litter box or the slide-out tray of a wire floor cage. Like most rabbits, Holland Lops require a bedding that is non-toxic, absorbent, and easily digestible should they choose to indulge in a late-night snack. Rabbits will chew on anything they can reach. If they are hungry, bored, or want to file their teeth down, they will chow down on whatever is closest so a bedding that allows for that will keep your bunny from getting sick. While grass hay, such as timothy hay, should be offered to eat in unlimited quantities and can be used for bedding, it is not the most absorbent. Urine will leak through the hay to the bottom layer and cause mold and odor. While rabbit feces are fairly easy to clean up and have very little odor, the urine has a strong stink. A better option would be to put the hay in a hay rack or fill one corner of the hutch with it and choose a more absorbent bedding for the bathroom needs of your little pellet machine. You should avoid using towels or other fabrics as bedding. Even though they are easy to clean, your bunny will munch on them and the long threads will tangle in their intestines which can lead to digestive issues or death. The pine and cedar shaving debate is still going strong with some experts saying that the oils in these softwood shavings will cause respiratory problems and even liver toxicity. Other experts point to studies that show no correlation between rabbit disease and these wood shavings. The general consensus is that pine is the safer of the two because it is less aromatic. There are cheaper, eco-friendlier, and cleaner options out there. Good bedding for Holland Lop bunnies will be organic, chemical-free, non-toxic and digestible. The three types of bedding that fit the bill aspen shavings, paper pellets, and paper pulp. Aspen, like all wood shavings, they have the potential to be varying levels aromatic and dusty, depending on the age of the shavings you receive, so if your Holland Lop has shown prior sensitivity, this may be one to avoid. That said, however, this option could work well for other rabbits. It is light enough that they can fulfill their need to dig and burrow and can absorb up to four times their weight in moisture which will keep your rabbit’s home dry and free of mold and other fungus. However, this will cause some dust to build up around the bunny’s home and will need a little more sweeping and dusting than a non-wood-based bedding. The bag consists of shrink-wrapped plastic, so you may need to store it in a different container to keep the shavings from spilling everywhere. The feel and odor of Aspen wood shavings can be very pleasant. The shavings are large enough that won’t tangle in the Holland Lop’s hair and some of the shavings are large enough for your bunny to enjoy chewing on. While pellets work amazingly well as litter, they are slightly hard, and your bunny may not find them comfortable for use as bedding in their entire hutch. That makes this not a very good choice for baby bunnies or ones that are not litter-box trained as it isn’t soft and comfortable. However, if your Holland Lop is proficient at using a litter box or a corner of the hutch for potty needs, these paper pellets will keep it dry and odor-free. The pellets are almost completely dust-free. They have a weight to them, so they won’t fly everywhere when your bunny feels the need to dig and burrow.
OUTDOOR TIME: It is important to give them plenty of time out of their enclosures/hutches. Indoor rabbits should be let out of their cages with access to roam around at least in one particular room, if not your entire home. The Holland Lop is a relatively active bunny and would also love to spend some time outdoors when the temperatures are just right. Fenced yards are wonderful, but if you have an open yard, investing in an exercise pen should definitely be a priority. This will give your rabbit a little bit of freedom without doesn’t allowing them to roam around into your neighbor’s property. Bunnies might seem more manageable than dogs or cats on paper, but when they get excited they will get away from you rather quickly and get up to all sorts of mischief.
KEEP IT HEALTHY: A Holland Lop is not susceptible to any hereditary health issues, but taking proper care of your rabbit will make their life (and your veterinary bills) better in the long run. Make sure you regularly check their teeth for overgrown teeth, which can grow into their jaws and mouths and become extremely painful. A diet high in hay will make sure this does not happen, as hay naturally files down a rabbit’s ever-growing teeth. Spaying and neutering can be done at a young age in a rabbit’s life. Does need not be older than six months before they can be safely spayed (some veterinarians will perform the procedure at four months, but most would rather wait until six months). Bucks, on the other hand, can be neutered as young as three months old and it is commonly known that spayed bucks make for less aggressive companions (although Holland Lops are not known to be aggressive at all, so neutering the buck may not do much).
TRAINING: You may find that your rabbit prefers one type of fruit to another (like apples, for instance). While it’s great that your hopper has found a delicious fruit he loves to nibble on, perhaps you can use his love for this fruit as an advantage and use it only during training as a treats. This trick can be used for animal in order to train them to do simple commands such as heeling or hopping or more complex things such as litter training.
LITTER TRAINING: To begin litter training, place the litter box in the cage corner your pet seems to prefer for urinating. Any urine you find outside the litter box can be absorbed with a paper towel and then placed in the litter box to help your bunny realize that the litter box is its bathroom. Do the same with any poo balls you can gather. It’s also a good idea to place the tube of hay or hay rack on the litter box, as bunnies often eat and poop at the same time. As your bunny gets the hang of the litter box, you can begin short play sessions in a small area outside the cage, but bring the litter box or have a second box outside the cage (make sure the box smells like a bunny bathroom). Getting your bunny spayed/neutered helps litter training to be more thorough, as many bunnies drop poo balls along their path as a territorial behavior caused by their hormones.