Mini lop bunnies are one of the most wonderful bunnies on the planet. Although these little snowflakes are a tempting thing for young children, it is important to understand that rabbits require responsibilities for many years. It is therefore advisable to research the breed to the best of your ability before bringing Mini lop bunny into your home.
Before we dive into talking about the Mini Lop breed, we do want to point out that this breed is completely distinct from the Miniature Lop rabbit.
We know it sounds a little confusing but bear with us.
They are just different rabbit breeds with their own individual looks. In addition to this, the Mini Lop is recognized by rabbit breeder associations in the US, whereas the miniature lop is not. That is, instead, recognized in the United Kingdom.
Great! Now that is cleared up, we can take a little look at the Mini Lop rabbit breed in a bit more depth.
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The Origins of the Mini Lop Rabbit
The Mini Lop rabbit first appeared in Germany, but back then it went by the name Klein Widder. Obviously, this was not a name that was great for the American tongue, so it was renamed shortly after being imported into the United States.
These original Mini Lops were bred with a combination of the German Big Lop and the Chinchilla rabbits.
After this, the history of the Mini Lop does become a little bit convoluted. However, to cut a long story short, throughout the 70s, these rabbits were bred by various breeders.
This culminated in the rabbit being recognized as an official breed in the 1980s.
The Purpose of the Mini Lop Rabbit
Normally, when you are looking at rabbit breeds, it is clear that they were bred for a specific purpose. It would normally be for meat, food, science, and maybe a pet. However, that isn’t the case with the Mini Lop.
It seems that people bred it simply because it was fun to breed it. There was no real intention with their breeding beyond just wanting to create a rabbit that looked as brilliant as it possibly could. It is fair to say that the breeders behind the Mini Lop did a fantastic job at that.
The Appearance of the Mini Lop – Size, Colors and Lifespan
In comparison to the head of the rabbit, the body of the Mini Lop is absolutely huge. This is what it tends to be judged on. Successful Mini Lop rabbits have a nice and round body. Their ears are long and their head is wide, but the head looks completely disproportionate to the rest of the Mini Lop’s body… and it actually looks amazing like that!
The rabbit can weigh up to 6.5 pounds, so it certainly isn’t that small of a bunny! To be more precise:
- Male: 4.5 to 6.5 pounds (2 to 3 kg)
- Female: 3 to 6 pounds (1.4 to 2.7 kg)
The coat of the rabbit is absolutely beautiful, and it only requires the occasional brush to keep it looking fantastic. It is likely the quality of the coat that caught the attention of the breeders over 50 years ago, and they have been trying to refine the coat of the breed ever since.
Mini Lop Colors
The Mini Lop can come in a variety of colors, both broken and solid, so if you have a preferred color for your rabbit, then you are going to find it with the Mini Lop without a doubt.
Not all of these colors are suitable for official rabbit shows, but we doubt many people who are reading this page are planning on heading to a rabbit show with their bunny.
As already said before there are many Mini lop colors available: Chinchilla, Chestnut Agouti, Lynx, Opal, Black, White, Ruby-Eyed White, Blue-Eyed White, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Orange, Tri-Color.
Mini Lop Lifespan
The lifespan of the Mini Lop rabbit sits somewhere between 7-10 years, but they can live up to 12. It’s no surprise why people are so interested in this breed. It’s simply because they have a long lifespan.
The Personality of the Mini Lop Rabbit
For the most part, the Mini Lop is quite a docile breed of rabbit. Although, do bear in mind that this is going to differ on a rabbit by rabbit basis. However, it tends to be quite calm and tranquil. It loves human interaction too. This is an animal that seems to thrive indoors where it has constant interaction with humans.
One thing that many people notice with their Mini Lop is that it thumps its back legs on occasion. Now, all rabbits do this to some extent. However, the Mini Lop seems to do it a lot when it is trying to get your attention e.g. if it wants you to give it a treat.
It is quite an interesting quirk with this rabbit breed. It also means that it becomes a lot easier to train it to do certain tricks as it knows when a treat is going to be popping out!
The Mini Lop is a rabbit that does thrive a lot better when it is paired with other rabbits, so this may be something you want to look into if you have a bit of extra space in your home. It means that your rabbit is going to enjoy life a whole lot more!
Who is the Mini Lop breed for?
In our opinion, the Mini Lop makes a fantastic ‘starter’ rabbit for people. Obviously, by ‘starter’ rabbit we do not mean that it is not going to take that much in the way of care. It is. We are talking about the fact it is a calm animal, and it can thrive in pretty much any situation.
There are also no known health issues with the rabbit, which is always going to be a plus!
While the Mini Lop can live outside just as well as it does indoors, it is probably going to be a lot happier indoors when it has more of an ability to socially interact with people (and potentially other rabbits!)
Mini Lop Bunny Care
Caring for your Mini Lop rabbit isn’t really going to be all that different from caring for any other breed. Just make sure that you give the rabbits a quality diet and they should be able to thrive.
The one thing that we do want to point out, however, is the fact that the coat is very thick. This means that you do need to brush it once a week. If you fail to do that, then your Mini Lop may end up swallowing hair balls, which is not going to be a good thing at all as it can cause problems!
Cage for the Bunny
Mini lops require a lot of space to move around. Although you may think that this is a small breed, you should give them a large cage or fence for a lot of exercises. A two-level cage is especially good because it takes up less space and can be more fun for your rabbit to jump into.
The Mini lop bunnies like to feel safe and secure, so it is important to put a box or any kind of shelter somewhere in the cage so the bunny can hide in. A box that is dark and warm will be perfect.
Looking for a Mini Lop cage can be quite stressful when it comes to weighing the price versus the quality of the cage. Without a doubt, the best cages to start for beginners is with our recommendations of 2021’s best 10 Indoor and Outdoor hutches.
In addition, it is important to place a litter box in the corner of the cage. The rabbit will probably pick a corner by itself, so you may want to wait until it does, then put in a tray for easy litter training. If you are going to have Mini lop as a pet rabbit, a big plus is that they are fast learners in using a litter box.
They are an ideal breed to keep as a pet in an apartment. If the Mini Lop bunny is kept in an apartment make sure to take care of any cables and poisonous plants. They love to chew on cables and wires!
Mini Lop Food and Diet
As for any other rabbit, the staple of the Mini Lop diet should consist mostly of hay. Make sure that the bunny has access to hay and water 24/7.
Rabbits do love a good array of fresh vegetables and you’re doing the right thing when providing them with a varied and balanced diet that includes these. See more under What vegetables can rabbits eat.
High-quality commercial pellets provide nutrients in traces, vitamins and minerals that the rabbit may not receive if it is fed only with hay and fresh foods. However, not too much-pelleted food is needed for good rabbit’s health. Since rabbits have the tendency to overeat pellets, which can lead to obesity, it is necessary to take into account the amount of pellets in their diet.
Fruits should also take part in the Mini Lop’s diet. But in small quantities. just as a treat or a dessert.
Read more: What fruits can rabbits eat
It is also important to place some branches of apple to chew near his food. This encourages the bunny to chew something that is not your furniture. Moreover, it is essential for keeping their incisor teeth at a manageable length. They grow throughout their lives about 3-4 in (10 cm) per year.
Mini Lop bunny will eat a full bowl of food no matter how much you put into it, so it’s up to you to make sure they are no overfeed or underfeed.
What to expect when you bring the bunny home
When you first bring your new bunny home, the bunny will be very stressed and scared. It may not eat or drink for a day or so. This is completely normal and you can expect to have a happy and energetic rabbit in a few days.
It is recommended that you leave the rabbit in your cage for most of the first day. It will be tempting to take the bunny and play with him, but he needs time to adjust to his new environment. After a day, you can begin to introduce him to your home and other areas.
Remember that they are very social beings, so it is important that they receive love and affection. It is unfair to keep them in a cage all day, and this is likely to lead to behavioral and temperamental problems.
If your rabbit is going to live outside, you should vaccinate it against diseases that can be fatal for rabbits, so it is important to take care to prevent them.
Your new pet will bring you years of love and happiness as well as endless fun!