confused about lop breeds...

[zoecat6]

I have 2 young lops, both of the dwarfvariety. What confuses me is how can you tell the differencebetween a mini or a holland lop when they are young. Asadults I know that the holland lop is smaller. Pet storesnever seem to know exactly what they are selling which is annoying tosay the least and I don't know of any breeders in my area.Heres my first onewho is approximately 12 weeks old.

Here is the second one who is approximately 6 1/2 weeks old.She was only decribed as a mini rabbit by the pet store where she wasbeing sold at only 4 weeks old. I've been told by the pet storepersonel since then that all of the other 7 rabbits in her litter havebecome ill, one even having convulsions. In my opinion because theywere feeding them adult pellets and no hay, not to mention that theywere probably too young to be separated from their mother.When I brought sweetpea home shecouldn'teven walk on linoleum without her legs splaying out, but she is nowdoing great and runsall over without a problem now, and seemsvery healthy. I notice that she has a lot flatter nose thenmy first lop and am curious whether they are both holland lops or couldthey be possibly a mix of some kind? Anyway thanks for youropinions.

 

[pamnock]

The first one appears to be a Mini (or a Hollandwith poor type) and the second is a Holland Lop. At a veryyoung age, the two breeds often appear to be very similar.

Pam

 

[cirrustwi]

I actually have the same situation at my house.

Sage came to my store from a "breeder", I didn't clear taking thebunnies, my assistant manager did, so I didn't get to talk to them andthey didn't return my calls. Anyway, he was vet checked andwas ok and I fell in love, so I had to bring him home. Wewere told he is a mini lop, which I agreed with, but now that he isfull grown, he weighs almost 7 lbs, so I'm thinking he might be partfrench lop...maybe.

Daisy, was rescued from a reptile show. The people said theywere selling them for pets only, but at the price they were asking, Iknow people would have taken them for feeding. They told meshe was a mini lop, but now that she is full grown, I think she is aholland. She doesn't quite weigh 4 lbs. She alsohad a rounder nose and shorter ears (are these hollandtraits?).

Jen

 

[pamnock]

cirrustwi wrote:

I actually have the same situation at my house.

Sage came to my store from a "breeder", I didn't clear taking thebunnies, my assistant manager did, so I didn't get to talk to them andthey didn't return my calls. Anyway, he was vet checked andwas ok and I fell in love, so I had to bring him home. Wewere told he is a mini lop, which I agreed with, but now that he isfull grown, he weighs almost 7 lbs, so I'm thinking he might be partfrench lop...maybe.

Daisy, was rescued from a reptile show. The people said theywere selling them for pets only, but at the price they were asking, Iknow people would have taken them for feeding. They told meshe was a mini lop, but now that she is full grown, I think she is aholland. She doesn't quite weigh 4 lbs. She alsohad a rounder nose and shorter ears (are these hollandtraits?).

Jen

I'm guessing the "Mini Lop" is probably just a large Mini. French are huge -- weighing 10 1/2lbs. and over

Yes, the other rabbit sounds more like a Holland.

Pam

 

[zoecat6]

Whatother different characteristicsother than the obvioussize difference aretherebetween the holland and mini lop?

 

[pamnock]

The Holland head is well rounded, where the MiniHead is not a round ball in shape. The head mount of the Miniis very low, where the Hollands's is high, and they stand up on theshow table -- which also gives each a different topline. Inthe US, tort isa very common color for Hollands, where agoutiand steel colors are more common for the Mini Lop.

Pam

 

[Fluffy]

aww cute buns!! well i think the first 1 is a min lop and the other 1 is holland! great pics thanks for sharing!!

 

[cirrustwi]

pamnock wrote:

cirrustwi wrote:

I actuallyhave the same situation at my house.

Sage came to my store from a "breeder", I didn't clear taking thebunnies, my assistant manager did, so I didn't get to talk to them andthey didn't return my calls. Anyway, he was vet checked andwas ok and I fell in love, so I had to bring him home. Wewere told he is a mini lop, which I agreed with, but now that he isfull grown, he weighs almost 7 lbs, so I'm thinking he might be partfrench lop...maybe.

Daisy, was rescued from a reptile show. The people said theywere selling them for pets only, but at the price they were asking, Iknow people would have taken them for feeding. They told meshe was a mini lop, but now that she is full grown, I think she is aholland. She doesn't quite weigh 4 lbs. She alsohad a rounder nose and shorter ears (are these hollandtraits?).

Jen

I'm guessing the "Mini Lop" is probably just a large Mini. French are huge -- weighing 10 1/2lbs. and over

Yes, the other rabbit sounds more like a Holland.

Pam

Thanks Pam. He must just be a big guy. I actuallythink he is a little underweight. I'm taking him to the vetnext week (the first appointment I could get) so we'll see.I'm thinking of worming him soon. I really think it isbecause he digs in his pellets and half of them fall through the grateat the bottom of the cage.

Jen

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

cirrustwi wrote:

Ireally think it is because he digs in his pellets and half of them fallthrough the grate at the bottom of the cage.

Jen

Hi Jen,

The cure for buns that dig in their feed dish - raise it higher. Raise it to the point where he'll have to stand on hishind legs to reach in and get the food - he can't dig when he has tostretch over the edge of the dish to eat.

I have a few dish diggers here and this always works.The only trick is putting it high enough where he can't dig but lowenough where he can still clean out the bowl. For my MiniRex, the top of the feed dish averages 8 inches high from the bottom ofthe cage.



~Sunshine

 

[cirrustwi]

SunnieBunnie Rabbitry wrote:

cirrustwi wrote:

I reallythink it is because he digs in his pellets and half of them fallthrough the grate at the bottom of the cage.

Jen

Hi Jen,

The cure for buns that dig in their feed dish - raise it higher. Raise it to the point where he'll have to stand on hishind legs to reach in and get the food - he can't dig when he has tostretch over the edge of the dish to eat.

I have a few dish diggers here and this always works.The only trick is putting it high enough where he can't dig but lowenough where he can still clean out the bowl. For my MiniRex, the top of the feed dish averages 8 inches high from the bottom ofthe cage.



~Sunshine

I've done this for my ferrets, they havea bin feeder becausethey won't eat until they get fat, but my buns have ceramiccrocks. I'm thinking they would chew anything plastic that Icould easily raise off the ground. What kind ofdishes to you use?

Thanks,

Jen