Netherland Dwarf/Holland Lop mixes

[lavendertealatte]

Hi there, does anyone have adult Netherland Dwarf/Holland Lop mixes and pictures?
There is a breeder selling these, and I need help deciding between the mix and a purebred Holland Lops someone else is selling.

I wouldn't be doing any rabbit shows or anything like that, but of course the cutest rabbit possible is preferable! oh and I do like lop ears. I hear the Nethie/Lop crosses are a toss up as far as ear lop is concerned but breeder says she should know by the 6th week.

 

[Hermelin]

I had a Netherland/Holland lop he didin’t have lop ears never got them, most of those mixes dosen’t get lop ears.

He just looked like a large Netherland Dwarf, with too long ears, dosen’t have a picture. If you are after loped ears buy pure breed instead.

 

[Aki]

I had one, he had 'airplane' ears most of the time and could make them straight but otherwise was the size of a normal Holland lop with a pointier face than a regular HL. With a mix you can't know what you'll get before the rabbit is grown - my bunny at the time had quite a lot of brothers and sisters and some looked like nethies, some looked like Holland lops with various degrees of loping.

He was a very nice rabbit who loved food and jumped very high despite having a deep incontrolable fear of heights (he often jumped on furniture to grab something but was then unable to get down by himself ^^').
I have a purebred Holland lop now. To compare, here is what he looks like - you can clearly see the difference with the previous rabbit in the shape of the head and the lenght of the ears.
I don't think one is better than the other. I would take the rabbit from the breeder who seems to care the most about their animals, I guess.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Hermelin -- Interesting! Good to know!
Thanks for posting pictures Aki! He doesn't look anything like a Lop to me!
Did you all notice any differences in personality that could be attributed to breeding?

For the breeders, the one that is breeding the purebreds seems more experienced and professional .. they have a website that shows they're part of the ARBA .. and their rabbits are also more expensive and they have a health guarantee. They seem to have been doing this for awhile now.

With the other, I can't really tell .. she seems to be new at it. Curious about those crosses though! I do like Netherland dwarfs as well.

 

[Hermelin]

My rabbit had a wonderful personality and was really nice but the rabbit I have now it’s even more.

Rabbit are more individuals so instead of going just after breeds, go after the personalities it’s more important. Myself I have a purebred netherland and both my rabbits never had a huge difference on personalities except that my purebred Netherland Dwarf have more energy than my mix had.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Yeah I always imagined Nethies to be the quintessential energizer bunny you know?
What rabbit do you have now Hermelin?

 

[Hermelin]

It’s a Netherland Dwarf was after a bew (blue eyed white) Holland lop but fell in love when I saw my rabbit. So I bought him instead from the breeder.

My rabbit have quite the energy but everyday I cuddle with him for 2 hours straight while he slowly fall asleep, it often happen many times during the day. So he have energy but it’s a cuddly rabbit at heart, that give a lot of kisses. So I rather go after personalities and the rabbit I fall for instead.

 

[Aki]

As you know, rabbits have been bred for their fur about always. And then for size and colors and loppy ears. Selecting rabbits for their personality was seldom done, so there isn't really any breed personality traits like for dogs. That said, the lops I've had where all pretty laid-back, including the lopx. My current holland lop (the one with the 'Thumper' coloring' ^^) is very veeeeeryyyy laidback. To the point where he doesn't care about hierarchy (which kind of a problem with Aki, my super nervous super hierarchy oriented Nethie), doesn't care about washing himself well (he's a pig, really) and doesn't care about danger at all (he will go sniff at a unknown guy fixing the heater with a hammer, a dog or a cat... and sleep on his back most of the time). The lop x was a lot more scared of things and less friendly outside of the people he knew really well. My Nethie isn't friendly at all. She wouldn't touch someone she doesn't know with a 10 foot pole.
But I think it can be attributed to the circumstances of their birth more than their breed - my nethie was born in a real burrow in a half-wild colony of rabbits, the lop x was from an oops litter and the rabbit family was kept in an outside hutch so they lacked human presence even if the owners of the doe looked nice enough, while my current lop is from a breeder who had only a dozen of rabbits and bred only holland lops who interacted a lot with her children and herself.
In the end, you never know what you'll get. And the idea of a super friendly rabbit is appealing but Aki, the super nervous unfriendly ready to bite grumpy wild Nethie will probably be my rabbit-soulmate and favorite forever - I don't think she loves me all that much (or like, anyone) but after almost 9 years of living together we've got a true partnership and I feel honored for her trust everytime she comes and let me touch her ears ^^.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Hi Aki! I didn't know that about breeding actually! Love hearing about your rabbits. The breeder who breeds Holland Lops I think has children who interact with the buns, so I hope they would be friendly!
We're planning to have kids in a few years, so a friendly rabbit who doesn't bite would be ideal.

 

[JBun]

Hermelin -- Interesting! Good to know!
Thanks for posting pictures Aki! He doesn't look anything like a Lop to me!
Did you all notice any differences in personality that could be attributed to breeding?

For the breeders, the one that is breeding the purebreds seems more experienced and professional .. they have a website that shows they're part of the ARBA .. and their rabbits are also more expensive and they have a health guarantee. They seem to have been doing this for awhile now.

With the other, I can't really tell .. she seems to be new at it. Curious about those crosses though! I do like Netherland dwarfs as well.

Being a member of ARBA or having more expensive rabbits, isn't really a sign of much of anything. Anyone can be a member, can charge a high price, and it's not necessarily a sign of the quality of the rabbit or the kind of care it receives. If you ever plan on showing/breeding yourself, do your research and find a good breeder with a good reputation, and know what the breed standards are so you know the characteristics that are important in the breed you pick. Would even be a really good idea to go to a few rabbit shows before ever buying a rabbit, so you get to know better what you want, what to look for, and who has a good reputation.

If you only plan on having a pet, like Hermelin said, you are better off not worrying too much about the breed in particular, but first making sure of the health of the rabbit, and then finding a rabbit that has a personality that seems a good match for you. Some breeds can have general characteristics like dwarf breeds being more energetic and larger breeds being calmer, but it's just a generalization and every rabbit is different with a distinct personality. Going by the personality and the connection you feel with a particular rabbit, is highest on my list.

For a pet rabbit, you might be better off finding a bun from a good rabbit rescue where the rabbit is already grown up so you will know it's adult personality(baby buns personalities can change when they mature), is litter trained, one that has already been spayed/neutered, and you can also get some info on the rabbits personality from the carers. There are good breeders out there with good rabbits too, but if you're planning on spaying/neutering and litter training, it's an extra hassle you will have to go through going that route.

Whatever you chose, best to always do your research first.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Hi Jbun! When I looked at ARBA it did seem like anyone could join, so I wasn't too sure what it meant. Thanks for confirming. Health would be the most important, but when they are babies, how can you possibly tell? What do you think are good questions to ask a breeder?
I only plan to have a pet, so what's really important after that is personality and look. Would it be safe to say a calmer bunny would be less inclined to dig at our carpet or chew furniture if we let it house roam? My friend's rabbit has free roam of the house and doesn't destroy anything -- and then I hear lots of other stories elsewhere about rabbits that are the complete opposite. Also being tidier than average with the litter box, if I can possibly search for that, is important to me! lol ... I keep hearing that baby buns can change personality as they mature -- does anyone have specific examples they can tell me about?
I have been suggested to go to a rabbit rescue many times, the spaying/neutering and litter box training is a huge plus, but the problem is they are so far away the profiles online seem nice but just don't tell me enough.. and I don't see hardly any lop ear ones. I went to one rescue and didn't really connect with any of the rabbits, and the cutest ones were not very friendly and too skittish for what I am looking for. No pets in our area on petfinder either! So I've kind of given up on the rescues ... but maybe if I wait until after Easter ....

 

[lavendertealatte]

Hermelin your rabbit sounds adorable cuddling with you like that! When you say more energy, what does that mean? Does that mean he needs more stimulation with toys? Likes to hop around a lot rather than laying down? Is it a euphemism for bunnies who like to chew things they are not supposed to?

 

[Hermelin]

My rabbit runs around a lot but he’s not a chewer or like even play with toys, so sometimes when he have quite a lot of energy I can find him up in bookshelves and the table running around.

He likes to run a lot but after he’s gotten out the energy, he always comes running towards you and want to lay down next to you and get cuddles. So he’s not a destructive rabbit.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Sigh that is so nice. My fear is that I'm going to end up with a rabbit that likes to chew carpet and we have new carpet and my husband would noooot be happy and then I wouldn't be able to let the rabbit free roam much in our house.

 

[Hermelin]

If you want to find out a rabbit personality, you can always adopt or get a little older rabbit but you can never know if they are diggers and chewers. It’s their instincts, my rabbit before was a digger. My whole yard had holes in it and I always had to fill up the holes and plant new grass.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Yeah, my first one was a digger.. would escape the backyard.. and my second one wasn't. Both were outdoor bunnies though.

I guess I'll keep waiting and see if an older rabbit comes along.. Do you think rescues would know though if their rabbits dig or not? I mean they're in xpens or cages so it seems like they wouldn't have a lot of opportunity to dig.

 

[Hermelin]

I don’t know because in my country we don’t really have rescues for rabbits there’s only 2 in the whole country and that’s about 10 rabbits. Instead there are breeders that take rabbits or get rabbits for free from people who dosen’t want their rabbits and those rabbits often live in stables or huge sanctuary. So it’s easy for me to see if a rabbit it’s chewers or diggers, while the rescue rabbits are most of the time free roaming rabbit indoors which you adopt.

 

[JBun]

I have a bun, that as a baby was friendly and sweet as can be. Once she matured she pretty much just wants me to leave her alone, aside from the occasional head rub. She is pretty stand offish now, but she's fun to watch doing her bunny 500's, as long as I don't dare try and pet her. Then I have other buns who's personalities pretty much stayed the same.

If you can find a pet or rescue and ask owners that you feel are honest, whether or not a rabbit is a chewer/digger, there's that. Otherwise it's really just a matter of luck finding a rabbit that's naturally house trained, or you have to rabbit proof.

I find that bucks are less inclined to chew/dig than does, but that's not a guarantee. I'm sure there are plenty of bucks out there that take joy in it. Larger breeds might be less inclined to dig/chew as in general they seem to be calmer, but again no guarantee. Larger breeds are also less prone to getting stepped on and injured by us owners, or injured by children, but they also may not have as long a life. Calmer lazier bunnies are likely to have less destructive tendencies than busy active ones. My little spayed dwarf doe is a busy little thing, and is always running, chasing, digging, ripping. My holland lop neutered buck is pretty calm, easy going, and not destructive, but has messy litter box habits as he was older, unneutered, and not litter trained when I got him. If a particular rabbit isn't working out, some places might allow you to exchange the rabbit but not usually. You can do your best to find the right rabbit for you, but sometimes you just fall in love and have to work around that particular rabbits personality traits and issues.

Best way to confirm health when you don't have the experience to do it yourself, is a vet check with a knowledgeable rabbit vet(research, as not all rabbit vets are created equal).
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
https://rabbit.org/faq-how-to-find-a-good-rabbit-vet/

If you can find a breeder that spends a lot of time interacting with their rabbits and getting them out to run around, that's ideal, especially if the rabbits also have interaction with kids. But breeding rabbits are usually mostly in cages, so there will be limited info that you can get where it concerns how the rabbit will be as a free roam house pet. You can ask about any known health issues. Ask about personality. If you pick a rabbit, ask about taking it to a vet for a health check and what the breeder will do if any health issues are found. Best to get any exchange and refund info in writing.

If you want to look over the rabbit yourself, maybe look up a youtube video on doing a health check on a rabbit. You want to feel the rabbit for a roundness along the back and no sharp protruding back or hip bones that would indicate weight loss and a possible health issue. Check the bum for mushy poop or urine staining indicating digestive or urinary issues; check around the nose and eyes for crusty fur indicating runny nose or eyes; look at the front teeth to make sure they are aligned properly(shouldn't be overgrown and the lower incisors should sit just behind the upper incisors); check the fur for missing fur, dandruff, flea dirt, or crusty skin; check the nails that they aren't overgrown; check the genitals for lesions, infection, sores; check the heels of the back feet for redness, inflammation, or sores(pink and/or calloused skin is normal); check the eyes for any cloudy spots; check the inside of the ears for any sores or crusts, or thinning fur around the ear base; look for normal hopping(no balance issues); look for any odd bumps, sores, etc; ask about any reoccurring digestive issues like wool block/gi stasis, bloat, mushy poop, lack of appetite; ask about any issues with increased thirst/urination

Here are some links to help you know what to look for. The downfall to reading all this, it can make you very aware of all that can go wrong with rabbits. There are some medical related photos, so don't proceed past the first link if that is uncomfortable for you.
http://www.rabbitresidence.org.uk/how-to-health-check-a-rabbit.html

Links contain medical related photos:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Clinical/Eye_diseases.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Diff/Alopcia.htm
http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/earmite/Psoroptes.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Treatment/Clipping.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/D_problems1.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Respiratory/Bacterial/URI.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Mechanical/Pod/Podo.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Differentials/Incontinence.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm

 

[lavendertealatte]

Thanks JBun! Well now I am more inclined to look for a rescue again. You sure your bun's personality is just her personality and not because of environmental circumstances? I would be pretty sad if my rabbit never let me pet her I know others are okay with that, but if I wanted a pet that didn't like human displays of affection I'd get a fish!

Thank you for all that information on health. I will take a look, should I feel motivated to soon. I have already been through one incident where we went to see a rabbit posted on Craigslist for adoption and it turned out to be sick. The person had not told us before we drove all the way out to see it. It had illness in its eye, which I saw because of the weepiness around it and actually one eye had completely turned white months ago. Luckily we have smartphones these days and can do some quick research and people post lots of good information, so it was enough to know something was wrong and it was possibly impending heartbreak or at least expensive vet bills. After that I took a break from looking for a rabbit.

I just found another person who is trying to rehome their two rabbits, and it sounds more promising. Hopefully its a fit but can't get my hopes up yet after getting surprised last time!

 

[bluebird]

Many breeders like me offer a health garauntee.ask if they do.ask if they breed for temperment not everyone does i do.ask if they will take the rabbit back if you cant keep it no matter why.i take back any unwanted rabbit i sold.ask if they show ,we are breeding to improve the breed not to make pets or money.ask if they belong to arba.ask how long have they been breeding.as far as digging most rabbits do it.chewing carpet is very dangerous if they eat any of it.breeders have adult rabbits for sale too and also sometimes retired showrabbits.rabbits do not have to have a friend.