TinysMom
Well-Known Member
So often we get posts that say "vote for your favorite rabbit breed" or "Whats your favorite breed".....etc.
I thought I'd do this a bit differently....I thought it would be nice to share what you like about the specific breed (or rabbit) that you have.
I have a large herd so I thought I'd share my thoughts on several breeds (feel free to do so if you're a multi-breed family).
My favorites have to be the flemish giants. I love these rabbits because they are *usually* so gentle. The girls will climb in my lap if I sit on the ground and many times they'll give me kisses. The boys always love to see me and want pets when I open their cage doors. When I put them outside - some of them just show such JOY at being outdoors and when they binky - it is really something to watch.
My second favorite is probably tied between the e-lops and the holland lops. In some ways I lean more towards the e-lops. The three that I have are very gentle in their nature - will sometimes give me kisses - and are just so fun to watch and play with when they're out of their cage. But - like a flemish giant - their energy level is low to moderate. There is a good chance that if I have to catch my elop...I'll be able to do so (even if it takes time). My holland lops are just adorable and love to flirt -but boy can the girls be mean to each other sometimes (when they're out on playtime and they want to breed). Their energy level to me is just....astounding. I sometimes wonder if the Energizer bunny is designed after them....they seem to just keep going and going and going. If one of them gets loose - it will take two or three of us to try and corner them and catch them. Boy...they're smart (elops are very smart too and love to get into mischief).
I think that Polish are becoming my next favorite - something that shocks me. I have one Polish doe that is 6 years old...but you wouldn't know it to watch her. When she gets upset - she'll chase after the dog and hip at her (and the dog is over 15 times her weight). Still yet - she loves to be held and cuddled and many times if I say her name and tell her that its her bedtime - she'll sit still for me to pick her up - and has been known to even come to me! She doesn't have the high energy level of the lops but she still is fairly active. She has a way of looking at me and I swear she's talking to me...its like she just finds some way to communicate. I can't get over the Polish breed and have seriously considered getting another at some point to see if they're all this sweet.
I'm torn on the next breed....I'm going to say Californians are next. There is something about this breed that I love but I'm not sure what it is. I have two brothers that have lived together now for almost two years (both intact). Yes...there's some mounting as one is dominant...but they are such sweethearts. This breed is another larger breed that I find to be fairly gentle with people. If I had a child that wanted a rabbit (say 10 years old or so), I think I'd want them to start with a flemish or a Californian as I think these are great "starter" bunnies for a family.
Lionheads are next - which is funny since I bred them for a few years. I adore their looks - and most of the ones I've had were well-behaved and had great personalities. One of them was not only self-litterbox-trained at 10 weeks of age - but he would pull his litter box forward to have it get changed every few days. I love their adventuresome spirit (sorta like holland lops)...and some of them are very energetic in their pursuits of trouble. I love the variety of colors you can get too. I don't think I'd breed them again because while I do like them....I am just more in love with the larger bunnies. But I've got to say - that if you get one that was well socialized - you can have a fun pet - and I've had a few snugglers.
Finally - the beverens. We've had what we think are the Beveren (sp?) rabbit and they are very gentle - yet somewhat regal looking. Jenny is 6 years old and while she's not overly people-friendly - she has such a gentle (and trusting?) spirit about her. I don't know much about the breed other than her....but I've got to say that I enjoy her a lot. I think if I spent more time with her - she would be more friendly.
So .... what about y'all? What do you like about the various breeds of rabbit that you have?
I thought I'd do this a bit differently....I thought it would be nice to share what you like about the specific breed (or rabbit) that you have.
I have a large herd so I thought I'd share my thoughts on several breeds (feel free to do so if you're a multi-breed family).
My favorites have to be the flemish giants. I love these rabbits because they are *usually* so gentle. The girls will climb in my lap if I sit on the ground and many times they'll give me kisses. The boys always love to see me and want pets when I open their cage doors. When I put them outside - some of them just show such JOY at being outdoors and when they binky - it is really something to watch.
My second favorite is probably tied between the e-lops and the holland lops. In some ways I lean more towards the e-lops. The three that I have are very gentle in their nature - will sometimes give me kisses - and are just so fun to watch and play with when they're out of their cage. But - like a flemish giant - their energy level is low to moderate. There is a good chance that if I have to catch my elop...I'll be able to do so (even if it takes time). My holland lops are just adorable and love to flirt -but boy can the girls be mean to each other sometimes (when they're out on playtime and they want to breed). Their energy level to me is just....astounding. I sometimes wonder if the Energizer bunny is designed after them....they seem to just keep going and going and going. If one of them gets loose - it will take two or three of us to try and corner them and catch them. Boy...they're smart (elops are very smart too and love to get into mischief).
I think that Polish are becoming my next favorite - something that shocks me. I have one Polish doe that is 6 years old...but you wouldn't know it to watch her. When she gets upset - she'll chase after the dog and hip at her (and the dog is over 15 times her weight). Still yet - she loves to be held and cuddled and many times if I say her name and tell her that its her bedtime - she'll sit still for me to pick her up - and has been known to even come to me! She doesn't have the high energy level of the lops but she still is fairly active. She has a way of looking at me and I swear she's talking to me...its like she just finds some way to communicate. I can't get over the Polish breed and have seriously considered getting another at some point to see if they're all this sweet.
I'm torn on the next breed....I'm going to say Californians are next. There is something about this breed that I love but I'm not sure what it is. I have two brothers that have lived together now for almost two years (both intact). Yes...there's some mounting as one is dominant...but they are such sweethearts. This breed is another larger breed that I find to be fairly gentle with people. If I had a child that wanted a rabbit (say 10 years old or so), I think I'd want them to start with a flemish or a Californian as I think these are great "starter" bunnies for a family.
Lionheads are next - which is funny since I bred them for a few years. I adore their looks - and most of the ones I've had were well-behaved and had great personalities. One of them was not only self-litterbox-trained at 10 weeks of age - but he would pull his litter box forward to have it get changed every few days. I love their adventuresome spirit (sorta like holland lops)...and some of them are very energetic in their pursuits of trouble. I love the variety of colors you can get too. I don't think I'd breed them again because while I do like them....I am just more in love with the larger bunnies. But I've got to say - that if you get one that was well socialized - you can have a fun pet - and I've had a few snugglers.
Finally - the beverens. We've had what we think are the Beveren (sp?) rabbit and they are very gentle - yet somewhat regal looking. Jenny is 6 years old and while she's not overly people-friendly - she has such a gentle (and trusting?) spirit about her. I don't know much about the breed other than her....but I've got to say that I enjoy her a lot. I think if I spent more time with her - she would be more friendly.
So .... what about y'all? What do you like about the various breeds of rabbit that you have?
They are very intelligent rabbits with a huge curiosity and mischievously innocent mind. Perfect for a young adult who has just as much energy as they do and who can laugh at the trouble they get themselves into.
