(his first day at home)
I just want to know of other people who have experience with Mini/Holland Lops, is that true? How often do you take your bunny to the vet? What can I do to avoid the most common problems?
I got him from a big pet shop, cause here in Brazil, at least where I live, it’s hard to find bunnies up for adoption.
I’m also taking him to the vet today to learn more about everything.
It’s my first time owning a bunny, so I don’t know a lot 🥹
Infos: He’s free roam, eats lots of hay and has chew toys, no cables in his reach, I’m still improving his environments with new toys and things to do.
by licoricelx
16 Comments
Honestly, all breeds can be problematic and can really come down to the skill/priorities/ethics of the breeder that produced it. Pet breeds can be particularly troublesome as questionable breeders put “cute” over all other traits including health.
You can’t beat their cuteness. But they can be prone to eye , ear , nose & throat issues because of their flattened snout. Think a Pug or Bulldog. Mostly eye & ear though. Also, as I just learned today, they are prone to liver lobe tortion. My lop is going into surgery for this right now.
https://birdsandexotics.com/blog/twisted-tale-liver-lobe-torsion-rabbits-mme-matilda-munyon-rabbit-blogger/
Don’t feel heartbroken at that idea. I’m still in denial…my bunny is immortal… No no he really is.
I know a couple of people who’ve had lops & lived up to the age of 5 or 6.
Mines a mix lionhead-dwarf & I was gutted when I found out that dwarf breeds get dental issues. He’s also my first bunny… like you, I read up & asked the vet for info to know how to manage & pay attention to him.
Your mini lop is in a good home. enjoy his company & love. You’ll feel so great when you notice him trusting you more & more 😊 welcome to the club!
Hey! I’m brazilian too and I kid you not, I have a bunny EXACTLY like yours, same color and everything hahaha I have two Lops and a Netherland Dwarf. No issues with their health, usually bring them to the vet every 6 months or if I notice something wrong. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!
Never mind that. Such a beautiful coat. Give it all the love you can.
My Holland lop is 6 1/2 and still going strong. Just make sure to research and do your best to take care of him well. All we can do for our pets is give them the best life possible.
Out of all my buns our lop Hero has the most heath issues. They have gotten so much better now that he is over 3 but before I really had to watch for runny noses and make sure that I kept his environment super clean and stress free. I also think Hero having a wife bun keeping him clean and comfy helped a bit. I would never trade him for another bun that would be considered a “healthier breed” I love lop buns so much!!!
Love the magpie colouring, my Harlequin is magpie as well.
My lop is 6 and hasn’t had any dental issues yet! Our vet just checks her ears for swelling at the base (but I guess they can do corrective surgery for lop ears if they need to??). Aside from being a tad on the chunky side, there’s no reason for her not to make it until 9 or 10! 🙂
Check out this video: https://youtu.be/dpFG81LNVOg?si=5FIUXrY_47FCOzzQ
In short you want to look out for dental and ear problems it looks like your bunny doesn’t have a super flat face so you’ll probably just have to get his ears cleaned by a vet regularly
My lop was almost 10 years old when she passed away from lymphoma.
When she was younger, she did have a problem with her teeth and she would need to have them filed down at the vet every few months because she chewed unevenly. Eventually she corrected the issue herself.
I always rubbed the base of her ears a lot because her ear canals were super tight, but she never had an ear infection or anything.
Congrats on your new baby. He is super cute!
Yeah, people selected for genetic disorders with them. Dwarfism and lop-ears are both disorders and can be comorbid with other ones.
I have a lop that came into rescue very sick/neglected at 4/5 years old (I foster failed). I’ve had her 4 years and she had zero health issues with me!!
Congratulations! He’s gorgeous and in good hands with you! Three years ago I bought my lop Bonnie from a big pet store as well; she was my first bun and I didn’t know about adoption options at the time. (I have since adopted a Rex breed bun and bonded them). Bonnie went to the vet when she was a year old to be spayed. I groom her and trim her nails at home. Like your guy, she is free roam and has plenty of toys to chew/for enrichment. Her diet is hay, pellets, and greens (sometimes banana for a treat). Her health has been great! My vet specializes in rabbits and other “exotic” pets and recommends an annual checkup. Other than that I just give her good food, a fun environment and love. She is very independent and loves my company and often follows me from room to room however isn’t physically affectionate nor likes to be pet unless she is in the mood for it LOL. She makes our home cozy and has been a great companion for our Rex bun that we adopted, who unlike her needed some TLC when he got to our forever home. I hope this helps, and thank you for being a great bun owner!
Make sure his ears are clean! Down ears are better at trapping bacteria in them. Ask the vet about how to properly clean them.
My lop is around 10 and super healthy! His only issue is gripping the floor but a couple extra rugs solve that