Out of various miniature breeds of rabbits, Mini Lop is an amazing and one of the cutest rabbit breeds. It is recognized by the ARBA. The Mini Lop breed is often confused with the ‘Miniature Lop’ which is a separate breed. The Mini Lop is a similar breed like the Dwarf rabbits in terms of its size and overall look.
History of the Mini Lop
The Mini Lop rabbits originated from Germany in 1972 when Bob Herschbach found them in a show in Germany. The show was called German National Rabbit Show and the Mini Lop was called “Klien Widder” at that time.
Those Mini Lops were the first rabbits of this breed and originated from small Chinchilla and German Big Lop. The first generation of Mini Lop was available in Agouti and pure white colors. The next generation appeared with broken patterns. The breeder continued breeding and got successful in getting a high-quality breed of Mini Lop.
This high-quality Mini Lop breed was presented in the American Rabbits Breeders Association Convention in 1974, held in California. In this convention, it was decided to make this breed more compact and attractive.
Bob Herschbach registered more breeders for assistance in the completion of this task and ended up in a fine product with a compact size and more attractive appearance. The name of this breed was then changed to Mini Lop from Klein Widders.
Size & Weight
The ancestor of the Mini Lop was 8 pounds heavy but the Mini Lop had the desired lightweight and compact size according to ARBA. Its weight is about 3 to 6 pounds.
Litter Size
The female Mini Lop gives birth to a litter of 5 to 7 kits.
Lifespan
The average life expectancy for a Mini Lop is relatively more than other rabbit breeds. A MiniLop can live up to 12 years.
Body
Mini lops are small rabbits with compact, massive, thick, and attractive bodies. The body is well-rounded and muscular. They are often called “basketball with a head”. They have very short necks and it seems as if the broad and big heads are placed directly on their bodies.
This breed has furry and rounded ears that lop at the sides of their face. They have rounded eyes, mostly blue.
Fur and Coat
The body of the Mini Lop is covered with a thick and dense fur that makes a shinny and dense coat for the bunnies.
This coat is a luxuriously soft and medium-long rollback fur. This furry coat of Mini Lop is very easy to groom as compared to the wooly coat of various rabbit breeds.
Colors and Patterns
The Mini Lop is considered as a colorful breed that is available in various colors and markings. Some rabbits appear with point coloration. The points appear on the nose, ears, feet, and tails of the miniature bunnies.
The Mini Lop is available in colors like Black, Ruby-eyes white, Blue-eyed white, White, Chinchilla, Brown, Chocolate, Opal, Lynx, Lilac, Grey, Chestnut Agouti, Bluish-grey, Orange, Offwhite, and many more.
Personality and Temperament of The Mini Lop
The Mini Lop is an adorable breed of small dwarf size and a highly social personality. This is a furry and affectionate breed that looks like a teddy bear. They allow them to pick up easily and do not struggle if handled carefully.
They are the mellow creatures with jovial and laid-back temperament. These are suitable pets to be kept in houses with children. They stay happy while playing with children. Thye enjoy playing out of their enclosure and spending time with the owners.
The Mini Lops enjoy being surrounded by people. They also like exploring different parts of the house and hop everywhere. These are the curious rabbits that like to seek the attention and adoration of their owners.
They are the cute cuddling companions with a sweet disposition that makes them good pets not only for families and children, but also for couples, and single people.
They are playful bunnies that like to play with toys. You can bring rabbit -safe toys from a pet store or just give them a toilet paper roll.
Health Issues of the Mini Lop
The Mini Lop is a strong and healthy rabbit breed. There are no specific ailments and diseases for this little breed but the common health problems of rabbits are also a concern for the Mini Lop breeders and owners.
The first and the major issue of the Mini Lop is parasites. The rabbits that are kept outdoor are prone to the flies that lay eggs in the fur of this rabbit. The eggs hatch and the parasites start bothering the rabbit. They can cause irritation, loss of motion, and seizures.
The parasites growing in the fur can also approach the ears and can cause ear infections.
The fur of the Mini Lop can be easily ingested by the bunnies and can cause hairball issue like the cats. The stomach of the rabbits gets blocked and can be fatal for the rabbit if left unnoticed.
The ever-growing teeth are also a problem for Mini lops like all other rabbit breeds.
Nutrition of the Mini Lop
The best and the most usual nutrition for a rabbit breed like Mini Lop is grass hay and water. Lots of clean and fresh grass hay with plenty of water can sufficiently fulfill the nutritional needs of this breed.
This low energy hay with high fiber is good for the health and growth of the rabbit. If your rabbit needs extra energy, try Alfalfa hay which is a high-energy and calcium food item.
In addition to hay, small amounts of fruits and vegetables can also be added to the diet of a Mini Lop. The grassy leaves are a tasty addition to the food bowl of this miniature bunny.
The vitamins and minerals that are missing in the hay and vegetables can be obtained with a small number of pellets.
Care of the Mini Lop
The Mini Lop is a small breed but it needs all of its basic needs to be fulfilled if you want your Mini Lop to stay healthy and active.
This is a small breed that can be left open indoors. If you want to keep it in a cage, the cage must be 4 times wider than the size of the rabbit. The cage must be equipped with comfortable bedding, litter box, food bowl, and water bottles. Regularly clean the cage, empty the litter box, and replace old food and water with fresh hay, fruits, and clean and freshwater.
These social bunnies can not survive alone. They must be kept in a pair or the form of a group.
Daily grooming and brushing in the shedding season will keep the fur clean and will prevent the rabbit from falling sick due to the hairball issue. Otherwise, once a week brushing will be enough.
Examine the ears and teeth regularly and keep an eye on the growing teeth.
Trim their nails regularly to avoid any accidental scratch.
Wet fur can be fatal for the breed. So, avoid giving an unnecessary bath or making the Mini Lop wet in any case.
Final Words
Mini Lop is a social, affectionate, and loving breed that makes strong ties with the family and children. It is also suitable for couples and single people. It is a good choice for anyone who can assure you to fulfill the basic needs of this cute little lop. Want to know about other good rabbit breeds as well? Read this top 12 list of the best rabbit breeds.