It is very hard to mistake a Lop bunny for another breed due to their long floppy ears hanging down. These ears define them and what they are today, with different ear variations highlighting the different types.

So, let’s hop right in and find out all about different Lop rabbits and what it takes to care for them and keep them happy and healthy.

In This Blog

English Lop

An English Lop is the largest of all the Lop bunnies out there. Alongside their body being tall and long, their ears also match the rest of their shape, hanging beside them whilst nearly touching the floor!

Living between 5-7 years, these rabbits can make great pets as they are friendly, bubbly and love to play with those close to them. But this rabbit is not for the faint hearted and will require a large house for them to live in due to weighing an average of 4.5kgs.

Whilst they look incredibly cute with their super long ears, they can pose risks to their health. Due to the potential risk of their ears being dragged on the ground whenever they jump and hop around, they can develop sores which easily become infected, and if left untreated can develop into more severe conditions.

Intelligent and playful, this breed of Lop can be a great addition to your family!

French Lop

They may be slightly smaller than the English Lop, but they can weigh between 5-6kgs, which is heavier than the English Lop.

The way to tell these two Lops apart is the difference in their ears!

Unlike the English Lops ears which go all the way to the ground, the French Lops reach just past their mouths.

This bunny is a real softie and loves nothing more than being part of your family.

Unfortunately for you, these rabbits weigh quite a lot which means that they will need to be fed a lot. If you purchase a French lop, make sure you have lots of hay, rabbit pellets, fruit, and vegetables on hand.

Dwarf Lop

A smaller type of the Lop Rabbit is the Dwarf Lop weighing in between just 2-2.5kgs. This happy and sociable type of Lop bunny is quite active and enjoys company, no matter whether it is human or another rabbit companion.

To help keep these guys looking smooth and shiny, they should ideally be groomed 2-3 times a week for an excellent shine and to keep them in tip-top condition!

Provide them with toys, a space to run, leap, and hop, and the right diet, and you will have a happy Dwarf Lop!

Mini Lion Lop

It is safe to say, you will not mistake this breed of Lop with some of their relative Lops!

With its big fluffy mane and hairy chest, it is quite apparent where they got their name from and why they were given the moniker ‘Mini Lion’.

Along with their fluffy appearance, they are smaller than the rest we have spoken about so far, weighing in the range of 1.5-1.8kg.

This fluffy bundle of joy will bring you lots of joy and love within your family – you will never regret introducing them to your home!

Just make sure you care for them appropriately and meet their needs and they will be very chilled out pets!

Mini Lop

Do not let their size or cute appearance put you off. They may only weigh between 1.3kgs to 2.7kgs, but their body is strong and well-muscled whilst still being compact.

Due to their small size, these are typically seen as being house rabbits. Fortunately, they can live either inside or outside, but it is important to place their hutch out of direct light or heat, and also protect it from any strong winds and draughts.

We recommend having an area where you can house them inside when the weather changes dramatically.

We are sure your Mini Lop would really appreciate coming inside into the dry and warmth after all. Who wouldn’t?!

How To Correctly Care for A Lop

Lops aren’t very different to any other rabbit to look after and care for. They all require an adequate diet consisting of mainly forage with added pellets, rabbit safe fruit and vegetables as a treat every now and again.

Much like most pets, they can get health issues and one to be particularly mindful of is sores on their ears, specifically the English Lop due to their ears touching the floor.

It is advisable to check their ears regularly and if you notice anything out of the ordinary or they experience a change in behaviour, contact your vet as soon as you can to decrease the chance of anything escalating.

Whichever way you decide to house your rabbit, whether they are a house bunny with access to a run outdoors or live outside 24/7, they must have enough space to stretch their legs, hop around and burn some energy.

You may think that they are just hopping around and that is it…but allowing them to burn off all that energy and hop around is not only keeping them happy, it is preventing boredom related behavioural issues. This will keep their weight at a healthy level and ensure their joints remain mobile and working.

Doing so will provide a win-win for your new Lop pet! We also think it can be very entertaining watching your Lop bounce all around their run as their ears fly around.

Just make sure they don’t flap their ears too much or they might fly off!

There are many breeds of Lops out there for you to choose from. Whether you are wanting a bigger breed such as the English Lop, or you fancy something smaller and fluffier such as the Mini Lionhead Lop.

Whichever type you choose, each rabbit requires the same amount of love and care given to them for them to live a happy life with you.