Holland Lop Rabbits as Pets: Costs, Size and Temperament

As a rabbit breed that isn’t even a century old (first genetically bred in the 50s and recognized a decade later), with eight categories of recognized colors and those universally adored, lop-sided ears, the Holland Lop has quickly become one of the most popular pet rabbit breeds recognizable today.

While their small size indicated their breed’s purpose for showing, their personalities have proven them to be loyal pets and companion animals to your other pets.

Read on to learn more about the unique features of this beloved pet from its mannerisms, temperament as well as dietary needs and potential problems.

Do Holland Lop Rabbits Make Good Pets?

Yes, Holland Lop Rabbits, owing to their irresistibly cute size, gentle; friendly temperaments, playful athleticism and intelligence, would make wonderful pets for the moderately experienced and expert pet owner who have time to spare in socializing with their pets.

However, rabbits as pets are not like Guinea pigs or hamsters who can be ignored in a cage and be expected to fend for themselves over prolonged periods of time. For beginner pet owners and especially children, taking care of a Holland Lop may be too daunting a task to attempt alone.

Nevertheless, Holland Lops are a somewhat resilient breed, in that they can live long and happy lives, and make yours fulfilling as well should you endeavor to be the best owner possible! Your efforts to train and earn the trust of these rabbits can reward you with many years of love and furry warmth.

How Long do Holland Lop Rabbits Live?

Holland Lop Rabbits live on average from 5 to a whopping 12 years, and can potentially live longer. Indoor rabbits in general are bound to live longer since they are safe from exposure to predators, parasites, elements of the weather and conversely are exposed to more attention from their owners.

Rabbits that are neutered or spayed are also proven to live longer, as excessive breeding can shorten a doe’s lifespan. The process also eliminates diseases that affect the reproductive system such as uterine cancer.

How Much Does a Holland Lop Bunny Cost?

A Holland Lop Bunny’s pedigree and quality, as well as the personal discretion of the seller will influence its price, which upon initial purchase can range anywhere from as low as 25$ to as high as 100$. The highest, show-quality ones can fetch a price from 75$ to a whopping 400$!

You can always avoid the initial purchasing price by adopting a bunny from a rescue or shelter rather than buying one from retailers, which does a favor to both your wallet and the rabbit. Before purchasing, come up with a list of questions to ask the breeder:

What is the breed’s history?
Do you offer the cage with the rabbit?
What is the history of the parents/owners of the rabbit?
Any health guarantees that come along with this pet?
Anything else included in the sale

The long-term costs for a Holland Lop rabbit shouldn’t exceed those of other rabbit breeds, as it requires the same amount of shelter and diet yearly. Other recurring costs that need to be factored in include bedding and the occasional visit to the vet.

How Big Does the Holland Lop Get?

As a dwarf species, the Holland Lop on average weighs no more than 4 pounds (although weight may fluctuate by 1 to 2 lbs upon purchase). Owing to their compact size, they are described as quite muscular with broad shoulders and pinched, deep hindquarters, with medium bones.

Holland Lops are the smallest lops, even smaller than “Mini Lops” whom are bigger by an extra pound or three (although 8 lb Holland Lops have been reported).

These rabbits have a compact body that’s packed with fur and muscles, which make them visually appear larger than they really are. However, the females are slightly larger than males in this species.

What is the Average Weight of a Holland Lop Rabbit?

The average weight of a Holland Lop Rabbit ranges from 2 lbs to 4 lbs (0.9 kg to 1.8 kg), and should not exceed more than 4 lbs, which categorizes the Holland Lop’s weight as a “small” rabbit as opposed to a typical dwarf category (2-3 lbs), even though are still technically dwarf rabbits.

How Much Should a Holland Lop Eat?

Disregarding the fact that they are rodents and thus have rapid metabolisms, even then a Holland Lop Rabbit should be constantly eating and chewing, as being a hypsodont, its teeth never stop growing and thus need to be worn down in order to prevent complications and injury.

An average sized pet therefore would eat at least ½ cup of pellets per day. This can be split up however you want it, from dividing it into ½ cup of pellets in the morning and afternoons, interspersed with handfuls of fruits and veggies in-between.

How Often Do You Feed a Holland Lop Bunny?

You can feed a Holland Lop Bunny by resupplying its pellets and hay a minimum of three times per week. This is to ensure an abundance of quantity as well as freshness of quality of its food, of which the Holland Lop rabbit will see to devouring by itself.

However, during the few occasions you’re trying to sneak fresh vegetables and/or fruit into your pet’s diet (allowing for some quality bonding time), you may feed it by hand as much as both of your schedules allow for it.

Notice that individual rabbits prefer certain fruits over others. For example, your Holland Lop may love apples but snort in disgust at being presented a weak sliver of cabbage.

High-quality hay should consist of almost 70 percent of their diet, while the rest can be up to the choice of the owner. Fresh water must be provided at all times for your rabbit.

Do Holland Lops Shed?

Holland Lop Rabbits certainly shed, just like other rabbit breeds, although not as frequently. Rather, Holland Lops may take one part of the year to shed a massive amount of fur, known as “molting” in the rabbit community. Even junior Holland Lops can participate in this activity.

After molting the rabbit will keep a nice, new healthy sheen of fur that will last for several months before more shedding or molting occurs. As the Holland Lop gets older the molting process may take longer and the new coat lasts shorter in its shine.

The pet owner contributes his/her part in the molting process by brushing off any dead hairs off the rabbit itself, and removing the cloud of fur surrounding the cage. During a particular heavy molt (especially during the change of seasons), refrain from taking the bunny outside and let it complete and rest from the process.

Do Holland Lops Like to Cuddle?

Obviously, the temperament and disposition of a rabbit will depend on its upbringing by the breeder, for which you can scout and evaluate before purchasing. Almost all rabbits dislike being held, but those whose owners have cultivated a trusting relationship would welcome cuddling.

Trust will take time to establish, which can be sped up through winning the Holland Lop through its stomach during feeding time (and with the aid of encouraging words). Cease approaches immediately if you observe them to add stress to your rabbit, as this will deepen alienation and cause indirect health problems down the line.

Do Holland Lops Smell?

Most rabbit species, being strictly vegetarians, hardly have any odor, provided that you regularly see to and maintain proper cage hygiene. Holland Lop rabbits are no exception.

Being small rodents with fast metabolisms, they are constantly pooping, for which the droppings can easily be collected and disposed of (but don’t forget, they can be litter-boxed trained which will make both of your lives easier!).

Being vegetarians, both their liquid and solid waste rarely stink, provided they don’t accumulate and just collect bacteria for weeks without cleaning the cage.

How Much Exercise Does a Holland Lop Need?

Holland Lops require plenty of exercise, as their activity levels are considered around moderate and below “high.”

Ideally, Holland Lop rabbits should be allowed to be able to exercise whenever they want to, either through an enclosed house or having a large cage perimeter that allows plenty of toys and running space. But if this is not possible, you can schedule fun “runs” by taking the animal outside when the weather permits it.

While a minimum of 4 hours of free running a day, which can be divided as one period for running in the morning and another in the afternoon or evening may sound taxing, taking the rabbit outside two to three times a week is totally acceptable.

You will find that outside, you will be following, or almost chasing after the rabbit as opposed to leading it on a leash like a dog.

Since their ancestors were prey animals, rabbits need to be constantly moving, otherwise their skeletal structures can suffer from inactivity.

Do Holland Lops Like to be Held?

Most rabbit breeds do not like to be held for a second too long, and Holland Lop Rabbits are not an exception, as they will only allow themselves to be held if they are held properly and securely by an owner they have spent considerable time with and trust.

How High Can Holland Lop Bunnies Jump?

Most Holland Lop Rabbits have been reported to jump a maximum of 2 feet, therefore plan your cage or fence height accordingly. While some sources or owners would say 24 by 24 inches is the minimum, you need not worry too much about a bunny hopping its fences.

Are Holland Lops Smart?

Yes, Holland Lop rabbits are an intelligent breed of rabbits, whose abilities to greet and follow the owner around and begging for attention or treats rivals almost those of an ordinary cat or dog.

Holland Lops can even be trained to use the litter box! Remember that the best time to train one is when it is hungry, and that patience and soothing language will assist in the cementing of the concept for your pet.

Holland Lops can be trained or conditioned to scheduled routines such as feeding time, and even engage in problem-solving activities involving toys and rewards (i.e. opening toy boxes looking for the carrot reward).

In addition to food rewards, they are also coaxed by the kind words and tone of their owners into doing certain tasks, and can easily unlearn bad behaviors just as fast. For example, their intellect can prove to be quite troublesome by constantly thinking of ways to escape their pen, either by chewing or digging their way out.

Are Holland Lops Easy to Care For?

While most rabbits of any species are not exactly easy to care for regardless of whether they are indoors or stationed outside, in comparison to other rodent pets such as guinea pigs or gerbils, you may be delighted to hear that the Holland Lop rabbit is one of the easiest rabbits to care for.

The most tedious work you’d have to do would be the grooming of their fur coats to prevent the over-buildup of furs which can result in hairballs and a messy cage. This can be done once a week.

Aside from grooming, you’ll have to feed the rabbit daily, and accompany it during exercise or play time to prevent muscular atrophy as well as ensure that the rabbit is emotionally content (Holland Lops love human attention!).

If you are a particularly busy individual with no spouse or partner to take care of the rabbit in your stead while away, having another Holland Lop or multiple ones can solve the social aspect of maintenance for your pet. Children under the age of nine, however, are best supervised when handling them.

Can Holland Lops Eat Tomatoes?

While the palettes of rabbits will vary with the individual rabbit, Holland Lops can eat tomatoes...however, preferably only as a treat. They should not eat too much as some individual rabbits may dislike the acidic taste of tomatoes and reject them without even taking a test bite.

Can Holland Lops Eat Lettuce?

Yes, Holland Lop Rabbits can eat lettuce, and other fresh leafy greens. Just make sure you’re providing nutritious, dark-colored leaves, as opposed to cheap, watery lettuces like iceberg lettuce, which can agitate a Holland Lop’s sensitive stomach by creating gas.

How Big of a Cage Do Holland Lops Need?

It’s recommended by some sources to have a cage that’s at least four times the size of your rabbit. While a 24 by 24 inch is cited by many as a minimum size for a cage, it may suffice only as a temporary cage, as Holland Lops require plenty of room to run and jump around in.

However, when selecting or making a permanent indoor home for your bunny, it’s best to work backwards: ask yourself if the perimeters of the cage can fit a litter box, toys, a hiding-place shelter, and enough room to run around in when it’s been set up.

You may want to take construction of a hutch or indoor cage in your own hands, as it will save you costs and allow customization and therefore even more space for your bunnies to run around in.

There’s no need to confine oneself to the typical quadrilateral fencing, when you can gather cheap plastic laundry materials or shelves and arrange them in something as simple as a hexagon over a fleece blanket.

Optionally, you can have your rabbits enjoy a form of free roaming by enclosing parts of the house and rabbit-proofing their wandering areas (outlets, electric wires, making sure the family dog or cat won’t bother them, etc.).

What Age is a Holland Lop Fully Grown?

Holland Lop Rabbits grow fast to maturity, and will, at around a mere 6 to 7 months of age, grow to their full size.

How Many Babies Do Holland Lop Rabbits Have?

The litter size of Holland Lop Rabbits ranges from 3 to 5 rabbits. The lesser number of babies is often ideal because a doe may be unable to feed more than six, as she only has six teats herself. The babies are called “kittens,” or “kits.”

It has been reported that in the wild, Holland Lop Rabbits may have 7 babies, for which one may inevitably die as a result of being unable to compete with the other infants for nutrition from the mother.

Unlike most mammals, Holland Lop mothers ovulate after they give birth. Breeding happens in seconds, and thus pet owners need to use extreme caution when letting pregnant rabbits around other playing rabbits.

Before giving birth, the mother will rip its own fur off its chin in order to build a nest warm enough for her babies to be insulated in, since they will be born hairless. The pet owner can assist in this process by covering her babies with a warm blanket after they have been delivered safely.

What Health Problems Do Holland Lop Rabbits Potentially Have?

You may be delighted to hear that there are no hereditary diseases that are unique to Holland Lops, although they do suffer from the same common ailments that may afflict the rabbit species, from threats of overgrown teeth to a condition called Snuffles.

Parasites is another issue, from which they are vulnerable to the same manners of bacterial, fungi and worms that other rabbit breeds and species are susceptible to. The risk of parasites can be mitigated by simply raising the rabbit indoors and feeding it clean or store-bought food.

One problem that may be unique to not Holland Lops but most smaller rabbits, is their sensitive digestive systems, which are easier to agitate through the over-feeding of fruits but otherwise pose no life-threatening or alarming concerns.

Holland Lops also indulge in constant shedding, slightly more frequently than other rabbit breeds which, if not assisted with grooming on behalf of the owner can result in the rabbit accidentally ingesting over-accumulated wool blocks as it grooms its own fur.

What is the Difference Between a Holland Lop and a Mini lop?

The main difference between a regular Holland Lop and a Mini Holland Lop, at least visually, is the difference in size, of which the Holland Lop is actually smaller than the Mini Lop, despite the confusing aspect of their naming!

Always remember that the Holland Lop is the smallest of the lops. Mini Lops will usually weigh 2 to 3 pounds heavier than a fully-grown Holland Lop, but both will have the signature droopy, lop-sided ears.

Otherwise, both rabbits share similar mannerisms, temperament, activity levels and depth of intelligence as pets. In fact, the Holland Lop can arguably be said to possess an even sweeter temperament in comparison to Mini Lops!

The common perception in social media and the internet views Holland Lops as more curious and playful, with a desire for attention from their owners, whereas Mini Lops are portrayed as more laid back and mellow in vigor. Of course, individual rabbits will vary in dispositions and upbringing.