HOLLAND LOP CARE

Below is what I personally do for my bunnies and what I recommend for rabbits that are born at my rabbitry. There are several things listed below to help you have a successful transition of your baby bunny from our rabbitry to your home. If you have any other additional questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you for taking the time to read and enjoy your new bunny!

FEED:

I feed my rabbits 1/2 a cup of plain, green pellets daily for individual rabbits. Your rabbit has been eating the Summit brand of rabbit feed. Any plain, green pellet from any feed store will be fine, just be sure the protein range is 16%-18%. 

I have given you a baggie of my pellets that you will mix half-and-half with your pellets when the bunny comes home. This makes the transition much easier for them. Changing a rabbit's feed too rapidly may be fatal.  I have also given you a bag of YQ+ that you should add to their food to aid with the food transition. I do 1 Tbsp/day for weaning bunnies and during food transitions. 

WATER:

Rabbits need clean, fresh water available at all times. If the rabbit gets too thirsty, it may also stop eating and starve as well at get dehydrated. I add Apple Cider Vinegar (With The Mother) to their water as well (1 Tablespoon/gallon). If you use a water bottle and a rabbit stops eating, the first thing to check is that the rabbit is able to get water from the bottle (check if clogged, etc).

HAY:

Rabbits need hay in their diet for proper digestion. They can't have good gut health without it. Hay also helps wear down rabbits' constantly-growing teeth and prevents boredom if it's always available. Hay should be fed daily. Our rabbits are fed Oxbow Timothy Hay. If your rabbit is molting (heavy shedding/coat change) feed unlimited hay until molt resides.

TREATS:

Rolled oats are also very good for rabbits. Never use "quick oats". I feed mine a tablespoon of oats occasionally as a treat. Rolled Oats are also good if the bunny has soft poops and/or diarrhea.

​

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) are another favorite. 1 Tbsp/day max. Too much BOSS can make your bunny molt.

​

Fruits and Veggies are NOT part of my rabbits regular diet, they are only given sparingly as a treat/reward. If you want to feed fruit/veggies please note that they can increase gas and the chance of bloat, GI stasis, etc. so do so sparingly and in moderation. I alternate Kale and Parsley a couple times a week and they are given fresh Papaya and Pineapple when molting. 

​

DO NOT EVER feed any rabbit under 6 months old ANY fruits or veggies. NEVER feed your rabbit lettuce, no matter their age. It can give them serious diarrhea and stomach aches!

Good For Bunnies:

Apples (no pits or seeds) and Apple branches, Artichoke, Asparagus, Banana (no skin), Basil, Beet greens, Blackberry leaves, Black oil sunflower seeds, Cardboard (pieces or toilet paper tubes), Carrots and Carrot tops, Cauliflower, Celery, Cheerios (not many), Clover, Coriander (Cilantro), Dandelion greens and flowers, Eggplant, Grass, Kale, Mint, Mustard greens, Oats, Parsley, Peaches, Peppermint leaves, Peppers (sweet), Pineapple, Pine Cones, Plums, Pumpkin and leaves, Radishes and leaves, Shredded Wheat (plain), Spinach, Strawberries and leaves, Summer squash, Zucchini

​

 Bad For Bunnies:

Apple seeds, Baby carrots, Banana peel, Broccoli, Cabbage, Candy, Carpet, Cherries and leaves, Citrus peels, Corn, Dried fruit, Lettuce, Nuts, Pear seeds.

Do not feed any lettuce, EVER! Iceburg should be absolutely avoided at all costs. It can cause diarrhea in both adults and babies, and it can be very fatal and give painful stomach aches. Baby carrots should also be avoided because they are high in water content and are processed differently than big carrots. Fruits with high sugar content should be avoided or fed in small amounts. Rabbits go crazy for bananas but it is high in sugar and should be regarded as a treat, rather than a daily fruit or veggie.

NAIL TRIMMING/GROOMING:

Your rabbit’s nails will need to be clipped once a month or so or whenever they become as long as the hair on their feet. Long nails will cause your rabbit pain, make him sit in an unnatural position, and may get caught in wires and snap off sometimes breaking the toe. If they get too long they can curl under and back into the toe, which is very painful for the rabbit. It also very hard to clip the nails once they have started to curl. .I use cat nail trimmers. You should clip just a little bit at a time and stop when you think you've gotten close enough to the quick. The quick is the blood supply in the nail. If you clip this it will hurt your rabbit and he will bleed. Don’t let this discourage you from trimming your bunny’s nails, usually the quick is fairly down the nail and you need only clip off a little bit each month.

Holland Lops have a low maintenance coat (fur) and are typically fine with being groomed once a week. If molting, daily grooming is recommended. I usually just dampen my hands and run my hands over the coat backwards, getting any loose hair off that way. You can use a fine comb to get out any small mats that may appear around the sides and to fluff up the crown, etc. if needed, but I have found plucking is easier and the rabbits prefer it. 

​

Bunnies do not need baths. They are very good at cleaning themselves and lick themselves just like cats do. NEVER immerse a bunny fully into the water. You can cause them to go into shock and possibly die. You can soak it's bum or feet if needed, but only occasionally and as sparingly as possible.

Every day check on your baby bunny's bottom. They are still learning to clean themselves and sometimes forget to or make a mistake while they are cleaning. Don't be surprised if you see a chunk or ball of poop on the bunny's butt; this is normal and is quickly outgrown. Your baby is very sensitive in this area so avoid pulling the fur or brushing it violently. Use a damp wash cloth, napkin or paper towel to wipe the area clean. You can also soak the bunny's bottom in a dish of warm water but this is really messy. You can also clip the poop off with scissors, but you have to be very careful because that can be dangerous. Rabbit's skin is very delicate.

​

Bedding:

​

I recommend Pine or Aspen shavings or pellets. I personally use Pine pellets. DO NOT use cedar. It is Toxic to rabbits.

Toys:

Your bunny is used to having the following toys:

• Paper Towel/Toilet Paper Roll filled with hay 

• Plastic "cat" toy/ ball

• Chew Sticks (apple, willow, & bamboo)

• Wood block 

• Resting mat if wire bottom cage 

• Pine Cone 

I do give them more toys as they get older. If you have any questions whether a toy is safe for your bunny, contact me and I will help you!

BRINGING BUNNY HOME:

When you bring your new bunny home, avoid handling it too much if he seems scared and/or stressed. Once a day for 5-10 minutes is fine for the first three days. Rabbits can get stressed very easily and it can kill them. If they seem to be in the back of their cage, let them stay there and get used to their new surroundings. Holland Lops are very curious, and before long your rabbit will be at the front of the cage excited to get out and play. At this point, it can take up to a week, your rabbit can be out for longer periods of time.

​

Notes:

If you are unable to care for your rabbit at ANY time please contact me and I will take the rabbit back and keep him or find him a new home. All I do ask is that if you need to return the rabbit, please include his cage and supplies as cage space can be limited in my rabbitry and he will need to be quarantined from my herd for a minimum of 30 days.