Mini Lop

What is a Mini Lop?

A small lop-eared rabbit weighing 1.4-2kg, with ears that hang either side of the head rather than standing upright. Compact, muscular and round, with a broad head and a dense short coat in a wide range of colours.

British naming is confusing here. What is sold in the UK as a "Mini Lop" is usually the breed the British Rabbit Council calls a Dwarf Lop; the BRC's own Mini Lop is smaller again. In practice the adverts use the terms interchangeably, so ask for the weight.

History and origins

Descended from the French Lop, itself developed in nineteenth-century France from the English Lop and the Flemish Giant. German breeders produced a smaller version, the Klein Widder, in the 1950s, which reached Britain as the Dwarf Lop. The Mini Lop as such was recognised in the United States in 1980. They have been the most popular pet rabbit in Britain for years.

Appearance and size

1.4-2kg. Thickset and rounded, with a broad flat-topped head, a well-developed crown at the base of the ears, and ears hanging close to the cheeks. The coat is short, dense and glossy.

Temperament and personality

The reason for the popularity. Mini Lops are typically calm, tolerant and sociable - noticeably easier to handle than most upright-eared breeds. They enjoy company, settle quickly, and many actively seek out attention.

One caution: rabbits communicate with their ears, and a lop cannot. You lose one of the clearest signals that a rabbit is frightened or annoyed, so you have to read body position and thumping instead.

Intelligence and trainability

Very trainable by rabbit standards. They litter-train quickly, learn routines, and respond well to clicker training. Food-motivated and patient, which makes them a good choice for a family that wants to interact with the animal rather than just look at it.

Children and other pets

The best common breed for a family with children, with the usual conditions: supervised handling, sitting on the floor, and never chasing or grabbing. They are solid enough to be held safely in a way a Netherland Dwarf is not.

Keep them in a neutered pair. A single rabbit, however much attention it gets from people, is a lonely animal - and a bonded pair is less work, not more. Never house a rabbit with a guinea pig.

Health problems

Ear infections. The defining lop problem. Folded ear canals do not drain, so wax accumulates and infection follows. Signs are head shaking, scratching, a head tilt or a bad smell. Chronic cases need long-term veterinary management. Check inside the ears monthly.

Dental disease. The shortened skull that produces the lop head also crowds the teeth. Malocclusion, molar spurs and root abscesses are all common, and molar problems cannot be seen without a vet's examination.

Gut stasis - a rabbit that stops eating or passing droppings needs a vet the same day.

Myxomatosis and RHDV1/RHDV2 - all usually fatal, all vaccine-preventable, and indoor rabbits are still at risk.

Flystrike in summer, and E. cuniculi.

Daily care routine

Unlimited hay topped up, water checked twice, litter tray cleaned, back end checked - twice daily in warm weather. Ears checked monthly, nails every six to eight weeks, annual vaccination, and a rabbit-competent vet identified before you need one.

Grooming and coat care

Weekly brushing, more during a moult. Never bathe. Nails need clipping regularly because a house rabbit does not wear them down.

Exercise needs

At least 3m x 2m x 1m of permanently accessible space, per the Rabbit Welfare Association's minimum, plus daily time in a larger area. A hutch is a bed, not a home. They need room to run in a straight line, to binky, and to stand fully upright.

Feeding and diet

85% hay, unlimited. A daily handful of leafy greens - spring greens, kale, herbs, romaine. A measured eggcup of single-component pellets. No muesli mixes at all: selective feeding out of a muesli is a direct cause of dental and gut disease.

Price

£40-£90 commonly, £70-£150 from a breeder with pedigree and health records. Rescues rehome neutered, vaccinated bonded pairs for around £50-£80 the pair.

Setup £300-£600. Running costs £600-£1,000 a year for a pair. Neutering £80-£150 each, vaccination £50-£70 a year each, and pet insurance around £10-£20 a month.

Buying advice

See the mother and watch the breeder handle her. Ask to look inside the kit's ears and at its front teeth, and ask when it was born - eight weeks is the minimum and many are sold at six.

Ask about the ears specifically. A breeder who has never had an ear infection in their stock and does not know what you mean is not paying attention to the main health problem of the breed they breed.

Buy a bonded pair if you possibly can, and look at rescues first: they are full of Mini Lops, already neutered, vaccinated and paired.