Can You Breed Dutch Lop Rabbits?

If you're searching for a pet that jumps and twists in the air when happy, sweats only through the pads of its feet and can see behind its head, consider a Dutch Lop (also known as a Holland Lop) rabbit. At about 4 lbs., the average Dutch Lop rabbit drinks as much water as a 20-lb. dog and is the smallest breed in the "Lop" or "droopy eared" category. If you plan to breed Dutch Lop rabbits at home, there are several conditions and expenses to consider.

  1. Breeding Inhibitors

    • Because of its uniquely shaped body, Dutch Lops reproduce most successfully with other rabbits of their own breed. The female, or the doe, should be kept in a separate cage from the male, or the buck; and the two should only be placed together while they are mating. It is likely they will need two or three meetings before actually reproducing, and several things can prevent the doe from conceiving. If she is overweight or has a disease such as Rabbit VD, or if the male is too aggressive, the rabbits may not be able breed.

    Breeding Conditions

    • The doe does not go through a heat cycle, so she can be placed in the buck's cage at any point during the month. If the two rabbits begin mating after a short time, allow them to do so two or three times before bringing the doe back to her cage. If they ignore each other, or if either rabbit shows aggression by scratching or biting the other, then wait a few days before trying again. If the mother conceives, the babies should arrive 30 days later.

    Raising Kits

    • Newborn rabbits are called kits, and raising them takes time -- about eight weeks to ween them from their mother. About two days before they arrive, place a small cardboard or wooden box inside the doe's cage, which will be the nest box. Fill it with wood chips or hay, and the mother will adjust the nest box to her liking. After the kits open their eyes, place them in a separate cage from the doe, combining them for a few minutes each day. The average mother feeds her kits daily for five minutes.

    Warnings

    • The Dutch Lop is considered a dwarf rabbit, indicating that its body is small and irregularly shaped, and because of this the breed's does may have trouble birthing, especially with large-headed kits. When large kits, known as "fetal giants," slow the delivery process, one or more of the babies may die. It is also common for kits to pass away in the weeks following the delivery. Check the nest box several times daily and observe if the mother hen cleans the kits to make sure she is not biting them too hard or eating them.