CARE INFORMATION
Housing
The first thing you should do is provide proper housing. A Holland Lop might be a small bunny, but they’ll still need plenty of room to feel happy and stay healthy in your care. The majority of bunny owners keeps their pets indoors, as they are family pets, and the same is with the Holland Lop. In case you want to have your bunny hop freely about your house, you will need to rabbit-proof it. No wires, chords or other unsafe objects your bunny could chew on. They should also have their own litter and a cage to retreat to when they feel like it.
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An indoor Holland Lop enclosure should have sides made of strong wire to prevent them chewing through the cage, but never with a wire bottom. Cages and hutches with wire bottoms will hurt your pet’s feet and lead to sore hocks, so make sure that they are only hopping on soft, comfy bedding.
The cage should be large enough for the rabbit to stretch out comfortably and hop across a few times,- this shouldn’t be difficult, as the Holland Lop is relatively small. The bigger the better of course, but no matter the how spacious the cage is, your pet will need a lot of out-of-cage time to exercise and be content. In addition to playtime in rabbit-proofed space, you can take out your bunny for some outdoor fun. Let them hop and play in a safely enclosed part of the garden or yard, with your supervision, of course.
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Diet
Their diet, it should consist of 80 percent good-quality hay and the rest a balanced mixture of fruits, vegetables, pellets, and leafy greens. You may find that your rabbit prefers one type of fruit to another (like apples, for instance). While it’s great that your bunny has found a delicious fruit he loves to nibble on, perhaps you can use his love for this fruit as an advantage and use it only during training as a treats. This trick can be used for animal in order to train them to do simple commands such as heeling or hopping or more complex things such as litter training.
Make sure you check their teeth for overgrown teeth, which can grow into their jaws and mouths and become extremely painful. A diet high in hay will make sure this does not happen, as hay naturally files down a rabbit’s ever-growing teeth.
SAFE FOODS
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Rabbits need a high fiber diet. Even though they can eat fruits, they should be given in small quantities. More as treats than a full meal. If you notice their stool getting soft or stuck to their bottoms, stop giving fruit and only offer them high fiber foods. Once they begin having normal stool again, you can add a smaller amount of fruits back to their diet. Remember fruits are high in sugar which is why they should be given in small quantities. Your rabbit will most likely enjoy most fruits you introduce and beg for more. Don't give in!
Safe fruits:
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Pineapple
Strawberry
Blueberry
Apple
Banana
Blackberry
Raspberry
Papaya (Also used to unblock the digestive system when necessary)
Pear
Starfruit
Not all vegetables are high in fiber. For instance, carrots are high in sugar and should only be given sparingly. Next is a list of vegetables that are safe for rabbits but should only be given in small amounts.
Safe vegetables in small amounts:
Carrots
Parsnips
Sweet peppers
Beetroot
Squash
Pumpkin (Also used to unblock the digestive system when necessary)
Cauliflower (Can cause gas)
Broccoli (Can cause gas)
Most leafy green vegetables are high in fiber and should make up a good portion of your rabbits diet. Some families choose not to feed pellets to their rabbits which is completely ok. They can get the right amount of vitamins and nutrients from assorted leafy greens and a mixture of hays. A lot of families choose to feed pellets because it's already a balanced diet and it's much cheaper than 4-6 cups of fresh vegetables every day.
Safe vegetables:
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Romaine lettuce
Broccoli leaves
Celery
Kale (small amounts, can cause bladder sludge)
Radish tops
Parsley
Mint
Basil
Cilantro
Dandelion leaves
Collard greens
Bok choy (small amounts, can cause bladder sludge)
Mustard greens
Asparagus
Cucumber
Clover
UNSAFE FOODS
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There are rabbit foods and treats on the market that are not suitable for your furry little friends. Be careful when choosing a pellet that there aren't any colorful treats and seeds. The colorful treats are just carbohydrates which can cause obesity. Stay away from the following foods/ treats.
Unsafe foods:
Yogurt drops and most store treats! dried fruit is a good treat!
Cereal
Hamster food
Bread
Pasta
Cookies
Crackers
Avocado
Nuts of any kind
Potatoes
Corn (No nutritional value)
Soy beans (No nutritional value)
Rice
Dairy
Meat
Iceberg Lettuce
Behavior
In order to really let your bunny’s personality bloom, it is important to give them plenty of time out of their enclosures/hutches. Indoor rabbits should be let out of their cages with access to roam around at least in one particular room, if not your entire home, in order to stretch out their legs, get some sunshine and most of all, interact with their favorite humans. These little guys are wonderful first pets whether it is for a single person, a couple or a family with younger or older children.
The Holland Lop is a relatively active bunny and would also love to spend some time outdoors when the temperatures are just right. Fenced yards are wonderful but if you have an open yard, investing in an exercise pen should definitely be a priority, as it gives your rabbit a little bit of freedom but doesn’t let them roam around into your neighbor’s property.
In terms of toys, each rabbit has their own personality and may enjoy some toys to chew up and entertain themselves with. It may be as simple as a toilet paper roll to destroy to as elaborate as a fun toy bought on etsy or bunny boutique.
Recommended Items
Hay Rack
Large Cat Litter Box
Paper or Wood Based Litter
Ceramic Bowls
Bunnies LOVE Toys!!
