Bunny Care
Holland Lop Rabbit Care and Information
Below is what I personally do for my bunnies and what I recommend for rabbits that are born at my rabbitry. This sheet was written to make your life with a Holland Lop as fun, stress-free, and easy as possible! There are several things listed below to help you have a successful transition of your baby bunny from our rabbitry to your home.
Thank you for taking the time to read and enjoy your new bunny!
FEED: I feed my rabbits 1/2 a cup (3 oz) of plain, green pellets a day for individual rabbits. Your rabbit has been eating the Purina Show brand of rabbit feed. I get it in bulk at the Co-Op here in Everett. They order it in for me. Any plain, green pellet from any feed store will be just as perfect. Pet store rabbit food is generally mixed with treats or other feed. If shopping at a pet store is your only option, make sure your rabbit eats it all. Some rabbits are picky eaters and won't eat the "healthy" bits.
I have given you a baggie of my pellets that you will mix half-and-half with your feed when the bunny comes home. This makes the transition much easier for them. Changing a rabbit's feed too rapidly may be fatal.
If you can't purchase rabbit feed in bulk, I recommend the Oxbow brand at the pet store.
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.
Your rabbit is used to drinking out of a ball-nozzle water bottle. If you prefer to provide a water crock, make sure the rabbit gets the idea of how to use it. Water crocks also tend to get dirty with hay, pellets, and droppings, so you may be changing the water in the crock much more often then the water in a bottle.
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, but every other day or a several days a week is fine too. I feed my rabbits a handful of hay every morning.
Rabbits should not be fed Alfalfa hay. Most pellets are Alfalfa-based, and too much Alfalfa in the diet can cause kidney problems and even death.
I feed my bunnies Timothy hay, that I purchase at the Co-Op. I prefer Orchard Grass, it is cleaner and the bunnies like the taste more but Timothy is better for the teeth.
TREATS: Most store-bought treats are completely fine for rabbits, if fed in moderation. However, natural fruits and veggies are much better for them. Rabbits love fresh foods, and they are healthy for them.
Rolled oats (plain and dry) are also very good for rabbits. I feed mine a tablespoon of oats twice a week or so. DO NOT EVER feed any rabbit under 6 months old ANY fruits or veggies. The only thing babies (under 6 months old) can eat is hay pellets, and a tablespoon of oats on their feed twice a week. NEVER feed your rabbit lettuce, no matter their age. It can give them serious diarrhea and stomach aches!
Good For Bunnies:
Apples 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
Ones in bold are the only ones babies can have.
Bad For Bunnies:
Alfalfa hay, 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, such as banana. 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 a rabbit nail clipper I bought at a pet store, but you can use cat nail trimmers or small dog 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.
Watch the video below on how to clip your rabbits nails and check out my Youtube page!
Holland Lops don't need to be groomed often when they are not shedding, or molting. When they are, they should be brushed or combed every couple days.
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.
BRINGING BUNNY HOME: When you bring your new bunny home, avoid handling it too much. 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. Avoid making too much noise around your rabbit, especially during the first few days. Their ears are very sensitive.
Contact me if you have any questions or concerns!
-Written by Holly from Holly's Hollands Rabbitry. Used with permission.