French Lop Rabbit

Facts about French Lop Rabbits. The French Lop Rabbit is an admired domestic rabbit breed, which was first developed during the nineteenth century in France out of choosy breeding between the Flemish Giant Rabbit breed and the English Lop Rabbit breed. This rabbit breed differs from the English Lop Rabbit in a manner that it is distinguished by shorter ears and a heavier stature.

"Scientific name for French Lop Rabbit is Oryctolagus cuniculus". "Fear of Rabbits Leporiphobia". All rabbit breeds are "lagomorphs" various plant-eating mammal of the order Lagomorpha ; a hare, rabbit, or pika.

Features of French Lop Rabbit

The French Lop is an extremely big size rabbit, with the body weight ranging from 9 lbs to 12 lbs (4 kg to 5.5 kg). This rabbit breed has lopped ears that range in length from 5 inches to 8 inches (12.5 cm to 20 cm) that droop beneath their jaw, and an approximately cubic look with a small thickset body and a big head. The front legs of this rabbit are straight and short, whereas its back legs are carried parallel to its body.

The fur of the French Lop rabbit is dense, and the rabbit has a soft coat that comes in two different colors, such as broken and solid colors. Within these color categories a number of dissimilar rabbit colors can be found, including black, agouti, broken marked, sooty-fawn and chinchilla.

The ideal period for the female French Lop rabbit to initiate breeding is nine months and they will not have any additional litters subsequent to the age of three years. The female French Lop Rabbit is capable of producing large litters, which usually offers birth to 5 to 12 healthy kits per litter, with a gestation period of 28 to 31 days.

A French Lop rabbit breed is capable of living both outside and inside. Usually these rabbits are provided with a large water-resistant hutch that protects the rabbit from any snow, rain, or heat. This rabbit does not tolerate heat, so they are provided with sufficient protective measures, such as a fan or a frozen water bottle. If these rabbits are kept inside, a cage or a hutch will be used to protect them. Usually, these rabbits are supposed to offer a large run for exercise and psychological stimulation.

Diet of French Lop Rabbit

Like most rabbits, the most significant part of the diet in the captive of a French Lop Rabbit breed is hay, which is roughage. Mostly, these rabbits prefer to feed on grass hays, like Timothy to legume hays, such as alfalfa and clover. However, the legume hays are fed to young kits or lactating female rabbits. These rabbits also feed on fruits and vegetables in the captive.

Behavior of French Lop Rabbit

Due to the fairly bigger size body, these French Lop Rabbits may need a large hutch or run to move freely. They perform well in both indoor and outdoor cages, but they will chew anything they find when kept inside a home, and they are inflexible to litter-box train. They are recognized to have a docile and relaxed nature, and can put up with other species. When these rabbits are socialized well at their juvenile age, they are a fantastic family pet, and they are extremely gentle with kids. However, these rabbits are not suitable for novice rabbit breeders because they are extremely large and can be difficult to handle. They have extremely strong back legs, and they can cause wounds.

The male French Lop Rabbit is called a buck and a female French Lop Rabbit is called a doe, also both known as a bunny. A young rabbit is called a kit "kitten" or baby bunny.

French Lop Rabbits have long ears which can be as long as 4 in" (10.2 cm). French Lop Rabbits are herbivores (a herbivore, eats leaves, grass, hay and furns (plant eaters) and also mammal.

French Lop Rabbits are born without fur and its eyes are closed. Half of the rabbits in the world live in North America. Rabbits are comfortable living in groups. European rabbits like to live in burrows underground. Warren is known as a group of burrows. Cottontail Rabbits are the only rabbit that does not live under ground.

French Lop Rabbits have an outstanding sense of vision, smell and hearing. Having eyes on the side of their head and being so big, gives them nearly 360 degrees vision, allowing them to see predators from all directions. The French Lop Rabbit can see everything behind and in front of them and have just a small blind-spot in front of their nose.

Pet French Lop Rabbits should be kept in pairs for Companionship, its important for a rabbits happiness and it can live longer with a companion. In the wild, rabbits are very social. Female French Lop Rabbits can produce about 2 to 4 litters of bunnies per year with 4 to 6 babies.

French Lop Rabbits love to run and can reach speeds of 30 to 40 mph. The average lifespan of a French Lop Rabbit is around 5 to 8 years and in captivity can live up to 10 years. French Lop Rabbits have 28 teeth and an incredible fact, a French Lop Rabbits teeth never stop growing throughout its life.
French Lop Rabbits can jump up to 36 inches (91.4 cm) and sometimes higher.

French Lop Rabbits are very clean animals and will groom themselves and also each other. French Lop Rabbits are crepuscular-(meaning the are most active at morning and evening) and do most of there feeding in the evening. French Lop Rabbits on average sleep about 8 hours.

For bedding, give French Lop Rabbits wood pellets or aspen. You can use pelleted horse bedding. Do not give them pine or cedar. Clean the cage with either white vinegar or a cage safe cleaner; don’t use bathroom cleaner or other things that are toxic for the pet cage.
De-worming is a major concern and should be done in the spring and fall. A pea sized amount of de-worming paste in the rabbit's mouth is sufficient for the French Lop Rabbit.

French Lop Rabbits as pets enjoy wet food, carrots, hay or lettuce, dark leaf lettuce is good. (Iceberg lettuce contains too much water and too little fiber to be suitable.) Limit giving them fruit with sugar in it. Alfalfa provides the high caloric content necessary for baby bunnies development. Once French Lop Rabbits reach seven months of age, gradually switch them over to timothy hay, oat hay, or orchard grass. Avoid giving them yard clippings, since grass is often sprayed with fertilizer, insecticides, pesticides, and other chemicals rabbits should not be eating. Their diet should consist of 70% of Hay and make sure they have fresh water every day.