14 Reasons You Should Get a Holland Lop Rabbit as a Pet


Holland lops make wonderful pets, and they’re ideal for first-time pet rabbit owners and expert owners alike. There are so many endearing traits that this breed possesses that make them a complete joy to own and raise.

Holland Lop rabbits make ideal pets for new rabbit owners. They’re easy to care for, gentle, and curious by nature. They’re also an active and playful rabbit breed, making them enjoyable to own.

Holland Lop’s will even use their high intelligence to engage with simple pet toys. These are just some of the reasons they’ve developed a loyal following among pet rabbit owners. Here are the reasons why you should get a Holland Lop for your next pet rabbit.

1. Holland Lops Don’t Require Much Maintenance

Holland lops are generally considered to be fairly easy to care for. Their fur doesn’t tangle easily and since they’re so playful, they naturally get the exercise they need throughout the day without much prompting on the owner’s part.

A Holland lop’s diet should comprise hay, pellets, vegetables, and fruits. Provide plenty of clean drinking water, soft flooring, and soft bedding to keep him comfortable and prevent the development of certain health problems. That’s it! Holland lops don’t require any extra special care from other bunnies. In fact, they’re easier to care for than many other breeds.

2. Holland Lops Are Definitely Cuddly

While other rabbit breeds may not enjoy being held or being cuddled, these bunnies certainly do. These chubby, loving bunnies are so affectionate and will win you over as they move around you playfully, seeking your attention.

Holland lops enjoy being scratched around the back of their ears. Make sure you don’t lift your Holland Lop high above the ground; rabbits dislike heights, so be cautious when handling your pet to avoid making him insecure as this can lead to anxiety, struggling, and even an accidental drop.

There’s a good rabbit handling guide here for more help on the best way to safely handle a pet rabbit.

3. Holland Lops Are Playful and Energetic

Holland lops are one of the most active and playful rabbit breeds. They enjoy running around and playing at almost any hour of the day. This is why a large space is so essential for a Holland Lop; they’re a big ball of energy that’ll bring joy to your home.

They also enjoy playing with simple toys like foraging and chewing toys. It truly is adorable to watch your pet Holland Lop play with his or her favorite toys. Play is vital for your bunny’s mental and physical health. If you want some suggestions on great toys for your rabbit, take a look at this list of 11 awesome toys for your pet rabbit.

4. Holland Lops Have a Calm Temperament

Another reason why you should have the Holland Lop as your next pet is because of their incredibly calm temperament. Although they’re active and energetic, these cuties are lovable companions also and are seldom known to bite or scratch.

Holland lops are patient and docile pets that love getting attention. They do extremely well with the elderly and children. They’re even great for couples who want to bond over a loving pet together.

5. Holland Lops Are Very Intelligent

That’s right. Holland lops are highly intelligent and can even be trained with simple commands. For example, you can teach your Holland lop how to use their litter box or even run agility courses.

You can also teach them simple commands like “sit up” or even to recognize their own names and come when called. Some can even learn to jump up on a sofa by standing on their hind legs, placing their front paws on the cushions, and leaping up. A great ability to have for cuddling around the television!

6. Holland Lops Are Just Friendly Rabbits

Apart from being smart, Holland lops are just generally friendly pets. Holland Lops are affectionate and thrive on human interaction. It’s worth noting though that the males (bucks) tend to be a bit warmer and more welcoming than the females (does).

As a Holland Lop owner, be sure to spend quality time playing and interacting with your rabbit. Once they win your trust and you’ve developed a strong bond, you’ll notice an increase in the affection they give you.

Two cute Holland Lop Rabbits sit in the grass, one of them eating.

7. Holland Lops Are Adorable

Their cute faces, chubby bodies, and floppy ears drooping to their jawlines really do make them irresistible. Since they’re so friendly and love being cuddled, it’s easy to see these bunnies as even more adorable than another breed that doesn’t thrive on human touch as much.

They also have an innocent look to them and seem to love posing in various, irresistible, positions. For example, they love to pose like pet cats sitting on their hind legs while supporting themselves up on an object with their front legs.

8. Holland Lops Are Perfectly Small in Size

Holland Lops are one of the smallest rabbit breeds around. An adult Holland Lop only weighs about two to four pounds. Their cute small size makes them easy to handle and cuddle, which is especially good if you have a family with small children.

If little children are handling the rabbit, supervise them closely. Kids can accidentally twist a leg the wrong way or even drop the rabbit. Rabbits are delicate, and even a seemingly minor fall can cause serious injuries.

9. Holland Lops Are Great With Kids

If you’re planning to buy your kids a pet rabbit, then the Holland Lop would be a great choice. Apart from their small size, these bunnies are also patient, unlike other rabbit breeds that can be more aggressive in certain circumstances.

They also love being held and have sweet temperaments. My kids absolutely love the Holland Lop’s cute face, interesting fur patterns, and floppy ears.

10. Holland Lops Are Extremely Lovable

These bunnies have smooth, soft fur that makes them excellent for snuggling with. Their small, compact, and lightweight bodies also make them lovable and just generally irresistible to pet. Combine this with their amazingly loving personalities and these bunnies are hard to keep your hands off of.

11. Holland Lops Are Loyal Pets

If you thought dogs were loyal, wait until you see a faithful Holland Lop. These rabbits can become an essential part of your family, especially if you raise yours indoors. They’re so friendly and endearing, and you’ll likely notice behaviors early on in their life that demonstrates how attached to you your Holland lop has become.

12. Holland Lops Love Being Social

Holland lops are social and welcoming pets. Like many other rabbits, they live in groups and thrive on frequent human interaction. If you want to have a single Holland Lop, ensure you spend quality time with it to avoid boredom. When traveling, be sure to leave your pet with a caretaker or a family member. These bunnies are highly social animals and may have problems thriving if left alone for long periods.

13. Holland Lops Come in Many Different Different Colors

Holland lops are one of the cutest pet rabbits. Apart from their floppy ears and soft fur. These rabbits have a variety of cute colors that most people love. Some have interesting color patterns, while others only have blue, pink, white, chocolate, and lilac. These characteristics make them unique and adorable pets to own.

14. Holland Lops Have a Sweet and Gentle Temperament

These rabbits have sweet and gentle temperaments compared to other rabbit breeds. For this reason, they’re considered the best pets for families with children or the elderly. They’re sweet-natured and zestful bunnies who are always interested in getting some more interaction with their owners. They’re a calm and docile breed that’s easy to deal with.

WANT A RABBIT THAT’S EASY TO RAISE? If you’re looking for a breed of rabbit that is extremely easy to care for, this article on the 6 easiest rabbit breeds to care for.

The Lifespan of a Holland Lop

Holland lops are known to live longer than many other breeds. Holland Lop rabbits live between 7 to 12 years on average, but some can live up to 15 years of age with proper care. They’re considered among the longest-living rabbit breeds.

You may be excited to hear your next pet (or your current pet) has a long lifespan. But what can you do to ensure that your Holland Lop bunny has the longest lifespan possible?

Longevity Tip 1: Reduce Your Rabbit’s Stress

Stress is as lethal in animals as it is in humans; it can lead to long-term diseases, therefore, reducing the life expectancy of your bunny. To keep them stress-free:

  •  Provide Them With a Clean and Safe Home – Nothing keeps a rabbit as stressed as an insecure home. Bunnies are naturally fearful because they’re prey animals. Always keep your rabbit feeling safe, and away from predators. Be sure to keep your bunny’s cage away from dogs or cats, or vice versa. This will help keep your bunny as stress-free as possible.
  • Provide Your Holland Lop With a Healthy Diet Unhealthy foods will lead to obesity and other diseases shortening your rabbit’s life. Provide him with nutritious foods like hay, pellets, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Stimulate Your Holland Lop’s Brain- Mental stimulation is vital in Holland lops; it prevents boredom by boosting mental health, thereby prolonging their lifespan.
  • Provide Plenty of Socialization- Rabbits are social animals and enjoy living in groups, but if you choose to have one Holland lop, it’s even more important. Try to be part of your rabbit’s social group by spending time interacting with it.
  • Follow a Regular Feeding Schedule – Don’t stress your rabbit by changing its feeding routine; always feed it with quality food at the same time every day. Don’t keep him (or her) waiting!

Longevity Tip 2: Keep Your Holland Lop Indoors

This shouldn’t be a surprise because it’s been proven that indoor rabbits live longer than outdoor ones. This is because an indoor bunny will have a sense of security and companionship that it likely won’t have if kept outdoors.

Other Merits of Keeping a Holand Lop Indoors Are:

  • Stable temperatures (not too hot or too cold).
  • More interaction with it’s owner.
  • Less stress because its needs are catered for more frequently.

Longevity Tip 3: Spay or Neuter Your Holland Lop

Sounds strange, right? Well, here’s the thing, spaying or neutering rabbits prolongs their life; according to the Humane Society, spaying or neutering rabbits reduces their risks of diseases, thereby lengthening their lifespan.

Some of the life-threatening diseases rabbits can develop include cancers of the:

  • Ovaries
  • Uterus
  • Mammary glands

If you spay your rabbit, they are much less likely to develop these. Uterine cancer is very common in females, and as much as 60% of intact female rabbits over 4 years of age may develop this disease.

Holland Lop Rabbit in the garden.
A young Holland Lop rabbit sits in the garden.

How Big Do Holland Lops Get?

Holland lops are dwarf rabbits and are amongst the smallest breeds of rabbits. A full-grown Holland lop is four to five inches tall. When stretched out, they’re 10-12 inches long. If you want more about their size and how their behavior might change as they grow, see this article all about rabbit growth stages.

As for their weight, an adult Holland lop weighs between two and four pounds. And they don’t generally grow bigger than that, however males are generally larger than females.

Common Health Issues

Fortunately, Holland Lops do not have hereditary health problems that are unique to their breed. However, this does not mean they aren’t prone to common health issues that all bunnies have. For example, Holland Lops are prone to eye and sinus infections just like other rabbits. If your rabbit has a discharge from the nose and eyes, then that shows they likely have a sinus infection. Some common eye infections they develop include:

  • Conjunctivitis
  • Corneal ulcers
  • Uveitis
  • Masses and tumors
  • Glaucoma

Apart from eye infections, Holland lops are also prone to dental problems like overgrown teeth. Like with other rabbits, their teeth grow constantly.

You can prevent overgrown teeth in a Holland Lop simply by providing them hard foods or pet toys designed to help them grind down their teeth. If this is not done, their teeth will continuously grow, leading to misalignment of their teeth. This can result in infections and abscesses.

Another common problem with Holland Lops is ear infections. Holland Lops have extra folds of skin in the ears, which prevents air circulation, causing dirt and wax to build up. This can cause a painful condition called Otitis media. You can learn more about Otitis media here.

As a pet owner, it’s crucial to check your pet’s ears to see if there’s any discharge. If you notice anything abnormal, call your vet to assess and treat your pet. Ear infections can spread to other upper respiratory parts, causing more harm.

Besides the diseases above, other common health problems Holland Lops face include:

  • Bladder infections
  • Uterine cancer
  • Parasites
  • Ear mites
  • Hairballs
  • Sore hocks
  • Myxomatosis

Physical Appearance

Holland Lops are arguably one of the cutest pet rabbit breeds, with some of the most adorable physical features. For this reason, they’re also one of the most revered, especially by families with younger kids.

Holland lops are small bunnies with wide, stocky bodies that are also fairly compact. They have broad heads with round flat faces, lop ears, and a puff of fur at their back, known as a crown. They have a dense coat of medium-length fur and short thick legs.

They have long ears that drop to the sides of their jaws, giving them such adorable faces. Nevertheless, their ears don’t lop until they’re three to six months old.

Also, these bunnies have a cute pose that looks like that of a cat. When they sit, they rest their weight on their hind legs while putting less weight on their front legs.

Colors

This breed comes in a multitude of various colors and patterns. Rabbit breeders recognize almost a hundred different colors of the Holland Lop. (source) I found a great, very helpful color guide that shows pictures of every color of holland lop here if you want to see each of these.

Their colors are divided into two groups:

  • Solid – This rabbit is one solid color.
  • Broken – These are rabbits with two or more colors.

Additionally, the Holland lop breed is further divided into seven groups, namely:

  • Agouti
  • Pointed white
  • Self
  • Shaded
  • Tan pattern
  • Ticked
  • Wideband

Agouti Group

The bunnies in this group have dark ticking and bands of colors. They have white markings around their eyes, mouth, nose, belly, and inside ears. Their colors include:

  • Chocolate chinchilla
  • Chestnut
  • Lynx
  • Opal
  • Chocolate
  • Squirrel
  • Chinchilla

Pointed White Group

These have white bodies with colored markings on the ears, nose, tail, and feet. Their eyes are ruby. Their colors include:

  • Lilac
  • Blue
  • Chocolate
  • Black

Self Group

The bunnies in this group have solid colors, which include:

  • White
  • Lilac
  • Blue
  • Black
  • Chocolate

Shaded Group

The shaded rabbits in this group have dark colors on their heads, ears, feet, and tail. But the other parts of their bodies have lighter shades. Their colors include:

  • Smoke pearl
  • Sable point
  • Siamese sable
  • Tortoise (lilac, chocolate, black, blue)
  • Seal

Tan Pattern

Rabbits in this group have a solid color on their heads, inside their ears, front feet, and on their backside. In addition, their bellies, ears, feet, and front legs have a cream white color.

Their other colors include:

  • Black
  • Blue
  • Lilac otters
  • Chocolate

Ticked Group

The colors of the bunnies in this group include:

  • Lilac
  • Chocolate
  • Black
  • Blue

Wideband Group

Those in this group have a top coat and undercoat colors. They have white markings on their bellies, eyes, ears, and the bottom of their tails. Colors in this group include:

  • Red
  • Orange
  • Cream
  • Fawn
  • Frosty

In Summary

Without a doubt, Holland Lops should be considered among the top choice of rabbit breeds to get as a pet for most owners. Their great personalities really do make they very attractive to own and raise. Not to mention their warm and gentle temperaments. Along with their sweet dispositions, their appearance is just icing on the cake!

They’re cute small pets with well-rounded heads and lop ears. Their soft, smooth, and rollback fur also make them so appealing. Besides this, Holland lops are loyal, friendly, and low-maintenance pets that make great pets for new or experienced rabbit owners.

Laura Pierce

I'm the owner of RabbitInformer.com and I've loved rabbits since I got my first one as a pet at 8 years old. Today I spend much of my time researching rabbit habits, exotic varieties, and ideal living environments.

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