Raising

Raising your own English Lops

There is little to compare with successfully raising a litter of English Lop babies. Oh, sure, some purists will mention something about their own children, but... besides that! English lops are closer to immediate gradification. Actually, much closer. Time seems to fly in the rabbitry when I am out playing with the babies and watching them grow.

Once your babies are born, please check the nest at least once a day. I have mentioned it before and will say it again. English Lops are domestic rabbits. They will not harm their babies because the person they love is checking the nest to make sure everything is ok. Does do not have the ability to remove dead babies themselves, so they rely on you to do that for them. If it makes you feel less guilty when you do it, pretend it is not the highlight of your day. I don't know who you will be making feel better, but perhaps the nature goddess you feel dictates not checking the nest at all. I, quite blantantly, show enthusiasm and joy, not to mention curiosity when I look at the little miracles huddled together in their nest. Take common sense precautions when you check the nest. First, if you have more than one nest you are checking, wash your hands between nests. Even though things look fine, there is no sense taking chances. I keep a supply of baby wipes in my barn at all times. If you suspect something is not right with a litter, it would be smart to save that litter check for last. Make it the last thing you do before leaving the barn and take care not to touch door knobs or any thing else that can harbor germs which can be carried back into the barn the next time you visit. Next, do not leave the babies exposed for too long a time. Chills can quickly kill rabbits, and babies are even more sensitive than adults. Last, please be sure your hands are not like ice when they invade the warm nests to check out these little, naked bodies.

You may think that your mother is not taking care of the babies at all, but rabbits are really very poor mothers. And the babies thrive in spite of this. My personal theory about that is in the wild, the less attention paid to her young, the less chance a predator will have to find the nest. Mothers may only feed their young once or twice a day, and clean up after them. This is not unusual. As a matter of fact, does who pay too much attention to their babes can sit on the kids, thus killing them with kindness. I look upon a rabbit that jumps in the nest continuously a nervous mother and I will remove the nestbox and only give it to her twice a day until she settles down a little. This little extra effort is well worth it in the end. There is little more sad than seeing a litter squashed by an over attentive mother.

In about three to four days, the naked little slugs will start to get some hair. Now they will start to look like slugs with a coat. We have a joke here that when we stick our hands in the nest it feels as though you are dropping some food onto a hot frying pan. They start to come suddenly alive and bounce without control because there is someone entering their nest.

At about ten days to two weeks old, their eyes will start to open up. It is amazing how the little critters that looked like slugs before suddenly turn into little beings that have eyes and soon after learn to walk... without stepping on their ears and shortly after that, start showing off as soon as you enter the barn apparently for the sole purpose of attracting your attention. I try to hold each one of them at least once a day for the first three weeks of their lives. In doing this, I find that they have no fear of you which will last a lifetime. I have had several people tell me how tame my rabbits are. This is in part, at least, due to the English Lop as a breed, but I prefer to think that some of it has to do with attention to babies before they learn to be afraid. It is around this time that I offer them some grass hay and oatmeal to them as their first foods.

Around three to four weeks of age, an experienced person should be able to sex the babies. This is also an excellent age to give them their first toenail trimming. English Lop babies do need to have their toenails trimmed more often than other breeds. Can you guess why? I won't make you wait or scroll anywhere for the answer. Of course, the little needle like nails can tear the ends of their ears. Not only their own, but those of their litter mates as well. Also, check their ears and teeth at this time being careful not to make the experience an unpleasant one. For the first two or three toe nail trimmings, a regular people nail clipper is fine. The nails are soft and small but very sharp. You need to have something that is easy to see the position of the nail. I just take off the little needle ends for the first two or three cuttings. It makes the possibility of perfect ears far easier to acheive, not to mention comfort for your baby lop. An added advantage is that they get used to having this proceedure become a routine at an early age. I also get them used to having their ears measured at an early age, not so much to see their progress, but so it is not something strange when they are put on the show table. This goes with checking their teeth, vents and inside their ears on a regular basis.

If all goes well with Mom, I like to leave the kids with her until they are about six to eight weeks old. Some mothers like to have them leave home earlier and some look at me as though I am taking their reason for living away from them, but the kids are ready to leave by then. Many breeders take away the Mom and put her in another cage. I, again, break with this thought. If we have a litter of, say, six babies, I will take the two smallest away first. This I do for a couple of reasons. First, I think that they will do better on their own and not having to struggle for first dibs on the food. They seem to blossom when they are on their own. Second, if there is still a supply of milk being produced that will benefit the babies, I like to have what could possibly be the more show potential rabbits get it. No, it is not that I don't value the others, but more likely than not, they are not going to be the ones I will keep anyway, and getting them weaned and into the hands of their new pet homes asap will benefit every one. This way, they have two weeks at least until they are ready to leave and they will put this time to good use getting the idea that Mom's faucets are not always going to be there. In a week or so, the next two come away from Mom, then the last two. This slow weaning process also helps the mother slowly dry her milk supply, so things aren't done so abruptly that she is still producing yet has no babies to strip the milk she has produced. I house the babies in groups of two or three, depending on the litter size until they are nearly ready to be sold. They do seem to appreciate having someone to share the weaning experience with and can snuggle each other for physical comfort and a sense of not feeling so alone.

At twelve weeks of age, the first ones are ready to leave home and go out to see the world. Please be sure that whoever takes the responsibility of getting your baby also knows that he or she can call you with questions as they arrive. You may or may not have the answers, but you do have the wherewithall to get them. You found this web page, didn't you? The policy I have here is that I will take a rabbit back if he/ she is sold as a show quality rabbit and it grows to have some feature that is not acceptable on the table. For instance, if my animal is sold as show quality as a baby and is sold young then does not reach minimum weight. This is not to say that I will take back an animal that is emaciated, or undernourished, but if the rabbit is in good condition, I will either replace that animal, or, if they still want to keep him, I will reduce the price of a rabbit that will be more likely to turn out to be the desired size. It is far better to work with people and have customers. I volunteer the faults of each of my rabbits as I feel them to be true. I do this without reservation with everyone, since I do not want a high return rate. It is traumatic for both the rabbit owner and the rabbit to be mentally and physically uprooted, then expected to settle in again. I find that when a rabbit's home has changed, he/ she is likely to go into a molt. This is adding a stress to an already stressful situation. I also am not too excited to try to find valuable cage space for an animal I had not planned on getting back.

Before leaving my rabbitry, I like to tattoo the ear number in his or her ear. All of my rabbits are sold with a pedigree. I feel that there is a bit more of a sense of worth in so doing. If people know that you take the time to prepare a pedigree for their baby, I hope that they will appreciate the rabbit for what it is plus all the work and generations of wonderful rabbits that it took to make their own little individual companion. You will never satisfy every one, but striving to be fair is one way to help teach the world to accept the idea that these creatures are amazing pets. They are perfect for apartments because they do not make noise, if kept relatively clean, they do not smell, and they are in a cage except for supervised outings. They are forgiving and soft, warm and have a sense of humor that will delight you because their antics are as individual as the rabbits themselves.

Before I leave this page, please understand that I do not condone the breeding of rabbits with genetic problems. If you have a rabbit with pigeon breast, please do not breed it. You will certainly be passing this genetic problem on to future generations. Malocclusion is another problem that should be avoided at all costs. Do not breed sick animals or animals that are not in good general health. These rabbits will probably not conceive, or if they do, may abort anyway. If they manage to produce a litter, they cannot help but have babies that are not going to be able to resist disease easily. Use your head not your heart. Fluffy may be a wonderful pet, but to produce a wonderful pet from her, she has to have the right tools to do it. Her health is an extremely important tool to be able to pass on to future generations. Think long and hard before putting two English Lops together. The reward is great, but so is the responsibility of the new lives that will result.



											Raising your own English Lops There is little to compare with successfully raising a litter of English Lop babies. Oh, sure, some purists will mention something about their own children, but... besides that! English lops are closer to immediate gradification. Actually, much closer. Time seems to fly in the rabbitry when I am out playing with the babies and watching them grow. Once your babies are born, please check the nest at least once a day. I have mentioned it before and will say it again. English Lops are domestic rabbits. They will not harm their babies because the person they love is checking the nest to make sure everything is ok. Does do not have the ability to remove dead babies themselves, so they rely on you to do that for them. If it makes you feel less guilty when you do it, pretend it is not the highlight of your day. I don't know who you will be making feel better, but perhaps the nature goddess you feel dictates not checking the nest at all. I, quite blantantly, show enthusiasm and joy, not to mention curiosity when I look at the little miracles huddled together in their nest. Take common sense precautions when you check the nest. First, if you have more than one nest you are checking, wash your hands between nests. Even though things look fine, there is no sense taking chances. I keep a supply of baby wipes in my barn at all times. If you suspect something is not right with a litter, it would be smart to save that litter check for last. Make it the last thing you do before leaving the barn and take care not to touch door knobs or any thing else that can harbor germs which can be carried back into the barn the next time you visit. Next, do not leave the babies exposed for too long a time. Chills can quickly kill rabbits, and babies are even more sensitive than adults. Last, please be sure your hands are not like ice when they invade the warm nests to check out these little, naked bodies. You may think that your mother is not taking care of the babies at all, but rabbits are really very poor mothers. And the babies thrive in spite of this. My personal theory about that is in the wild, the less attention paid to her young, the less chance a predator will have to find the nest. Mothers may only feed their young once or twice a day, and clean up after them. This is not unusual. As a matter of fact, does who pay too much attention to their babes can sit on the kids, thus killing them with kindness. I look upon a rabbit that jumps in the nest continuously a nervous mother and I will remove the nestbox and only give it to her twice a day until she settles down a little. This little extra effort is well worth it in the end. There is little more sad than seeing a litter squashed by an over attentive mother. In about three to four days, the naked little slugs will start to get some hair. Now they will start to look like slugs with a coat. We have a joke here that when we stick our hands in the nest it feels as though you are dropping some food onto a hot frying pan. They start to come suddenly alive and bounce without control because there is someone entering their nest. At about ten days to two weeks old, their eyes will start to open up. It is amazing how the little critters that looked like slugs before suddenly turn into little beings that have eyes and soon after learn to walk... without stepping on their ears and shortly after that, start showing off as soon as you enter the barn apparently for the sole purpose of attracting your attention. I try to hold each one of them at least once a day for the first three weeks of their lives. In doing this, I find that they have no fear of you which will last a lifetime. I have had several people tell me how tame my rabbits are. This is in part, at least, due to the English Lop as a breed, but I prefer to think that some of it has to do with attention to babies before they learn to be afraid. It is around this time that I offer them some grass hay and oatmeal to them as their first foods. Around three to four weeks of age, an experienced person should be able to sex the babies. This is also an excellent age to give them their first toenail trimming. English Lop babies do need to have their toenails trimmed more often than other breeds. Can you guess why? I won't make you wait or scroll anywhere for the answer. Of course, the little needle like nails can tear the ends of their ears. Not only their own, but those of their litter mates as well. Also, check their ears and teeth at this time being careful not to make the experience an unpleasant one. For the first two or three toe nail trimmings, a regular people nail clipper is fine. The nails are soft and small but very sharp. You need to have something that is easy to see the position of the nail. I just take off the little needle ends for the first two or three cuttings. It makes the possibility of perfect ears far easier to acheive, not to mention comfort for your baby lop. An added advantage is that they get used to having this proceedure become a routine at an early age. I also get them used to having their ears measured at an early age, not so much to see their progress, but so it is not something strange when they are put on the show table. This goes with checking their teeth, vents and inside their ears on a regular basis. If all goes well with Mom, I like to leave the kids with her until they are about six to eight weeks old. Some mothers like to have them leave home earlier and some look at me as though I am taking their reason for living away from them, but the kids are ready to leave by then. Many breeders take away the Mom and put her in another cage. I, again, break with this thought. If we have a litter of, say, six babies, I will take the two smallest away first. This I do for a couple of reasons. First, I think that they will do better on their own and not having to struggle for first dibs on the food. They seem to blossom when they are on their own. Second, if there is still a supply of milk being produced that will benefit the babies, I like to have what could possibly be the more show potential rabbits get it. No, it is not that I don't value the others, but more likely than not, they are not going to be the ones I will keep anyway, and getting them weaned and into the hands of their new pet homes asap will benefit every one. This way, they have two weeks at least until they are ready to leave and they will put this time to good use getting the idea that Mom's faucets are not always going to be there. In a week or so, the next two come away from Mom, then the last two. This slow weaning process also helps the mother slowly dry her milk supply, so things aren't done so abruptly that she is still producing yet has no babies to strip the milk she has produced. I house the babies in groups of two or three, depending on the litter size until they are nearly ready to be sold. They do seem to appreciate having someone to share the weaning experience with and can snuggle each other for physical comfort and a sense of not feeling so alone. At twelve weeks of age, the first ones are ready to leave home and go out to see the world. Please be sure that whoever takes the responsibility of getting your baby also knows that he or she can call you with questions as they arrive. You may or may not have the answers, but you do have the wherewithall to get them. You found this web page, didn't you? The policy I have here is that I will take a rabbit back if he/ she is sold as a show quality rabbit and it grows to have some feature that is not acceptable on the table. For instance, if my animal is sold as show quality as a baby and is sold young then does not reach minimum weight. This is not to say that I will take back an animal that is emaciated, or undernourished, but if the rabbit is in good condition, I will either replace that animal, or, if they still want to keep him, I will reduce the price of a rabbit that will be more likely to turn out to be the desired size. It is far better to work with people and have customers. I volunteer the faults of each of my rabbits as I feel them to be true. I do this without reservation with everyone, since I do not want a high return rate. It is traumatic for both the rabbit owner and the rabbit to be mentally and physically uprooted, then expected to settle in again. I find that when a rabbit's home has changed, he/ she is likely to go into a molt. This is adding a stress to an already stressful situation. I also am not too excited to try to find valuable cage space for an animal I had not planned on getting back. Before leaving my rabbitry, I like to tattoo the ear number in his or her ear. All of my rabbits are sold with a pedigree. I feel that there is a bit more of a sense of worth in so doing. If people know that you take the time to prepare a pedigree for their baby, I hope that they will appreciate the rabbit for what it is plus all the work and generations of wonderful rabbits that it took to make their own little individual companion. You will never satisfy every one, but striving to be fair is one way to help teach the world to accept the idea that these creatures are amazing pets. They are perfect for apartments because they do not make noise, if kept relatively clean, they do not smell, and they are in a cage except for supervised outings. They are forgiving and soft, warm and have a sense of humor that will delight you because their antics are as individual as the rabbits themselves. Before I leave this page, please understand that I do not condone the breeding of rabbits with genetic problems. If you have a rabbit with pigeon breast, please do not breed it. You will certainly be passing this genetic problem on to future generations. Malocclusion is another problem that should be avoided at all costs. Do not breed sick animals or animals that are not in good general health. These rabbits will probably not conceive, or if they do, may abort anyway. If they manage to produce a litter, they cannot help but have babies that are not going to be able to resist disease easily. Use your head not your heart. Fluffy may be a wonderful pet, but to produce a wonderful pet from her, she has to have the right tools to do it. Her health is an extremely important tool to be able to pass on to future generations. Think long and hard before putting two English Lops together. The reward is great, but so is the responsibility of the new lives that will result.