Like the Rex breed, the velveteen-lop rabbit has an extremely soft and short coat, but also large floppy ears. This breed is very popular with Lop rabbit lovers, and since they don’t grow as large as other Lop breeds, they are a manageable option for pet owners. If you know the special care this breed needs, you can keep your rabbit happy and healthy for years.
Breed Overview
COMMON NAME: velveteen-lop Rabbit
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Oryctolagus cuniculus
ADULT SIZE: 5 to 7 pounds
LIFETIME: Approximately five to eight years, but can live up to 12 years.
Velveteen Lop rabbit behavior and temperament
A Velveteen Lop rabbit is a great pet for someone looking for an alternative to a cat or guinea pig. Rabbits are uncomplicated animals and are considered playful and intelligent. Rabbits are not aggressive and prefer to run away rather than try to bite when they are scared or feel threatened. This means that they are suitable for both adults and children as pets. They are most active at dawn and dusk, but can also be found lounging and sleeping during the day and evening.
Size Information
As a medium-sized rabbit, the velvet-footed rabbit can weigh a maximum of 7 pounds, but its ears can exceed 1 foot in length. As its name suggests, its floppy ears are quite large, but the rest of its body is fairly proportional.
Housing
All rabbits, including velvet paws, need plenty of room to run and play, but when they’re not hopping around, they also need a safe place to sleep. If your adult velvet paw rabbit is an indoor rabbit, it needs a cage that is at least three feet by three feet. There are commercially available cages, but many people build their rabbit pens from playpens, dog houses, and other items. Rabbit hutches for outdoor use can also be purchased or built, but they must be especially secure to prevent your rabbit from escaping or being injured or killed by a predator.
Specific substrate requirements
When choosing a substrate for your Velvetlegged Rabbit’s home, avoid cedar and pine shavings. Instead, opt for aspen, timothy hay, or recycled paper if you want to give your rabbit a diaper. You can also use unscented, dust-free hay or cat litter.
What do Velvet Paw rabbits eat and drink?
Like other rabbits, Velvet Paw needs to eat a wide variety of vegetables and hay to stay healthy. Depending on the size of your rabbit, you can give them 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rabbit pellets without seeds or colored bits (depending on their weight and the dietary recommendations for that size of a rabbit), but the bulk of their meal should be hay and dark leafy vegetables. You can also give them occasional sugar-free cereals, crackers, fruits, and vegetables that are not green. Remember, if your rabbits are not fed properly, they may develop ileus.
Common health problems
Unfortunately, velvet-footed rabbits can develop a multitude of health problems. Here are some of the most common problems in rabbits:
- dental problems
- mites and ear infections
- mites and skin infections
- eye problems
- breathing problems
- intestinal obstruction
- problems with reproductive organs
For all of these health problems and more, the help of a veterinarian experienced in rabbit care is needed.
Training Your Velveteen Lop Rabbit
Velveteen Lop rabbits are very intelligent and can be trained to perform simple tricks, come when called and use a litter box. Some people even teach them to walk with a harness and leash or to fetch toys.
Leash training
If you want to teach your rabbit to walk on a leash, you need to attach the leash to a harness that is appropriate for the rabbit’s size. Verbal encouragement and treats can encourage your rabbit to come closer to you and get used to the leash.
The learning of cleanliness
With a little patience and consistency, you can teach your rabbit to use a litter box. This will make you more willing to let your rabbit run around in a rabbit-safe environment since you won’t have to worry about cleaning up accidents.
Exercise
Exercise is vital to your velvet rabbit’s mental and physical health. Your rabbits need room to run and play, find food, be mentally stimulated, find objects to gnaw on, maintain their muscle mass, and keep their digestive tract moving. Gastrointestinal motility can decrease or stop due to stress and lack of physical mobility.
Coat Care
Velveteen-lop rabbits have very short and soft hair, but this does not mean they do not need grooming. Trimming nails, cleaning ears, bathing, and maybe even cutting teeth may be necessary depending on the rabbit and its lifestyle. With a maned rabbit, it is especially important to pay attention to the cleanliness of the ears, as they are very large and can easily pick up dirt and retain moisture.
Hair loss
Rabbits shed their fur regularly, but the major shedding occurs twice a year, in the spring and fall. During these major shedding events, your rabbit will lose more hair than usual.
Brushing
Although velvet rabbits do not have very long hair, you may need to brush them from time to time. Brushing can help reduce the amount of hair you find around the house and on your clothes. Some breeders recommend weekly brushing with a soft brush.
Baths
Rabbits are usually very clean animals, so bathing them is not necessary. However, if they are dirty, quick cleaning of the soiled area is a good idea. Do not submerge your rabbit in water when bathing – clean only the necessary areas, as rabbits can freeze and develop an ileus while bathing. Use dish soap and lukewarm water to thoroughly clean your velvet rabbit, then dry him carefully with a towel. Pay special attention to his sensitive ears and avoid splashing water on them.
Cost of grooming
Caring for a velvet rabbit can cost more than expected. This is because they need to be fed fresh vegetables, hay, and pellets daily. Expect to pay about $50 per month for food and $10 to $20 for toys and bedding. You should also budget for routine and emergency visits to the vet if your rabbit needs medical care.
Advantages and disadvantages of keeping a Velveteen Lop rabbit as a pet.
Rabbits need a lot more space and attention than many people think, but they are also very affectionate pets. They need fresh vegetables to feed daily, but they can also be cuddly and sometimes live up to 12 years.
Animals are similar to the Velveteen Lop rabbit.
If you’re interested in Velveteen Lop rabbits as pets, take a look at the following:
- Species Profile Guinea Pig
- Species profile Chinchilla
- Species profile Degu
Alternatively, you can check out other rabbit species that can become your new pet!
Are you buying or adopting your Velveteen Lop rabbit?
Velveteen Lop rabbits are not as common a breed as other Lop rabbit breeds, and they are not usually found in pet stores. You’ll probably have to buy your Velveteen Lop rabbit from an online breeder or at a rabbit show, but sometimes you’ll find one at a rabbit rescue group. Expect to pay between $60 and $100 for a velveteen lop rabbit from a breeder. If you are looking for a Velveteen Lop, you can contact your local chapter of the House Rabbit Society to see if they have any recommendations for rabbit rescues, or you can contact local rabbit rescue groups directly.
Breeding
If you decide to have more than one rabbit and they are the opposite sex, you should have your female spayed to avoid unwanted litters. Also, this procedure will extend their life span! You can also take two females if you want two rabbits, but if you want two males, you will need to have both sterilized if you want to prevent them from fighting each other.
