Baby Holland Lops

The first weeks, before they are ready

Newborn rabbits are born blind, deaf and without fur, and they stay in the nest for about three weeks. The doe feeds them once or twice a day, usually at night, and otherwise leaves them alone. That is normal and it alarms every first-time observer: a mother rabbit sitting across the room from her nest is not neglecting it, she is avoiding drawing a predator to it.

Eyes open around day ten. Fur comes in over the first fortnight. By three weeks they are out of the nest and sampling their mother's hay, and by four they are eating solids properly while still nursing. Weaning is a gradual thing that finishes around six to seven weeks, which is why eight is the earliest honest sale date.

Why eight weeks is the floor

A kit's gut flora is still establishing through weaning, and the change of diet, water and environment that comes with moving house is a genuine shock to it. Taken too early, the result is enteritis, and in a rabbit under two pounds that moves fast. The extra fortnight costs the breeder money in feed and makes the difference between a robust kit and a gamble.

What a baby Holland Lop is like

Smaller than people expect and busier than they expect. At eight weeks a Holland Lop is a handful of rabbit that sleeps a great deal and then explodes into activity, usually at dawn and in the evening. They binky constantly, they chew everything, and they are considerably faster than an adult.

Handling in this window sets the temperament for life. Ours are handled every day from early on, and the single most useful thing a new owner can do is keep that going: short, frequent, floor-level sessions rather than long ones.

The first week at home

• Keep the food identical for at least two weeks. Same pellets, same hay. Change one thing at a time, slowly. Diet change is the most common cause of trouble in a newly moved kit.
• Expect hiding. Two or three days under something is normal. Do not chase, do not keep lifting them out.
• Watch the droppings. They are the best health indicator a rabbit has. Fewer, smaller or none at all for twelve hours is a same-day vet call.
• Unlimited hay from day one. Not a treat, the main food.
• Quiet. One room, limited visitors, for the first week.

What changes over the first year

They roughly double from eight weeks to adult, finishing at 2 to 4 lb by about seven months. Adolescence arrives at three to five months and brings everything you would expect: territorial behaviour, a sudden loss of litter training, and in does a certain amount of nest-building and grumpiness. Spaying or neutering at four to six months resolves most of it and is the right thing to do for health reasons regardless.

Common questions

At what age can a baby Holland Lop go home?

Eight weeks at the earliest. We do not release earlier for any reason.

How big is a baby Holland Lop at eight weeks?

Around a pound, give or take, and roughly the adult size of a Netherland Dwarf.

How many are in a litter?

Commonly three to six for this breed.

Do baby rabbits need anything special?

Consistency more than anything: the same food, a quiet space and unlimited hay. Everything else can wait a fortnight.