Miniature Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). [1] Confusion arises because, in the UK, the Miniature Lop is often commonly called (for short) the Mini Lop. It is, however, a different breed from the Mini Lop that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). [2] The BRC-recognized Miniature Lop is most similar to the ARBA-recognized Holland Lop. The Miniature Lop is also similar to several other small rabbit breeds.
The Miniature Lop in Britain is a relatively new rabbit breed, and it is descended from the first dwarf lops that were developed in the Netherlands during the 1970s.[ citation needed ] These are now called, in the US, the Holland Lop , but in the Netherlands, they are known as the Miniature Lop.
A Dutch rabbit breeder, Adriann de Cock, is generally credited with developing in late 1949 the dwarf lop breeds, by crossing the French Lop (one of the largest of the lop breeds) with the tiny Netherland Dwarf.[ citation needed ] Years of hard work paid off to produce the smallest of the lop breeds, and Holland Lops of approximately 2–2.5 kilograms (4.4–5.5 lb) were first shown in 1964.
In 1970, the Holland Lop breed society, composed of 12 breeders in the Netherlands, was established by Adriann de Cock, with the aim of breeding Holland Lops down to 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb). Ten years later, these smaller Holland Lops were imported to Britain by George Scott of Yorkshire via a Dutch contact.[ citation needed ] After years of selective breeding among the smallest specimens, a new breed was developed and named the Miniature Lop, which was recognised by the British Rabbit Council in 1994, with a maximum weight of 1.6 kilograms (3.5 lb).
| Ideal | Maximum | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 1.2–1.5 kg (2 lb 10 oz – 3 lb 5 oz) | 1.6 kg (3 lb 8 oz) |
| Junior under 5 months | 3.0 lbs |
Females usually grow larger than the male.
Coat - The coat to be dense and of good length, rollback with an abundance of guard hairs. Legs and pads to be well furred.
Head, Crown and Eyes - The head is bold, broad and well developed. The profile of the head is strongly curved with a good width between the eyes, full cheeks and a broad muzzle. The eyes are bold, bright and large. The basal ridge of the ears should appear prominent across the top of the skull to form the crown.
Ears - Should be broad, thick, well furred and rounded at the ends. They should be carried close to the cheeks giving a horseshoe like outline when viewed from the front. The inside of the ears should not be visible from any angle when carried correctly.
Agouti, Black, Blue, Brown, Butterfly, Chinchilla, Fawn, Fox, Opal, Orange, Sable Marten, Sealpoint, Siamese Sable, Siamese Smoke, Sooty Fawn, Steel, White
The expected lifespan of this rabbit is between 7 and 14 years, but they can live up to 18 years if properly cared for.
The Angora rabbit, which is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool, which are gathered by shearing, combing or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA): English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora and Satin Angora. Others include German Angora, Chinese Angora, Finnish Angora, Japanese Angora, Korean Angora, Russian Angora, St Lucian Angora and Swiss Angora.
The Netherland Dwarf is a breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Netherlands. Weighing 1.1–2.5 pounds (0.50–1.13 kg), the Netherland Dwarf is one of the smallest rabbit breeds. Its popularity as a pet or show rabbit may stem from its neotenic appearance. The Netherland Dwarf is recognised by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Netherland Dwarf is often confused with the Polish breed of rabbit, but the latter has longer ears, a non-brachycephalic head and less cobbiness.
Dwarf rabbit refers either (formally) to a rabbit with the dwarfing gene, or (informally) to any small breed of domestic rabbit or specimen thereof, or (colloquially) to any small rabbit. Dwarfism is a genetic condition that may occur in humans and in many animals, including rabbits. True dwarfism is often associated with a cluster of physical abnormalities, including pituitary dwarfism. The process of dwarfing is used to selectively breed for smaller stature with each generation. Small stature is a characteristic of neoteny, which may account for the attraction of dwarf animals.
The Dutch rabbit, also known as Hollander or Brabander is easily identifiable by its characteristic colour pattern, and was once the most popular of all rabbit breeds. However, after dwarf rabbits were developed, the popularity of the Dutch rabbit dwindled. Nevertheless, the Dutch rabbit remains one of the top ten most popular breeds worldwide.
The Mini Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is different from the Miniature Lop breed that is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Mini Lop [US] and the Miniature Lop [UK] are different from the Dwarf Lop breed that is recognized by the BRC. The Mini Lop is similar to several other small rabbit breeds, such as the Dwarf rabbit.
Holland Lop is a breed of lop-eared rabbit that was recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1979. The Holland Lop, with a maximum weight of 4 lb (1.8 kg), is one of the smallest lop-eared breeds.
Mini Rex is a breed of domestic rabbit that was created in 1984 in Florida by the late Monna Berryhill of Texas. The Rex mutation, derived in France in the 19th century, is recessive and causes the hair to protrude outwards from the body, instead of lying flat, and the guard hairs to be shortened to the length of the undercoat.
The French Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit developed in France in the 19th century from the selective breeding of English Lop and Flemish Giant stock. The French Lop resembles the English Lop, but the French Lop is heavier in stature and does not have the exaggerated ear length of the English Lop. Weighing approximately 4.98 kg to 5.21 kg, it has an average lifespan of five to seven years. The French Lop is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
Lop rabbit or lop-eared rabbit refers to any rabbit with ears that droop, as opposed to being carried erect. A number of rabbit breeds are characterized by such lop ears. Abnormalities in the skull of a half-lop rabbit were studied by Charles Darwin in 1868.
The term rex rabbit refers informally to one of at least nine breeds of domestic rabbit. One such breed is the Rex, which is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Other modern-day rex rabbit breeds are listed below. Care must be taken to distinguish the rex rabbit breeds from the three types of rex rabbit fur for which they are known.
The Argenté rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of French show rabbits. The British Rabbit Council (BRC) recognises six varieties: Argenté Bleu, Argenté Brun, Argenté Crème, Argenté de Champagne, Argenté Noir, and Argenté St Hubert. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognises the Champagne d'Argent, the Crème d'Argent and the Argenté Brun. A rare variety, the Argenté Clair, is not currently recognised by either the BRC or ARBA.
The Tri-Colour Dutch is a breed of domestic rabbit created in the Netherlands by crossing tortoiseshell Dutch rabbits with Harlequin rabbits. The Tri-Colour Dutch breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council but not by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. The coat of the Tri-Colour Dutch is white in the same places as a Dutch rabbit, but the coloured portions of the coat are a mix of orange with either black, blue or chocolate.
The English Lop is a fancy breed of domestic rabbit that was developed in England in the 19th century through selective breeding. It is believed to be the first breed of lop rabbit developed by humans, and it may be one of the oldest breeds of domestic rabbit. Averaging 5.5 kg (12 lb), the English Lop is characterised by its distinctively long lop ears, bold head, and large body size.
The Thrianta is a breed of domestic rabbit that is brilliant red in color, with fawn under its paws and tail. Originating in the Netherlands, the Thrianta was further developed in Germany before being exported to the United Kingdom in the early 1980s. During the 1990s, the breed arrived in the United States from both the Netherlands and England. The Thrianta breed is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Thrianta breed is rare in Australia with only a few active breeders.
Plush Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit with two varieties: Miniature and Standard. There is also a Canadian Plush Lop breed in development. Similar in appearance, the Velveteen Lop breed is also in development. Miniature Plush Lops were the first to be developed. Devie D'anniballe began creating this breed in 1995 in the United States. She succeeded in developing them by combining the previously existing breeds of Holland Lop, Mini Rex, and Mini Lop. Her aim was to create the perfect pet by retaining the good qualities of these breeds, while "breeding out" all the problems existing in these breeds.
The Rhinelander is a medium-sized breed of domestic rabbit that originated in Germany. Rhinelanders are known for their distinctive facial "butterfly markings", a spine marking, colored ears, cheek spots, eye circles and side markings of black with orange or of blue with fawn. The Rhinelander breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
The Harlequin is a colourful breed of rabbit originating from France. It is a breed based around the coloration and markings, rather than fur and body type. The ideal weight of a standard Harlequin is 6.5-9.5 lb (2–3 kg), with bucks (males) weighing 6.5-9 lb, and does (females) weighing 7-9.5 lb.
The Miniature Lion Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council. The breed is not currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. In addition to its lop ears, the distinguishing feature of this breed is its Lionhead-type mane and its small size: 1.5–1.6 kilograms (3.3–3.5 lb).
