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| Other Names |
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| Lifespan |
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On average the French Lop rabbit can live to 5 years or more. |
| Breeding |
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The ideal age for the female French Lop rabbit to start breeding is 9 months of age. The first litter must be born before the female is one year old. The reason for this is that after this age the pelvic bones fuse and she would not be able to give birth naturally. They should have no more litters after the age of three years. |
| Average Litter Size |
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The French Lop rabbit can produce large litters, usually between 5-12. |
| Gestation Period |
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The gestation period is between 28-31 days. On average they give birth at 30-32 days. |
| General Physical Description |
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This is the giant of the Lop breeds. These rabbits are very heavy and cobby with wide, bold heads. Their ears are between 30 to 38cms long (measured from the tip of one ear to the tip of the other ear), making them considerably shorter than those of the English Lop. |
| Size |
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They weigh at least 4.5kgs. |
| Feeding |
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The mainstay of a rabbit’s diet should be large unlimited amounts of fresh hay, fresh fruit and vegetables, a well-balanced dry rabbit mix and plenty of clean water. Rabbits have quite delicate stomachs so when feeding fresh fruits and vegetables make sure they are added to the diet one vegetable at a time and eliminate specific varieties if they cause diarrhoea. An earthenware bowl is the best type of feeding dish to use, as they are harder to knock over than the plastic ones, also they not chewable. A water bottle fixed to the outside of the cage, with the water tube going into the cage, ensures a fresh water supply is available. |
| Cage & Bedding |
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For an outdoor rabbit the ideal home is a wooden hutch made of a heavy wood with a waterproof roof, and raised off the ground. If the rabbit is going to live indoors then a wooden hutch can also be used or a cage. The cage would have a plastic or wire base with a wire lid fixed to the base. All rabbits must have an adequate exercise area, whether it is an outside run or an enclosed area in the house. Wood shavings should be used for the floor of the hutch or cage. Fine sawdust can cause eye irritations so this should be avoided. Bedding material should be provided especially in cold and wet weather for the outdoor rabbit. The best thing to use is straw on top of a layer of the wood shavings in the sleeping compartment. The rabbit home should be cleaned out weekly and any old food removed. If it is necessary to wash the home then only use a cleaner specifically designed for cleaning rabbit hutches. An earthenware food bowl and a drinking bottle will also be required to feed and water the rabbit. |
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| Suitability For Children |
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The French Lop rabbit is okay for children but it has to be remembered that they will grow to be quite large. |
| Character & Temperament |
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Whilst many of this breed are good-natured and friendly, there is some occurrence of bad temper. |
| Sleeping Habits |
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Rabbits are most active in the morning and at night; they generally sleep during the day. |
| Toys & Exercise |
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Rabbits need things to climb on, crawl through, dig and chew. It is possible to provide plenty to entertain this rabbit with using household items, such as toilet roll tubes and boxes. Several boxes can be put together with holes in them so the rabbit can go from box to box, just like being in a warren. Ramps can also be put against the boxes so the rabbit can climb up; they like to have a lookout post. |
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| Types of Coat |
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Their coats are dense and soft. |
| Colour |
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The French Lop comes in a variety of colours including agouti, black, broken marked, chinchilla and sooty-fawn. |
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| Intelligence |
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Rabbits can become trained to learn their name. They are more intelligent than guinea pigs and hamsters. They can even be litter trained. |
| Show Characteristics |
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The French Lop is a large rabbit and should be heavy in bone. The body should be broad, deep and well muscled. The head should be wide having good width between the eyes. The ears are long, thick, wide and measure between 30 to 38cms long (measured from the tip of one ear to the tip of the other ear). They can be agouti, black, chinchilla or fawn in colour. |
| Country of Origin |
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France |
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