# Could my Holland Lop actually be a Mini Lop?



## babybun (Aug 20, 2013)

Hi everybody! 

A quick update: I was able to find a rabbit savvy vet in the area, and have already booked an appointment for Winston!

When I was making the appointment, I was asked what breed Winston was. I told them that he is a Holland Lop, but he does seem a little big.

I was told that he is a Holland Lop by the breeder, but the breeder wasn't somebody I really trusted in the first place. Winston does seem a little on the larger side, and his face isn't really pushed in at all. I haven't gotten him weighed yet, but he'll be weighed at the vet's office soon.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 20, 2013)

Wait until he is over 6 months of age, the weigh him if he is over 6 pounds I would say mini. He could just be a pet quality holland lop which means he isnt going to have the small body and pushed in bulldog head. He does seem like a pet quality holland lop to me.


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## babybun (Aug 20, 2013)

I guess there's nothing I can do but wait until he stops growing and then weigh him! There shouldn't be any complications at the vet's office if I'm not a hundred percent sure of his breed, right?


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 20, 2013)

He reminds me of a holland lop with a narrow head, slipped crown and long ears, You just have to wait it out to be positive.


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## ladysown (Aug 20, 2013)

looks pet quality Holland lop...and even they can reach 6 lbs.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 20, 2013)

ladysown said:


> looks pet quality Holland lop...and even they can reach 6 lbs.



Most of the time some pet quality lops will reach 5 pounds, at least with the pet quality hollands around here it is very uncommon for a pet quality holland to reach 6 pounds at a healthy weight. However many spayed and neutered rabbits are overweight so that is a good thing to point out. When looking at the weight make sure the rabbit is at a healthy weight, or take into consideration that the rabbit is a little heavier. ( Dont worry I'm not saying anything to the bunny vet , we all sneak our rabbits and extra midnight treat lol  )


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## Azerane (Aug 20, 2013)

There definitely won't be any problem at the vet if you're slightly off with the breed. I doubt most vets would even tell the difference between holland and mini lop. lol


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## whiskylollipop (Aug 20, 2013)

This is interesting, what IS the difference between pet quality hollands and minis? I always thought hollands just had shorter ears. This bun looks very much like my two pet minis.


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## Zaiya (Aug 21, 2013)

To me, Hollands have thinner faces than Mini's, plus, the Mini's have longer, wider ears. This may just be my experience, but it could also be a fact. Also, of course, Mini's are a couple pounds heavier.

Just do a Google search and look around for a while. You'll find the differences eventually! XD


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## Rabbit Lover02 (Aug 22, 2013)

That looks like my bun Digby!


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## Chrisdoc (Aug 22, 2013)

Whatever he is, he´s just adorable :bouquet:


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## Rabbit Lover02 (Aug 23, 2013)

He is a Mini Lop. My bunny looks just like that and yesterday at a show the judge said he was a Mini Lop. So there you have it, he's a Mini.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Aug 23, 2013)

The difference between Holland Lops and Mini Lops is largely structural. Holland Lops are a compact breed with an upright posture, and Mini Lops have a more commercial-type pose, although they're also a compact body type. Show quality Holland Lops are smaller than Mini Lops, have shorter ears, and have heavy bone/mass in proportion to their bodies.

With a rabbit that isn't show-typed, it can be very difficult to distinguish between Holland/Mini. Weights can be the same, looks can be similar, etc.

If the breeder told you your rabbit was a Holland, I would believe that. The breeder may or may not be working with top quality animals, but that doesn't mean they don't know what breed they're working with. He looks like he has Holland-like features to me.


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Aug 23, 2013)

He is so cute! I'm not good at telling breeds but he is adorable!!


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## golfdiva (Aug 23, 2013)

Hmmm...I guess I've been wrong about little Nestle all these months! I thought she was a mini lop, but now I'm thinking Holland lop?

She has the pushed in face and only weights 4 lbs.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Aug 23, 2013)

golfdiva, Nestle is definitely a Holland Lop too.


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## golfdiva (Aug 23, 2013)

Thanks! Glad that's cleared up. I just groomed her for about 30 minutes. She must weigh less than 4 pounds now! Lol!


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 26, 2013)

OakRidgeRabbits said:


> The difference between Holland Lops and Mini Lops is largely structural. Holland Lops are a compact breed with an upright posture, and Mini Lops have a more commercial-type pose, although they're also a compact body type. Show quality Holland Lops are smaller than Mini Lops, have shorter ears, and have heavy bone/mass in proportion to their bodies.
> 
> With a rabbit that isn't show-typed, it can be very difficult to distinguish between Holland/Mini. Weights can be the same, looks can be similar, etc.
> 
> If the breeder told you your rabbit was a Holland, I would believe that. The breeder may or may not be working with top quality animals, but that doesn't mean they don't know what breed they're working with. He looks like he has Holland-like features to me.



This is almost the exact thing I was going to say. She looks Holland lop to me. I thought the same thing about the breeder, why would you not trust him? I would go with what the breeder has said.


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## Nancy McClelland (Aug 26, 2013)

Cute and healthy--healthy is all that matters to us. One of our rescues was supposed to be part English Spot and full grown--she weighed 7 pounds. A year goes by, she's now almost 20 pounds and I found out she's a pure Checkered Giant. Very healthy girl too, but not nearly full grown or a year old like what we were told.


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## golfdiva (Aug 27, 2013)

Well said, Nancy!


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 27, 2013)

Well yes Nancy health is important, but the OP was asking the breed We were trying to help her figure out the breed, the breed is a Holland lop


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## babybun (Aug 27, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies everybody! I'll be sure to post an update after the vet visit! I'm sorry if anybody thought I'd love Winston less if he wasn't a Holland! I was just curious because size does affect the type of care I'd have to give him ( like carrier size, play pen size, etc), and I wanted to be prepared!





Here's another picture of Winston! He's gotten a little bigger since then, but not by much!


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## babybun (Aug 27, 2013)

RabbitGirl101 said:


> This is almost the exact thing I was going to say. She looks Holland lop to me. I thought the same thing about the breeder, why would you not trust him? I would go with what the breeder has said.



The breeder didn't seem to invest very much into his bunnies. I'm sure they were taken care of, but I was very surprised when he said that Winston was only given hay two or three times a week! It also seemed like Winston hadn't been handled very much, or at all, when I first got him. Regardless, he's happy and healthy now!


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 27, 2013)

Oh ok that makes sense, although rabbits should have an unlimited amount of hay with certain breeds hay isn't as important.(I'm not saying hay isnt important but Hollands dont ingest as much fur or other things like an angora would, with angoras the risk of fur blockage is much higher and they must have hay at all times, the risk of health issue including blockages is much lower in Hollands so hay isn't as needed as it is with an angora rabbit) With Hollands as long as they have a diet full of nutrition having hay only a few times a week shouldn't affect them that much. Did the breeder have a lot of rabbits? If so they aren't going to be handled as much because your going to focus more on the rabbits that need to be handled (show rabbits) I'm kinda like that over here in my rabbitry, I spend more time on my rabbits that need to learn how to pose and need to have good behavior, but my pet rabbits for sale get attention too just not as much. I'm glad he's happy and healthy. It's always good to see a rabbit go too a good pet home!


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## babybun (Aug 29, 2013)

Hi Everybody!

Winston went to the vet to get neutered today. This vet was a little farther away, but the vet was very rabbit savvy and was worth the trip! 

Winston weighs in at 3.5 pounds, so perhaps he is a Holland after all! 

He's doing well after the surgery. He's pretty active, has been fed critical care, and even ate some vegies!


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## babybun (Aug 29, 2013)

RabbitGirl101 said:


> Oh ok that makes sense, although rabbits should have an unlimited amount of hay with certain breeds hay isn't as important.(I'm not saying hay isnt important but Hollands dont ingest as much fur or other things like an angora would, with angoras the risk of fur blockage is much higher and they must have hay at all times, the risk of health issue including blockages is much lower in Hollands so hay isn't as needed as it is with an angora rabbit) With Hollands as long as they have a diet full of nutrition having hay only a few times a week shouldn't affect them that much. Did the breeder have a lot of rabbits? If so they aren't going to be handled as much because your going to focus more on the rabbits that need to be handled (show rabbits) I'm kinda like that over here in my rabbitry, I spend more time on my rabbits that need to learn how to pose and need to have good behavior, but my pet rabbits for sale get attention too just not as much. I'm glad he's happy and healthy. It's always good to see a rabbit go too a good pet home!




I think he had a lot of rabbits, but raised them all for pets.


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## RabbitGirl101 (Aug 30, 2013)

babybun said:


> I think he had a lot of rabbits, but raised them all for pets.



Hmm that is odd.


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