bunnylover78642
Well-Known Member
The English Lop is certainly a one of a kind rabbit.They are a very tolerable and affectionate breed of rabbit with certainuniqueness to them. No other breed of rabbit can claim to beall ears! The ears of the English Lop must measure 21" fromtip to tip to be shown, even in the junior class. Completedgrowth of the ears is finished around 4 months of age.
The world record for longest ears is currently held byCalifornia breeders Waymon and Margaret Nipper at 31.125".However, that uniqueness of these ears is not the wholepackage. The ears, no matter what length, must be in balancewith the size of their mandolin shaped body. A good mandolinshape starts with a shoulder length of about two fingers connecting toa rise that starts climbing up to a high point above the hips androunding out over their rump with fullness down to the table.The best way to measure if the ears are in balance to the body is topose the rabbit properly, gather the ears and extend them back over thetop line of their body. The tip of the ears should meetaround that high point above the hips. Too far past or shortof this point means the ears are not in balance with thebody. And not only must the ears be in balance with the body,but in balance with themselves! The ideal width is to beone-quarter of the length.
Many people are turned away from owning or raising an EnglishLop for concern of mishaps with the ears. Indeed because ofthe large, dragging ears they can be prone to scratches or tears mainlyfrom their own feet! Keeping the nails trimmed can preventsuch scrapes. Also, due to their deeper ear canal, excess waxbuild up can pose a problem and must be checked and cleaned out morefrequent than other breeds. Prevention is always the keyfactor in any situation.
These minor tribulations can most certainly be overlooked byone who truly loves the breed to become a breeder of EnglishLops. And even to the pet owner that finds them soirresistible that it is a must to have at least one!
[align=right]Lotsa Lops[/align]
[align=right]Danielle Stenli[/align]
[align=right]Breeder of quality English Lops since 1996[/align]
[align=right]Top 50 Open English Lop Exhibitor since 2000[/align]
I have raised a variety of differentbreeds over themany years that I've had rabbits. By far, my favorite is the EnglishLop. English Lop rabbits are very loving, calm and docile animal. Theyhave great personalities and always attract and demand lots ofattention!
English Lops are known to be one of the oldest breeds ofdomestic rabbit, dating back to the 16th century. As with all lops,they come in broken (spotted) and solid (no spots) coat patterns. Also,another common lop trait is the many different colors they can come in.A full grown English Lop should be around 10-12 pounds, with at least21" ears (measured from tip to tip with a yard stick). Often ears reachlengths of 25" and more.English Lops are a rather rare breedof rabbit.
I started raising and showing them from a very young age in4-H. Over the years I have seen many rabbits. None have touched mequite like the English Lop. I plan and hopeto raise and breedthem for as long as I am able. Check out my website for pictures, andmore info on the English Lop!
GeoffBonne,BonneBunnys Rabbitry
Sr. Bucks - 8 months of age and over, weight 9 lbs. and over
Sr. Does - 8 months of age and over, weight 10 lbs. and over
Int. Bucks - 6-8 months of age, not over 10 lbs.
Int. Does - 6-8 months of age, not over 11 lbs.
Jr. Bucks & Does - under 6 months of age, not over 9 lbs. Min weight 4 1/2 lbs.
Groups: Agouti, broken, self, shaded, ticked, wide band
Classifications: Broken pattern, solid pattern
Picture From- http://www.lotsalops.com/
Broken Black
