Dwarf lop-eared rabbits of the breed attract the views of millions. The main feature of these funny animals is lovely drooping ears. Among other things, furry people have a very wayward, but very cheerful character, so many exotic lovers choose them as pets.
Lop-eared dwarf rabbit ram
Breed appearance
The lop-eared rabbits have a very characteristic description of their appearance, which distinguishes them favorably with other relatives: the ears, with their shells, look inward, and the size of the head cartilage is slightly larger than usual. This makes pets look like dwarf lambs.
Darwin, who traveled the whole planet in search of new species, rarely met such interesting and unusual creatures as dwarf lop-eared rabbit-lambs, the progenitors of which were the French lop-eared rabbit giant and the dwarf Scottish rabbit. Many years have passed since then, and all this time, breeders continued and continue to cross these fold furry with other breeds, trying to deduce an ideal look.
Breed features
Immediately after the start of the experiments, the breeders had certain difficulties associated with the not very large sizes of the mini-rams, namely with their short small ears. Which did not want to hang, but began to stand upright. Only thanks to thorough research and the enormous painstaking work of scientists, the required effect was achieved.
At the age of twelve weeks, the ears that the kids stand upright in different directions, gradually descend along the head and by the age of three months, the dwarf ram acquires its usual appearance. For some individuals, this happens simultaneously, and for some in turn - first the left ear, then the right. They look very funny at this time, like naughty pranksters.
The mass of an adult dwarf pet at six months reaches a maximum of two and a half kilograms (the average individual weighs 1.5 kg), these sizes are ideal for any furry pet, especially a rabbit. The only thing sellers of future lamb owners immediately warn about is that they get along hard with cats. In addition, lop-eared little rabbits need careful care.
With people, the dwarf sheep is very friendly, he loves affection and is endowed with a peaceful, friendly disposition. But, having offended such a baby, be prepared that he will be able to fend for himself and, on occasion, can bite very hard.
A rabbit's life can last from eight to twelve years. Its duration largely depends on the conditions of the animal and the balance of nutrition.
The nursery, where dwarf lop-eared rabbits are bred, contains many individuals of this breed of the most diverse colors, there are even blue eared ears - a dwarf lop-eared Dutch beautiful rabbit. But most often you can see a fluffy lump, the color of which will be:
- white,
- gray hare,
- dark beige
- black and tan
- black without tan
- redhead
- Siamese gray
- spotted.
Maintenance and Care Tips
When you start a rodent as a pet, you must understand that his whole life will be spent in constant search for what can be eaten. A favorite treat that adores decorative dwarf pets is a rabbit ram - wires scattered across the floor, as a rule, are chargers from phones and laptops. But, if the damaged cord can be bought again, then it will be more difficult to survive the loss of a pet who died from an electric shock.
A specially equipped cage of spacious sizes should become the permanent residence of the rabbit at home. Select and equip a home should be based on the following requirements:
- The minimum area of the cage where one rabbit lives: width 50 cm, length 70 cm.
- The arrangement of the cage is a small house that will become a reliable shelter for the pet.
- The optimal location for the ram cage is a well-lit and ventilated room, where there is no likelihood of even the slightest draft.
- Dwarf lop-eared rabbits are cleanliness, so they will go to the toilet exactly in that part of the cage where you place the tray. You can buy it at any pet store and outwardly is no different from a cat. For convenience and economy of free space of the cage, there are special rabbit corner trays of a triangular shape.
- Younger pets have a habit of scattering their bowls and all their contents on different sides. To prevent this from happening, fix the drinker well against the wall, and use a heavy ceramic cup with a thick massive bottom as a feeder, one that the animal cannot bite or budge even if it wants to.
- Rabbits need constant movement, and in the cage in which he lives, albeit very spacious, not a single hare will be able to run in plenty. Therefore, be sure to, at least once during the day, release the fluffy into the wild so that it stretches the legs a little.
- And so that during the walk the animal does not scratch the expensive furniture, first use a special clipper to trim its claws.
Nutrition
The main food for the young rabbit is a nutritious grain dare and some hay for a snack. In addition, up to six months of age, babies need to be fed freshly cut grass and raw seasonal vegetables. At this time, the not yet strong digestive system is not able to absorb the coarse fibers and fiber that the animal needs so much for growth and harmonious development.
The older the decorative rabbit, the less it feels the need for fruits, vegetables and herbs, you can gradually reduce their dosage to a minimum every month. Be sure to make sure that there is always fresh hay in the pet's feeder, this is a vital source of all the useful vitamins and minerals that animals eat with great pleasure.
Lamb is also eaten in hard ones like crackers, wheat or oats. But, the dosage of these products should be minimal. The stomach of rabbits does not tolerate meat and milk in any form, so you can not feed animals with these products. In rare cases, babies who have not reached the age of three months can be given a little milk.
Lop-eared rabbit washing his face
Rabbit-ram - All about the form of a rodent | Type of Rodent - Lamb Rabbit
HOW TO CARE FOR A HOME BUNNY? Dwarf Rabbit Rabbit House
Make it a rule for yourself to always ensure that the sheep’s cage always has clean filtered water and the feeder from which they eat. To meet the pet’s need for healthy minerals, you can buy a special stone at the pet store and attach it to one of the cage’s walls, not far from the feeder and drinker.
How to train an animal
Not large rabbits by their nature have increased caution, so the host is not immediately taken. When leaving, try to scare the eared as little as possible and never pull it out of the house by force. He will hide in the farthest corner and will be wary of watching your actions. Instead, just slightly open the cage and wait a bit, as a result, the baby’s curiosity will prevail over his fears and in the open opening his muzzle and ears will appear first, and then the animal itself.
Approach the cage always with a calm measured step, while doing this do not swing or sharply move your hands. Try to arouse your pet's interest in a delicious treat while he eats, talk to him quietly, almost in a whisper, and most importantly, kindly and friendly.
If you notice that the pet is too aggressive, gently press it to the floor with one hand. So he will feel his dependence in front of you and slow down a little. The thing is that in natural nature in order to win the rabbit needs to jump onto the back of his rival, the one who makes this first is the leader and it is customary to obey him. If you are not sure that you can correctly overcome the aggression of sheep, you can watch a video instruction on this topic on the Internet.
What to do if the baby is sick?
The first signals indicating that your decorative pet is sick:
- During the illness, the coat does not have a natural healthy shine; every day it is fainter and fainter;
- A sick dwarf rabbit, a lop-eared mini-ram, eats almost nothing, he refuses even his favorite food;
- The rabbit's body heats up to 39.6 degrees, sometimes even higher
- The animal is absolutely indifferent to everything that happens around him.
If you notice at least one symptom of a disease in a ram, immediately seek medical help at a veterinary clinic. While waiting for the doctor’s arrival, you can keep an ice pack in the animal’s abdomen, so you’ll slightly reduce his body temperature.
With proper maintenance, lop-eared dwarf rabbits are very rare. But if you love your ram and look after it with affection and tenderness, it will definitely reciprocate and become a great friend.
Usually the first question, the person who saw the dwarf lamb at the exhibition - how much does this furry miracle cost, and only then people are interested in what kind of care they need? So: one lop-eared dwarf minor costs 2000 rubles, provided that he does not have a pedigree. The price of rabbits with a pedigree is several times higher. If you liked the Dutch dwarf fold rabbit, then be prepared to pay about 5000 rubles for it. Without a pedigree, the price is slightly lower. A dwarf pet rabbit and a class class costs about eight thousand rubles. And the baby of titled rabbits will be even more expensive - from 10 thousand and more. Now you know what a dwarf fold sheep wants, about the origin of the breed, and how to care for a representative of a decorative breed.