A white German Lop Rabbit in a studio

German Lop Rabbit Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The German Lop rabbit is a distinctive breed with its Roman nose and long lop ears. Their ears can be as long as 35 cm… that’s long! They’re a medium-sized breed and come in all sorts of colours and patterns. Most rabbit breeds live to around 5 to 8 years, but the German Lop has been known to live to around 12 or 13 years.

If you're thinking about bringing one of these beauties home, this breed guide gives you all you need to know about this long-lived breed.

German Lop Rabbit Facts

Everypaw's breed type icon
Type
Lop-eared
Everypaw's breed lifespan icon
Lifespan
8 - 13 years
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Size
Medium
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Weight
3 - 4 kg
Everypaw's breed temperament icon
Temperament
Gentle, docile, affectionate
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Exercise
2 hours 2x a day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a German Lop Rabbit Right for Me?

The German Lop is a very friendly and affectionate breed. They’re calm and docile so make great pets for anyone including older fur parents, families with children and for anyone living on their own. They love nothing more than have cuddles on the sofa but will also enjoy playtime with their favourite toys.

They’re also quick learners, so house training should be a doddle. If you’re looking for a good all-round breed, then the German Lop will be a good breed choice for you.

A white French Lop rabbit

Life with a German Lop Rabbit

Life with a German Lop will be fun and full of cuddles. They tend to live longer than the average rabbit breed, so will be around to keep you company for many years. This does mean a long-term commitment, but they’re worth it!

Caring for Your German Lop

Like most bunny breeds the German Lop needs a healthy diet of hay, grass and greens. Hay is very important to keep their digestive system healthy and to keep their teeth from becoming overgrown. They enjoy grazing on grass and eating fresh veg like carrots, sweetcorn, celery and broccoli.

You can feed your rabbit a commercial rabbit food too, but make sure you don’t over feed them. Rabbits thrive on a basic diet of fresh water, good quality hay, fresh grass and veggies, so feeding pellets or a mix, isn’t a must.

The German Lop has a short, dense coat that doesn’t need much grooming. Rabbits are generally good at grooming themselves, but a quick groom every week will keep their coat looking healthy and shiny. Grooming is a great way to check for any health problems too and will strengthen your bond with your bunny.

German Lop rabbits are a sociable and intelligent breed which makes then a joy to train. Using positive, reward-based training, they’ll pick things up quickly. Start training when they’re young, and they’ll soon get the hang of things.

You could teach your bunny to do lots of things. Why not try teaching them to come to call, play fetch, spin, or give a high five!

Exercise is important to keep your bunny fit and healthy and keep unwanted behaviour at bay. Make sure your rabbit has lots of toys to play with, chew toys and places to run, play and hide. Spending time playing with your rabbit will help them get the exercise they need.

German Lop Rabbit Insurance

Known for their long life, a German Lop is in it for the long run, and we can be too to help keep your rabbit happy and healthy. Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance is available from 8 weeks of age, and you can take out new policies all the way up to their 5th Birthday.

But don't worry, we can be there for you and your German Lop way beyond that. All you need to do is renew your policy every year without breaking cover, and we'll be there well into their senior years.

Start a quote

Common German Lop Health Problems by Vetstream

Luckily this breed doesn’t tend to have any breed-related health issues. But there are some health problems that all bunny breeds can suffer from. We’ve teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream, to give you an idea of what to look out for in your bunny.

Dental malocclusion happens when a rabbit’s top and bottom teeth don’t line up properly. Their teeth grow continuously, so it’s important they slowly wear them down by chewing and gnawing. If they become overgrown your rabbit will struggle to eat or drink properly. If this happens, they’ll need to visit your vet for regular dental treatment.

These are a common problem for all rabbit breeds. Luckily, they can be easily prevented and treated. Heavy flea infestations can be life-threatening for rabbits, so early detection and quick treatment is very important.

Prevention is easy using a rabbit-safe medication – don’t use cat or dog flea treatments as they can be fatal to rabbits. Your vet will give you advice on the best treatment for your bunny.

Psoroptes cuniculi is a common rabbit mite that can irritate the lining of the ear. If you notice any scabs or crusting inside your rabbit's ear you should get your bunny checked out by your vet. Other signs include headshaking, ear flapping and scratching. Mites can easily be treated with medication from your vet.

Rabbits have a particularly sensitive digestive tract. This is why they need lots of fibre in the form of hay in their diet because it keeps their gut moving. If the gut stops moving or gets blocked it can be life-threatening. Illness, pain or stress can trigger gastric stasis.

Signs of stasis are usually gradual. You might notice your bunny isn’t eating as much or isn’t as lively as usual. They might start producing smaller droppings and less often. Eventually your bunny will stop eating and drinking, won’t pass any droppings at all and won’t want to move.

You MUST get advice from your vet straight away if you think your rabbit is suffering from stasis.

Rabbits with snuffles usually have runny eyes, a runny nose and will sneeze a lot. It’s often caused by a bacterial infection and is common in rabbit that have dental problems. Snuffles can also be triggered by the build-up of fumes from urine. It’s also thought that some types of bedding (like cedar) can irritate the eyes and possibly cause snuffles.

If a rabbit develops snuffles, it’s usually a problem that they’ll suffer with for the rest of their lives. Avoid any dental issues by providing your rabbit with a healthy, balanced diet, and make sure your rabbit's housing is well ventilated and cleaned twice a day.

Quick German Lop Q&A

They’re a medium sized rabbit that can weigh up to around 4 kg when fully grown.

This breed has a longer than average lifespan and can live up to 12 or 13 years of age.

They’re very similar, but the French Lop is smaller than the German Lop.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/lapis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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