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Home > Rabbits > Miniature Lion Lop Rabbit: Care, Temperament, Habitat & Traits (With Pictures)

Miniature Lion Lop Rabbit: Care, Temperament, Habitat & Traits (With Pictures)

miniature lion lop in santa hat

They don’t get much cuter than the Miniature Lion Lop Rabbit! These bunnies can make wonderful companions, but doing your research before investing in a new pet is essential, as it enables you to decide if the animal will be a good fit for you and your family.

We have all kinds of information here about the Mini Lop Rabbit, which should give you a better idea of what it’s like to care for this bunny, so keep reading!

Size: Miniature
Weight: 3–3.5 lbs
Lifespan: Up to 17 years
Similar Breeds: Lionhead, Mini Lop
Suitable for: Experienced rabbit owners
Temperament: Spunky, friendly, even-tempered, lively

Jane Bramley of the U.K. bred these tiny rabbits in the early 2000s using the Lionhead and the Mini Lop Rabbits. The Lionhead is called that for their gorgeous mane of fur, which has been passed down to the Mini Lion Lop, and the Mini Lop gave them their size and lop ears.

The Miniature Lion Lop is short and stocky with powerful back legs, medium-long hair, and a long fluffy mane around their head. They come in many colors, everything from black, blue, opal, and orange to seal point and sooty fawn.

Miniature Lion Lop Characteristics

Energy:
Trainability:
Health:
Lifespan:
Sociability:

Divider-rabbit2How Much Do These Rabbits Cost?

Since Mini Lion Lop Rabbits are a relatively new breed, they can be difficult to find. If you find one, they might be pricier than more common breeds. The average price might range from $50 to $100 or more. How much you pay entirely depends on the breeder.

Try searching online and using social media to announce your interest in bringing one of these rabbits home. If you do find a breeder, spend time getting to know them, and ask to speak to other clients who own one of their rabbits.

Beyond the price of the bunny, you’ll also need to invest in housing, bedding, substrate, toys, treats, and food.


Temperament & Intelligence of the Miniature Lion Lop

Miniature Lion Lops are even-tempered, friendly, and good-natured. This is unusual because small rabbits tend to be more skittish than the large breeds, but this bunny seems to be more laid back than many other miniature rabbits.

They love attention and enjoy the time and space to roam and play as much as possible. Mini Lion Lops are also intelligent and curious bunnies that can make excellent pets for most people.

Do These Rabbits Make Good Pets? 👪

Mini Lion Lops can make wonderful pets, though not necessarily in homes with tiny children. The boisterousness and noise of young kids will startle them and cause undue stress. As prey animals, rabbits are easily frightened, so there should be minimal noise and unexpected movements around them.

Does This Rabbit Get Along With Other Pets?

They definitely get along well with other rabbits, which are social animals and like spending time together. If you have cats or dogs, they should be calm and accepting of small animals. If your Mini Lion Lop is introduced to other pets at a young age and is socialized well, they might always get along with them.

That said, rabbits are prey animals, and some might never get used to animals that are typically predators. So, no matter how well they might get along, there should always be supervision.

Divider-rabbit2Things to Know When Owning a Miniature Lion Lop

Rabbits have specific care needs like any other pet, so let’s discuss what you should expect when taking care of a Miniature Lion Lop.

Food & Diet Requirements 🥕

The Mini Lion Lop has the same dietary requirements as other rabbits. Approximately 80% of their diet should be high-quality hay, typically timothy hay.

Green, leafy vegetables should comprise about 10% of their diet, rabbit pellets should be about 5%, and treats can make up the last 5%. Treats should come in the form of rabbit-safe fruit and vegetables.

The hay must be constantly available to your bunny at all times and left in a few locations around your home. Your rabbit should also have constant access to clean and fresh water.

Habitat & Hutch Requirements 🏠

The Mini Lion Lop might be small, but they still need a large enclosure to comfortably give them space to roam. Aim for a cage roughly 3–4 feet by 2 feet and 3 feet high. Some rabbit owners use dog crates, exercise pens, or even playpens to reuse for their rabbit’s housing.

The substrate should be recycled paper materials or aspen shavings, with timothy hay added in. You can even use the same substrate for the litter box. Just be aware that you should never use pine or cedar shavings because these can be quite harmful to your rabbit.

The litter box should be large enough for your rabbit to sit on one end, with the other end covered in timothy hay. Rabbits will eat and poop simultaneously, so your pet bunny needs the space to accommodate this action.

Exercise & Sleeping Needs 🐇

All rabbits need to occasionally get out of their enclosure to stretch and run around. This means you should have a portion of your house rabbit-proofed so they can safely explore these areas.

If possible, take them outside for fresh air and sunshine. You’ll want an enclosed space where they can safely spend time but still be under supervision.

Rabbits are crepuscular, so they are more alert and active at dusk and dawn and will get most of their sleep from late morning through to the early evening.

Training 🥎

The first order of business for training is to get your Miniature Lion Lop to use the litter box. Just like with cats and dogs, you can do this with treats and positive reinforcement.

You can also train them to walk—or hop—on a harness and leash. Finding a harness that will fit your tiny rabbit might be a bit of a challenge, but they are smart enough to pick up what to do and should take to it in no time!

Grooming ✂️

The Mini Lion Lop has a large amount of fur, particularly their spectacular mane! You should use a soft-bristle brush for grooming, and you’ll want to aim for daily brushing.

Rabbits are fastidious groomers, but they need a helping hand from time to time. If they get into something dirty or sticky, you might need to give them a bath, but it’s vital that you do not submerge your rabbit fully into the water.

As long as you give your bunny enough timothy hay to eat, they aren’t likely to suffer from overgrown teeth. Since they are lop-eared, you should clean their ears every few weeks and trim their nails every 1 to 2 months.

Lifespan and Health Conditions 🏥

The average lifespan of most rabbits is 8 to 12 years. The Mini Lion Lop typically lives the same length of time but has been known to live up to 17 years!

They are prone to the same health conditions that most other rabbit breeds are susceptible to. This is not to say that your rabbit will develop any of these conditions, but you should be familiar with a few of the common health conditions that rabbits might develop.

Minor Conditions
  • Dental disease
  • Ear mites

Serious Conditions
  • Gastrointestinal stasis
  • Head tilt
  • Pasteurellosis (also known as the snuffles)
  • Uterine cancer

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Male vs Female

The most notable difference between male and female Mini Lion Lops is their size. Males tend to be physically larger and heavier than females.

There might also be a difference in temperament, as female rabbits tend to show more territorial behavior, and the males might be more laid back.


The 3 Little-Known Facts About the Miniature Lion Lop

1. The Lionhead gene is dominant.

What this means is that the gene mutation that gives the Lionhead Rabbit their mane is dominant. So, when you cross Lionhead rabbits with most other rabbit breeds, they will have the mane too!


2. The Miniature Lion Lop is not recognized everywhere.

The Mini Lion Lop was created in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s and was accepted into the British Rabbit Council in 2006. But as of early 2023, they have not been recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.


3. The Mini Lion Lop is among the smallest rabbit breeds.

Since this breed is not that common, you won’t find them on the “world’s smallest rabbit breeds” lists. But they do belong there! They tend to weigh about 3 pounds, which is just a little heavier than the smallest rabbit, the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit, which weighs between 1 and 2.5 pounds!

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Final Thoughts

If you’ve fallen in love with the Miniature Lion Lop, they do make excellent pets! Just remember that to own a rabbit means having a relatively quiet place without any large pets that are considered predators. Be sure to do your research; owning a rabbit is quite different from more traditional pets.

If you aren’t having much luck finding one of these hybrid rabbits, check with Lionhead and Mini Lop breeders. They might know of a breeder who specializes in the Mini Lion Lop. Owning one of these adorable bunnies is worth the extra effort!


Featured Image Credit By: Valentina Razumova, Shutterstock

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