If you are looking for a friendly, cuddly, beautiful rabbit for small children, it is hard to do better than a French Lop.
French Lops have floppy ears, hanging down below their jawline, but the ears don’t grow excessively long the way the ears of English Lop rabbits do.
They are large rabbits, about twice the size of most other breeds, so they stand up to playing with children. They aren’t easily intimidated by other small pets.
Best of all for children, French Lops love to follow their people around.
French Lops make great companions for children, seniors, and families of all ages.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about how to keep a French Lop rabbit happy and healthy. But first, let’s review the essential facts.
Essential Facts About French Lop Rabbits
Scientific name: Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus
Care level, compared to other rabbits: Needs more space and more food than smaller rabbits, and a similar amount of outdoor playtime.
Temperament: Calm, affectionate, cuddly. Females can be territorial when raising their young.
Color: Solid and broken patterns in white, black, brown, blue, fawn, opal, chinchilla, and steel.
Lifespan: 5 to 7 years.
Maximum size: 15 pounds (7 kilograms).
Dietary requirements: Fresh hay on demand, must always have fresh water. Crunchy vegetables can be about a quarter of the diet. Avoid high-carbohydrate foods and sugars.
Compatible breeds: Gets along with other large rabbits,
Cage size: French Lops, similar to the majority of rabbits, require cages that are approximately four times larger than their own bodies. Opting for larger cages is always preferable. A French Lop rabbit necessitates a cage or kennel with a floor space of 24 inches by 36 inches (609 cm by 90 cm) and a head clearance of 14 inches (35 cm). An outdoor hutch that includes a playspace enclosed within it is considered the ideal setup.
Large enough not to have a problem with other pets. Not a good choice for a strictly indoor rabbit.
Also read: Are French Lop Rabbits Good Pets?
History of the French Lop Rabbit
French Lop rabbits have been around since about 1850. French rabbit breeders created them by crossing a breed known as the Géant Papillon Français, ancestors of today’s Giant Papillon rabbits, with English Lop rabbits.
At the time, breeders were looking for a sturdy rabbit well suited for meat production.
As meat rabbits, French Lops quickly became popular in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
French Lops started appearing in rabbitries in the United Kingdom in 1933. But it wasn’t until 1971 that someone imported French Lops to the United States as show rabbits.
Most French Lops today live out their lives as beloved pets. They are a popular choice as the first pet rabbit in the US and Canada.
French Lops are in such strong demand that the French Lop Breeders Association even maintains a French Lop Rabbits Near Me page so their fans can find a French Lop of their own.
Also read: French Lop vs. Holland Lop Rabbit
Appearance of the French Lop Rabbit
French Lops are giant rabbits. They usually weigh between 10 and 12 pounds (4.5 to 5.5 kilograms), with males usually weighing slightly more than females.
That’s twice as much rabbit to snuggle with as the average rabbit.
French Lops have large heads with broad foreheads and chubby cheeks. Their front legs are short.
These rabbits have a commercial body type, short and straight front legs, as well as hind legs that run parallel to their body, giving them a sturdy appearance.
Ears
One of the most distinctive features of the French Lop Rabbit is their ears.
Their ears grow 5 to 8 inches (13 to 20 cm) long and dangle below their mouths, but not dragging against the ground.
This feature makes them quite easy to recognize compared to other rabbit breeds.
Coat and Colors
When it comes to their coat, French Lop Rabbits have dense, soft fur that is easy to care for.
You’ll need to brush them regularly to keep their fur looking healthy and clean.
These rabbits come in a wide range of colors, making each one unique. You might find French Lops in colors like:
- Solid: white, blue, black, chinchilla, brown, opal, steel, or fawn
- Broken: a combination of any of the solid colors and white
French Lop rabbits have thick, silky, velvety coats, but their coats are not long enough to be used for spinning thread and making fabric.
Breeders have developed French Lops with agouti, black, blue, chinchilla, fawn, opal, Siamese, and steel fur colors.
Temperament of the French Lop Rabbit
Each French Lop rabbit has its own personality, but there is nothing about French Lops that makes them temperamentally different from other breeds.
French Lop Rabbits are known for their gentle and friendly temperament, making them perfect companions for pet owners. These “gentle giants” are often described as:
- Calm and easygoing
- Affectionate and cuddly
- Playful and intelligent
They thrive on human connections. They are large enough that they enjoy being picked up and petted.
Because of their size, they are not fearful of being stepped on or (at least as adults) intimidated by cats or calm small dogs.
French Lop temperament makes them a good choice for families seeking a second pet rabbit, or for seniors or single people seeking an animal companion.
They are not, unfortunately, a good choice for people who live in apartments because of their size.
Care of the French Lop Rabbit
Here is a tip that can make the difference between a happy experience and disappointment with your French Lop rabbit:
Make sure your rabbit has hay and veggies to eat and toys to play with at all times.
French Lops rabbits are nibblers. Because they are giant rabbits, they are capable of nibbling on furniture, especially rattan furniture.
Protect household furnishings by giving them something you don’t mind chewing on at all times.
Housing
French Lops are happiest spending most of their time in outdoor hutches.
A hutch is a two-story structure. It has a small, protected second floor. Make sure it has ventilation, preferably a fan, especially if you live in a place that has hot summers.
The hutch is raised off the ground to protect your rabbit from predators. Bunnies need a ramp to hop up from ground level.
The floor can be lined with hay (which you will need to change about every two weeks), or made from plastic-coated wire mesh, allowing droppings to fall to the ground.
Diet
French Lops, like other rabbits, have a digestive system that works quite differently from most other animals.
Rabbits feed on grasses that don’t contain essential fatty acids.
Probiotic bacteria mix with the fiber in grass to manufacture the fats a rabbit needs in its diet. But these bacteria require oxygen from air to do their work.
To accommodate this process, your rabbit will eat grass, partially digest it, poop it out, let the bacteria do their work, and then eat its soft poops for a second pass through its digestive tract.
You need to train your rabbit to poop in one place.
You can do this by gathering up soft poops and putting them in a hay-lined litter box for a week or two. Your rabbit will get the idea and be potty trained.
But you need to make sure your bunny always has lots of clean dry hay and fresh leafy vegetables to eat, along with all the water it wants.
Playtime
In nature, rabbits run about 3 miles (5 kilometers) a day. All rabbits kept as pets, including French Lops, need about 3 hours a day to roam free.
Your French Lop rabbit will be happier if it can roam in a secure location with grass beneath its feet.
This can be a fenced backyard, where it is safe from dogs and other predators. You can even take your rabbit for a walk if you use a leash.
Keep in mind that rabbits have delicate toes, so don’t force them to walk over metal grates or hot pavement.
Toys for rabbits don’t have to be expensive. A ball for them to push around will keep them occupied for hours.
They love pushing the cardboard cylinder left from a used roll of paper towels—although they may eat it!
Grooming
French Lops don’t shed a lot. Most of the year, you can prevent excessive shedding around their play area by taking them outside for combing with a stiff-bristle brush once a week.
There will be two times a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, when old hairs fall out and new hairs come in.
For those two weeks, your French Lop rabbit will need to be brushed twice or even three times a week.
Health Issues
French Lops rabbits seldom get sick if they receive good care. They don’t need any vaccinations.
They can catch mites and bacterial infections from wild rabbits, however, so don’t let them roam into the woods or come in contact with urine or feces of wild animals or dogs.
Popular Bunny Names for French Lop Rabbits
Here’s a table with popular French Lop Rabbit names, reflecting their breed characteristics.
The French Lop Rabbit is known for its large size, long and floppy ears, and friendly personality.
Many of these names are inspired by their unique appearance and gentle nature.
| Boy Bunny Names for French Lop Rabbits | Girl Bunny Names for French Lop Rabbits |
|---|---|
| Droopy | Daisy |
| Floppy | Lopsy |
| Dumbo | Blossom |
| Cuddle | Buttercup |
| Stretch | Petal |
| Whiskers | Willow |
| Mellow | Honey |
| Snuggles | Dandelion |
| Hopper | Luna |
| Breeze | Peaches |
These names emphasize the distinctive long ears, large size, and friendly temperament of the French Lop Rabbit breed, making them fitting choices for your rabbit.
Also read: Cute Names for Pet Rabbits
Frequently Asked Questions About French Lop Rabbits
Where can I buy a French Lop rabbit?
In addition to the French Lop Rabbits Near Me page we mentioned earlier, you can also find French Lop rabbits through the Rabbit Breeders Directory.
Sometimes you can also find French Lop rabbits on the Adopt-a-Pet and Pet Finder websites
How much does a French Lop rabbit cost?
French Lop rabbits usually cost about US $75. A show-quality French Lop rabbit will cost more.
Do French Lop rabbits enjoy being petted?
Many French Lops can’t get enough petting. They usually do not, however, enjoy being picked up.
Is a French Lop rabbit a suitable pet for small children?
Even small children can enjoy an adult French Lop rabbit. They should not pick up bunnies until you are sure they will not drop them.
When do French Lop rabbits start having babies?
French Lops are capable of reproducing at the age of nine months. They usually stop having babies when they are about three years old.
Do French Lops need a companion rabbit?
It is OK to keep two or three French Lop rabbits together, but two dogs (females) will fight if they do not have enough space.
Do French Lops get along with other pets?
Adult French Lops are compatible with cats and dogs that do not have a strong hunting instinct.
You may need to protect young rabbits from other pets. Rabbits are never compatible with snakes
Which is the best Lop rabbit?
Holland Lops are the most playful of the Lop rabbits, but all of the Lop rabbits make calm, affectionate, cuddly pets.
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