We raise several varieties of Holland Lops and not all are acknowledged by ARBA the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
Our rabbitry started in 2017 with just a few Dutch rabbits and then soon after we branched into Holland Lops. We exclusively breed Holland Lops. I enjoy color and many varieties. Learning about rabbit color genetics is a hobby of mine. The best way to learn how to work with genotypes is to breed rabbits of many varieties. We work with Vienna lines (Blue Eye Whites) and we also have clean lines that do not have Vienna. We raise both chocolate based and black based Holland Lops. Our non extension Japanese & Magpies are a favorite of our clients but are not acknowledged by ARBA. We also have the unique White Ear Holland Lop variety that is not acknowledged by ARBA. Learning how the “C” locus works branched me into Chinchilla, Siamese Sable & Pointed White. We do not currently have the Ruby eye white. Other non extension varieties are torts, sable points, orange and cream and I have had all these varieties in our litters at one time or another working with the “E” locus.
So I guess I’m really not the showman you may be looking for. We handle each kit in our litters one day weekly and i take photos and a video of them. I start posing the rabbits to show the structure of each one as they grow to 8 weeks old. This is how we handle and imprint our rabbits and it’s done 1x weekly. I then upload our videos to our YouTube channel. This is how our clients and the public follows along with our rabbits. It’s also a great way to introduce the study of rabbit color genetics.
Raising Holland Lops has been a learning curve that I finally have success in. Starting out you have litters that you loose due to improper diet. Gastric stasis is the number one killer of rabbits. As a breeder Ive been successful by only feeding a complete feed rabbit pellet. I do not feed hay with the exception to line my nest box’s for kindle. I supplement my lactating doe’s with BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds), oatmeal and a little bit of calf manna. Fresh bottle water is always available to our rabbits. When doe’s are lactating and raising litters they need a lot of water available. We are currently feeding Manna Pro and Manna Pro Gro formulas of rabbit pellets. The Gro formula is specifically for lactating doe’s and growing kits. Holland Lops raise best in temps of 50-80*F. Anything colder and the babies will get cold and die. Temps *80 and higher with prolonged exposure will make your rabbits infertile until the temps cool down. Then it may take two months before your buck is fertile again.
It’s really not an expensive hobby after you buy the habitat or cage. The cage size for a Holland Lop should be a minimum of 2ft X 2ft deep and height. We have had a variety of hutch’s and cages over the years. Our cages are purchased from tractor supply. You can get an affordable hutch from Aivituvin.com. The expense it cost to spay & neuter a rabbit is $300 and vets typically that do that are small animal that work with cats. We have a lot of clients that are pet owners and do not breed so they want a rabbit in the house.
When Im asked if rabbits need vaccinations the answer is very few if any at all. You can vaccinate for sniffles which is a two time trip to the vet unless you buy the vaccine yourself and administer it. Dewormer is a good preventative and should be done routinely. I usually deworm during the off time of breeding season. You can use the product Corid and Fenbendazole (liquid safeguard) a goat dewormer both purchased at Tractor Supply.
There is a deadly Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV).
The only way you can vaccinate for RHDV is to get it from the government. They only provide it to isolated locations of RHDV cases. Typically it is the whole county that ends up being quarantined. The government will then supply a vaccine that can be purchased. RHDV spreads rapidly and if it occurs on a breeding farm then all the rabbits die within hours.
Thats about it. Generally when our rabbits are 8 weeks old and go on to their new home they begin a diet of hay. Hay is how I litter train rabbits. There are a few different ways to litter train. I train mine in a Aivituvin hutch using a cat litter box lined with wood pellets then topped with hay. Newspaper lining of the litter box works just as well also. Another way is to purchase a large deep tote and keep your rabbit inside of it with only a litter box filled with hay and a bowl of water and some rabbit pellets. Have your rabbit live in the tote until its litter trained. Get a clear tote so you can watch it.
Rabbit manure is a cold source of nitrogen and it is organic. You can plant directly into it without damaging the roots of plants. We save all of our maure and bag it into reused feed bags then sell it for $8 a bag. The bags are half to 3/4 full for ease to carry. Container Gardner’s enjoy our manure for planting. Those Gardner’s with raised beds also enjoy our manure ready to go.
Keep in mind that the top 3 reasons for people raising rabbits in the industry is for Meat, Wool and Pets. Holland Lops will produce fuzzy rabbits if both sire and dam are carriers.
Thank you for taking the time to read all about us and my thoughts with our rabbitry. Please come back to see new updates to our blog.
Wade Boelter
Raising Pedigree Holland Lops
Collinsville, AL 35961 United States
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