Want to learn more about the French lop? Read on for facts and info on this giant sized rabbit like creature…
A native of France, the French lop is a giant class of rabbit from the lop breed, that can live up to five years or more. The female starts breeding at the age of nine months ideally her first litter should arrive by the time she is one year old.
An interesting fact here is that the pelvic bones of the French lop fuse at a very early age, and generally by the time she is three she will no longer be able to give birth naturally. The French lop rabbit generally gives birth to a very large litter of around 5 to 12 bunnies. The average gestation period for this rabbit is between 28 and 31 days.
French Lop Description
These rabbits have big heads, long ears up to 38 cm long and are quite heavy for their size. The French lop is a large rabbit and therefore should be heavy with a broad body with deep and thick muscles.
They have a thick coat of soft fur which can be groomed easily. They come in a variety of colors like, black, broken marked, sooty-fawn, chinchilla and agouti.
They weigh a minimum of 4.5 kg and feed mainly on huge quantity of fresh fruit, vegetables and fresh hay along with a lot of clean water. However, since their stomach is very sensitive you should ensure that vegetables and fruits are introduced to their diet one at a time. Since they are heavy and strong you must ensure that the feeding trough is durable and not chewable, same thing with the water.
You must have a wooden hutch created out of heavy wood, lifted above the ground and covered with a waterproof roof. In case that has a cage then it should have a wire base with a wire lid. The hutch and cage both must be covered with wooden shavings at the base, and then topped off with soft straw.
If your hutch or cage is placed outdoor in that case the rabbit should be covered when it is exposed to rain or cold. Make sure the bedding is comfortable and prevents the rabbit from exposure to extreme temperatures. You must ensure that the rabbit has enough room to run around and get exercise. To ensure hygiene and cleanliness make sure you clean the cage and remove any refuse and food from the compartment on a weekly basis.
French lop Characteristics
These rabbits are up early in the morning and sleep during the daytime and again are most active during nighttime.
Since they have strong teeth they like to chew on things, dig tunnels and crawl through them you can use simple items like tissue boxes and tubes to create a warren and let them chew away with joy!
The French lop is recognized as an animal with greater intelligence than hamsters and guinea pigs. You can train them to recognize their name and also train them for the litter box.
