There are two types of rabbits you would found out there, the wild rabbit and domesticated rabbit. Long time ago, rabbits are categorized as a “pest” that love to bring destruction to people’s garden and yard (until now, actually). Wild rabbits are the inhabitant of grassland, forest, or woods – everywhere as long that place provide bushes, and trees as the main source of food and a place for hide. But, the most amazing thing is there are rabbits that could live among the dry area, such as desert cotton tail and black-tailed jackrabbit.
Over the time, people start to breed domesticated rabbit for pet and livestock. Rabbit’s meat is contained with much beneficial substances that perfect even for pregnant woman; the fur is one of the most expensive material among fashion industry. The variety of species such as Flemish Giant rabbit, Mix Rex Rabbit, Holland Lop, and etc, give a plus point for rabbits. Furthermore, if you’re interesting to pet rabbit, let me suggest you to choose baby rabbit; the longer to connect (make a bond) with your rabbit, she would trust you even more.
Make sure you treat your rabbit with responsibility. Supply all her need, from healthy foods, clean cage, and toys for their amusement. Don’t forget to bring her to the vet frequently to check her condition. There are some illness that recognized only by medical equipment such scan; one of the illness is cancer. To learn more about cancer, we recommend you to read this article: ways to indicate typical cancer of your pet rabbit.
Furthermore, because of many species of rabbit, you need to look closer which breed is more relevant to you. So, today we would discuss about one of rabbit species called lop rabbit. Lop is one of many popular breeds among others. Without further do, here’s all the thing you should know about lop rabbit.
Lop Rabbit
If lop rabbit name isn’t familiar on your ears, then you might ever hear about lop -eared rabbit – yes, it’s another name of lop rabbit. Ordinarily, rabbits are associate with long straight up ears, like commonly you watch on TV; what make lop rabbits are special is their long droop ears. Lop rabbit has brake image of rabbit with their unique features. Another thing attracted scientist named Charles Darwin to observe lop rabbit is the abnormalities exhibited in lop rabbit’s skull; lop rabbit have half-lop skull which is different compare to other rabbit species.
There are several facts about lop rabbit you must understand, in case you want to keep this rabbit as your companion friend; all the things that you should know about lop rabbit.
The Extraordinary Ears of Lop Rabbit
Instead of having ears structure that erect straight up above rabbit’s head, lop rabbit was loosely drooping on both sides of their faces, with the ear’s opening facing the skull. To adjust with the extraordinary ear’s based, the head structure of the majority of lop rabbit was form as small bulge, which people referred to the crown. The only exception for this case is only for English lop. People referred this profile of lop rabbit similar to male sheep, therefore, in many languages lop’s name would resemble sheep.
The examples are French used term bélier which mean ram, in German the term used is widder which mean Aries (the ram), and in Italy people used ariete as a term of lop which also mean aries – only in Latin. Since rabbits can’t sweat, the essential thermoregulator form blood’s vessels is placed close the surface. The longer ears you found on lop, it’s resemble the warmer climate on the habitat. Unfortunately, the ear structure couldn’t support the weight of ears which is often time the thick and long developed differently on each individual.
Therefore, many times you would see lop’s ears would drop in the ground. The ears would keep grow until it reach its maximum, which is most time ended in adulthood. Lop-eared rabbit have different size of ears, and it depends on rabbit’s health. For the examples: English lop ears length is about 79.06 cm or about 31.125 inches, the Holland lop approximately about 70 cm or about 27.5 inches, and German lop is about 65 cm or 25.5 inches.
Type of Ears of Lop Rabbit
Several types of rabbit’s ears have been recognized, and may help you to determine rabbit species:
- (Less Common) Full Lop Ear: the ears fully hang down and brushing rabbit’s shoulders and cheeks. As the rabbit hops, some of those ears are gently undulated.
- (Rare) Horn Lop Ears: out of rabbit’s nose, the ears roughly fall horizontal to the ground. The horn term was taken from cow’s horn which is forward facing.
- (Regular) Erect Ears: the most common ears of rabbit. The ears carried straight up. Sometime, at some events, the ears would rest on top of the rabbit’s back.
- (Uncommon) Oar Lop Ears: the ears would fall to the ground roughly horizontal. It forms as boat’s oars at rest, therefore, the ears would call as it name now.
- (Uncommon) Half Lop Ears: perhaps, this is most unique ears you would found on rabbit. One of the ears would fully drop on the ground but one of them would erect straight up like regular rabbit.
Disadvantages of Droop Ears on Lop Rabbit
Although it might look very adorable and beautiful for us, the condition of ears droop effected lop rabbit in many ways. Lop rabbits become susceptible to various ears problem from the light ones to the dangerous ones. This research warm people on how important is provided lop rabbit with the most appropriate environmental. One thing you must understand, lop rabbits are human’s product, which mean they don’t exist in nature. People have made up certain artificial selection that create rabbit breeds with long droop ears.
If you let lop rabbit live in the wildlife, they would never survive, because their features doesn’t support them to adjust with rough nature environment. Not only the ears, the different shape on skull make lop rabbit vulnerable to dental problems, such as overgrown incisors and misaligned. Most common ears problem exhibited by lop rabbit is ear pain, excess wax build up, and ear canals.
With all of these problems arise concern do the breed of lop rabbit is necessary, or it just a subject for human to flaunt their pride over their ingenuity? It’s up to you to decide.