Mini Lop is a fancy rabbit breed that is created by crossing multiple rabbit breeds to create a small, cute and lovable bunny.
As the name suggests, they have lopped ears, hanging either side of their face, which fortify their cuteness.
However, lop rabbits don’t have dropped ears from the start and most of the lop owners want to know that when do mini lop rabbits’ ears drop?
So, let’s start.
When Do Mini Lop Rabbits Ears Drop?
Mini lop rabbits can drop their ears as early as 4 weeks of age and most of the individuals start at 10 to 12 weeks of age. However, the dropping of ears in mini lops depends on several factors like the development of cartilage crown on the head, genetics, and individual characteristics.
According to some breeders, mini lops can take a year to settle their ears at their final positions.
Based on age and genetics, mini lops vary in their ear carriage.
Some drop their ears in the first month of their age while others can surprise you when they are 2-3 years old.
Mini lops which have a bit of control over a year held their one or ears at a horizontal position, giving them an “airplane shape”.
Are Lop Eared Rabbits Born With Floppy Ears?
Lop rabbits are born with upright ears and they get floppy with the age. So, it should not expect that a newly born lop rabbit will bear floppy ears. It can take few weeks to few months for a lop rabbit to get his floppy-eared look.
Do Some Holland Lops Take Longer To Drop Their Ears?
There is not a specific age for a Holland lop to drop his ears and some lops can take longer than others.
Holland lops can drop their ears at the first month of their age, some at the third month, and others can take 2 to years. It depends on the body structure, genetics, and individual characteristics.
Why My Holland Lops Won’t Drop Ears? 3 Reasons
Holland lops may drop their ears late in life or may not drop ears throughout their lives.
Reasons for having ear control in Holland lops are as follows.
- Genetics: Floppy ears in Holland lop is a polygenic trait. Multiple genes correlate to decide a trait. So it is the possibility that a purebred lop rabbit may have upright ears due to her specific orientation of genes.
- Parents: The Genetic makeup of parents plays a pivotal role to decide whether a rabbit will have floppy ears or not. There are 50% chances that a kitten will have floppy ears if one of his parents is Holland dwarf.
- Cartilage Crown: Some lop rabbits have a bit of ear control due to poor cartilage crowns on their head. Crown muscles, ligaments, and cartilages can also play a role sometimes to give a slightly upright position to the ears.
Can Rabbits With Floppy Ears Hear As Well?
Rabbits with floppy ears can’t erect their ears in response to a threat like their upright-eared fellows.
However, it doesn’t mean that they are not able to hear as well. Due to their floppy ears, they may have a kink in their ear canal and have some difficulty with the passage of sound.
Do Rabbits Need Their Ears Cleaned?
Yes, rabbits need their ears to be cleaned regularly. Like other animals, rabbits also produce wax to keep their ears healthy. So, cleaning the rabbit’s ears once per month is advised to avoid any infection.
Rabbits with floppy ears tend to accumulate the wax in folds of the ear canal, so more predisposing to ear canal infection.
How Do You Clean The Inside Of A Rabbit’s Ears?
You can clean the inside of a rabbit’s ear using a cotton swab.
- Insert the cotton swab in the ear canal gently and press it against the ear wax buildup.
- Scoop the ear wax with this cotton swab and remove it.
- Repeat this twice or thrice to clean the ear completely.
Can You Put Peroxide In A Rabbit Ear?
It is not advised to use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning the rabbit’s ears. It may cause dryness and irritation in the ear canal.
So, always used a veterinary-approved ear cleaner to avoid any health consequences.
Can I Put Olive Oil In My Rabbit Ear?
Olive oil can be put and massaged in the rabbit ears to prevent dryness. 3 to 4 drops of olive oil are usually applied after the removal of wax and cleaning procedure.
Why Do Bunny’s Ears Get Hot?
Bunny’s ears are large and have a lot of blood supply. They play a part in thermoregulation.
In summer or when a bunny is feeling hot, a rabbit’s body supplies the blood to his ears to dissipates the heat. So, it’s normal to find the ears of rabbits hot sometimes.
Do Bunny Ears Mean Turn Around And Kiss Me?
Bunny ears or two erect fingers are sometimes symbolically used to mean “turn around and kiss me”. However, it’s not always true. Sometimes two fingers are held behind the head of a guy to show that his wife is cheating on him.
What Does It Mean When A Bunny Has One Ear Up And The Other Down?
Bunny has one ear up and the other down means he is listening to you but not very much interested. It also indicates that the bunny is a little annoyed or got frightened.
Why Are My Rabbit’s Ears Always Down?
Always down ears are normal for rabbits having floppy ears like Mini Lops and Holland Lops.
However, if your rabbit has upright ears normally, dropped ears may be an indication of disease, pain, or fear.
In case of abnormal behavior and body language, visit your veterinarian at the earliest.
Do Lop-eared Rabbits Like To Be Held?
Due to their distinguished floppy ears, everyone likes to held and cuddle these cute creatures. However, it may take time to lop rabbits to get comfortable in an environment. And they not to be held abruptly by a stranger.
With all that said, ear dropping in lop rabbits varies greatly in different individuals of the breed. And it is not the only characteristic that distinguishes the purebred mini lops.
Bloodlines, body structure, and age decide that when mini lop rabbits ears drop. As this breed is not created by natural selection, so we can see a variety of ear position patterns at different ages of mini lops.
SmallPetsX.Com does not provide veterinary advice. Our aim to help small pet owners understand their pets a little better so that they can provide their pets with the life they deserve. All content is therefore for informational purposes only. If you're concerned about the health of your pet you should seek medical advice from a vet.