Holland Lop Grooming

I don't show rabbits so I don't know the exact requirements for a Holland Lop. I know that they should be 3.5 lbs and that they should be fairly clean, but that is it. When it comes to grooming, you should set aside time every week to groom/examine your Holland.

You brush your Holland about once a week to prevent matting. For long haired bunnies you must brush them daily but Holland lops generally don't have long hair. You brush your rabbit with a cat slicker or cat flea comb. You brush her fur to get out any knots and keep it smooth.

Because Holland lops have floppy ears when you groom your rabbit your should examine her ears. All lops are more susceptible to ear infections because of the way their ears hang. You should also examine her face to make sure her eyes and nose are clear and her rear-end to make sure she hasn't been having diarrhea.

Nail trimming isn't as complex as it may sound. You generally clip your rabbit's nails once every one or two months and you can use a human nail clipper. With white nailed rabbits it is easy to see where the quick is (light red/pink part of the nail) and the end where you should clip. You should leave a little white just as humans do. With dark nailed rabbits you must learn where the quick is and you may hold a flashlight under the nails to see better. If you cut the quick it will start bleeding and it is more serious then you would think. You must put baking soda on the nail to help start clotting and wait for it to stop bleeding. Many shelters often clip nails for a simple donation such as a roll of paper towels or a blanket.

Many people ask if you are to supposed to give your rabbit a bath. Rabbits are pretty clean animals and groom themselves constantly. They don't require baths and you should never get them fully wet. Say they get their bottom or paws covered in dirt from playing outside. You may want to clean them up before they re-enter your house. For the paws you could wet a rag and wipe of the dirt from the fur or you could soak their feet in a small bowl of water. For their bottom you could set them in a small bowl of water and rinse. BUT REMEMBER, NEVER FULLY ENGAGE A RABBIT IN WATER! If you put a bunny in water, 1) they won't like it 2) it can remove natural oils and 3) rabbits aren't good in water and they can easily drown.