Different from Holland Lop or Miniature Lop, American Mini Lop is an ancient breed of rabbits that has existed for hundreds of years. The origin of American Mini Lop can be traced back to a group of monks in Central Europe. According to the records of German and French historical museums, wild "American Mini Lops" were tamed and selectively bred by these Central European monks as early as 1194. These early "American Mini Lops" were named "Patagonia" or "Andalusian" Lops by the Germans, and they were originally bred for meat.
In 1869, in Charles Darwin's second work "Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication," he further elaborated his evolutionary theory of "large Lops" with undeniable facts and rigorous scientific reasoning.
In 1840, rabbit shows became popular throughout European countries, but breeders started to face the problem of limited space. In 1954, German breeder Erhard Diener began experimenting with breeding slightly smaller "American Mini Lops." In 1957, the small "American Mini Lop" made its first appearance at the certification event of the Central Association of German Rabbit Breeders. However, it was not until 1964 that the "American Mini Lop" was officially recognized for the first time. At that time, the "American Mini Lop" was the smallest breed of Lops in the world, which is how it got its name "Mini." English Lop is the largest breed of Lops in the world. Other large Lop breeds include French Lop and German Lop.
In 1964, Mr. Herschbach from the United States purchased three "American Mini Lops" from a rabbit show in Germany. After 10 years of selective breeding, Mr. Herschbach brought the "American Mini Lop" to the certification stage of the American Rabbit Breeders Association for the first time. However, it was not until 1980 that the "American Mini Lop" was officially confirmed in the United States and named "Mini Lop." As the smallest breed of Lops at that time, the American Mini Lop became popular throughout the United States. Within a year, over 500 people claimed and purchased American Mini Lops from the American Rabbit Breeders Association. In 1981, the American Mini Lop Club was officially established.
At the same time when the American Mini Lop Club was officially established, smaller breeds of Lops such as Holland Lop and several years later, Miniature Lop, were also bred and certified. As a result, the American Mini Lop was no longer the smallest and most miniature breed of Lops.
In the late 1980s, the American Mini Lop was introduced back to Europe. However, at that time, Miniature Lop had been certified as the smallest breed of Lops in the United Kingdom by the British Rabbit Council. Therefore, the American Mini Lop was renamed as "Dwarf Lop" in Europe.
Hematuria and Blood in Urine: Generally, it is only due to food, such as carrots, bok choy, or other vegetables that contain beta-carotene. However, it may also be caused by taking antibiotics. As long as the rabbit is in good spirits and eating and drinking normally, and it is not persistent, it is fine.
Calcium in Urine: It is usually a manifestation of nutritional excess, characterized by thick urine with white sediment or pale yellow color.
Calcium in urine is mainly caused by food, such as rabbit pellets or too much alfalfa. Generally speaking, it is not a problem for young rabbits to have calcium in their urine, but in adult rabbits, it is important to pay attention to it as it may lead to urinary stones. Therefore, adult rabbits should not be given alfalfa and should be fed less rabbit pellets, and more Timothy hay.
Soft Stools: Sudden change of diet, sudden drop in temperature, fright, or inappropriate food may cause soft stools. At this time, you need to stop feeding any food, keep the rabbit warm, and only give Timothy hay and water. You can give two lactobacillus tablets or one probiotic tablet to help regulate the intestines.
Diarrhea: Catching a cold, inappropriate food, alternating between diarrhea and constipation may be the precursor of cocci. If there is unexplained diarrhea, it is best to take the rabbit to the hospital for a fecal examination. If it is just simple diarrhea, stop feeding any food and only give Timothy hay and water. You can also give half a bag of "Mami Love" (a type of food) each time, dissolve it in water below 40 degrees Celsius (too high temperature may kill beneficial bacteria), and use a syringe without a needle to administer it. Observe carefully. You can also give 5% glucose water to replenish energy or 1% saline water to replenish fluids and prevent dehydration.
Flatulence: The belly is swollen, occasionally there may be gelatinous stools, and there is a hollow sound when lightly tapping the abdomen. At this time, it is basically flatulence, immediately stop feeding any food, give a lot of Timothy hay and water, you can give freshly squeezed pineapple juice or glucose water to ensure energy and prevent dehydration. Massage the belly. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Tips from fellow rabbit lovers: Take two lactobacillus tablets or two Jiangzhong healthy stomach and digestion tablets (crush and dissolve in water and feed with a syringe) + clockwise massage the belly for 30 minutes. For more severe cases: take flatulence tablets + healthy stomach and digestion tablets + massage the belly or take anti-flatulence tablets + (vegetable oil + honey water in a ratio of 1:1) + massage the belly.
If the flatulence is severe, go directly to a pet hospital for abdominal puncture to release the gas.
Constipation: The belly is bloated, the feces are very small, very dry, or even absent. Give the rabbit honey water and long-term massage of the belly. Buy adult gastrointestinal tablets, feed two tablets, and then hold the rabbit and massage the belly clockwise for about half an hour. If there is no effect, go to the pharmacy to buy Mosapride, once a day, the dosage is 2.5 mg per kilogram of rabbit's body weight (note the dosage), and stop feeding any food.
Hairball Stools: Several stool pellets are connected by hair... Because rabbits have a habit of grooming their fur, they may unintentionally ingest some hair. If hair is found in the stool, buy "Junbao" hairball paste specifically for rabbits, which costs about 65 yuan. Give about two centimeters of paste daily. Just a reminder, papaya pills are just health products, and the specific effects are hard to say. Once hair is found in the stool, you must give hairball paste. Usually, eating more Timothy hay can also have a certain preventive effect.
Enteritis (Escherichia coli): White gel-like substance in the stool usually indicates Escherichia coli. Give the rabbit norfloxacin capsules, two-thirds of a capsule each time, twice a day. Open the capsule and directly feed the granules with a syringe. Three hours later, give the rabbit lactobacillus tablets, one tablet each time, twice a day, until recovery.
Use antibiotics with caution and try not to use them continuously for more than a week.
Hair Loss: If the hair loss is extensive and there are no obvious skin lesions such as redness, scabs, or peeling, then it should be seasonal molting or nutritional hair loss.
If it is not severe, it is usually a bit of dandruff or fungus. Apply povidone-iodine or "Rabbit Doctor" anti-fungal solution.
Mites: Spray ivermectin diluted with water, or there are specialized medicines for treating rabbit mites on Taobao, and "Shuining" diluted with water works well for fleas as well.
Ear Mites: Take oral ivermectin, or Bayer Frontline (relatively safe for rabbits), and apply mite-killer or scabies-removing water externally. Spray mite-killer or scabies-removing solution in the rabbit cage or activity area for thorough disinfection to kill mites. Pay attention to the dose of ivermectin, do not overdose, as it can be dangerous. Read the instructions carefully.
Pododermatitis: Usually caused by not putting foot pads on the wire mesh bottom of the cage, many pictures can be found online. Here is a simple method: Use penicillin powder (such as Vanguard or Cephalosporin) mixed with water and apply it to the affected area twice a day. Do not break the skin. Pododermatitis in rabbits is a recurring disease. Generally, it takes about three days for hair to start growing. It is recommended to wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent the rabbit from eating the medication.
Cold: If the little guy sneezes frequently and has a runny nose, observe the color of the nasal discharge. If it is clear and transparent, it is likely a cold. Keep the little guy warm, and then give one-third of a package of Banlangen (a type of medicine) mixed in water and administer it. Give it twice a day.
Rhinitis: Similar symptoms to a cold, but the nasal discharge is not clear and transparent, sometimes it is yellowish. In the early stage of the disease, the nasal mucosa is congested, the mucosa of the sinuses and accessory sinuses is red and swollen, the nasal cavity is filled with white mucus, and there may be purulent secretions. There is mild to moderate redness and swelling of the mucosa, and thickening of the mucosa, etc. You can use animal nasal health care products combined with antitussive medicine or use human nasal therapy products and take them orally or put them in the nose for good effect.
Stomatitis: Typical symptoms of stomatitis include excessive salivation, and the saliva may have a foul odor. You can purchase a paste for stomatitis treatment on Taobao. Alternatively, rinse the mouth with iodine glycerine, 2 to 3 times a day.
Hypothermia: Staying in a cold environment for an extended period of time. Immediately give the rabbit glucose water, and then keep it warm.
How to administer: Use a syringe without a needle, open the rabbit's mouth, and insert the syringe into its mouth from the side of the rabbit's front teeth. Slowly inject the liquid, but not too fast to prevent the rabbit from choking.
Injury: Observe whether there are deformities in the affected area, whether there are abnormal movements, and pay attention to whether there is blood in the excrement. If there are none, and the eating and excretion are normal, then there is basically no major problem. Continue to observe, if there are any, immediately seek medical attention. If there is a nosebleed, observe whether there are any deformities or depressions around the nose. If there is local bleeding, use compression to stop the bleeding, and then use iodine or povidone-iodine for disinfection.
The diet of the Mini Lop is similar to that of domestic rabbits. They like to eat various plants, but not all plants are suitable for them. An unreasonable diet structure can cause diarrhea in Mini Lop, leading to illness and death.
First, hay is the main food for rabbits.
Mini Lop rabbits should choose hay from the Poaceae family, such as Timothy hay or Orchardgrass. Alfalfa should be gradually reduced when the rabbit is about 4-5 months old and the proportion of Poaceae grass should be increased. Complete elimination of alfalfa should be done after the rabbit is 6 months old. The supply amount and precautions for hay are the same as for young rabbits.
Second, rabbit pellets are also important.
Choose adult rabbit pellets, preferably pet rabbit pellets. It is recommended to feed them twice a day. At the beginning, you can give them a handful of pellets each time (the size of a girl's hand). If the rabbit finishes it quickly and appears very hungry, you can increase the amount. The precautions are the same as for young rabbits.
Third, clean drinking water is essential.
Boil and cool drinking water should be provided 24 hours a day, and it should be changed at least once a day. A ball-type drinking water device can be used to ensure the cleanliness of the rabbit cage and the cleanliness of the water.
Fourth, vegetables can be given as snacks.
Adult rabbits can eat some vegetables, which can help maintain moisture in their intestines and supplement vitamins. Vegetables should also be provided in moderation.
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