Dwarf Lop

The Dwarf Lop is a small rabbit with a round head, a short, compact body and ears that hang at the sides. Adults usually weigh 1.5–2.5 kg. There are many colours: white, grey, chinchilla, satin, “almaz glaz” (blue-eyed white) and more. Does usually have 2–6 kits. The temperament is gentle and the rabbits quickly get used to handling.

The ears drop by 1.5–3 months, and sometimes one ear stays upright. Short-faced, lop-eared rabbits are more prone to misaligned teeth and ear canal inflammation. Do not mate a dwarf doe with a large buck: the kits may be too big and kindling can become difficult.

Uzbekistan climate. These rabbits are usually kept indoors or in a yard. Above 30 °C, keep the rabbit in a cool room out of direct sun; a closed carrier or a car interior in hot weather can cause heatstroke. In winter it copes with cold in a dry, draught-free place, but a rabbit used to living indoors should not be moved outside suddenly.

Buying locally. The most common trick is selling an ordinary kit as a “karlik”: at one month old, every kit looks small. See the parents (they should weigh no more than 2.5 kg) and, if possible, buy a rabbit older than 2 months. The word “split” in ads means the rabbit carries a gene for a certain colour without showing that colour itself.