MINI LOP RABBITS

Mini lop rabbits are small, but not the smallest of the lop breeds.

- Sherri Talbot

The American mini lop is actually considered a mid-weight rabbit, at around 6 pounds. This can cause some confusion since there is a British-recognized miniature lop — which is much smaller — and the name is sometimes also shortened to mini-lop as well. Here, however, we will specifically be talking about the American breed.

AN UNFINISHED HISTORY

The history of the mini lop, as it is documented in the United States, begins with Bob Herschbach. He discovered the breed at a German show in 1972 where it was called “Klein Widder” and weighed about 8 pounds. Herschbach bred his own Klein Widder’s in the U.S. the same year and presented them to the American Rabbit Breeders Association two years later. They recommended a smaller size and a name change to appeal to Americans. By 1978, the breeder association had been formed and the breed was officially sanctioned by ARBA. It has gone on to be one of the most popular rabbit breeds in the country and one of the most common pet rabbit breeds.