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Small Pets · Rabbits

English Lop Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

The original lop, with ears that sweep the floorIntermediate

Lifespan: 5-8 years (large breeds are shorter-lived)
Size: ears 21 in+ (53 cm) tip to tip
Weight: 9-12 lb (4-5.5 kg)
Social needs: Social; keep in neutered bonded pairs
Time: High; daily feeding and exercise plus weekly ear and nail care
Cost: High
Diet: Unlimited hay, leafy greens, limited pellets

Overview

What is this animal?

The English Lop is the original lop-eared rabbit, developed in England in the early 1800s and nicknamed the king of the fancy.
Its defining trait is the longest ears of any breed: the standard demands at least 21 inches (53 cm) measured tip to tip across the skull, the record pair topped 31 inches (79 cm), and they usually trail along the floor.
The ears reach close to full length by about four months old and shape almost every part of the breed's care.

This is a genuinely large rabbit at 9-12 lb (4-5.5 kg), with no upper weight limit in the show standard and does typically the larger sex, carried on a long mandolin-shaped body with a famously placid nature.
It is a very different animal from the Holland and Mini Lops elsewhere in this guide, which are compact dwarfed breeds with proportionally short ears.

The extra workload is real: those ears drag through whatever is on the floor and are easy to injure, so this breed suits keepers who already understand rabbits.
English Lops are also uncommon, so expect a waiting list with a reputable breeder or a patient search through rescue.

Temperament

English Lops are widely regarded as one of the calmest, most affectionate rabbit breeds, and confident adults will often flop beside their people.
That placidity cuts both ways, so build activity into the day with tunnels, scatter-fed hay, and floor time rather than letting a lazy rabbit sit still and gain weight.

They remain prey animals that prefer four feet on the ground, and at 10 lb they are genuinely awkward to lift safely, so interact at floor level and always support the hindquarters.
Supervise children closely, because trailing ears are easy to grab or tread on.

Like all rabbits they should live with a neutered, bonded companion, never alone.
A settled pair will groom, play, and rest together, and neutering also steadies temperament and litter habits.

A good fit for

Experienced rabbit keepers ready for the original lop
Homes with indoor free-roam space for a large pair
Owners committed to weekly ear and nail care
Calm households wanting a placid, people-oriented rabbit
Keepers who can meet large-breed space and vet costs

Common mistakes to avoid

Ear tears from wire, rough floors, and overgrown nails
Wax build-up and infections in the narrow lop ear canal
Frostbitten ear tips in cold outdoor housing
Obesity in this famously lazy breed
Sore hocks from hard flooring and excess weight
Small hutches and single, lonely rabbits

Enclosure

Minimum 55,740 cm² of floor (8,640 sq in) — for the pair · 300 × 200 cm

Cannot be kept alone. The minimum is 2, and the space above is for that group.

A bonded pair needs a permanently accessible base of at least 60 square feet (3 × 2 m) with a metre of head height, realistically a rabbit-proofed room or very large pen, plus several hours of daily exercise space, because current welfare guidance has moved well past hutch-sized numbers and a big rabbit in a hutch is a welfare failure.
Every fixture has to be scaled up for a 10 lb animal, including litter trays, hides, and doorways.

Flooring matters more here than for any other rabbit: it must be smooth, soft, dry, and scrupulously clean, with no wire, gravel, or snag points, because the ears drag through everything and tear easily.
Spot-clean litter areas daily so the ears are not sweeping through soiled bedding.

House English Lops indoors in most climates.
The huge, thin ears are radiators that shed heat well but lose it just as fast, and ear tips are prone to frostbite in outdoor winter housing, while all rabbits are in danger in sustained heat above about 77°F (25°C).

Check your enclosure

Supplies

Setup

Housing and secure exercise space
Litter trays, bowls, carrier, hides

Ongoing

Grass hay by the bale or the largest box available
Plain uniform adult rabbit pellets (no seeds, no coloured bits)
Mixed leafy greens for daily feeding
Heavy ceramic water bowl (tip-proof)
Hay rack or hay-filled litter tray
Eggcup or small scale for measuring pellets
Untreated willow or apple chews
Airtight bin to keep pellets fresh

Safe substrate: Paper-based litter in the tray, topped with hay · Fleece or washable mats on the living floor · Straw for outdoor warmth

Work out the cost

Care routine

Daily

Check droppings and appetite
Company and time out
Fresh greens and a measured pellet portion
Fresh water
Spot-clean the enclosure
Top up unlimited hay
Watch them while they are awake

Weekly

Change the litter trayevery 2 days
Brush out loose coatevery 3 days
Hands-on health check
Rotate enrichment
Weigh-in

Monthly

Deep-clean and change beddingevery 2 weeks
Check supplies and dates

Less often

Trim nailsevery 6 weeks

Vet: Annual exam, vaccinations and dental check — every 12 months (every 6 months from 5 years old)

Top resources for more info

Independent creators and organisations we would send a friend to. We have no affiliation with any of them, and nothing here is sponsored. Links checked 2026-09-19.

YouTubers

Lennon The BunnyRabbit care basics, free-roaming, fostering and advocacy Sincerely, CinnabunLiving with a free-roam house rabbit; care and wellness tips Bobo Ellie BunsDaily life with bonded Holland lops; more company than tutorials

Sites

House Rabbit SocietyCare and behaviour library from the US rabbit-welfare charity Rabbit Welfare Association & FundCare guidance and vet-backed advice from the UK rabbit charity RSPCA: rabbitsHousing, diet, company and health guides for pet rabbits

Go deeper

Diet

Unlimited grass hay must make up the great majority of the diet, wearing down the continuously growing teeth and keeping the gut moving.
Add a daily pile of leafy greens and a measured pellet ration of about a quarter-cup per 6 lb (2.7 kg) of body weight, which caps out around half a cup a day even for the biggest English Lop.

Obesity is a particular trap for this breed, because English Lops are placid to the point of laziness and gain weight easily.
An overweight English Lop cannot groom itself or reach its caecotrophs, which invites flystrike and a dirty rear.

Skip muesli mixes, sugary treats, and more than token amounts of fruit or carrot.
Provide constant fresh water in a heavy bowl, which a large rabbit drains quickly.

Health

The ears are the health headline: check them weekly for wax build-up, mites, nicks, and tears, because the folded lop ear canal is narrow and prone to painful infections.
Keep the nails short, since the most common ear injuries are rabbits stepping on or scratching open their own ears.
In cold weather watch the ear tips for frostbite.

As a large breed the English Lop is prone to sore hocks (pododermatitis) on hard or damp flooring, arthritis in later life, and a shorter lifespan of roughly 5-8 years.
Its longer skull means less of the dental crowding seen in flat-faced dwarf lops, but molar problems still happen on low-hay diets.

Gut stasis is a same-day emergency whenever a rabbit stops eating or passing droppings.
Vaccinate against myxomatosis and RHDV (including the RHDV2 strain) where available, neuter to prevent uterine cancer and enable bonding, and register with a rabbit-experienced vet before you need one.

Is your enclosure big enough?

Minimum floor area55,740 cm² (8,640 sq in) of continuous, unbroken floor

As dimensions300 x 200 cm

CompanyCannot be kept alone. The minimum is 2, and the space above is for that group.

Length

Width

Height

Units

Is this urgent?

A rabbit that stops eating is an emergency, not a wait-and-see. Nothing else on this page is as time-critical.

Go now

Not eating, or not producing droppingsCall an exotics vet. Some sources treat 3 to 4 hours as the point to start worrying and 12 hours as an outright emergency; do not wait to find out which camp is right for your rabbit. Gut stasis can become life-threatening within 12 to 24 hours, and every hour of delay makes it harder to reverse.

8 hours

Hunched with the belly pressed to the floorGo now. A rabbit in this posture is in significant pain.

Now

Loud teeth grindingGo now. Distinct from the soft purr of a content rabbit. This is a pain signal.

Now

Hard, bloated abdomenGo now. Do not force-feed and do not massage. Bloat may need decompression rather than gut motility drugs, and the two treatments conflict.

Now

Maggots or fly eggs near the rearGo now. Flystrike. Check the rear twice a day in warm weather, every day, for every rabbit.

Now

Cannot cope with heat — panting, wet nose, lying flat and unresponsiveMove to shade, offer a wrapped cool pack, wet the ears, and go. Rabbits cannot pant effectively to cool themselves; distress starts around 28C and rises steeply.

Now

Today

Head tilt, or eyes flicking side to sideBook today. Outcomes are far better with early treatment.

Today

Weight down 50 g or more since last weekCall today with the weight history. Fur hides body condition completely. The scale sees it first.

Today

Two rabbits are the minimum, and a bonded pair will also tell you when something is wrong — a rabbit sitting apart from its partner is worth a second look.

This is general guidance for a healthy adult, not a diagnosis. An exotics vet who knows your animal always overrides it — and the time to find one is before you need one.

Can a english lop rabbit eat that?

Hay first, greens second, everything else barely at all. A rabbit fed mostly pellets and treats is a rabbit with dental disease waiting to happen.

Check a food

The full list

Never (23)

AlcoholNo safe amount at any body weight on this site.

never

AvocadoPersin, concentrated in the skin, stone and leaves. Implicated in cardiac damage across birds, rodents and reptiles.

never

BindweedToxic, and it grows through hedges where people forage.

never

Bread and baked goodsRefined starch ferments in the hindgut and causes gas and stasis. No nutritional case for it either.

never

ButtercupProtoanemonin, an irritant toxin. Common in lawns, so check what you pick.

never

CaffeineCoffee, tea and energy drinks. Cardiac and neurological toxicity at tiny doses for an animal this size.

never

ChocolateTheobromine and caffeine. Small mammals and reptiles cannot clear either.

never

DairyAdults are lactose intolerant and the gut flora cannot handle it.

never

Dried fruitSugar concentrated several times over, and it sticks to the teeth. Most commercial small-pet treats are exactly this.

never

FoxgloveCardiac glycosides. Fatal.

never

GarlicSame allium toxicity as onion, and more concentrated by weight.

never

Iceberg lettuceAlmost entirely water with negligible nutrition, and it contains lactucarium, which causes diarrhoea in quantity. It displaces food that would have been useful.

never

LeekAllium family. Same mechanism as onion and garlic.

never

MeatA hindgut fermenter has no way to process animal protein. It disrupts the gut flora the animal depends on.

never

MushroomsNot part of any of these animals' natural diet, and the risk from misidentified varieties is not worth the zero upside.

never

NutsFat and phosphorus loads a herbivore is not built for, and a choking risk.

never

OnionOrganosulphur compounds damage red blood cells. The whole allium family is out.

never

PotatoSolanine in the skin and any green part, plus a starch load the hindgut cannot handle.

never

Raw beansLectins. Also a gas producer in a species that cannot vomit or belch.

never

RhubarbVery high in soluble oxalate, high enough to cause acute kidney injury. The leaves are worse than the stalks.

never

Salty or seasoned human foodSalt, oil and seasoning. Crisps, chips, seasoned leftovers and processed meat are all out.

never

SweetcornThe hulls are indigestible and are a recognised blockage risk in small herbivores.

never

Yogurt dropsSold in every pet shop for rabbits. Dairy plus sugar, and there is no version of this that is appropriate.

never

Rare treats (13)

AppleSugar. The seeds contain a cyanogenic compound and must be removed. A thin slice, once or twice a week. Never the seeds or core.

rare treat

BananaVery high in sugar and starch, and most animals will overeat it given the chance. A slice the width of a fingernail, rarely.

rare treat

BlueberrySugar, but a small portion size makes it easy to control. One or two berries, twice a week.

rare treat

Brussels sproutsHighly gas-forming. Half a sprout, rarely.

rare treat

CarrotSold as the archetypal rabbit food and it is nothing of the kind: carrot is a root vegetable with a high sugar content. The leafy tops, by contrast, are an excellent green. A thin slice as a treat. The tops can be fed freely.

rare treat

CauliflowerOne of the most gas-forming brassicas. A very small piece, occasionally.

rare treat

GrapesVery high in sugar. Halve them, because a whole grape is a choking hazard. One halved grape, rarely.

rare treat

OrangeAcidic and sugary; can irritate the mouth and gut. A tiny segment, rarely if at all.

rare treat

PearSugar. Remove the seeds. A thin slice occasionally.

rare treat

PeasHigh in starch and sugar. The pods and leaves are better than the peas. A few pods occasionally.

rare treat

StrawberrySugar, though lower than most fruit. The leaves are actually the better part. Half a small berry, once or twice a week.

rare treat

TomatoThe ripe flesh is safe in small amounts. The leaves, stems and any green fruit contain solanine and must never be offered. A small piece of ripe flesh, occasionally. Never the plant.

rare treat

WatermelonSugar and a very high water content, which together can loosen the gut. Remove the seeds. A small cube in hot weather, rarely.

rare treat

Occasional (18)

BasilSafe and well liked. Rotate rather than relying on it. A few leaves.

occasional

Bok choyGood green, mildly goitrogenic like other brassicas. A leaf or two a few times a week.

occasional

BroccoliNutritious but a notable gas producer. Leaves and stalk are better tolerated than the florets. A small floret or a piece of stalk, twice a week.

occasional

CabbageA brassica. Gas-forming in quantity, and goitrogenic with heavy long-term feeding. A small piece, once or twice a week.

occasional

CelerySafe and well liked. Cut across the stalk so the long fibres cannot catch. A short piece, cut into segments.

occasional

ChardSame oxalate issue as spinach. A small leaf, occasionally.

occasional

CourgetteSafe and mild. Serve raw. A few slices a few times a week.

occasional

CucumberSafe, but it is mostly water with very little in it. Useful for hydration in warm weather, poor as a staple. A few slices.

occasional

DillSafe in rotation. A few fronds.

occasional

Green beansSafe cooked or raw in small amounts. Gas-forming in quantity. One or two, occasionally.

occasional

KaleHigh in calcium and a mild goitrogen. Genuinely nutritious, but not the everyday green it is often sold as. A leaf or two, two or three times a week.

occasional

MintSafe in small amounts; strongly flavoured and not every animal wants it. A leaf or two.

occasional

ParsleyNutritious but relatively high in calcium. Fine in rotation, not as the whole green portion. A few sprigs, a few times a week.

occasional

PelletsA uniform pelleted nugget, not a muesli mix. Muesli lets a rabbit pick out the sweet bits and leave the fibre, which is how dental disease starts. An eggcup per rabbit per day, no more.

occasional

PumpkinSafe and well tolerated in small amounts. A small cube occasionally.

occasional

RocketPeppery and well tolerated in rotation. A small handful, a few times a week.

occasional

SpinachHigh in oxalates, which bind calcium and contribute to bladder sludge and stones in animals prone to them. A single small leaf, no more than once or twice a week.

occasional

WatercressNutritious, strongly flavoured, high in calcium. A small handful occasionally.

occasional

Everyday foods (9)

Bell pepperOne of the best everyday vegetables here: high in vitamin C, low in sugar, no oxalate problem. Remove the seeds and stalk. A few strips daily.

everyday food

Bramble leavesBlackberry leaves are excellent forage and rabbits take them readily. A few leaves daily.

everyday food

Carrot topsThe leaves are a proper green and much better food than the root. A handful as part of the daily greens.

everyday food

CorianderWell tolerated, aromatic, and most animals take it readily. Part of a daily mixed handful.

everyday food

Dandelion leavesOne of the best greens available, and free. Pick well away from roadsides and anywhere that may have been sprayed. A generous handful daily.

everyday food

GrassFresh growing grass is excellent. Lawn clippings are not: they ferment in the bag and cause severe gut upset. As much as they will graze. Never mown clippings.

everyday food

Grass hayShould be about 80 percent of what this animal eats, available at all times. It is what wears the teeth down and what keeps the gut moving. Unlimited, always.

everyday food

PlantainA common lawn weed and one of the better forage plants. A handful daily.

everyday food

Romaine lettuceDark leafy lettuce with real nutritional content and a good water balance. A generous handful daily as part of a mixed selection.

everyday food

That plant or food is not on our list. Do not offer it — a rabbit cannot vomit, so anything that goes in has to go all the way through. Check with an exotics vet.

A rabbit that has not eaten for 8 hours needs a vet, whatever the reason. Diet changes are the most common trigger for that, which is why new foods go in one at a time.

What it really costs

Setup, monthly, first year and across a whole life, itemised and with the electricity worked out from the actual wattage. Published figures for the same animal disagree by a factor of four, so the calculator shows ranges rather than picking one.

Region

How many animals

Your electricity price, per kWh

Buying the setup