Taking Care of your Precious Hollands
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Holland Lop Care - Hillsboro Hollands
We are asked a lot of questions about how to care for a Holland Lop. They are not like other rabbits.
So here is some general care information for Hollands. We are not veterinarians. This advice is just
based on experience.
Feeding
Since Hollands are a dwarf rabbit you need to be
careful not to feed them too much.
Pellets: Hollands should be fed between 1/4
and 1/3 cup of pellets each day. It is better to
feed pellets in the evening because the heat
breaks down the feed.
Hay: Hollands can have timothy hay, brome or
prairie hay. But do not feed them alfalfa. It will
cause digestive problems. A Holland can have
all of the hay it can eat.
Water: Water is the most important part of a
rabbit's diet. Always make sure that your Holland
has plenty of clean, fresh water.
Snacks: It is tempting to feed your cute Holland
a lot of snacks. Too many snacks can cause
your Holland to become sick and possibly die.
Do not ever feed a Holland lettuce. Lettuce has
too much moisture and will cause a Holland to
get sick. Once your Holland is 6 months old you
can feed him the following snacks on a limited
basis (once per week): 5 or 6 Cheerios, plain
oats, a cracker, a one inch slice of banana, or a
one inch slice of carrot.
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Illness or Injury
Most vets do not work with rabbits and have
very limited knowledge about illnesses in
rabbits. If your Holland is sick, please contact
an experienced Holland breeder or a vet who
works with rabbits on a regular basis.
Diarrhea: If your Holland develops diarrhea,
fast action on your part is necessary. Remove
all pellets from your Holland. Give him lots of
hay and a small piece of banana.
Digestive Health: Hay is very important in
maintaining a Holland's digestive tract. This
will help prevent diarrhea which can
sometimes be fatal. It also prevents hairballs.
Overheating or Dehydration: This is very
hard on a Holland. Prevention is best
medicine. Make sure your hutch is in a shady
area. You can also put an ice bottle in your
Holland's hutch. If your Holland does
overheat, bring it into a cool place at once.
You can tell your Holland is overheated when it
is panting extra hard and its nose is wet.
Once your Holland is in a cool place, wet its
ears with water or a piece of ice. Rabbits
sweat through their ears. This will help them
cool down. Then give your Holland water.
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