I really don't understand.

As if Desa's story couldn't be worse, I just learned today that Desa was pregnant when I bought her 3 weeks ago (Gestation period is normally 4 weeks). Unfortunately, the bunny mill failed to let me know of this ahead of time. I honestly don't understand how anyone who calls themselves a breeder could even let this happen, but - lesson learned, for me at least. You should always know if your rabbit is pregnant, especially if you decide to send it away - atleast tell its' new owner ahead of time.

Ok, so Desa built a nest today, and gave birth to one stillborn kit, who did not make it. When I saw Desa building her nest, I assumed that it was a false pregnancy, as she was never exposed or bred to any of my bucks, and because I assumed that her breeder would at least have told me that she was bred, before I took her home with me (WRONG). I really wanted to believe that Desa's breeder would have told me before hand if she was pregnant, and assumed that Desa was only going through a false pregnancy (in which only the nest is made), but sadly she was really pregnant when I bought her. Great thanks to the breeder for not letting me know.

Like I mentioned earlier, Desa was in a cage with two other rabbits when I went to pick her up from this bunny mill. Although I knew one of her cagemates was a female, I'm assuming the other was most likely a buck. Either that, or Desa was obviously exposed to a male about a week prior to when I took her home with me.

I'm honestly appalled at this entire situation at this point, and I'm going to stop here before I say anything more.

With that said, Desa is actually doing well, hopping around like normal.. I just wish these irresponsible breeders would just wake up.

Alright.. On a more positive note - Darla and Smores are due in less than two weeks, and I am very prepared and excited for their litters. I'll be here to do the best that I can for them. (:

I wish other breeders could say the same for their pregnant does as well.

Update soon,
Jennie

LOL of the week

Promise to Desa

[These pictures were taken a month after she came home with us.]

Meet Desa - the unfortunate product of irresponsible breeders. When I first saw that this breeder (who will remain unnamed) had a blue-eyed white doe for sale, I was excited to pick up Desa from their rabbitry. Unfortunately, I had no idea what kind of breeder and what living conditions Desa had been in, before I decided to take her home with me. I had no idea what kind of breeder I was about to buy from, and was not aware of her breeding history and reputation of unreliability. Sadly, I'd have to learn about this, and the existence of Bunny Mills the hard way.

The Bunny Mill:
When I first met Desa, she was living in a cramped cage with 2 other rabbits - much like many of the other rabbits around her in the rabbitry. This was my first encounter with what is known as a 'Bunny Mill'. I initially meant to buy her sister, who is listed on my page as 'Darla' - but the breeder offered Desa to me for free, as the woman needed cage space (which was very evident). Fortunately for Desa, I couldn't leave her in those living conditions, and decided to take her home with me, in hopes of providing them a better home.

Desa's Condition:
Desa chews the fur on her feet, including the comb over that is needed to protect her heels. When I asked the breeder of this issue, she responded 'That's just a Holland Lop thing that they do.'

Again, unfortunately, some breeders just don't pay enough attention to their rabbits' living conditions to maintain a healthy living standard for their rabbits. No matter how many of your rabbits chew their fur - it is NOT normal. Desa most likely chewed her fur in anxiety from living in such cramped and dirty living conditions. In addition, as I took a closer look at her feet, I noticed that her nails were curling in massive length. Obviously, if a rabbit's feet are not trimmed, their toes can be extremely uncomfortable and get caught in the holes of a wired bottom cage. With that said - two of her toes are visibly growing abnormally sideways, which I noticed as I was clipping her nails. I refuse to believe that this is 'just something that Holland Lops do', especially when I have had several healthy ones that have never succumbed to such self mutilating behavior.

Not only was Desa's feet bald and contorted, but she was also very thin. Visibly, her spine portruded, and the lines of her muscles were visible through her fur - unlike a normal rabbit who should look healthily round. I decided not to take pictures of her at that time, because of how disturbing the image of her body was. Luckily, in the pictures above (taken recently), it is evident that she is now gaining more and more weight, which I am very happy about.

This breeder had accepted Desa's 'bad habits', and allowed for it to continue. However, with enough attention and care - I know that Desa can be a normal, healthy bunny again.

Desa's spirit:
After considering Desa's condition, and not even receiving a pedigree or explanation from this breeder - I decided to keep Desa to try and rehabilitate her physically and emotionally, by cleaning her, grooming her, providing her a more spacious home, and giving her ample socialization time. I imagined Desa to be a very shy and afraid, knowing that she lived her life in a cramped cage with two other rabbits in obviously uncomfortable living conditions - but after days of socialization, she seems to have warmed up quite a bit. She lacks energy, but loves to be scratched behind her ears, and pet on her nose. On a daily basis, I pet her and hold her to give her the affection that she most likely lacked in her previous 'home'. She is the reason why I strive for a better standard of breeding in the world of domesticated rabbits.

Our PROMISE:
With that said, although my first experience with a Bunny Mill was a very sad and frustrating experience - I have learned a lot about the rabbit breeding world, including the ways that I can try and improve the standards of breeding. Rabbits are wonderful animals that I believe make unique and therapeutic pets - but the standards in which they are bred, must be improved.

Lolli Lops Rabbitry has made a Promise to Desa, that all rabbits bred at our rabbitry will:

1) Have their OWN spacious, clean and suitable cage, and will NEVER be housed together.
2) Always be groomed, with their nails trimmed, fur brushed and cleaned if necessary to maintain a healthy and comfortable living condition.
3) Be fed enough to maintain a healthy weight, no matter what.
4) Have an equal amount of ample socialization time to encourage friendly and affectionate personalities.
5) Always have monthly health exams, to ensure that they are in the best health and most comfortable living condition that they can be in.

Honestly, much of this was what I thought was common sense when it came to housing rabbits, so nonetheless - our Promise to Desa will be an everlasting one at our rabbitry.

Sincerely,
Jennie
Lolli Lops

P.S. The purpose of this post was to let rabbit lovers and enthusiasts know that although there are irresponsible breeders out there, there are still some who are inspired to improve the standard of breeding to maintain the health and friendly personalities of these lovely animals.

In regards to the rabbitry that I saved Desa from, I have very little respect for this rabbitry, and do feel the need to caution future potential rabbit owners from buying from this rabbitry - but as much as I'd like to post their name on my blog - I am here to let people know there is hope in improving the standard of the breeding of rabbits, and to hopefully inspire / remind breeders of this.. I am not here to put others down.

With that said, if you personally ask / email me about the rabbitry in this blog, I will have absolutely no problem with providing you the rabbitry's name and owner, as a warning to potential customers.

Smores Rebred

Smores tricked us all! That little sneaky bear.

Smores was rebred to Bubba today - their litter should be due on the 19th of June.

Look out for Tink and Darla's upcoming litters!

LOL of the week

VM/VC Holland Lops

[Litter BD1] [Expecting VM/VC PB Holland Lops] Dam: Darla Sire: BMW's FB2 (aka Bubba) Breeding Date: 05/12/2009 Due Date: 06/13/2009 Litter: PB Holland Lops Full pedigrees available 1) True/False: 2:2:1 2) Colors: 100% VM/VC Waiting List: *Keeping a doe 1) Stephanie wants one

This will be Lolli Lops' first litter of VM/VC Holland Lops, and I can't wait to see them!

What does this mean?
The Vienna Gene is carried by BEW's such as Darla. This particular gene is passed to the BEW's offspring when bred to a rabbit without the Vienna gene (such as Bubba!), to produce babies that are either Vienna Marked or Vienna Carriers (VM/VC). Babies that carry the Vienna gene can be distinguished by the white markings that they show around their fur, [such as their chest, feet (Etc)]. Sometimes, they'll even have blue eyes too! These babies will be great in a VM/VC or BEW holland lop program.

More Lolli Lops!

H4U's Brie DOB: February 11, 2009 Breed: Thrianta Color: Red Status: Junior Pedigree: Available Not For Sale

Brie is my very first Thrianta from Hares 4 U. She will help me start my line of Thriantas in the Fall, and RED Lionheads as well! Thriantas are very rare to find in the US, and I'm so thankful to have found her. She's just a baby right now, so she'll be getting lots of affection and love (: Thanks so much, Debbie!
[ http://haresforyou.webs.com/ ]

HH's Riot DOB: July 24, 2008 Breed: PB Lionhead Mane: Double Color: Tort Status: Proven Senior Pedigree: Available Not For Sale

Riot is a small, purebred double mane lionhead with a great personality (hence the name - RIOT!). He doesn't look like a DM lionhead here, because much of his mane has molted out :( but he will give his kits beautiful manes nonetheless, and will grow back his own in the next few months. Thanks Rhonda!
[ http://www.bragglionheadfarm.com/ ]

' Darla DOB: June 2, 2008 Breed: Holland Lop Color: Blue-Eyed White [BEW] Status: Proven Senior Due: 6/13/2009 Pedigree: Available Not For Sale

This pretty lady is my very first BEW Holland Lop (I didn't even know they existed, until recently.) who will be helping me start my BEW Lion Lop program - which I have yet to see happen anywhere else! These guys are going to be adorable, and I can't wait for her litter this Fall. For now, she is bred to Bubba for my very first VM/VC Holland lops.

Why Buy from Lolli Lops?

Recently, I've realized that the world of rabbit breeders has been seen in a pretty negative light by most animal lovers out there, and I've come to understand why. Although I believe that rabbits are a very unique pet to own, that are only available to pet owners because of the rabbit breeders out there - I also believe that there are a few unreliable and irresponsible breeders in the mix. In that sense, I really don't blame people for having negative misconceptions about the rabbit breeding world, and I hope that Lolli Lops can help improve that image. With that said, I'd just like to say that there are several, several reasons that set Lolli Lops apart from many other breeders out there, and even more reasons why I know many will be happy in choosing Lolli Lops instead.

I've bought from several different rabbitries, and have had a mix of pleasant and unpleasant experiences that have overall - taught me to become a better breeder. I remember what I liked about a breeder, and I surely remember what I didn't. With that said - I know that Lolli Lops is different from several breeders out there, and we're here to set a better standard for purchasing a quality rabbit. Ultimately, there are many reasons why you should buy from Lolli Lops, and these are just a few of them:

1) BEST Customer Support. Lolli Lops guarantees reliable and consistent Customer Service before, AND after you purchase your rabbits (you would be surprised at how many breeders will sell you a rabbit and never hear from them again). I guarantee that I will respond to any and all of your questions before and after you take your bunny home, and do my best to help that transition run as smoothly as possible. I am personally an animal lover, and am on a path to become a veterinarian - and I care very much about each and every rabbit that I bring to the world, so if you have any questions about them even years later - I will be more than happy to help you in any way. (If you ask any of my previous buyers, I rarely ever reply in a simple sentence. I reply within the hour, and you'll always have loads of information for your convenience, any time you have a question.)

2) On a different mission. Lolli Lops does not breed for show purposes - meaning we do not JUST pay attention to the pretty ones, and we actually really care about each rabbit's well being. Yes, we hand pick and breed only the healthy and friendly ones, to create the best situation for our rabbits to find their 'forever home'. Unfortunately, rabbits have a reputation for being shy and sometimes hostile - but Lolli Lops is on a mission to raise the friendliest rabbits to be rid of these misconceptions. So far, we have had a 100% success rate in raising friendly, socialized rabbits. I handle these kits from birth, and encourage a friendly personality that I believe every rabbit has the potential to develop. Lolli Lops focuses on personality more than 'show potential'. Besides -what's the fun in having a rabbit that's just nice to look at?

3) 110% Committed to our rabbits. I love all of my rabbits, and I do not and will never run what is known as a 'bunny mill' (and trust me.. they exist). Being a true animal lover, I want the best and most comfortable living conditions for my rabbits, and would never stuff more than one in small cages to fit desires for quantity.

• Each rabbit has its' own cage (that is cleaned on a daily basis).
• Each rabbit is fed large portions of timothy hay on a daily basis, in addition to its' water and daily portion of pellet food and fruits/veggies.
  
• I choose to house a small amount of rabbits, so I can give each and every one of them enough attention. From day to day, each rabbit is taken out for indoor snuggle/play time.
• On weekends, each rabbit is taken out into the outdoor play pen to enjoy the lovely NOVA weather.
• Adult Rabbits, and especially kits, are not only handled by me, but several kids and adults to maintain socialization.
  

In addition - I will always take back a rabbit I have sold to put up for adoption, and will consider rescues. I have had years of experience in fostering rabbits for several Homeless Animal Organizations, and know exactly how the processes work. I do and always will care about each rabbit that I bring to this world - so if it no longer has a provided home, mine will always be open to him/her.

4) Buy a Rabbit with Confidence. Beware of breeders who will sell you a rabbit, claim that they'll 'send' you information after your purchase - but never hear from them again. You can not only have confidence that Lolli Lops will be available to any and all of your inquiries for years to come, but you can also have confidence that we will help you choose a rabbit that YOU want, by sending you daily updates with pictures & videos of your rabbit, from weeks 1-8. That way, you'll know your little bub, even before you take him/her home.

5) Promise to Desa. [ Click Here ] to read more about Lolli Lops' personal promise to our dear Desa.

BEW Lion Lops!

So, I mentioned that there would be some exciting news a couple days ago, and here it is.

Lolli Lops is really excited to announce our new Blue-Eyed White Lion Lops program!

Like I said, I've never seen this done around my area - so I'm very excited to see how they turn out. Not only are Lion Lops rare enough as it is, but to have them in BEW is pretty much unheard of at this point. BEW's are rarely seen in Lionheads, and espcially Holland Lops - so you can imagine why I'm so excited for my new BEW Lion Lops program.

Thanks to Christie for my BEW Lionhead, and Courtney for my BEW Holland Lop - I will be expecting a litter of F1 BEW Lion Lops in the Fall, and F1 VM/VC Lion Lops in the Winter.

Just to give you an idea of what they will look like:


[This is actually just a fuzzy white Mini Lop - but the babies will look similar to this, except the mane will be thicker around the ears and hind legs.]

Get ready for some Blue-Eyed White, fuzzy lop eared balls of sweetness. (;

Feedback: Bunny C & E (A1)

Hi Jennie,

Oh my gosh, I love my sweet princesses. You did such a wonderful job w/ them, that is for sure. They greet me at their cage, I pick them up and carry them around, we have pet/kissy sessions (I'm constantly kissing them on their precious heads) and play time in the large pen/play area. I love them so much and they seem so happy to be together too. I ended up naming them Cei Cei and Mei Mei hee hee, cute huh? Cei Cei for the obvious reason, the first bun I was planning to get, so in my mind I would say "Bunny C C" and I thought it would be adorable for their names to rhym. They are both using the litter box. I put kiln dried pine shavings in their box and they've been using it. My sweet bun Lyle uses his so I thought they'd use theirs too. Lyle keeps trying to impress his new sisters by doing binkies in front of them. He is georgeous and he knows it! The girls are so mild mannered, they do the polite thing and watch his little show he he. Also the girls drink out of their water bottle. At first I was putting in a dish of water as well as the bottle because I forgot to ask you if they had been drinking out of a water bottle. They are doing just great and I appreciate your kindness and how sweet you are w/ the bunnies. I could tell when you brought them to me how loved you made them feel because they looked so comfortable and at ease in your arms. Thank you for my sweet girls that I love so much!

Good luck w/ school. You'll be a wonderful veterinarian!

Courtney
Lorton, VA

More good news (:

I really don't want to jinx any of this right now, so I'll save the news for tomorrow... but Lolli Lops is developing another VERY exciting program. I haven't seen this type of rabbit bred anywhere near my area, so I'm extremely excited that I'm fortunate enough to have found these rabbits.

Stay tuned!


P.S. There's a couple of clues around the site, if you really want to know. (;

Feedback: Bunny D (A1)

"OMG.
We love our little bunny. Ani and I are very grateful and we always say what a amazing job you did raising her. She loves to be picked up and held, but is content being in the cage. She actually acts like a little dog and follows us around but loves just watching tv with us.

Thank u sooo much."

Bobby & Ani
Washington D.C.

New Lolli Lop!

So I knew Blue-Eyed Whites were adorable, from all the pictures I had seen of them - but OMG. They are SO MUCH CUTER IN REAL LIFE.

I picked up my first BEW buck from Riddles Bunny Barn (Thank you so much Christie!) today, and I couldn't stop saying how cute it was. It's cuter than a puppy. That's how cute little Orlando is (;

Anyways, so he's munching on hay now, and throwing his toys around. I really can't get over how cute this guy is, so I'll just stop typing and make a video about it soon!

Orlando will be helping me start my VM/VC Lionhead and BEW LionLop program! (When he is of age of course, which will be later in the Summer) Unfortunately, he's still very young - so these programs are going to take a bit of time to start. I really can't wait, because these little babies are going to be SO beautiful.

P.S. - If you're around Northern Virginia, and are looking for some really cute Lionheads - Christie @ Riddles Bunny Barn is the place to look! She breeds the cutest, prettiest Lionheads I've ever seen. Hands down. In addition, we both share the same goal in breeding friendly rabbits with great personalities [We don't just pick the good-looking ones, and ignore their temperament]. Cute & friendly rabbits? What else could you ask for?