Meet My Mini Lop Rabbit

Hey Sweeties,

So I thought it was time you met my baby and the other love of my life asides from Ian… everybody, meet Lola.

Lola is a black mini-lop rabbit and she turned 2 years old in June, I have had her since she was a teeny tiny 8 weeks old and it was love at first sight.

Previous to Lola, there have been three other bunnies –Heidi, Zac and Mavy. I had wanted a rabbit for ages and despite having hamsters and rats (who by the way make fantastic pets, yes really they do!) it took quite a lot of persuading to let me have my first bunny but eventually my parents gave in. Heidi I adopted from a rescue centre but Zac and Mavy were both from pet shops. I bought Lola however directly from the breeder as I was really specific with the type of rabbit I wanted (black in colour, lop, dwarf) and buying directly from a breeder allows you this opportunity rather than luck of the draw with what the local pet shop have in. At the time of seeking out Lola, I had recently lost a fantastic boy –Mavy- who lived until he was 8.5 years old, therefore I decided a girl bunny was the way forward. I stalked the likes of Gumtree for ages but as soon as I saw Lola’s litter, I was sold and went to pick her out a couple of days later. I had never had a bunny that young before so it really was a whole new experience with her.

Again, unlike her predecessors, Lola lives indoors. When I first got her I lived in the flat with only communal outdoor space which I wasn’t happy to leave her out in so indoors she came. Now we have a garden I still keep her inside as I think to suddenly put her outside wouldn’t be fair… even for me. But she has a lead and goes on little garden adventures when it’s dry and has full reign of the house when we’re in so she’s never short of space and fun things to do and explore which is so important if you have a rabbit (inside or out). Although Heidi, Zac and Mavy lived outdoors, they lived in an outhouse so were always covered against the elements and only put in their cages at night time. It makes me cry to think how many rabbits must be kept inside their cramped hutches all day, just cruel.

What I will say though is that Lola does make a mess. She is perfectly house trained but she kicks much of her bedding out of the cage. It’s better now that we have a laminate floor as it’s a lot easier to sweep up but on carpet it’s a bit of a nightmare to keep hovering up bits of sawdust and droppings. I am currently in the midst of researching for a sawdust alternative, something much more indoor friendly. If there are any fellow bunny mummy’s reading this and you know of something please give me a shout in the comments!

What I love about bunnies -and Lola is no exception- is how great their personalities are; they are such characters and give me no end of satisfaction to watch them grow and develop. Lola can be the most affectionate and loving little bunny but she’s also fiercely independent and things like cuddles are on her terms. This of course sometimes gets annoying when I want cuddles and she doesn’t but in equal measure I just love how she’s her own bunny and does what she wants to do. But of course she does overstep the line at times and gets disciplined for it but this really is quite rare. Most of the time she knows her boundaries but like any mischievous 2 year old she always sees how far she can push them.

 I’ll be honest, Ian really wasn’t happy when Lola suddenly appeared one day but give him his due, he has been very accommodating and patient with both me and her… even when she chewed through the Sky cables but that’s what happens when you don’t understand bunny proofing and I am not around to supervise! Ian grew up in a pet free household whereas as I have always had animals and living without them is a nightmare for me. I will openly admit though that at times pets can be a tie. For me though, my pets have always been a source of companionship and Lola is just that. As sad as it sounds, Lola is company for me when Ian isn’t about and while I am still integrating myself into new groups and environments, she is my little friend also. I just adore her!

 

So there you are Sweeties, you should now have the full low down on Lola.

Until next time x