I am horrible at drawing. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. I can't bring life to a drawing. I'm bad at art in general. I love writing, and I'm good at that; but painting, drawing, you name it, I'll fail at it. I just don't have that artsy talent. 

Luckily, breeding rabbits doesn't require talent. But there are people out there that are better then others. Here's the top 5 things that I think every on-the-top rabbit breeder must or does have:

#1: Breeding rabbits takes time. Don't expect to have a homegrown winner overnight. That could take a year or two! It takes an hour (for me, with only my 3 adults), to feed, water and  handle each rabbit each day. I often spend much more time then that with them though. 
#2: Breeding rabbits takes determination. Especially in Hollands. Holland Lops are a difficult breed to work with. Hollands are very delicate and commonly have digestive issues. Many won't make it to weaning. I've been lucky and haven't had a death yet - but I know each time I breed a rabbit they not make it. 
#3: Breeding rabbits takes patience. Rabbits have a one-month long gestation, but when you haven't have a litter of babies for a while, the waiting can be endless! Luckily it doesn't take long until a baby goes from newborn to producing (only 7 months for does, less for bucks!). 
#4: Breeding rabbits takes money. No, you don't have to be a billionaire to raise rabbits, but you have to at least have frequent pocket money for feed, hay, supplements, ect. Shows can get pretty expensive if you have a large rabbitry. 
#5: Breeding rabbits takes guts. You can't be squeamish around icky things or you won't last long in the rabbit world. Rabbits die, rabbits are born, newborn bunnies aren't all that adorable - until they hit 2 weeks of course! Oh and hay and poop is constantly everywhere - and bucks have an enjoyment for spraying their owners with their urine. Hasn't happened to me yet but I can sense it will very soon. 
#6 (I know, I said 5, but apparently I can't count): Breeding rabbits takes love. There's no point in doing it if we don't love it. Not all of the breeding bunny hobby will be what we love doing - just read #5. But a 2.5 week baby hopping out of the nest box for the first time, standing up on its wobbly legs, that's love. Seeing a 5 week old run after mama to get milk, that's love. Seeing a mom snuggle her 10 week old is love. 

To breed rabbits, you have to enjoy the hobby. You have to love it. We have to have a certain pride in our animals that can only be achieved by the determination it takes to win a Best of Breed. 
It's not all about winning. That's certainly a fun part of it all, but if you're only in it for the winning, you have a long, long road ahead of you. It takes a minimum of 5 years to produce competitive, consistently winning show stock. Depending on the lines you start with the breeder you buy from, and probably the state you live in, as well. Some states are much more competitive then others. 

I'm getting so excited for all the rabbit shows I'm planning on going to this year. Last year I only went to one. This year, I have 6-7 shows planned. That's about a show every other month, on average, but October has about two I want to attend.

To most serious breeders, this probably seems like not very many shows at all. I've realized that most breeders go to about a show every single weekend. To be competitive enough nationwide, and to grand all your stock (most breeders have over 20 Hollands), you need to attend that many shows to achieve your goals. I understand that. 

Since I'm still a new breeder, I'm gradually getting into the swing of things still. I love rabbit shows, I can sense a serious addiction about to brew (I'll need to control that!). My parents would never give up every weekend to take me to a show, and I don't expect them to at all. I don't want this hobby of mine to become a burden on anybody. 
I'll be driving soon and even then I probably still won't go to a show every weekend. My rabbits are my hobby, my passion. I don't want all the traveling to become a bore.

There isn't even a show in WA every week. They have about 2 a month. Traveling outside the state just isn't practical for me or my family, at this point in our lives. Maybe once I move out...I want to attend a Convention and Holland Lop Nationals, but I have years to keep learning and trying to produce something worth showing at such a big show like that!

I was positive I couldn't keep a baby from this litter. I needed to sell them all before I bred Cinnamon to Sir Lance. 
I have possibly Jingle (broken tort buck), and Sweetpea (sold tort doe), sold. The people interested will get back to me this weekend. But no one is interested in Ronald (solid blue). Does that mean something? I don't know, but I'm in love with him and he looks better and better each day! He's staying here!

I'm not going keep him for breeding so he will be for sale when he's around 5 months. I only want to take him to a couple shows, maybe win some legs with this boy and hopefully sell him to another show home that will appreciate him just as much as I do. I have a show in April I really want to take him to.

I would probably keep him to breed if I had enough cages. But by the end of May, I need him sold so I can wean Cinnamon's babies in that cage. 

I'm so excited for watching this lil' dude mature and grow into himself! I just love him. I'm so thrilled for where things are headed in Holly's Hollands Rabbitry. This year is looking to be pretty exciting! 

Holland Lops are a unique breed. They are supposed to look "chubby", "chunky", full of "mass". They are supposed to look like a bulldog with muscles all throughout the body, but still stay small. 
My favorite part of the Holland Lop is their mass, bone, width and smooshed face. I think these 4 things go together. Without a single one of these thinks, a Holland just doesn't really look like a Holland. 
Often, if a Holland has a long nose, they will tend to have longer ears and a longer body. If they have a smooshed, flat nose, they will often have a shorter, thicker, chunkier body. 
I love chubby rabbits. I mean, come on, who doesn't? But I don't love overweight rabbits, or "fat" rabbits. I love rabbits that are huggable, squishy enough to squeeze and love. Hollands are just like that! 
Holland Lops are supposed to have thick bones. The best way to tell if the rabbit has "bone", is by looking at its front legs. If the legs are thick, like little tree stumps, that's good bone. If the legs are thin, and you can see where the ankle is when the foot bends on the table, that's bad bone or "weak ankles". 
I think all these things go together. There is so much more to the Holland Lop - their tiny, lopped ears, fur, coloring, ect. But these are just my favorite parts. Of the rabbit's appearance, that is. 

Because not only does a Holland LOOK super cute, but they have the best personalities ever! That's what I breed for. Not only the overall "Holland" look, like all breeders should be doing, but also great, family-friendly temperaments and great mothering skills. 

What's your favorite part about the Holland Lop?

There is a lot of controversy on this subject in the rabbit world. Most rabbit breeders/pet owners feed pellets, and some only feed their rabbits hay and vegetables in place of the pellets. Others only feed a little bit of pellets, but the bulk of the diet is hay and veggies.
It is possible to feed rabbits without using pellets, but is it healthy?

I believe that it is easier and healthier for a rabbit to have a good supply of pellets in the diet. Without feeding pellets, more supplements need to be used to see that the rabbit gets all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. 
Rabbits are herbivores, and their diets should primarily be based on herbs, dark greens and veggies. However, because Hollands are such a small breed, their tiny bodies don't take the richness of the fruits/veggies very well. Babies absolutely need the pellets to support their rapid growth. Baby bunnies should never be fed fruits or veggies. 
Pellets were designed to provide the rabbit with all the necessary nutrients and vitamins without you having to provide a lot of other supplements. 

Pellets aren't very expensive either. I can buy a 50lb bag for only $20 at my local feed store. Also, some feeds have all the necessary fiber and hay in the pellet so that you don't even need to give the rabbit hay. Albers Rabbit Feed says that hay doesn't need to be fed, but I still feed it because it helps prevent boredom as well as keep the teeth neat and trim.

Rabbits shouldn't be fed only pellets; this can lead to obesity and problems elsewhere. Too many pellets can also cause digestive problems and runny poop. If you have a rabbit that frequently has poop sticking to its butt, decrease the amount of pellets that you feed and give the rabbit more hay. Also give the rabbit a bit of oats daily. The dry, rolled oats help to dry things up. 
I feed half a cup of rabbit food per day. All my rabbits have done well on this. Some rabbits will need more then others, depending on how active they are, their age, and their size (some Hollands are bigger/smaller then others), but I find that half a cup usually works for everyone. Babies still living with mom get as much as they want to support their rapid growth. 

Buy a good pellet. Don't buy the cheapest thing out there; often that isn't the best. There wouldn't be a point in giving our rabbits pellets if the pellet wasn't good for them or was missing essential nutrients. 

What's your opinion on this subject? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Rabbit teeth are constantly growing. Usually a case of malocclusion is because of some genetic issue. It's a hereditary disease. 

The top teeth are always supposed to be slightly overlapping the bottom teeth. If the teeth butt together or meet head on, that's a case 1 malocclusion and the easiest to fix. If misaligned teeth go too long without being taken care of, the rabbit cannot eat or even open its mouth and the teeth might start growing into the skull and cause brain damage. It's rare but it has happened. This is why it's important to regularly check your rabbit's teeth for any signs of problems. 
Sometimes a rabbit can pull its teeth out of whack by biting on the metal wire of its cage. Other times, fighting with a new rabbit can also cause this problem, as rabbits commonly use their teeth when they fight. 

Once teeth get out of hand, there isn't really a way to fix them. You can clip the teeth, but usually if they need to be clipped once, they will need to start being clipped monthly and the teeth will never be the same again. If you notice you're rabbit's teeth aren't the way they were before, have a rabbit-savvy vet show you how to clip the teeth. It isn't too hard and doesn't cause the rabbit pain. 

How can this problem be avoided? 

Providing our rabbits with hay daily is necessary for not only its digestive system but for its front and back teeth as well. We can't see the back teeth; they only way to tell if they are doing badly is by the rabbit drooling. If the back teeth get out of hand, the rabbit needs to be put under anesthetic to get them back to normal. 
Hay and untreated wood (not ceder or pine, fruit branches work well), for the rabbit to chew, as well as pine cones and cardboard, are easy, harmless toys that rabbits enjoy to play with and also keeps the teeth clean and worn down properly. It's like little toothbrushes that parents buy for their baby to play with, suck on and chew. While the baby is having fun, it's also getting its gums and teeth cleaned. :)

Almost 3 and a half years ago, when I was 11, I desperately wanted a rabbit. I had one pet, a Bearded Dragon, that I got when I was 10 (he was my first pet), but I wanted something cuddly and furry as a pet. A dog was out of the question, and my mom is terribly allergic to cats (I don't like them anyways). One day, I was searching the internet for a rabbit breeder in WA. I didn't know what kind of rabbit I wanted, all I knew was that I wanted it to be small, and a girl.
I found the Dragonfly Hollands website. Site is here if you want to look at it. Kristen Heines, the breeder, breeds and sells Holland Lops. I looked at her site almost every day, waiting for the moment when we would be ready for a bunny and I could bring one home. 

For my 12th birthday, my parents bought me an indoor rabbit cage, litter box, feed dishes and a water bottle for the bunny. We didn't know when we would get one; only that it would be soon.

One day, at the beginning of December, I was perusing Kristen's page and looking at the cute bunnies. Then I saw her. On the "For Sale" page. A tiny black tort baby girl. Her name was Elsa. Below her were her two siblings, who were both black. But I wanted her. It was love at first sight. She had crazy ears that didn't even lop, but I knew she was my baby girl. 

Two weeks later we brought Elsie Amanda home. She's always been so feisty and crazy. I love her with all my heart, even though her ears are STILL uncontrollable! Ever since I got her I knew I wanted more. And there was no other breed I would even consider. I had fallen in love with the Holland Lop. 

We were going to wait until I was 16 to start my rabbitry. But when we found a free hutch by the side of the road in 2012, it seemed like fate to start it as soon as possible. So I brought home Gracie in spring of last year, and the rest is history! 

That's how many breeders start out. They buy one or two rabbits as pets for themselves as a child, adult, or for their child, and get hooked. Maybe they show or breed that rabbit, but in the end they get more. Elsie (below), will never be shown or bred - she'll just be a pet and almost "mascot" of it all. She started it! 

When I just had two rabbits (before I bred Gracie for the first time), it would take 4 months for me to go through a 50lb bag of Albers 16% Rabbit Feed. The current, 50lb, almost-empty bag of feed that I have now has only lasted me a month! That's the shortest I've ever run out of rabbit feed. And I ONLY have 7 rabbits currently! ;) WHY did I go through so much so fast?? WHERE did it all go??

When I breed a doe, she gets put on a restricted diet until the end half of her pregnancy, then she gets as much as she wants. Believe me, a hungry pregnant mama with 5 babies in her tummy eats a lot!  Normally, I feed all the rabbits 1/2 cup of feed daily. Pregnant mamas usually want 3/4 cup. 

Then once mama has the babies, she gets as much as she wants until the babies are weaned. While she's nursing, before the babies jump out of the box and start eating, themselves, she can eat almost 1 1/4 cup of feed! By the time the babies are jumping out of the box and eating mom's food, it increases to 3, maybe 4 cups per day! Depending on the litter size, and the number of rabbits you currently have, this varies depending on the individual rabbitry. This is for a heavily nursing mama of 5 and 2-3 extra rabbits that still get their daily rations. 

I sold two babies with a full baggie of feed each, about 2-3 cups, to help them adjust to their new home, while still on this same bag of feed. 

And currently, Gracie is back on her rations and all the other rabbits are getting 1/2 cup as usual. Except for those 3 babies still sharing a cage. They get as much as they want, which is about 2 cups. 

So that's where that feed went. Wow. And with the increase in rabbit population I hope to have once I get a shed, this rabbit breeding business might become expensive! At least the feed I get is from a Co-Op in Everett (not too much gas!), and the bag of feed is only $20! 
How much do you spend monthly on rabbit feed? How long does your bag of feed last?

It's a rainy, lazy day in the rabbitry. Took several pictures of the 6 bunzies. Life isn't boring around here with babies! They light up the whole rabbitry! Feel free to caption all these yourself! :)

I get this question a lot from people asking, "What makes a better pet? A boy or girl?"
Honestly, I think it depends on the individual. Most breeders will tell you a buck makes a better pet. They say bucks have more of a puppy-like personality and does have more of a cat-like personality. However, my little house bunny (pet only), Elsie, is just like a little puppy! She follows me around, circles my feet until I sit down and pet her, and is constantly underfoot begging to love and attention. She used to nip my legs when I wouldn't pet her. I've taught her not to do that, so now she licks me. Just like a puppy!
Cinnamon and Gracie love to sprawl out on laps, more like cats, but they strike me as being more puppy-like also, rather then more cat-like. Eh. Maybe that's just because my family doesn't like cats. 
Sir Lancelot has only been here a short while, but he behaves a lot like my girls. He runs laps in his cage begging for attention while I'm feeding the other bunnies, and squishes his nose up to the cage door when I come near. My does do this too. 
In my last litter, the little bucks were always the first ones to the cage. The does were shy and hung in back. I thought it would be the same with this litter; nope! Quite the opposite! The girls are the first to the cage door. The bucks come too, but Sweetpea is the first one there! 

Not only will most breeders tell you that a buck makes a better pet, bucks and does do go through different types of sexual maturity. Does usually become antisocial, finicky and mean. My own little Cinnamon is the sweetest rabbit I've ever known and she wants to be bred so badly right now, she behaves in a way that is not normal to her ever since she turned 6 months old. She runs from my hand and kicks, kicks, kicks when I try to pick her up. Her sister, Caramel Latte, whom my friends own, are having the same problem. 
Gracie never went through that. Of course I bred her as soon as she hit 6 months so maybe that's the reason why. But I'm sure that if you spay your rabbit as soon as she hits 6 months she'll stay your friend forever. 
Bucks don't go through the same thing. The love breeding, of course, but they mark their territory a lot more then does do and often don't go through a personality change. The buck should still be neutered once he reaches maturity because 50% of all bucks will spray urine to mark their territory.
No matter the gender you get, both can make amazing pets. And if you get one of each (be sure to neuter/spay so you don't wind up with more and more babies!), you can experience firsthand what changes a buck/doe go through.