At the risk of sounding silly..I have a holland lop question

[Sinnfox]

Ok so I read up a bit about them and thought I had a handle on most of the differences between them and other rabbits...I know their ears can lop anywhere from 5 to 12 weeks ...after that odds drop that they will lop their ears at all...so I thought I'd wait and see how long it took. Cute little things hopping around eyes open right on time...then right around two and a half weeks ears lopped down. now they are right at three weeks old and the best looking of the two has a perfect looking little lop head and ears hang wonderfully...haven't seen it even twitch them upright since they started hanging (even the mom sometimes twitches her ears up for a few seconds) So here is my question...can it happening that early be a sign of anything wrong with them or is it perfectly fine for them to drop that soon? If them dropping that early can be a sign of other potential problems I just want to know so I can watch out for them. @.@

if I'm being silly and worrying for nothing its cause I cant help but like the little ones..seeing a tiny little lop smaller then most muffins hop up to a giant dog and lick its nose kinda makes you get attached >.>

 

[luvabunny]

Nothing to worry about. Lopping is a sign of a good crown forming. On yours it just formed earlier than some. Lopping that early is also a pretty good indication that their ears will stay lopped and not regain some control, as those muscles have never really developed in the first place.

P.S. you can help them lop by holding the bunnies and stroking the ears down. It helps to stretch the muscles. I've heard of people taping quarters to their ears for the weight, and making the bunnies wear a head sock to keep the ears down. I don't know if those things work, but I do know you can relax the ear muscles by petting those ears down.

It's a good thing. Don't worry. Be happy! (that's my motto for today!)

 

[Dood]

Ours start lopping at that age. We start advertising at 4 weeks old and the lops are lopped and the not lops are questionable but we can usually tell by the crown if they are just late bloomers or if tis highly unlikely they will lop.

 

[Prisma]

Agree with others. Typically if they do not lop by 5-6 months they will not lop at all, but as said the better the crown the faster the lop. It doesn't mean that it isn't slipped or doesn't have other issue possibilities though. I would advise against using any methods to help them along with dropping ears, especially if showing in ARBA. While some might do things and not get caught, like taping and stretching ears, the rules specifically state that any alteration of the natural state of the show rabbit is not allowed and grounds for disqualifcation.

 

[skysthelimit]

I wouldn't do it because you will never know what you have,and you could pass on undesirable traits that will bite you or another breeder in the behind later on.

 

[Sinnfox]

oh I wouldn't force them to lop..actually heard of people helping dogs ears be even with those methods though...my little hoppers just seem to be naturally early bloomers at least it helps show the better ones for holding back

 

[Wyldrose]

I have seen people use staples to make dog ears do the rose bud look...
My Holland lop's early didn't lop until he was 8months old.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I have seen people use staples to make dog ears do the rose bud look...
My Holland lop's early didn't lop until he was 8months old.

A friend who used to breed Shelties used a single drop of fabric glue...it'd hold the ear tip down and by the time the fur it was stuck to shedded out, the ears would be "set."

 

[skysthelimit]

I've taped GSD's with tear mender, or used rollers, I hate it, and I did not breed it into what I have. Now I always ask stud owners if the ears went up naturally.

 

[JessicaR]

I have seen people use staples to make dog ears do the rose bud look...
My Holland lop's early didn't lop until he was 8months old.

A friend who used to breed Shelties used a single drop of fabric glue...it'd hold the ear tip down and by the time the fur it was stuck to shedded out, the ears would be "set."

I wish it was that easy!!! Try more like gluing and taping for at least 1 year!