Temperament is an important part of the personality of a rabbit. In fact it’s the temperament of the holland lop that makes them so enjoyable. We interviewed some of the top rabbit breeders in the country to get their thoughts on temperament. See what they had to say.
Rabbit Temperament
We love holland lops! I believe they are the greatest breed in the world. Most of our herd will run to the front of the cage when they see us. They love to be petted, and often lick us affectionately. Each of our three daughters breeds their own rabbits, including our eight year old. She will often carry her 8 or 9 week old kits around as though they babies, and the bunnies absolutely love it.
Every rabbit we've purchased from a breeder has had good enough temperament for us to breed and show. Unfortunately not all of the bunnies in our barn have that temperament. We have rescued several bunnies. One bunny we rescued is one that we are very cautious around. We will never sell him nor will my daughters use him in their breeding programs. He is very aggressive and has bitten on several occasions. We will continue to care for and love him, but his temperament is such that he would be a risk to anyone that purchased or tried to breed him.
It’s funny to watch holland lops on the show table. They often get very inquisitive. They will peak their heads over the side of the box to see who their neighbors is. Sometimes they will repeatedly hop out of the box as if to say, "hey judge, judge me next!" Once in a while you'll see a bunny that is nearly out of control on the table, and difficult for the judge to assess. On rare occasions you'll see a holland laying in the back of the judging box as if to say, "ho hum, another rabbit show."
There is a great article on the Holland Lop Rabbit Specialty Club site by Sylvia Hess called Holland Lops Personality. Sylvia classifies the temperament of holland lops into three categories. My favorite category is one she calls "cuddles". I think most of us would agree that this is the personality we desire of all of our hollands as long as they stay inquisitive. But how much emphasis should you put on temperament? How do you get hollands with the cuddly personality that Sylvia talks about? We decided to go to some of the top holland lop breeders and ask them those questions. I think you will find their responses helpful and informative.
Interview with Top Breeders
1. How would you describe the temperament you most want in your holland lops?
Pam: I like a Holland that is very personable and loves to show off on the show table, but is not so hyper that it cannot be posed.
Laurie: I like a curious, interactive personality the most. I love to see my rabbits investigating new toys and I always want them to come forward in the cage to see me when I visit.
Heather: The temperament that I like the most in my herd, are more like me, hyper. My favorite rabbit in the barn is extremely hyper. He will race back and forth in his cage until you open the door, but as soon as you get him out, he is very calm. He loves to snuggle and share 'treats' with me. I like the hyper rabbits, but I also like the rabbits that will snuggle with you, and it's just a matter of luck to get both.
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