Plush Lop

Plush Lop kits are born in the same vulnerable state as all domestic rabbits, arriving blind, deaf, and nearly hairless in litters that typically range from three to six. As a small breed, the Plush Lop tends toward modest litter sizes, and first-time does may kindle as few as two or three kits. Each newborn weighs approximately half an ounce to one ounce, a diminutive starting point even by small-breed standards. The doe will have constructed a nest in the days leading up to kindling, pulling tufts of her distinctive velvety rex-type fur and weaving them into a bed of hay or straw within the nest box.

Perform a gentle inspection of the litter within the first hour after birth. Count the kits and search the surrounding enclosure for any that may have been dragged from the nest still attached to the placenta or that simply tumbled out during the kindling process. Because Plush Lop kits are so small, they lose body heat extremely rapidly when separated from their littermates, and even thirty minutes of isolation in a cool room can lead to fatal hypothermia. Return any strays to the center of the nest immediately and cover them with the doe's pulled fur.

Remove any stillborn kits and placental tissue from the nest box to maintain a clean environment. Check that the surviving kits are warm to the touch and clustered tightly together. A healthy newborn Plush Lop kit should feel warm against your palm and respond to gentle touch with slow squirming movements. Kits that feel cold and limp require immediate warming, which can be accomplished by cupping them in your hands near your body until their skin temperature rises and they begin to move more vigorously before returning them to the nest.

The doe will likely appear disinterested in the nest during this initial period. This is entirely normal rabbit behavior and not a sign of rejection. Plush Lop does, like all rabbit mothers, visit the nest only once or twice per day to nurse, spending the remaining hours away from the litter to avoid attracting attention from potential predators. Ensure that the doe has unlimited access to fresh water and high-quality hay immediately after kindling, as her body requires significant fluid and caloric replenishment to initiate milk production.

Plush Lop does nurse their litters once or twice every 24 hours, almost invariably during the predawn or late-evening hours when the household is quiet. Each nursing session lasts only three to five minutes, but the extraordinary caloric density of rabbit milk, which contains roughly 12 to 13 percent fat and 10 to 12 percent protein, ensures that kits receive ample nourishment from these brief feedings. The doe positions herself over the nest box and the kits nurse vigorously from underneath, often finishing well before the doe moves away.

Monitor kit nutrition by checking bellies each morning. A well-fed Plush Lop kit will display a visibly distended, rounded abdomen with taut skin. The milk may even be faintly visible through the translucent skin of very young kits as a whitish area in the stomach region. A kit that has failed to nurse will show a sunken, wrinkled belly and may feel lighter and cooler than its littermates. Because Plush Lop litters are relatively small, competition at the nipple is usually less intense than in larger breeds, but smaller or weaker kits can still be pushed aside.

If a kit is consistently failing to nurse, you can facilitate a supervised feeding session by gently restraining the doe in a comfortable position over the nest box and guiding the struggling kit to an available nipple. Hold the doe for no more than ten minutes and remain calm throughout the process, as a stressed doe may refuse to let down her milk. This intervention is usually needed for only a few days before the weaker kit gains enough strength to compete on its own.

The nursing doe's diet must be adjusted to support milk production. Increase her pellet ration to approximately one and a half to two times her normal maintenance amount, selecting a high-quality pellet with at least 16 percent crude protein. Provide unlimited timothy or orchard grass hay and supplement with fresh leafy greens such as parsley, cilantro, or romaine lettuce for additional hydration and micronutrients. A calcium supplement may be beneficial for does nursing larger litters, but consult a rabbit-savvy veterinarian before adding any supplements to avoid disrupting the delicate calcium-to-phosphorus ratio that rabbits require.

Orphaned Plush Lop kits present a serious challenge. Artificial rearing of rabbit neonates has a low success rate, largely because no commercially available formula replicates the unique composition of rabbit milk. If the doe is unable to nurse, the best option is to foster the kits onto another lactating doe of similar size. When fostering is not possible, a kitten milk replacer with added heavy cream can serve as a last resort, administered via a one-milliliter syringe at a rate of approximately two to three milliliters per feeding, twice daily. Work with a veterinarian to monitor weight gain and digestive health closely.

Plush Lop kits develop rapidly despite their tiny birth size. Within the first three days, the earliest hints of fur begin to emerge as a fine fuzz across the body. Because the Plush Lop carries the rex gene responsible for its signature velvety coat texture, the initial fur growth has a distinctly soft, plush feel even at this early stage. The color of the emerging coat depends on the kit's individual genetics, as Plush Lops are bred in a wide variety of recognized colors and patterns including solid, broken, shaded, and agouti groups.

By seven to ten days of age, the fur has filled in sufficiently to provide meaningful insulation, and the kits' body temperature regulation begins to improve. The rex-type coat grows in dense and even, lacking the longer guard hairs found in standard-furred breeds, which gives the young kits an unusually smooth appearance for their age. The lopped ear carriage that defines the breed is not immediately apparent at birth. Newborn ears are small and may stand partially upright, with the characteristic lop beginning to develop over the following weeks as the ear cartilage lengthens and softens.

Eyes open between ten and fourteen days, a milestone that triggers a noticeable increase in activity and awareness. Once sighted, Plush Lop kits begin responding to visual stimuli and become more animated within the nest. Their ears also become functional around this time, though full auditory processing continues to develop over the next week. The combination of sight and hearing transforms the kits from passive nest occupants into curious, responsive animals.

By three weeks of age, the kits begin venturing out of the nest box on short exploratory excursions. They will sample hay and may nibble at the doe's pellets, though nursing remains their primary nutritional source. Coordination develops rapidly during weeks three and four, with kits progressing from awkward, stumbling movements to confident hops and the beginning of binky behavior, the joyful leaps and twists that indicate a content rabbit. Between four and six weeks, the transition to solid food accelerates as the cecal microbiome matures, and individual temperaments begin to emerge more distinctly.

Proper nest box configuration is critical for Plush Lop neonates given their small body size and correspondingly high surface-area-to-volume ratio, which makes them especially vulnerable to heat loss. Select a nest box proportionate to the breed, approximately 14 inches long by 8 inches wide and 8 inches tall. This size provides enough room for the doe to enter and position herself for nursing while keeping the kits confined closely enough to share body heat effectively. The front wall should be slightly lower than the back and sides, roughly 4 to 5 inches, to allow the doe easy entry without creating a gap large enough for mobile kits to tumble out prematurely.

Line the bottom of the nest box with a layer of clean, dry straw or hay approximately two inches deep. The doe will add her own pulled fur on top of this base layer, creating a multilayered insulating system. The velvety rex fur pulled by a Plush Lop doe is somewhat shorter than the fur pulled by standard-coated breeds, so you may need to supplement with additional clean hay if the fur layer appears thin. Ensure the kits are completely buried under the fur covering when at rest, as exposed kits lose heat rapidly and can become chilled even in a room-temperature environment.

Maintain the ambient temperature of the room between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit for the first two weeks. Plush Lop kits are poikilothermic at birth, meaning they cannot generate or regulate their own body heat and are entirely dependent on external warmth. In environments where room temperature drops below 55 degrees, supplemental heating is necessary. A ceramic heat emitter positioned safely above the nest area provides gentle, consistent warmth without the intense light of a heat lamp, which can disturb the doe's natural nursing rhythm. Never place heating pads directly under the nest box, as overheating from below can cause dehydration and thermal burns.

Check the nest daily for soiled bedding, which should be replaced promptly to prevent ammonia buildup and bacterial growth. Wet or soiled fur loses its insulating properties and can chill the kits even in a warm room. As the kits develop their own thermoregulatory capacity around two to three weeks of age, the strictness of temperature management can be relaxed, but the nest box should remain available as a resting area until weaning is complete.

Daily health checks are essential for Plush Lop kits during the neonatal period. Begin each morning by counting the kits to confirm all are present and alive. Examine each kit individually, feeling for a full, rounded belly that indicates successful nursing. Weigh the kits every two to three days using a small digital kitchen scale accurate to the gram. Healthy Plush Lop kits should gain weight steadily, roughly doubling their birth weight by the end of the first week and continuing on an upward trajectory thereafter. A kit that stalls or loses weight over two consecutive weighings warrants immediate investigation.

Watch for signs of chilling, which is the leading cause of neonatal mortality in small-breed rabbits. A chilled kit will feel cool to the touch, move sluggishly or not at all, and may appear separated from the litter cluster. Warm chilled kits gradually by cupping them in your hands or placing them against your skin inside your shirt. Avoid sudden temperature changes, as rapid rewarming can cause circulatory shock. Once a kit's body temperature has normalized and it is moving actively, return it to the center of the nest and ensure the fur covering is adequate.

Bloat is another serious concern in neonatal rabbits. A kit's abdomen should feel full but yielding after nursing. If the belly appears distended, hard, and drum-tight, or if the kit shows signs of distress such as restlessness and vocalization, bloat may be developing. This condition can result from overfeeding during supplemental feeding attempts, from swallowing air, or from bacterial imbalance in the immature gut. Bloat in neonatal rabbits is a veterinary emergency and requires prompt professional intervention.

Skin condition offers additional diagnostic information during the first weeks. Healthy Plush Lop kits have smooth, pinkish skin that transitions to an even fuzz of developing rex fur. Redness, flaking, or crusty patches may indicate a bacterial or fungal skin infection, which can spread rapidly through a closely confined litter. Any skin abnormalities should be evaluated by a veterinarian experienced with rabbits, as topical treatments safe for adult rabbits may not be appropriate for neonates.

The Plush Lop is prized for its friendly, people-oriented temperament, and the foundation for this disposition is laid during the neonatal period through careful, consistent socialization. Begin handling kits briefly on day two or three, assuming the doe is tolerant of your presence near the nest. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after each handling session to prevent scent contamination that might distress the doe and to protect the immunologically naive kits from pathogens.

Initial handling sessions should be brief, lasting no more than one to two minutes per kit. Cradle each kit gently in your cupped palms, check its belly for fullness, and return it to the nest. The goal at this stage is simply to acclimate the kits to the sensation of human hands and the warmth and scent of human skin. As the kits develop fur and their eyes open around the two-week mark, gradually extend sessions to three to five minutes. Allow them to rest in your hands, feel the texture of your clothing, and hear your voice at close range.

Once the kits begin leaving the nest box around three weeks of age, socialization can expand to include supervised floor time in a small, secure area. Sit on the floor and let the kits explore at their own pace, approaching you voluntarily rather than being picked up and placed. Offer small treats such as a leaf of fresh cilantro or a tiny piece of banana to create positive associations with human interaction. The Plush Lop's naturally curious and sociable personality means that most kits will approach with minimal coaxing, but allow shy individuals to progress at their own speed without forcing contact.

During weeks four through six, expose the kits to the variety of sounds, surfaces, and experiences they will encounter as companion animals. Normal household noises such as conversation, music, kitchen sounds, and the movement of other household members all contribute to producing a confident, well-adjusted adult rabbit. Introduce gentle grooming with a soft brush to accustom the kits to coat care, which will be a regular part of life for a rex-furred breed. Plush Lop kits that receive thorough socialization during this critical developmental window typically mature into exceptionally handleable and affectionate companions.

Weaning in Plush Lops is a gradual process that unfolds naturally between four and eight weeks of age. By four weeks, most kits are sampling solid foods regularly, nibbling on hay strands and consuming small amounts of pellets from the doe's dish. Their cecal microbiome is developing the complex bacterial populations necessary to ferment fiber, and their digestive systems are progressively adapting to process solid nutrition. However, nursing continues to provide essential antibodies and caloric supplementation during this transitional period, and abrupt weaning before the gut flora is fully established can trigger potentially fatal enteritis.

Introduce age-appropriate solid foods beginning around three weeks by placing a shallow dish of high-quality alfalfa-based pellets and a small handful of soft timothy hay directly in the nest area where the kits can access it easily. Monitor which kits are eating and how much they consume. Alfalfa hay can be offered alongside timothy during the weaning period, as its higher protein and calcium content supports the rapid growth occurring at this stage. Fresh greens should be introduced one variety at a time in very small quantities, watching for any signs of digestive upset such as soft stool or decreased appetite.

The doe's milk production will begin to decline naturally around six weeks as hormonal changes reduce prolactin levels. By seven to eight weeks, most Plush Lop kits are fully independent eaters, and the doe may begin actively discouraging nursing attempts by moving away from the kits or gently nipping at persistent nursers. This is the appropriate point to complete the weaning process by separating the kits from the doe if they have not already been moved to their own housing.

Post-weaning housing requires careful planning. Plush Lop kits can be housed together in same-sex groups initially, but they should be sexed accurately by six weeks to prevent unintended breeding, as rabbits can reach sexual maturity surprisingly early. Each kit needs adequate space, approximately four square feet of enclosure floor per animal at minimum, along with its own access to hay, pellets, and water. The transition from the nest environment to independent housing is a stressful period, and maintaining consistency in diet, temperature, and handling routine helps minimize the physiological impact of this change.