Housing a Mini Lop: a 2 m² pen and its layout
Mini Lop : Plan for a pen of at least 2 square metres with bedding kept dry at all times: ears dragging in damp litter increase the risk of infection. Hideouts with a wide entrance prevent repeated rubbing.
In our shop, for this use: Ceramic hideout for hamsters and small rodents (11.5 × 9 × 8.5 cm) (€24.90) · the whole shop
In our shop, for this use: Electric pet heating pad 45 × 45 cm (17.7 in) with chew-resistant cord ($48.90, ships from the US) · the US shop
We don’t ship products to your country yet; our practical guide downloads anywhere: The Pet Rabbit Handbook (€17)
In short: Between 1.5 and 2 kg as an adult, dense short coat, placid and sociable temperament. A placid, affectionate rabbit, known as an easy family companion thanks to its settled character. Its floppy ears dictate the equipment: wide shallow bowls, bedding kept dry at all times and toys without mesh where they could get snagged.
How much space for a Mini Lop?
A 1.5 to 2 kg Mini Lop lives in a strict minimum of 2 m² full-time: the pet-shop cage serves only as a litter-and-hay corner, not housing. Modular 80 cm panels do the job for most individuals, the goal remaining open-door free-roaming.
Fitting out base camp
First building block: grippy flooring (rugs, low-pile carpet) — on bare parquet a Mini Lop skids and loads its joints badly, a corner or large litter tray with plant-based litter, a hay rack above the tray (rabbits eat in the loo — that is normal), one hideout per rabbit and a heavy ceramic bowl.
Temperature and location
Rabbits handle cold better than heat: above 26°C, ventilate and cool (a frozen bottle wrapped in a tea towel), and never place the pen in direct sun or a draught. A calm corner of the living room, where the Mini Lop watches family life without being underfoot, is the ideal spot.
Frequently asked questions
What pen size for a Mini Lop?
A permanent 2 m² minimum for an adult of 1.5 to 2 kg, plus daily free time — the shop cage serves only as a litter-and-hay annexe.
Can a Mini Lop live outdoors?
Yes, with an insulated frost-free hutch, a predator-proof run (buried mesh, a roof) and summer shade — but indoor free-roaming remains the safest setup, especially for a more vulnerable dwarf.
The guides that apply to you
- Hutch alone or with a daily run: what rabbit cortisol reveals
A study on pair-housed rabbits found that restricted run access, combined with a small hutch, raises faecal corticosterone and triggers a rebound in activity as soon as the door opens.
- Recovery cage for a rabbit: how to set it up after surgery
Spaying, a fracture, abdominal surgery: the first few days after an operation often come down to how the resting space is set up. Here's how to equip a proper recovery cage.
- Barred cages for rabbits: why they are a false good idea
Is a barred cage suitable for a rabbit? Insufficient size, harmful flooring, boredom: why this pet-shop standard should be replaced, and with what.
- How long does a rabbit sleep? 11 hours, only one of them deep
The only published polysomnography in rabbits gives 11.4 h of sleep a day, of which just 9.6 % is paradoxical sleep — and a peak of wakefulness at night.