Behavior
Due to their relatively larger size in comparison to other breeds, the French Lop may require a large hutch/run to move around freely. They fare well in both outdoor and indoor cages but keep in mind they are still rabbits and not dogs; they will chew and they are hard to litter-box train. They are known to have a placid and relaxed temperament, and can tolerate other species. When socialized well at a young age they are a wonderful family pet, and are very gentle with children. However, French Lops are not for the first-time rabbit owner because they are very large and can be hard to handle. They have very strong back legs, and can cause injury without meaning to, so care should be taken.
You can give a French lop rabbit a companion rabbit, but it is not considered acceptable to house them with a different species (such as a guinea pig) due to the risk of injury, and a difference in dietary need. Rabbits are highly social animals and should always be kept with a companion - however care should be taken when introducing them as adults. Neutered rabbits will be less likely to fight - male-female pairs tend to be strongest. Like all rabbits, they may go through a "teenager" stage, where they are reaching sexual maturity and might become aggressive. It's less common in the French Lops though than other breeds.
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Famous quotes containing the word behavior:
“To be told that our child’s behavior is “normal” offers little solace when our feelings are badly hurt, or when we worry that his actions are harmful at the moment or may be injurious to his future. It does not help me as a parent nor lessen my worries when my child drives carelessly, even dangerously, if I am told that this is “normal” behavior for children of his age. I’d much prefer him to deviate from the norm and be a cautious driver!”
—Bruno Bettelheim (20th century)
“He is not a true man of science who does not bring some sympathy to his studies, and expect to learn something by behavior as well as by application. It is childish to rest in the discovery of mere coincidences, or of partial and extraneous laws. The study of geometry is a petty and idle exercise of the mind, if it is applied to no larger system than the starry one.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Children can’t make their own rules and no child is happy without them. The great need of the young is for authority that protects them against the consequences of their own primitive passions and their lack of experience, that provides with guides for everyday behavior and that builds some solid ground they can stand on for the future.”
—Leontine Young (20th century)