How Much Do Mini Lop Rabbits Cost? 2024 Price Update

Mini lop rabbits are cute, cuddly, and fun household pets that even children can help take care of. Therefore, they have become extremely popular household pets, especially in the United States where they are considered friendly, smart, and playful overall.

However, the average mini lop rabbit is not free for the household that is looking to obtain a new pet rabbit. Not only is there usually a cost for the animal itself, but there are things like supplies and food to keep in mind. So, how much does it cost to own a mini lop rabbit? You can expect to pay around $100 for the rabbit depending on the source, anywhere from $ 500 to $ 1,600+ for the initial setup and monthly costs then range from $25–$750+ depending on circumstances.

Here’s a detailed breakdown. You can click below to jump to each category:

• One-Time Costs
• List of Care Supplies
• Monthly Costs
• Additional Costs

Bringing Home a New Mini Lop Rabbit: One-Time Costs

Mini lop rabbits usually require a one-time fee to adopt or buy them. If you are lucky, you can find one for free to care for as a wonderful household companion. However, a free option is not the average experience for those wanting to have a mini lop rabbit as their companion. Here’s what you should know:

Free

Sometimes, a mini lop rabbit will be offered for free by someone who must rehome them for one reason or another. However, in this case, the pet in question goes quickly, so if you want to score a free mini lop rabbit, you must keep a close eye on what becomes available through friends, family, or the internet—just be cautious about what you find online.

Adoption

Adopting a mini lop rabbit might be possible through the humane society or some other rescue organization in your area. However, the opportunity to find this specific animal in such institutions is rare. On top of that, if you do happen to find a mini lop rabbit to adopt, that rabbit has likely been rescued from a stressful and/or abusive situation.

In this case, much more patience and care must be taken to ensure the safety, health, and happiness of these animals. They might be afraid to socialize despite what the mini lop rabbit is so popular for. They may even reduce interaction with human companions for some time after being introduced to their new home. So, adopted mini lop rabbits are not the best option for children and first-time owners.

Breeder

Breeders, although controversial, can be a great option if you are looking for a mini lop rabbit that has a healthy lineage and has been bred for sociability and human companionship. The trick is to find a breeder to work with that makes the health of their rabbits a main priority and maintains proper breeding procedures and veterinarian care.

The breeder you decide to work with should offer limited litters each year and be open to an in-person visit. They should also be able to outline the specific breeding practices they maintain and provide you with both lineage and veterinarian records upon purchase.

Initial Setup and Supplies

The initial setup and supplies cost for your new mini lop rabbit will vary depending on the things you already have, can source for free, and that come with your new pet. With that said, pretend you are starting from scratch. The costs can add up quickly but be budgeted for and managed as time goes on.

This is no different from caring for any other household pet. You can expect to spend anywhere from $ 500 to $ 1,600+ for the initial setup and supplies that are necessary for ensuring the safety, comfort, and health of your new pet mini lop rabbit. The following financial graph should help provide some important insight:

List of Mini Lop Rabbit Care Supplies and Costs

How Much Does a Mini Lop Rabbit Cost Per Month?

While it isn’t realistic for most people to spend absolutely nothing in a month to properly care for their mini lop rabbit, it is possible to go for at least some months without spending anything to feed or care for your rabbit. Here, we will go over the ways you can spend no money on care and the average costs of care when spending money is a necessity.

Health Care

Your mini lop rabbit should receive regular checkups from a veterinarian, but this does not have to be a monthly occurrence unless there are health problems that must be managed. If you are feeding your rabbit properly, ensuring that they stay comfortable and safe, and offering them plenty of opportunity to explore and exercise, veterinarian visits can be kept to just once a year.

On the other hand, if a health problem does arise or an injury takes place, it could cost $500 or more for veterinarian services. Therefore, it’s a good idea to maintain a savings account in case of emergencies. If you budget for a few dollars a month in healthcare expenses and put it away in the bank when you don’t need to spend it, you should have a nice nest egg to rely on later if unexpected healthcare costs come into play.

Food

Mini lop rabbits eat a diet that is primarily made up of fresh hay in the form of timothy hay and meadow grasses. This type of hay should make up about 80% of your rabbit’s diet. If you have some land to grow on, you can grow your own grass and turn it into hay for free. However, most people find it easier to simply buy hay for their rabbits. If you decide to buy hay, you may spend anywhere from $10 to $25 a month on it, depending on your source and location.

The rest of your rabbit’s diet should be made up of specially made pellets that provide all the vitamins and minerals they need, and fruits and veggies as occasional snacks. Most mini lop rabbits enjoy produce that’s likely always stocked in your kitchen such as carrots, asparagus, cucumber, basil, banana, and mango. If you purchase hay and pellets in bulk and feed your rabbit produce that’s already in the kitchen, you can get away with feeding your rabbit for free for some months.

Grooming

Mini lop rabbits have dense fur that sheds twice a year, so some grooming is necessary to minimize shedding. This can be done simply by brushing them to get the loose fur out of their coat. Their ears are susceptible to mites and dust too, which means they need to be cleaned every couple of weeks by lightly wiping them with a clean, damp cloth.

There is no need to cut your rabbit’s fur or trim their nails. So, grooming can be done at home for free easily. If you prefer, you can hire a professional animal groomer to take care of your rabbit’s fur and ears for you which can cost around $50 per grooming session.

Medications and Vet Visits

If your rabbit is healthy, you won’t have to worry about monthly medication and vet bills. However, if there is a problem to manage or treat, you could be looking at upwards of $500 or more just to get prescriptions refilled or to pay for other regular care services. Sometimes, these costs are temporary, but some illnesses and injuries may result in permanent monthly medication and vet visit bills.

Pet Insurance

Rabbits can be covered under exotic animal insurance, like that which Nationwide Insurance offers. This type of insurance usually covers accidents and illnesses so that you don’t end up getting stuck with the entire veterinarian bill.

Rabbit health insurance typically costs around $25 a month, give or take. Getting health insurance for your rabbit is not mandatory in any way. So, if you don’t want to do so, you won’t have to worry about budgeting for it.

Environment Maintenance

Luckily, once your mini lop rabbit is set up with their caged habitat, food, water dishes, and basic habitat items, there is not much to worry about in the way of monthly environmental expenses. These are the basic monthly expenses to be aware of:

Entertainment

The truth is that you don’t have to spend any money on your pet rabbit to keep them happy and entertained as time goes on. Bunnies enjoy exploring and playing with cardboard tubes (like those that hold toilet paper), old towels, paper bags, and even newspapers. However, you can always spend money on new toys each month to keep things interesting for your pet.

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Mini Lop Rabbit

Some months, you may not have to spend any money on your pet rabbit, while other months you may end up spending thousands of dollars thanks to the need for veterinarian care. Most months, you can expect to spend anywhere from $10 to $50 a month on things like food, toys, and other basics. Your monthly costs can be customized based on your budget, as long as you ensure that the basics are taken care of.

Additional Costs to Factor In

There may be some additional costs to consider as a mini lop rabbit owner in the coming months and years. If you decide to go on vacation or must go on a business trip, you might have to spend money on a pet sitter if you can’t get a friend or family member to do the job for free.

If you let your rabbit roam around the house for freedom and fun, they could chew through a cord or ruin other items in your house if you’re keeping an eye on them, which could cost you money on repairs and replacements.

Another thing to think about is furniture and clothing. If your rabbit is not litter trained, they could cause these things to become stained with urine, which will cost money to get out.

Owning a Mini Lop Rabbit on a Budget

It is possible to own a mini lop rabbit on a budget without sacrificing your pet’s health and happiness as time goes on. You could always create toys for free, build your own rabbit cage, and grow lots of veggies and some hay for your rabbit’s consumption. If you can do all of this, you won’t pay much to keep your pet in good shape and enjoy their companionship for many years to come.

Saving Money on Mini Lop Rabbit Care

As mentioned before, there are some ways to save money as a mini lop rabbit owner. First and foremost is growing the food that they need to thrive, such as carrots, greens, and grass. However, you can also save money by trading your services with a local veterinarian.

Maybe you can fix something in their house for them or make their family a meal that they can all enjoy without putting any work on themselves. Be creative! You can also save money by building your own rabbit habitats and toys. There is no cost for interaction, so it should be made a priority.

Conclusion

Mini lop rabbits can make for excellent household pets given that you have the time and money to put into them, which results in an optimal quality of life. It can be tough to accurately assess how much a pet might cost until a complete breakdown is laid out. Hopefully, our guide helps shed the light you need to decipher just how much owning a mini lop rabbit might cost you.

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Featured Image Credit: FiledIMAGE, Shutterstock