The Lionhead rabbit is one of the newest breeds of domesticated rabbits. It has a furred body, but Angora-like wool surrounding the face, reminiscent of the mane of a male lion, hence the name. There may also be wool along the flanks, though this is not a desirable characteristic. Lionheads come in many of the same colors as other breeds. However, the wool on the mane and flanks diffuses the color, so that black rabbits will often have gray-looking manes and flank wool.
The Lionhead rabbit is a compact breed, usually weighing between 2.5 and 4.0 pounds. It also tends to have a rounded head and slightly shorter ears than most breeds.
The Lionhead rabbit is thought to have originated in Belgium. It is reported to have been produced by breeders trying to breed a long coated dwarf rabbit by crossing a miniature Swiss Fox and a Belgian dwarf. The Lionhead seemed to have been more popular than the long coated dwarf, and so breeders carried on this trend in breeding them intentionally, and so came what we know today as the Lionhead rabbit.
The "Lionhead" mane appearance comes from a mutation of the M-gene in rabbits. It exhibits a simple dominant expression, with MM resulting in a "double-maned" lionhead, and a Mm resulting in a "single-maned" lionhead. The single-maned lionhead will usually exhibit the breed's characteristic wool growth around the head and chest, potentially with some wool growth in other areas such as the flanks. The double-maned lionheads will have extensive wool growth in most areas besides the back.[9] The breed standard demerits for growth in uncharacteristic areas like the flank and out right eliminates rabbits due to wool high on the ears.[10] This standard prevents most double-maned lionheads from successfully showing, and thus most show rabbits are single-maned lionheads.
While single-maned Lionhead kits look like other rabbits, double-maned kits are distinct from all others. When they are born, they are bald around the abdomen, sides, bottom, and cheeks, giving them a peculiar "mohawk" appearance. The bald areas are where the wool grows in later as they mature.
This rabbit has an energetic, but sweet personality. They are great loving pets. But they do tend to act conceited.They are for the more experiened rabbit owner. Lionhead rabbits are easy to breed and are good mothers, even fostering kits from other litters or breeds.
The breed has been recognized by the British Rabbit Council, however, as of yet it is not a fully recognized breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Assiciation. Theresa Mueller passed her first of three required presentations before the ARBA Standards Committee with Black, Black Tortoise and Ruby Eyed White at the 2010 National Convention. The current COD (Certificate of Development) varieties (20):Black, Blue, Chestnut Agouti, Chinchilla, Chocolate Agouti, Chocolate, Orange, Otter (all 4 varieties shown as one class),Red, Ruby-eyed White, Sable Marten, Sable Point, Seal, Siamese Sable, Smoke Pearl, Pointed White(all 4 varieties shown as one class), Squirrel, and Tortoise(each variety to be shown separately): Black, Blue, & Chocolate are showable at most ARBA shows in the exhibition class.
Lop Bunnies
Among the oldest breeds of domesticated rabbits, lops are known for their distinctive floppy ears. There are five types of American Rabbit Breeders accepted lop varieties as well as a few other breeds being created. The ARBA recognized lop breeds are the French Lop, English Lop, Mini Lop, American Fuzzy Lop and the Holland Lop. In the UK the Dwarf Lop is the equivalent of the US Mini Lop, and the US Holland Lop is called a Miniature Lop in the UK. In the US, two of the proposed new breeds that are under development are the Velveteen Lop which is similar to an English Lop with a Rex rabbit's plush fur, and the Plush Lop which is similar to a Mini Lop with plush Rex rabbit fur.
- American Fuzzy Lop: Similar to a Holland Lop in structure and type, but with angora wool
- French Lop: Large lop that is thought to have been produced by crossing the English Lop with the Giant Normande rabbit.
A French lop rabbit
- Holland Lop: A small dwarf variety of lop rabbits. The Holland Lop is to be heavily muscled, short coupled, compact and well balanced in length, width, and depth. The shoulders and chest should be broad and well filled, same as the hindquarters. The head being massive in appearance setting high on the shoulders and close to the shoulders showing no neck. With the depth almost equal at the top of the shoulder as over the hindquarters. The legs are to be short, thick, straight, and heavily boned for the size of the animal. Ears are to be bell-shaped and short, no longer than 1 inch below the chin. -Taken from the ARBA Standard of Perfection.
- English Lop: A large Lop with really long ears, usually reaching over 22 inches. Bred in a limited variety of colors, the most popular being sooty fawn. Others are black, fawn and marked varieties of these colors.
- Velveteen: A breed under development originating in the US. The Velveteen has long ears like that of the English, but rex type fur.
- Plush Lop: A lop rabbit with the same type as a Dwarf Lop with a Rex fur. An Australian developed breed is now undergoing the standardization process in the UK.
- Mini Plush Lop: A lop rabbit with the same type as a Mini Lop with a Rex fur. An Australian developed breed is now undergoing the standardization process in the UK. The breed is also under development in the US.
- Mini Lop: Also known as a "German Lop", or a "Dwarf Lop" in the UK.
- Miniature Lop: A small dwarf variety of lop rabbits. It is the equivalent of the US Holland Lops, and is often being called 'Mini Lop' in the UK. This breed is approved by the British Rabbit Council in 1994.[11] [12]
The smallest of these is the Holland Lop [in the US otherwise known as the Miniature Lop] in the UK weighing around 3 lb (1.4 kg) and being a close relative of the Netherland Dwarf. The next largest is the Mini Lop in the US which has a weight range of 4½ to 6½ pounds, followed by the English, German, Meissener and French Lop breeds. The Meissener is a very rare breed available in only a couple of colours and is hardly ever seen at shows. They weigh around 3 and 1/2 and live to be approximately eight years.
Mini Lop
- Weight: 3-5 kg(4.5–6.5 lbs).
- ARBA-Accepted Varieties: Solids and Brokens.
It is a different breed from the Holland Lop, which is the smallest (and only dwarf lop) of lop breeds in the USA.
Its equivalent in the UK is the Dwarf Lop; however there is a breed called the Miniature Lop in that area, which is the equivalent of the Holland Lop in the United States.
Miniature Lop
- Weight: 1.2-1.6 kg(2.7–3.6 lbs).
- BRC-Accepted Varieties: Orange, Agouti, Broken, Pointed White, and Black[13] [14]
There are also miniature Lop Rabbits with cashmere fur called Miniature Cashmere Lop (Lop Breeds-No.2) and miniature Lop Rabbits cross-bred with Dwarf Lionheads called Miniature Lion Lop (Lop Breeds-No.9).
The Miniature Lop, is often called the Mini Lop in the UK, however, it is a different breed from US Mini Lop. The Miniature Lop is the equivalent of the US Holland Lops, however it can be smaller than the US Holland Lops.
The fur should be rollback, dense, fine, glossy, and about 1 inch long. To be showed a Miniature Lop should have a flat face, and sit up in a distinct manner. This breed often makes a very good pet due to their generally friendly temperament. Female Rabbits should start having babies at 6 months old.
New Zealand rabbit
New Zealand rabbits are available in three colors white, red, black, and broken. Although, cross breeding can result in many different combinations of these three basic pigmentations. There are efforts with certificates of development on a blue and broken variety. The Red has bright golden red fur with a slightly harsher fat. One of the larger breed of rabbit, it can weight anywhere from 9 lb. to 12 lb (5 kg).
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