KEEPING RABBITS - Lion Head Rabbits

The Lionhead Rabbits are the latest breed of rabbit, initialy imported into the U.S.A. in 1999. Along with the first appearance of this adorable little rabbit with its vertical ears, the precious little Lionhead Lop was developed!

A Lion head rabbit is a hybrid rabbit acquired by crossing a Lion Rabbits with a Holland Lop. Lionheads crossed with the Mini-Rex are referred to as Velvet Lionheads. There are many hybrids of the Lionhead and they're all really cute, really unique, and will make great pets!
The major feature of the Lion head rabbit and the Lion Rabbits is that they have a 'mane'. These small rabbits are so much easier to cherish than longhaired or wooly rabbits like the Angoras, because their mane only needs to be combed out every couple of days. The mane on the Lionhead Lop does tend to mat a little more than on the vertical eared Lion Rabbit.


One thing to keep in mind when getting a young Lion Rabbit is that this is a very new breed, and you will not know what your pet will look like till it grows up! There's no conclusive certainty that it will keep its mane. The mane may molt and vanish permanently or it may grow back even fuller than it was before.

Background:
The Lion Rabbits were initialy brought into the U.S.A. from Europe in 1999, largely from England and Sweden. It is usually believed that the Lion Rabbits were firstly bred in Belgium in 1996 and then imported to England in 1998 where they were crossbred with other small animals to develop what is today called the European Lion Rabbit; Lionhead Lops were also being developed.
There are a couple of thoughts on where the Lion Rabbits originated. Some think they were the result of crossbreeding a Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf, while others think they're from the Dwarf Angora.


To help get more uniformity in type and size, breeders have been crossing the Lion Rabbits with a variety of other rabbits.

Description:
The Lion Rabbits are small-scale bunnies that have a 'mane'! They are unique to all other "new breeds" of rabbits. It has the first major mutation in rabbits since 'satin' fur first appeared in a litter of Havana's in the early 1900's. Unlike most fur mutations that are recessive genes, the Lion Rabbits have what seems to be a dominating mutation that makes the 'mane'. So only one parent is required to have this gene to produce more Lions and it can't be recreated utilising other breeds!

Color deviations:
The Lion head Rabbits come in many patterns and color diversities. Sixty colors are approved for showing in England.