Lionhead Lop Rabbit
The Lionhead Lop- Cute and Cuddly Newcomer
The Lionhead Lop, bred from a Holland Lop and a Lionhead Rabbit, is a relative newcomer on the scene, first appearing in America in 1999.
Just like its bigger cousin, the Lionhead Lop has a characteristic mane that surrounds its tiny face. As the average Lionhead Lop weighs only 3 pounds they are hardly the fierce some creatures their name might suggest.
Floppy Ears and Chubby Cheeks
The Lionhead Lop most obvious difference to its’ larger cousin is that its ears flop, unlike the Lionhead’s whose ears stay straight and tall at all times. The two share the fluffy mane, but Lops have a tendency to malt more often, and their mane needs careful grooming to prevent matting.
The mane itself can extend a full three inches from the rabbit’s crown. The Lionhead Lop has a wider face than most rabbits, with rather chubby, furry cheeks. They really have no unusual dietary needs, and due to their petite size can be kept in fairly small quarters.
Loving and Loyal Companions
The Lionhead Lop enjoys a reputation as a very affectionate breed. Many of the Lionhead Lops who are kept as house rabbits act more like lap dogs, quite happy to snuggle and play with humans and other animals alike.
They display a good deal of intelligence and are easy to housetrain. Of course, because of their delicate stature they need to be handled with care and might not be suitable pets for very small children.
Because they are such a new breed, there is not yet a set standard for an ideal Lionhead Lop rabbit, due in most part that most of the world’s show organizations have yet to recognize them in any official category.
As breeders are still experimenting with different gene and color combinations the Lion head Lop remains a “work in progress.”