Lionhead question....

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Love your rabbit
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Weetwoo_89

Weetwoo_89

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Messages
255
Reaction score
0
Location
Starwberry Plains, Tennessee, USA
I see lionheads on thissite and on other sites.There are 2 different kinds I really see. Thereis one kind that has really long hair almost all over. The other onlyseems to have a mane of longer hair around its head and then shortereverywhere else. Des this occur from the genes of the parent? It mightbe a stupid question, there might be some obvious answer...but I don'tknow it. I guess it isn't an important question, just something I havebeen wondering about. Get back with an answer if you have the time.Thanks.
<3, RaE
 
I have 2 lionheads with just a long mane aroundthe head and one of them has a little near the butt. They dolook a lot different from most of the Lionhead pictures I see on theforum. Mine aren't fluffy. I don't know why.
 
Hi! I'm a lionhead breeder and I hope I can help you out here.

First of all, lionheads come in two categories:

single mane

and

double mane.

Now this does not refer to their looks (although it affects how theylook) but it refers to how many genes they actually carry. A singlemane lionhead actually looks different than a double mane lionhead afew days after birth because when the fur comes in - a single mane willget fur almost all over (except for the head area where the mane willbe) while a double-mane lionhead will be bald in the hindquarters wherethe skirting is. It is ONLY at this point in time when you can tellabsolutely, positively, for sure whether or not the lionhead is singlemane (got the mane gene from one parent only) or double mane (got amane gene from each parent).

Many of the earlier double mane lionheads (and even some nowadays) willappear to be a single mane as they get older and go through their firstmolt. They may even lose their mane altogether and never have it comeback.

I have a few lionheads here that if you saw them you would highly doubtthat I was telling you the truth and you'd think they were Netherlanddwarfs or something...

But a single mane lionhead also sort of "looks" different than a doublemane lionhead once the mane comes in. Frequently, single mane lionheadswill have "wispy" manes and it will be like long hair - versus thecrimped wool that a double mane usually has.

If you go to buy a lionhead and you want the mane to stick - look forone that has very crimped (not curly but as if you took a hair crimperto it) mane. Lionheads with that type of mane usually keep it.

However, another thing you may be seeing is lionheads that are younger vs. lionheads that are older.

Once a lionhead is older and goes through its first molt - it willusually lose its skirting around the back. If it is a show lionhead, Ican guarantee you that the breeder is grooming those hindquarters andpraying that the skirt comes out because a senior lionhead is NOTsupposed to have the skirting at all.

Here are some more sites for lionhead information.

http://www.lionheadrabbit.net

http://www.lionhead.us/~ this is the site for the North American Lionhead Rabbit Club

and if you go to:

http://www.lionhead.us/standard06ARBA7.htm

you will be able to read the standard and see a drawing of what a lionhead SHOULD look like.

I hope this helps. If you have more questions - please feel free to ask!

Peg
 
Most likely. I would have to look at it. I dohave single manes that get the skirting - but it isn't as full and itdefinitely doesn't stay as long.

Peg

BEAUKEZRA wrote:
So my lionhead who has the skirting around the rear is a double mane?
Click to expand...
 
I really think that lionheads (andlionlops) are very cute. But I like the ones that don't have much skirtbetter, I think. I have long hair (I can sit on it, and often do. It isa real pain sometimes) and I imagine that bunnies would be harder totake care of if they had long hair. There could be matting and internalblockage. Peg, how hard is it as far as grooming goes? I would imaginethat it would be easier to groom a single-maned?
Just getting some info, as I think they are adorable and amconsidering (If I had my rathers) to have a lionhead/lionlop as one ofthe two bunnies I am going to get when I can.
 
I really don't groom much - I do if they go intoa molt or if we're getting ready for a show. They're not much problemto take care of and mats are more common in the double mane on top ofthe head and behind the ears than in the skirting - in fact - that isthe easiest part to deal with.

Peg
 
Our 2 does are double mane and the onlu place wehave matts now and again arelike Peg said behind the ears along theneck...We were all prepared to groom non-stop when we gotthem...apparently not!:)
 
That is very interesting. Somethingto think about. I will let you know if I come up with more questions. Iguess the only other one I would have is do they have any specialconditions that other bunnies don't have. Are they more prone to anykind of illness or anything? Ooops, that was two. Thanks forall the help guys.
<3, RaE
 
Ohhhh....so what is Madilyn, double or single? She is just fluffy all over, but has a very clear skirt.





- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
 
I suspect she is a double mane. Single maneslook more like Haley's Mr. Tumnus.....more of a "wispy" look to theirmane. Hers is pretty full.

I haven't really tried to look at it to see if it is the crimped woolor not - and I do have single manes that have the crimped wool andtheir manes stick...

Peg

undergunfire wrote:
Ohhhh....so what isMadilyn, double or single? She is just fluffy all over, but has a veryclear skirt.





- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
Click to expand...
 
There have been lionheads that have hadseizures. There were something like 35 documented cases that I heardof.....and I'm sure there were probably more. I lost a doe to a seizureand have wondered if it was due to her bloodlines.

They do not know exactly what caused it - but we're talking 35 out ofthousands of lionheads. It also was years ago (when they first broughtthem into the states and were developing the lines).

Peg


Weetwoo_89 wrote:
That is veryinteresting. Something to think about. I will let you know if I come upwith more questions. I guess the only other one I would have is do theyhave any special conditions that other bunnies don't have. Are theymore prone to any kind of illness or anything? Ooops, that wastwo. Thanks for all the help guys.
<3, RaE
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Peg. Her fur doesn't look crimped to me either:tongutwo:.




- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
 
Here is a pic of our Skittles, she and her sisare double manes. When we got them they told us that theirmanes had never grown back in after their first shed...but with betternutrition the manes came right back after the very next shed.They are tattooed but they have white specs throughout the body oftheir coat so they aren't show quality.

Her mane isn't crimped, itlooks pretty wispy butfull. And she is VERY proud of it and her dewlap!She preens all the time!:D
 
Ok - I went and looked at Madilyn's blog and Isuspect she has crimped wool. It looks like it in the hair that isabove her eyes and kind of hangs out (between her ears sortof). You have to look at it closely but I'm guessing it hasjust a bit of crimp to it...it doesn't look like it is totally straightlike non crimped mane is. It looks like it has more body.

To me, Skittles also looks like her mane is crimped. Her hair lookslike it has a bit of texture to it - especially in the mane. The factthat it came back so well with a better diet also makes me think she'sdouble maned. A single mane just doesn't do come back like that. It'shard to really explain and its something you just sort of see and go"single mane".

The crimping in the mane or in the wool just sort of gives it a bit oftexture - it isn't totally flat and hanging....but has a bit of body toit.

Peg
 
She really looks like my Madilyn! I am going to go check now and see if her hair is crimped or not.


- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
 
I'm betting that if you go and look at thefur/hair on your bucks and then take a close look at Madilyn...you'llsee what I mean about crimped wool.

Peg

undergunfire wrote:
She really looks likemy Madilyn! I am going to go check now and see if her hair is crimpedor not.


- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
Click to expand...
 
Ahhh, I got it now. Yes, Madilyn has a wicked hair-doo with lots of body to it:).




- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts
 
Thanks Peg...Tony and I have been discussingsince I posted and he agrees that she did have noticeablly crimped hairwhen it first came in. Since then she has never totally lostit and it is smoother...her butt skirt will fall out completely but notthe head mane. I have seen Lionheads that are supposed to bedouble manes that had no mane at all. Unless you get thebunnfrom a reputable breeder you just don't really believethem!;) They just look like a normal short hairedbunn! Took me awhile to figure out it was based on theparents and genes!:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top