Breed question

[maherwoman]

Hey guys!  I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me possibly figure out a little of my new bunny's breed mix.
He's quite fluffy, much fluffier than Maisie was at his age (and so far I've been able to deduct that she's a rex/dutch mix).  I suspect he might be a lop, without his ears yet falling, because they're a different shape than Maisie's.  They're much more broad than Maisie's are, and for a regular-eared bun, hers are pretty broad.
As far as coloring, he's pure white, with the exception of a light brown ring around each eye, and a honey-colored stripe that starts about mid-back and ends almost at the end of his back.  The stripe isn't a straight stripe, it's got some variance in width (the lady at the shelter that took a look at him said his stripe and eye rings seem to indicate some mixture with the English Spot breed, though his ears are completely white).
I don't have pictures yet, but will soon, and I don't have his weight,but it wouldn't really apply here, as he's a rescue bunny and quite malnourished (but making a comeback), so he wouldn't be the correct weight no matter what the breed.
He's only seven weeks old right now, so I know there'll be some change to his appearance before he's full-grown, but I was wondering...what breeds are fluffy like that at his age?  Could he be part-angora, or some such?  Or are there other fluffy types of breeds?
Right now, he looks like this as far as fluffiness...

 

[pamnock]

I think he does sound like a lop -- it's not uncommon for them to be fluffy.  The color pattern you describe is also common in the lops.
Pam

 

[maherwoman]

]Yep, standing up that's pretty much the shape his ears are.  And I've noticed one of them falls every now and then a little, and then he stands it back up.  He'll just be sitting there, and it goes airplaney.  Oh wow...I might have a lop baby!!  Cute!!  When do their ears normally fall?

pamnock wrote: "I think he does sound like a lop -- it's not uncommon for them to be fluffy.  The color pattern you describe is also common in the lops.
Pam"

 

[pamnock]

Ears can fall as early as 2 weeks or never.  Generally, they "should" fall by 6-8 weeks, however there are some that have a lot of ear control for their entire lives (I have a few of those).

Pam

 

[maherwoman]

Ah, ok.  So it could be any day now...how exciting!  Do they fall all in one day, or does it span over a couple/few days' time?

pamnock wrote:

Ears can fall as early as 2 weeks or never.  Generally, they "should" fall by 6-8 weeks, however there are some that have a lot of ear control for their entire lives (I have a few of those).
Pam

 

[pamnock]

Ears can suddenly lop in one day or over a period of time. Warm, steady temperatures help the ears to drop.

Pam

 

[NZminilops]

I can't wait to see some pictures of Flower .

My lop babies ears all lopped at different times. One lopped at 3 weeks, but ended up with airoplane ears, another had BOTH ears lop to one side (!!) and I had to massage the incorrectly lopped ear very gently a few times a day to encourage it to go the right way, the third one lopped one ear and the other one never went down, and the one to lop last at around seven weeks had the best ears that hung down very nicely.

Some very typey bunnies I have seen start to lop at as young as nine days but that is very rare. My mother in law also has a lop rabbit whose ears went down for about two weeks then came back up again and now is an up-eared bunny (weird :?).

 

[maherwoman]

Hey, another quick detail...once someone told me (in response to my questions about Maisie's breed and lop details), said to try pushing just a bit on the ears to see what would happen.  Well, tonight I played with his ears a little, and one of them is quite limp, I guess the word would be.  When I pushed a little, it fell to an airplane-type position (almost loppy), and when I pushed down on the other just a bit, it came back up.  So, I don't know... does that indicate his ears will fall?  The other ear is a bit stronger-feeling, but still also quite limp.
Are there any indicators I can look/check for?
Thanks! 

 

[pamnock]

The ears are more likely to go down as the rabbit relaxes.

Pam

 

[maherwoman]

Aah...so the more comfortable he gets living here, the more chance they'll fall?  Did I read that right?
I tested them while I was in the middle of petting him... and the one ear wasn't very hesitant about drooping... it was really cute. 

pamnock wrote:

The ears are more likely to go down as the rabbit relaxes.
Pam

 

[pamnock]

maherwoman wrote:

Aah...so the more comfortable he gets living here, the more chance they'll fall?  Did I read that right?

 

Could happen.  I've had many cases of stubborn ears that have lopped as soon as the babies were weaned and in their own cages.
Pam

 

[maherwoman]

Cute!  Well, I guess only time will tell...

pamnock wrote:
[/quote] Could happen.  I've had many cases of stubborn ears that have lopped as soon as the babies were weaned and in their own cages.
Pam [/quote]

 

[peapoo_bunny]

maherwoman wrote:

He'll just be sitting there, and it goes airplaney.  Oh wow...I might have a lop baby!! Cute!! 

lol...peapoo's ears go airplaney sometimes:bunnydance: ...she can control hers some...but i've never seen petey do that...it is cute though
cant wait to see pictures!!! :waiting: :wink:

 

[maherwoman]

Oh, quick update on Flower's ears.  Her left ear is slowly falling.  The past couple days we've seen it fall to airplane-height, and he'd shake his head, and it would go back up.  So, it looks like eventually they will fall.
When I put two fingers between his ears and push a little on both ears, they lop over to airplane-height, then slowly go back up. They're really limp, not nearly as strong as Maisie's ears. 
How exciting!!