Does anyone know what she might be mixed with?

[EllieBelle]

Hi all. I have a rabbit who is 5 years old. I adopted her 3 years ago from a local rescue. She is very small compared to many other rabbits I have seen. She is 3 lbs and has the tiniest little head and tiny little paws. She also has small pointy ears. Her face is sort of flat and squarish the way most lionhead rabbits are. I was thinking maybe she is a cross between a lion head and a netherland dwarf or polish?? I am desperately trying to figure this out. Help!

Side note: in the 4th picture, you can see Ellie laying on her little couch with her brother next to her. He is a lhasa poo and about 11 lbs, if that helps for size reference.


Thank you all so much in advance!

 

[SableSteel]

Lionhead mix. You can't tell what she's mixed with. Rabbits tend to loose their distinguishing breed features within one generation, unlike dogs or such. She might even not be a mix, just a pure lionhead. The max weight for a purebred lionhead is 3.75 lbs - they're a dwarf breed as well, so just because it's small doesn't mean it's a dwarf or polish cross. It could be getting its size from the lionhead in it.

 

[EllieBelle]

Lionhead mix. You can't tell what she's mixed with. Rabbits tend to loose their distinguishing breed features within one generation, unlike dogs or such. She might even not be a mix, just a pure lionhead. The max weight for a purebred lionhead is 3.75 lbs - they're a dwarf breed as well, so just because it's small doesn't mean it's a dwarf or polish cross. It could be getting its size from the lionhead in it.

Thank you for your response! She is maybe 3.1 lbs at most and has a single mane. Only around her neck area and by her flanks. The place I adopted her from said she was a lionhead mix, I was just hoping to find out with what exactly but I think you are right. It is very difficult, if not impossible to be able to tell what she is mixed with !

 

[zuppa]

I saw your thread and didn't reply since SableSteel is an expert in rabbit breeds and I thought she's totally right. I have this style rabbits myself but they have lop ears because their mother was lop and father was a lionhead. Beautiful black coat with blue hair in mane and skirt. Very beautiful. I also can't tell with what other breed but one of parents definitely lionhead.

Interesting that when they were born and started growing some fur around when one week old they had like black triangle on their backs I later learned that it was typical for lionheads.

 

[helena]

To me it looks like some sort of lionhead mix like @SableSteel tand @zuppa said. What an adorable bunny!

 

[EllieBelle]

Thank you all! She is such a sweet and loving girl. I was wondering about the breed mix because I am getting her a bunny sibling and I want to make sure I get a small breed. I have read that when bonding rabbits it is easiest to bond rabbits of a similar size. I am going to pick up her brother next Friday! He is a black otter netherland dwarf!

 

[zuppa]

He's pretty!

Since you said Ellie was adopted from your local rescue I assume she's fixed? How about this new little rabbit, what age is he is he already neutered?

 

[zuppa]

Lionheads is a compact breed however we don't know with what other breed she mixed with but she's 5 years old so fully grown.

Netherland dwarf is probably a bit smaller than lionhead, she doesn't look very small to me

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Lionhead is all I can recognize. We had a Netherland/lop cross with e Nethie face, long ears that stood up and he had really long shiny fur--Black Otter coloring and was very gorgeous. Had a Dutch with the same fur-was longer than normal and shined like a diamond.

 

[EllieBelle]

He's pretty!

Since you said Ellie was adopted from your local rescue I assume she's fixed? How about this new little rabbit, what age is he is he already neutered?

thank you!! yes, she's fixed. & He will be 8 weeks when I get him and he will not be fixed.. yet. I plan on fixing him as soon as my vet opens for neutering services

 

[EllieBelle]

Lionhead is all I can recognize. We had a Netherland/lop cross with e Nethie face, long ears that stood up and he had really long shiny fur--Black Otter coloring and was very gorgeous. Had a Dutch with the same fur-was longer than normal and shined like a diamond.

Awwwww they sound like GORGEOUS bunnies. I'm just picturing them and ugh

 

[EllieBelle]

Lionheads is a compact breed however we don't know with what other breed she mixed with but she's 5 years old so fully grown.

Netherland dwarf is probably a bit smaller than lionhead, she doesn't look very small to me

She is 3lbs which I know isn't super tiny but whenever I'm hanging with her I just look at how tiny her paws and little head are.

 

[zuppa]

thank you!! yes, she's fixed. & He will be 8 weeks when I get him and he will not be fixed.. yet. I plan on fixing him as soon as my vet opens for neutering services

If she will accept him as a baby they will be fine for first few weeks, then most of boys would become hormonal between 3 and 6 months and start humping everything. Sometimes it's not very pleasant tbh.
It should stop after 6-8 weeks after neutering. But it is quite possible that you will need to separate them for a couple months and then start bonding process in a neutral territory.

I have a bonded pair fixed female 2 year old and boy is 9 months old, he was always very sweet and zero problem, when I adopted this fixed female he started humping her and spraying all around that was so bad, all walls around like 2 metres easily. He's just got neutered last week.

In my case female is very laid back and she doesn't mind just running from him and I made a few places where she can hide when he keeps chasing her, but sometimes female can get annoyed and turn back chasing male, she can even damage his genitalia quite badly.

In your situation I'd rather get already fixed male 6 months old or older, they allow bunny dating at the rescues so you could see if they like each other

 

[EllieBelle]

Wow! Thank you so much for the info! I knew I would find some really educated bunny lovers on this forum and I'm so glad I have!! I have done a TON of research. I've had Ellie for about 3 years now and always wanted to get her a sibling so I've been doing research about bonding bunnies on and off for that length of time. It just never felt like the right time. I agree that an older male bun would be the best option but I found a male who I just absolutely fell in love with and I'm always up for a challenge! They will have separate rooms for a while, and I don't plan on putting them together until after he is neutered. It is good to know that the humping may continue 6-8 weeks after neutering. I've read it can be very frustrating for the female bun (when the male consistently humps) and may even cause fighting. & WOW that is some serious territory claiming your male is doing! Can't imagine the clean up. I have never had 2 bunnies together and I would LOVE to do bunny dating but unfortunately the shelters are not open for that right now. I'm interested to see how she acts once she is actually introduced to him. She is a very sweet girl and will groom my dogs and such so I don't think it will be too much of an issue. My biggest thing is that I know she can get territorial over her room/ stuff so when I do introduce them, I will do it in the most neutral setting possible to try to get her out of that mindset!

 

[Mehidk]

Thank you all! She is such a sweet and loving girl. I was wondering about the breed mix because I am getting her a bunny sibling and I want to make sure I get a small breed. I have read that when bonding rabbits it is easiest to bond rabbits of a similar size. I am going to pick up her brother next Friday! He is a black otter netherland dwarf!

Oh my god. I'm dying over here with the cuteness of this little guy.

 

[helena]

He is SO CUTE! I'm also dying with cuteness.