MsBinky wrote:
They are hilarious. Peg, what made you choose the lionhead breed? I am curious. They really are fascinating...
Oh my...its sort of a long story and I don't want to hijack Rosie's thread....
but you talked me into it!!! :biggrin2:
After I rescued a rabbit and he was returned to his owner - I desperately wanted another rabbit. I had been researching rabbits during the 10 days or so that the rabbit lived with us and I decided I wanted to get a flemish giant.
So I got Tiny....and Tio and Kyo, a pair of Netherland Dwarf brothers.
Art was away and sent me a magazine on rabbits and they had lionheads in them. I read the article and was fascinated by them....and I found a breeder in San Antoio. The next thing I knew...I had SugarBear and GingerSpice. I fell in love with them.
The breeder than told me about Holland Lops - and we adopted Puck from California.
WOW - I was in love with rabbits. They had changed my life completely (and I don't just mean the mess). I had continued to stay in touch with the lionhead breeder - she was so impressed with my rabbit knowledge (thanks to this forum) and suggested I consider breeding. She said she often had people from Mexico (I'm 3 miles from the border) wanting her to ship rabbits...and she also had sales in this area sometimes (or a few towns over).
I thought about it and thought it might be interesting. I would have LOVED to breed flemish giants but Art put his foot down about that. Flemish giants take up too much room and eat too much.
I was too scared to breed Holland Lops....because I knew they had a reputation for stuck kits sometimes. I needed a breed of rabbit that I adored ... and that would be easy and not scary for me.
The funny thing is - the first rabbit show that Art & I went to - we walked around the area separately looking at various rabbits. We both came to the same conclusion and I was shocked when on the way home he said to me, "Of all the breeds I saw there - I like the lionheads the best..". (The exception to that was Puck who I think Art dearly loved even if he doesn't admit it).
Now I've heard of "mean" lionheads and I've heard breeders talk about mean lionheads. I have one that is mean and cage aggressive. But to me - the lionhead breed - if bred for personality - is much like having a minature flemish giant with more fur and an extra couple of batteries.
Along the way we've temporairily had half mini rex/half lionheads (WOW), mini lop, french lop (Beatrice hated us - she met her new owners and fell instantly in love with them and is spoiled rotten), and I forget what else.
My favorites? Oh man...I love lionheads and holland lops and minilops the second best - but honestly - flemish giants have my heart. My life feels so empty without one.
But that is how I got into breeding lionheads. What amazes me (with over 100 rabbits) is how they each have their own personalities and likes and dislikes - and I'm not talking about JUST lionheads either.
Each rabbit is so unique....wow.
Peg
