How to Buy a Lionhead Rabbit in the United States

Is a Lionhead rabbit right for you?

The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club, the breed's specialty club, says the Lionhead is widely believed to have started in Belgium from a cross between a Swiss Fox and a dwarf rabbit. PetMD names the Netherland Dwarf as the dwarf parent. The club says Lionheads were imported into the United States in 2000, and it was founded in 2001. ARBA has recognized the breed since 2014, and in 2018 a Lionhead won Best in Show at the ARBA Convention for the first time.

Who it suits: adults, couples and families with older children who want an indoor rabbit and will spend a few minutes with a comb several times a week. PetMD describes Lionheads as social and playful, easier to litter train than some breeds, and happiest with another rabbit. The House Rabbit Society usually recommends rabbits for older children and says that with small children, the bigger the rabbit, the better, which counts against a breed this small.

Single mane or double mane: what are you buying?

The mane comes from one gene. A double-mane Lionhead carries two copies and a single-mane Lionhead carries one. PetMD says double manes keep a thick mane for life and may grow longer fur on their flanks and back legs, while single manes have a mane when young that is often wispy and diminishes with age. A kit with no copy grows no mane at all, even if both parents are Lionheads.

• Ask what the kit looked like at birth. PetMD says double manes can be identified at birth by a V-shaped mark on the back, so a breeder who checks litters daily will know.
• Do not judge by fluff alone. At 8 to 10 weeks a single mane can look almost as full as a double. Ask to see both parents' adult coats.
• Match the coat to your time. A double mane is the classic look but means more brushing; a single mane may end up looking much like a short-coated rabbit.

Where can you find Lionhead rabbits for sale in the US?

• Show breeders and rabbitries. The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club sanctions Lionhead shows and holds a yearly national show, where you can meet breeders and see adult coats.
• Owners rehoming an adult, whose mane type and temperament are already settled; see taking in a rehomed Lionhead rabbit.
• Rabbit rescues and House Rabbit Society chapters, worth checking for an adult Lionhead or a maned mix that is already spayed or neutered; see how to adopt a Lionhead rabbit.

You can browse Lionhead rabbits for sale on PetzLover, filter by location and save the search to get an alert when a new litter is listed. Message the seller through the site with your questions before you arrange a visit.

How do you check a Lionhead rabbit's coat, skin and teeth?

Wool hides problems, so use your hands as well as your eyes.

Coat and skin

• Part the mane and the fur along the flanks down to the skin. Look for mats, flakes and bald patches; PetMD lists Cheyletiella fur mites, which cause itching and hair loss, among the breed's health issues.
• Look under the tail. The fur there should be clean and dry: PetMD warns that flies lay eggs in fur that is wet or soiled, a condition called flystrike.
• Feel along the spine and hips. A fluffy coat can make a thin rabbit look plump.

Teeth, nose and eyes

• Lift the lips gently: the upper front teeth should sit just in front of the lowers. PetMD notes that the breed's small head and slightly longer lower jaw can lead to malocclusion, and that rabbit teeth can grow 3 to 4 inches a year.
• Look for a dry nose, clear eyes and clean front paws. PetMD says Lionheads may be more prone to upper respiratory infections because their tooth roots sit close to the sinuses.
• Watch the kit eat hay and hop: it should be alert and steady on its feet.

What should you ask a Lionhead breeder?

• How old is the kit? It should be at least 8 weeks old; North Carolina, for example, bans selling rabbits younger than that as pets.
• Was it a single or double mane at birth, and what do the parents' adult coats look like?
• Have the parents or relatives had tooth problems? The Merck Veterinary Manual advises against breeding rabbits with malocclusion.
• How have you groomed it so far, and does it accept brushing and having its rear checked?
• Who checked its sex? Merck says small breeds mature at 3.5 to 4 months, so a wrongly sexed pair can breed young.
• Is it pet or show quality, does it come with a pedigree, and has it had an RHDV2 vaccine?
• Will you take it back if I cannot keep it?

A kit can come with a pedigree, but not ARBA registration, which is only for rabbits at least 6 months old that a licensed registrar has examined.

How much does a Lionhead rabbit cost?

Add grooming tools before the kit comes home: a wide-toothed comb, a slicker brush and a mat splitter. Veterinarian Carolynn Harvey warns that rabbit skin is delicate and cuts easily, so mats should not be cut off with scissors. Unlimited grass hay matters even more for a woolly rabbit, because a low-fiber diet is the main reason swallowed fur builds up in the stomach.

How do you avoid Lionhead rabbit scams?

• Meet the rabbit in person, or at least on a live video call in which the seller parts the mane and shows the teeth.
• Live rabbits cannot be mailed through the US Postal Service, so an offer to post a bunny to you is false.
• The Federal Trade Commission says legitimate sellers do not require payment by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency.

Use the Report Scam button on any listing that looks wrong. If you may breed later, read how to sell Lionhead rabbits to see what careful breeders check.