Lionhead
The lionhead is a recent European breed, appearing in Belgium in the 1990s from a mutation producing a distinct mane of longer wool around the head and chest.
It was recognised in Britain in 2002 and in the United States in 2014.
It is a small rabbit of around one and a half kilograms with upright ears and the characteristic mane, which may be single or double depending on how many copies of the mane gene the rabbit carries — double-maned rabbits also carry wool on the flanks. Temperament is typically friendly and inquisitive, though lionheads are often described as more skittish than a Holland lop.
- Origin
- Belgium, 1990s
- Size
- 1.3–1.7 kg
- Lifespan
- 7–10 years
- Coat
- Short body coat with a wool mane; single or double
- Temperament
- Friendly, inquisitive, can be skittish
- Recognition
- Recognised in the UK from 2002, US from 2014
Related: Holland lop
3 lionhead photos, newest first
Living with a lionhead
The mane needs grooming two or three times a week and more during a moult, and double-maned rabbits need considerably more than single. Wool mats close to the skin, and matted wool is painful.
Wool ingestion is the specific risk. Rabbits cannot vomit, so a moulting woolled breed needs consistent grooming and constant hay to keep the gut moving.
The mane around the face can trap food and water — check it stays clean and dry.
Otherwise standard: neutered pairs, generous space, hay-first diet, annual myxomatosis and RHD vaccination, and a same-day vet for any rabbit that stops eating.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual rabbits vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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