TinysMom
Well-Known Member
Sweetie wrote:
1. Lionheads were once thought to be susceptible to seizures and some folks still wonder about that. A few years ago, I spoke with Gail Gibbons (COD holder at that time) about this because she was keeping track of this. I want to say that in the 5 or so years that lionheads had been in the states at that time - the number was under 50....closer to 25. (Its been a few years since the conversation). From what I remember of the conversation - her belief was that the further away we got from the original handful of lionheads that were brought over - the less chance of seizures. A lot of it could have come from inbreeding so much because there were so few lionheads available.
I rarely hear of a lionhead having a seizure - I can't remember the last time I ever heard of it (and I'm on a lionhead list where breeders chat). I wonder sometimes if the seizure could be due to something other than the fact it is a lionhead...like if there could be something in the environment, etc.
For instance - I'd NEVER heard of rabbits choking on their pellets and dying until a few months ago...now I've heard of it three or four times. But in each case - it seemed like it was something particular to that particular instance .... same thing with the whole seizure thing.
2. Lionheads are easy to train....yes/no/maybe. Like any other rabbit and/or breed of rabbit - it is going to depend upon the individual rabbit. For instance - I once had a young buck that at 10 weeks old - would drag his litter box to the front of the cage EVERY OTHER DAY to be cleaned. (He was sold at about 12 weeks as a show bunny and I understand that he continued that habit as he got older). I've had other rabbits that couldn't care less about a litter box or anything else.
3. Lionheads are sweet & friendly. Once again - yes/no/maybe. It is going to depend upon the individual lionhead and the home it comes from, etc. I believe the personality of a rabbit is both genetic - and based upon their environment as they grow up. A lionhead that is bossy and hard to work with at a month old - is not going to become sweet right away. I've seen some lines of the rabbits where they're just sweethearts....and then other lines where they weren't so much. I've also seen some rabbits come from breeders who handled them daily and played with them - and they were well socialized and wonderful. I've also had others that scared me to death when I'd go to feed them 'cause they'd charge at me.
My point? In every breed of rabbit - temperament is based upon genetics and environment and you'll find both sweet lionheads and mean ones.
I hope this helps.
Let me share a few things based upon my experiences as a lionhead breeder.
1. Lionheads were once thought to be susceptible to seizures and some folks still wonder about that. A few years ago, I spoke with Gail Gibbons (COD holder at that time) about this because she was keeping track of this. I want to say that in the 5 or so years that lionheads had been in the states at that time - the number was under 50....closer to 25. (Its been a few years since the conversation). From what I remember of the conversation - her belief was that the further away we got from the original handful of lionheads that were brought over - the less chance of seizures. A lot of it could have come from inbreeding so much because there were so few lionheads available.
I rarely hear of a lionhead having a seizure - I can't remember the last time I ever heard of it (and I'm on a lionhead list where breeders chat). I wonder sometimes if the seizure could be due to something other than the fact it is a lionhead...like if there could be something in the environment, etc.
For instance - I'd NEVER heard of rabbits choking on their pellets and dying until a few months ago...now I've heard of it three or four times. But in each case - it seemed like it was something particular to that particular instance .... same thing with the whole seizure thing.
2. Lionheads are easy to train....yes/no/maybe. Like any other rabbit and/or breed of rabbit - it is going to depend upon the individual rabbit. For instance - I once had a young buck that at 10 weeks old - would drag his litter box to the front of the cage EVERY OTHER DAY to be cleaned. (He was sold at about 12 weeks as a show bunny and I understand that he continued that habit as he got older). I've had other rabbits that couldn't care less about a litter box or anything else.
3. Lionheads are sweet & friendly. Once again - yes/no/maybe. It is going to depend upon the individual lionhead and the home it comes from, etc. I believe the personality of a rabbit is both genetic - and based upon their environment as they grow up. A lionhead that is bossy and hard to work with at a month old - is not going to become sweet right away. I've seen some lines of the rabbits where they're just sweethearts....and then other lines where they weren't so much. I've also seen some rabbits come from breeders who handled them daily and played with them - and they were well socialized and wonderful. I've also had others that scared me to death when I'd go to feed them 'cause they'd charge at me.
My point? In every breed of rabbit - temperament is based upon genetics and environment and you'll find both sweet lionheads and mean ones.
I hope this helps.
The good thing is you will have learned from it. Now you know lionheads can be smaller and still be healthy 
