What breed is my rabbit? Limp ear?

[Trinketd]

My rabbit, Ari, is a 2 1/2 month old doe. The breeders said she was a purebreed lionhead but she looks NOTHING like one. We currently have no idea what she is but we think she might be Californian lop mix. Recently, (about a month ago) one of Ari's ears has flopped to the side but the other is standing up straight. We checked for mites and fleas, infections and etc. Nothing was found. We can't tell if it genetic because we don't trust what we've been told. Recently, I just went to fair with my six year old mini rex buck. He won second place and reserve grand champion. We retired him this year. This is why we got Ari. We want to compete with her. But, unfortunately, we have to know if this is something serious or genetic beforehand. Also, the judge must know what breed she is. Help?

 

[Aki]

As I remember, you already asked this question a few weeks ago. And I guess time confirmed what we told you : that's not a lionhead, it's definitely a lop or a lop mix. Having helicopter ears isn't an illness, it just means her crown isn't large enough for both ears to lop which indicates either a badly bred lop or a lop mix. I'm not a breeder and I don't show rabbits, so I can't tell you for sure - she's still young so there is a chance her ears will fully lop, some do it later than others. Mixes tend to keep helicopter ears, I've had a few of those. That's really cute but obviously not showable. Some purebred lops never 'lop' correctly because their crown is just to short. But considering she was sold to you as a lionhead and long before 8 weeks (which, as I remember telling you is the sure sign you are dealing with a crappy breeder, you are already damn lucky she didn't get coccidia) you probably have a mutt. Still, when you want a rabbit to show, it's better to go speak with people competing and ask around about reputable breeders to gather information before buying...

 

[majorv]

How much does she weigh? You never said if you saw the parents. It looks like a Californian at this point. Did you ask for a pedigree?

 

[Trinketd]

She weighs about 5 pounds. I saw photos of her parents and one was a tan color and the other a black color. We don't even know if they are her real parents due to it just being photos that they could of gotten off of the internet. They sold the parents and we rescued her so she wouldn't be bought by a man who wanted to buy her for snake food. They lied to us by saying she was a lionhead and when I asked for proof they didnt "have any." I really just wanted to rescue her before it was too late. I'll just show her in pet rabbit stuff for 4-H.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I'm going to say she looks most like a Californian and for shows a California weighed 5lbs at 70 days of age which is about what yours is. I'm not sure about the ear but I have heard that when they have previously had ear infections that the ear can be so damaged it never becomes straight again. But from what you say about the colors of the parents neither of them sound like californians if those are the parents