Lionhead rabbit standing up in a field

Lionhead Rabbit Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Lionhead bunnies are well-tempered and friendly little bundles of cuteness that will make any bunny lover want to have one running around their home.

This breed originally came from Belgium where they were crossed with the miniature Swiss Fox and Belgian Dwarf rabbit breeds. This cross produced a genetic mutation that gives them their characteristic long fluffy wool ‘mane’ around their neck, just like a lion. Originally, they were only seen with upright ears, but in the early 2000s, the Lop-eared variety came into being.

If you're looking to introduce a Lionhead into your home, here are all the breed and health facts you need to know.

Lionhead Rabbit Facts

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Type
Dwarf
Everypaw's breed lifespan icon
Lifespan
7 - 10 years
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Size
Small
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Weight
1.5 - 1.7 kg
Everypaw's breed temperament icon
Temperament
Friendly, intelligent, playful
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Exercise
2 hours 2x a day
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Grooming
High maintenance

Is a Lionhead Rabbit Right for Me?

Lions have great personalities; they’re outgoing and love attention. If you’re looking for a bunny that you can spend time playing and interacting with, then the Lionhead is definitely for you! Lions are really good natured and love nothing more than having a cuddle or playing with toys. Like any rabbit though, they are delicate and shouldn’t be left unattended with younger children.

A fluffy Lionhead rabbit

Life with a Lionhead Rabbit

Life with a Lionhead is bound to be fun. Dinky and sweet, these little rabbits can bring hours of entertainment. But as with any bunny, they need lots of TLC to ensure they live a long and happy life.

Caring for Your Lionhead

All bunnies should have a high fibre diet of high-quality fresh hay and grass. They also love a selection of fresh veg. Fresh greens like carrots, sweetcorn, celery and broccoli are healthy vegetables that can be given every day. Other greens like kale and spring greens, and dandelions contain a lot of calcium so you shouldn’t give these to your bunny quite so often!

Rabbits don’t really need to be fed a commercial rabbit food if they’re given a healthy diet of hay, grass and greens. But, if you want to supplement your rabbit’s diet with a rabbit mix or pellets, make sure you don’t over feed them, otherwise you’ll end up with a fat bunny and other potential health problems.

Lionheads have long wool coats and can have a single or double mane. A single mane Lionhead has a wispy mane that might disappear over time. A double mane Lionhead has a more noticeable mane and fluffy ‘skirt’ around their flanks. Grooming your Lion’s mane every day is really important to avoid knots and tangles. A weekly groom should do the trick for the rest of their body.

Grooming your bunny also helps you build a bond with them and provides a great opportunity for you to examine them and check for any signs of illness. If you start grooming your bunny when they’re a baby, they’ll soon get used to the routine and will enjoy the attention.

All rabbits need plenty of exercise to keep them fit and healthy. If you have a house rabbit, they will get a fair bit of exercise roaming around the house. But having a run around outside for a couple of hours twice a day, or even longer, is ideal.

If your rabbit is kept in a cage, it’s important that the cage is big enough, and they have free access to an enclosed run. This means they can stretch their legs and have a run and leap around whenever they want. Exercise is important for muscles and to burn off excess calories. It also stops them from getting bored which can lead to behavioural problems.

Rabbits can be easily trained. Lions are really intelligent so litter training them won’t take long. With positive reinforcement and rewards you could train your bunny to do all sorts of other things too, like come when you call them, fetch toys and jump. Once they work out they get nice rewards for their actions, they soon pick up tricks.
 

A Lionhead rabbit looking into the camera

Lionhead Insurance

If you own or looking to pick yourself up a Lionhead rabbit, you should think about getting those paws covered. Everypaw’s Rabbit Insurance is available, and offers you 3 different cover levels to choose from. Here at Everypaw, we’re not just about covering vet fees, with our bunny cover, you will also have unlimited 24/7 access to vets and vet nurses with our Petcall service.

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Common Lionhead Rabbit Health Problems by Vetstream

There are several common health issues that the Lionhead can suffer from. Everypaw has teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream to explain a few of these problems.

Over recent years, Lionheads are increasingly being seen with flattened faces, known as brachycephaly. This syndrome affects short nosed bunnies and can lead to severe dental and respiratory problems. Breeds that have flatter faces tend to have lots of health and welfare problems.

Brachycephalic rabbits tend to have a longer top jaw than the bottom (known as malocclusion), so their teeth don’t line up properly. This causes severe dental problems. Malocclusion can be life-threatening as rabbits’ teeth grow continuously. If they’re not worn down, they grow too long, and your bunny won’t be able to eat or drink properly. Bunnies with these problems will need to visit the vet for dental treatments every few weeks.

Respiratory problems are also an issue for brachycephalic breeds. Their short face and squashed nose prevent them from breathing properly. Rabbits only breathe through their nose, so if you see your rabbit breathing through their mouth, this is a sign that there’s a problem. 

Myxomatosis is an infectious viral disease which can be spread by biting flies or fleas. The virus causes skin trauma so you might notice signs like swelling of the lips, eyelids and genitals. Infected rabbits can also suffer from a high temperature, depression, lumps on the skin and struggle to breathe.

Myxomatosis is widespread throughout the UK in wild rabbits. Pet rabbits are commonly affected too in late summer, autumn and early winter. The best form of protection is an annual vaccination.

Other things you can do to protect your Lion: make sure their bedding is kept clean and dry, to avoid attracting insects; ensure your garden is secure to prevent your rabbit coming into contact with wild rabbits that might be carrying the disease; if you have other pets make sure they’re regularly treated for fleas.

One of the most common causes of this kind of injury in pet rabbits is related to struggling and kicking when being picked up. It’s so important to know how to pick up and handle your bunny safely. Even though rabbits are really cute and look like they might want a cuddle, it’s best to prevent small children from handling them to avoid an accident, especially with small delicate breeds like the Lionhead.

Spinal injury is complex, and treatment depends on the severity and location of the injury. Even with aggressive treatment, the prognosis isn’t great, and ongoing care for the rabbit can be considerable and very expensive.
Injuries lower down the spine have better chances of survival.

If paralysis is present, ongoing medical issues are common which could decrease the chances of your rabbit having a good quality of life. In these cases, having your rabbit put down may be the only option.

VHD is another common viral disease in rabbits. There are two types, VHD1 and VHD2 and they’re both very serious, life limiting conditions.

VHD1 is nearly always fatal. The virus quickly attacks the internal organs, particularly the liver, causing internal bleeding. Unfortunately, most rabbits die if they are affected. VHD2 tends to be less aggressive, and signs of infection can include anorexia, lethargy, simply being off colour, to sudden and unexplained death.

Vaccination is essential! Your rabbit can be vaccinated against VHD from the age of 5 weeks.
 

Quick Lionhead Q&A

The average life expectancy of a healthy pet Lionhead is around 7-10 years.

Lionheads are a dwarf breed which means they’re only small. A full-grown adult will reach around 20-25 cm long. Half the size of a standard breed bunny!

Bathing your Lion can be a traumatic and dangerous experience if it’s not done properly. Rabbits are extremely good at keeping themselves clean. So, unless your bunny needs a bath for medical reasons as determined by your vet, and they have shown you how to do it safely, bathing your bunny isn’t recommended.

Lions should be fed a high fibre diet consisting of high-quality fresh hay and grass, alongside a selection of fresh veg. A commercial rabbit mix or pellets can be fed, but make sure you don’t over feed them to avoid obesity and other health problems.

That’s All You Need to Know About Lionheads

This breed is very small and fluffy! Be prepared for lots of grooming to keep their long locks knot free. They’re also prone to some health problems, so keep an eye out for any issues, especially when grooming. Despite this, Lionhead’s have wonderful natures and love nothing more than a cuddle and playing with their favourite toys, so make great pets. But because of their size they are quite delicate so shouldn’t really be handled by young children.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/lapis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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