Unidentified Bun Alert

September 11, 2009 6:51 AM

I need help identifying the breed of my rabbit! This is Kyo. One ear sticks up, the other lays against her head. She's a bit smaller than my 2 yr old American short hair cat. Only other striking feature is a roll of fat under her neck.

I adopted her about 2 years ago from my brother. At the time, he said she was a 'Lion's Mane' rabbit, but I can't find that particular breed anywhere on the internet and she's definitely not a Lion's Head. He can't remember where he got her originally.

Those pictures were taken when he still had her, so she's about twice that size but otherwise the same. The fat roll is more defined now. Her body is long and muscular, but fairly slim. Other than being absurdly adorable, I know nothing about her breed. She's getting up in years and, while she's stayed healthy so far, I want to be aware of any troubles that may come later. So, any ideas?

posted by caveat to pets & animals (10 comments total)

I think it might be a Mini Lop, picture here , I've had several with one ear that didn't drop. They make wonderful pets. The "roll of fat" under the neck of females is used as a cover/comforter for her babies when they come.

I envy you... As a long time dog & cat owner, I was amazed how much fun a couple of mini lops added to the mixture. My Goldie would groom them until they had little wet "Fauxhawks".

They can learn to use a litter box and when some pellets stick to their fur and drop off around the house... they're just dry little pellets. They will chew anything within reach. Power cords and chair legs are just the start. We use PVC rings around chair/table legs. Give them some dry wood in their hutch to chew (they have to keep their incisor teeth from growing over sized).
posted by ScotsLament at 7:22 AM on September 11

The roll of fat is a dewlap, which is typical of female rabbits of many breeds. Kyo looks like a mix to me without many characteristics that leap out as being from a particular breed, though I won't pretend to know every one out there. The two different ears is pretty common among mixes where one parent is lopped and the other not, though her right one looks more back than down. Also, most lop breeds are stockier, where Kyo looks more long and sleek.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 7:25 AM on September 11

I'm of no help here, but if Kyo's ever looking to get away from it all for a few days, she can crash at my place. She's adorable!
posted by alynnk at 7:58 AM on September 11

Kyo's coloring is called agouti, and I'm not sure what her breed is but she doesn't look like she has any lop in her (despite the ear being back) and has a narrow face more like an American.
posted by rmless at 8:22 AM on September 11

She is a cutie!

One of our rabbits is an unknown mix of breeds (part lop, part… giant? She is huge), and her ears sometimes go down like a lop, both up, or one-up-one-down (which is insanely adorable). When ours is in "both up" mode it looks like the second picture you have. So yours may have some lop in her.

In terms of helpful bunny tips, you might want to seek out some papaya tablets. Oxbow used to make them, but stopped a year or so ago, and it’s extremely difficult to find anyone online selling any leftovers of Oxbow’s product they may have had. We had good luck buying up a bunch from a local vet’s office (we keep the extra containers in the freezer until we need to open a new one). Papaya helps their digestion, and has saved us numerous times from expensive vet visits when one of our buns goes on hunger strike. At the first sign of uncomfortable not-eating bunny we give a few extra papayas; if they refuse to eat even the papayas we break up a tablet into some pineapple juice and force-feed it into them. Something about the enzymes helps to break down fur clogs in their digestive systems.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 8:53 AM on September 11

I'm thinking you have a mix. She's not stocky enough to be a pure lop, and her face to me looks dwarfish but with something else in it --- don't know what. .
posted by zizzle at 9:10 AM on September 11

I'm going to guess she's part Mini Rex, part Holland Lop assuming she's in the sub-5-lb range. Mixed-breed lops commonly get "helicopter ears". Even pure-bred lops have this, but it's less common.
posted by fiercekitten at 10:33 AM on September 11

I had a pure breed Holland Lop with one upsie ear and one downsie ear. (If you pushed one down, the other would come up. It was adorable!)

His little face was much flatter than Kyo's, though. Looks like a BunMutt to me.
posted by hybridvigor at 1:20 PM on September 11

I no no suggestions, just an awwwwwwwwww, cute!
posted by sarcasticah at 2:09 PM on September 11

HAVE no suggestions. Er?
posted by sarcasticah at 2:09 PM on September 11