![Barrow Bunnies PJ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Barrow_Bunnies_PJ.jpg)
The Miniature Lion Lop is a breed of
domestic rabbit
A domestic or domesticated rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus'')—more commonly known as a pet rabbit, bunny, bun, or bunny rabbit—is a subspecies of European rabbit, a member of the lagomorph family. A male rabbit is known as a ''bu ...
recognised by the
British Rabbit Council
The British Rabbit Council (BRC) is an organisation for rabbit enthusiasts in the United Kingdom. Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet.
History
The British Rabbit Council was formed in 1934 when the British Rabbit Society and the National ...
. The breed is not currently recognized by the
American Rabbit Breeders Association
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) is a national Club (organization), club for domestic rabbit and cavy breeders. The ARBA is headquartered in Knox, Pennsylvania in the United States. Its membership is composed of rabbit and cavy bree ...
. In addition to its lop ears, the distinguishing feature of this breed is its
Lionhead-type mane and its small size: .
The Miniature Lion Lop was developed in England in the early 2000s and accepted by the British Rabbit Council in 2006. Breeder Jane Bramley was responsible for much of the work required to achieve formal breed recognition. The Miniature Lion Lop is similar to the Miniature Lop, but with a mane around the head and a ''bib'' on the chest. The breed is growing in popularity within the UK.
Breeding
Ovulation is induced by sexual stimulation. Sexual maturity age for small breeds like the Miniature Lion Lop is 4 to 5 months. Males usually require more time to mature, and normally reach adult sperm counts between 6–7 months.
Due to the territorial nature of female rabbits, it is standard practice for the doe to always be brought to the buck's cage. When the doe is brought to the bucks' cage, he quickly mounts her, performs pelvic thrusting culminating in ejaculation, and "flops" off. The whole act may take less than 30 seconds, and is often repeated several times. When he is finished, the buck should then be removed, but many breeders will reintroduce the buck a few hours later to increase the size of the litter.
A regular pregnancy lasts 31 to 33 days. After 34 days, the chance of stillborn babies increases. Therefore, labor may be induced at 32 days by a vet. One or two days before giving birth, the female will pull out the fur on her chest to make a nest for their young. When in a very threatening or stressful situations, the female may eat their young. Rabbits can get pregnant almost immediately after they have given birth.
Mane
The maning gene is dominant, therefore, both parents do not need a mane to pass it on to offspring; however, one parent have a mane. It cannot be "carried" by Mini Lops. There are two genes involved – 'M' and 'm'.
*The mm would be a rabbit with no mane (so this would be a Mini Lop).
*The Mm would be a rabbit with a single mane.
*The MM would be a rabbit with a double mane.
So some possible outcomes may be:
*mm × mm = 100% mm, so all Mini Lop offspring in the litter.
*mm × Mm = 50% mm and 50% Mm, so half Mini Lop and half single-maned Mini Lion Lop offspring in the litter.
*mm × MM = 100% Mm, so all single-maned Mini Lion Lop offspring in the litter.
*Mm × Mm = 50% Mm, 25% mm, and 25% MM
*Mm × MM = 50% Mm and 50% MM
*MM × MM = 100% MM
Double-maned Mini Lion Lop kits are easily recognisable. They are often informally referred to as "
gremlins
''Gremlins'' is a 1984 American black comedy horror film directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus, and starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, and Frances Lee McCain, with Howie Mandel providing the voice of ...
", because of their appearance. Compared to a single maned kit, there is a large difference. "Gremlins" tend to have a ''V'' shape on the back, where the fur starts to grow.
Colours and standardisation
Miniature Lion Lop fanciers are still currently working on getting all the colours standardised, because the Breeds Standards Committee have not allowed all colours that are accepted by other Lop breeds to be accepted within the Miniature Lion Lops. Three generations (with a minimum of two specimens in each generation) of show-quality Miniature Lion Lops are required in the colour the breeders wish to be accepted.
Colours currently accepted are:
*White (red- or blue-eyed)
*Black
*Blue
*Agouti
*Opal
*Iron grey
*Sooty fawn
*Fawn
*Orange
*Light Siamese sable
*Medium Siamese sable
*Dark Siamese sable
*Siamese smoke
*Black fox
*Black otter
*Steel
*Beige
*Chocolate
*Seal-point
*Blue-point
*Butterfly pattern
File:Upton's Butter, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Upton's Butter, fawn Mini Lion Lop. BiS LLUK Mansfield 2008
File:Barrow Bunnies PJ.jpg, Barrow Bunnies PJ, medium sable Mini Lion Lop. Best Lop Puddletown
File:Upton's Alistair, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Upton's Alistair, sooty fawn Mini Lion Lop. Best Lop and Runner Up BiS Mansfield
File:Barrow Bunnies Moon, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Barrow Bunnies Moon, REW Mini Lion Lop. BiS LLUK Southern Championship Show 2012
File:Zashion's Beatrice, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Zashion's Beatrice, dark sable Mini Lion Lop
File:Wrixel Stud's Bluepoint, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Wrixel Stud's blue-point Mini Lion Lop. With BoB certificate
File:Upton's Steel, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Steel Mini Lion Lop, bred by J. Bramley. BiS Adult Stock Show @ All Lop Show 2009
File:Sandra Grainger's Fawn, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Fawn Mini Lion Lop, bred by S. Grainger. BiS Young Stock Show @ All Lop Show 2009
File:Zashion's Flower, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Zashion's Flower, black butterfly Mini Lion Lop. Bred by Zashion Stud
File:Chintastic's Oops a Daisy, Mini Lion Lop.jpg, Chintastic's Oops a Daisy, sable Mini Lion Lop.
Lion Lops UK (LLUK)
LLUK is a national club devoted to the furthering of the breed. It was established in 2007, founded and chaired by Jane Bramley, the fancier who first pioneered the breed. LLUK provides stock shows around the country to benefit the keen exhibitors of the Mini Lion Lop breed.
See also
*
List of rabbit breeds
As of 2017, there were at least 305 breeds of domestic rabbit in 70 countries around the world. A rabbit breed is a distinct variety created through selective breeding (or occasionally natural selection) for specific characteristics, including si ...
*
Lop rabbit
Lop rabbit or lop-eared rabbit refers to any rabbit with ears that droop, as opposed to being carried erect. A number of rabbit breeds (listed below) are characterized by such lop ears. Abnormalities in the skull of a half-lop rabbit were studie ...
References
{{Reflist
Rabbit breeds
Lop rabbits