Disease in rabbits caused by Myxoma virus
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2 episodes with myxomatosis
2 episodes with myxomatosis
2 episodes with myxomatosis
2 episodes with myxomatosis
Elders enters a trading halt after announcing its purchase of agriculture supplies company Delta Ag for $475million, farmers warn food prices for pollination-dependent crops could rise under the spread of varroa mite, and researchers call for tissue samples to study if calicivirus and myxomatosis are still controlling rabbit populations.
BLACK SHIRT MIXTAPE **Episode 87** Join host Jesse Karassik aka @heyyyyy_jesse as he takes you on a 2 hour sonic journey playing mixtape inspired tracks in a variety of genres- all for your listening (dis)pleasure! Tracklisting: 1. Pioneer To the Falls...Interpol 2. Coincidence...Sabrina Carpenter 3. All A Mystery...Phantogram 4. Half Priced Books...Remy Reilly 5. My Kink Is Karma...Chappell Roan 6. Knowitall...Phantom Planet 7. Myxomatosis...Radiohead 8. What a Fool Believes...sELF 9. Once Around The Block...Badly Drawn Boy 10. Can't Hardly Wait...The Replacements 11. Friends of Friends...Abbreviations 12. Fight The Power...Public Enemy 13. Everybody Have Fun Tonight...Wang Chung 14. Waterfalls...Sault 15. I Won...The Sundays 16. Paper Shoes...Incubus 17. did i tell you that i miss you...adore 18. This Modern Love...Bloc Party 19. Castaways...Vicious Vicious 20. Angel In The Snow...Elliott Smith 21. In The Modern World...Fontaines D.C. 22. High...The Cure 23. Under The Milkyway...Grant Lee Phillips 24. Rocket...Smashing Pumpkins
A town in the New South Wales Riverina is being recognised with a blue heritage plaque, for its significant role in advancing pest control. Myxomatosis was released in Balldale more than 70 years ago, and spread rapidly through the Murray River region via mosquitoes. It marked a turning point for controlling the spread of feral rabbits, which had become out of control during the Second World War. Rural reporter Ella Smith poke to community leader Brendon Wood about the trial, which was launched by CSIRO in late 1950.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Private investigation isn't like it is on TV. Take that from Caitlin Davies, journalist, author and newly-minted PI, who's been on the Zoom with Mickey to talk about the history of women in the trade and her new book Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths. There's also some history (and science and comedy) in Kiri Pritchard-McLean's new Radio 4 Show The Best Medicine. She chats to Hannah about why she jumped at the chance to make it, as well as about sexual harassment and assaults in comedy. In Jenny Off the Blocks, Jen's chatting about Simone Biles, Panini stickers and more. And in BT, there's some good news about Nobel Prizes (and a lot of bad news about everything else). Which means you should at least be ready for Rated or Dated, in which we're watching Operation Market Rabbit, sorry, Watership Down. Sorry.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/standardissuespodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to the Five Song Mixtape! This week we discuss the mixtape titled “Y'all Want Some Head?” by Devin. You can find the playlist by following our account on Spotify @FiveSongMixtape or you can find us on Instagram @FiveSongMixtape. We would love to hear your thoughts on the playlist and please give us a rating via iTunes to help spread the word!“Y'all Want Some Head?” by Devin1. “My Iron Lung” by Radiohead 2. “Subterranean Homesick Alien” by Radiohead3. “Myxomatosis” by Radiohead4. “Bodysnatchers” by Radiohead5. “True Love Waits” by Radiohead See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Invasive rabbits so numerous they form a “gray blanket” across the land. A killer virus, intentionally released to keep the bunnies at bay. An ensuing evolutionary arms race with no end in sight. It sounds more like the premise of a bad sci fi movie rather than a textbook case of biocontrol. But truth, especially in this case, is stranger and even more fascinating than fiction. If this is the first you're hearing about myxoma virus and its place in the long history of European rabbits in Australia, get ready for a gripping story filled with rabbit facts, discussions about what drives pathogens to be deadly or benign, and philosophical musings about the situational difference between pest, pet, and keystone species. That's right, we're heading deep down the rabbit hole with this one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Recorded at The Hospital Club, London in April 2008. Setlist 00:00:21 Weird Fishes / Arpeggi 00:05:41 15 Step 00:09:37 Bodysnatchers 00:14:02 Nude 00:18:49 The Gloaming 00:21:46 Myxomatosis 00:25:43 House of Cards 00:31:21 Bangers + Mash 00:34:54 Optimistic 00:39:51 Reckoner 00:44:50 Videotape 00:49:33 Where I End And You Begin 00:54:59 All I Need 00:59:17 Go Slowly Director: David Barnard Producers: Nigel Godrich, Dilly Gent, James Chads & John Woollcombe Director of Photography: Brett Turnbull Editor: Jerry Chater Sound Engineers: Fred Jackson & Martin Dineley Produced and Mixed by Nigel Godrich Recording Assistant: Richard Woodcraft Team UNPLUGGED.
12 rabbits that turned a nation crazy. Cue: a plague, the founder of immunology, a famous actress, and ten million dollars.
All uploads on this channel are for promotional purposes only! The music has been converted before uploading to prevent ripping and to protect the artist(s) and label(s). If you don't want your content here (that goes for audio or images) please contact me immediately via email: unpluggedtube@outlook.it and I WILL REMOVE THE EPISODE OR ARTWORK IMMEDIATELY! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recorded at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA, USA on the 21st of April 2017 Setlist: 00:00:02 Daydreaming 00:06:32 Desert Island Disk 00:10:43 Ful Stop 00:16:22 15 Step 00:20:36 Myxomatosis 00:24:46 Lucky 00:29:24 All I Need 00:33:51 Pyramid Song 00:39:59 Everything in Its Right Place 00:44:33 Bloom 00:51:13 Identikit 00:56:30 My Iron Lung 01:01:40 The Gloaming 01:05:32 I Might Be Wrong 01:10:26 Bodysnatchers 01:14:54 Exit Music (For a Film) 01:19:57 Reckoner 01:27:38 No Surprises 01:32:07 Paranoid Android 01:39:16 Fake Plastic Trees 01:44:26 Lotus Flower 01:49:38 Idioteque Directed by Kerry Asmussen Team UNPLUGGED.
Larkin has a rather curious place in the academic world- a little bit on the edge of things (maybe that's how he would have liked it?). Lyn chats to Dr Alex Howard, Dr Kyra Piperides and Clarissa Hard who are all at different stages of their doctoral studies on Larkin's writing. Alex and Clarissa have recently become new trustees of the Philip Larkin Society. We also have a reading of Church Going from PLS member Joe James. Poems discussed: Aubade, High Windows, Take One Home for the Kiddies, Myxomatosis, At Grass, The Whitsun Weddings, Here, The Mower, The Old Fools, The Winter Palace Topics discussed: Teaching and studying Larkin, Larkin and landscape, younger readers of Larkin, Ted Hughes, TS Eliot, Down Cemetery Road (BBC) Larkin's Travelling Spirit, The Place, Space and Journeys of Philip Larkin Alex Howard, 2020, Palgrave Macmillan (https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030534714) The Complete Poems of Philip Larkin Philip Larkin (Author), Archie Burnett (Editor), 2012, Faber and Faber Presented by Lyn Lockwood. Theme music: 'The Horns Of The Morning' by The Mechanicals Band. Buy 'The Righteous Jazz' at their Bandcamp page: https://themechanicalsband.bandcamp.com/album/the-righteous-jazz Audio editing by Simon Galloway. Follow us and get it touch on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tiny_air Find out more about the Philip Larkin Society here - http://philiplarkin.com/
To commemorate 4 years of the Audioface podcast, Sean and Dan go to the band that forever raised the music world's expectations of musical talent and ingenuity. This is part 1 of the bonus episode, covering just about everything from Radiohead's start to 2016's "A Moon Shaped Pool". Part 2 on the solo projects of Radiohead's members will be released this Thursday, and regular episodes of Audioface will resume next week. ---SUPPORT AUDIOFACE!Subscribe to this podcast (or Follow on Spotify) so you don’t miss new episodes on Mondays. Tell some friends about this show to keep it growing! We appreciate it, and you.Keep up with Audioface's 2021 Playlist:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Gm0rc9gByK4idEhZw6oRu?si=a28c212ddf014641Reach out to us: https://twitter.com/audiofacepod/https://intsagram.com/audiofacepod/https://www.youtube.com/audiofacepod?sub_confirmation=1For advertising opportunities, email info (at) syndicate23 (dot) co
1. Ava, Pip Millet, Lost in June, +fours, 2020..2. Winner Take Nothing, Dirty Projectors, Dirty Projectors, Domino Records, 2017..3.Slush Puppy, King Krule, The Ooz, True Panther Sounds, 2017 4. Slow Down, Damé, Bye Bye, Brigante Records, 2020 5. Una Carezza in un pugno, Adriano Celentano, Azzurro/Una carezza in un pugno, Clan Celentano, 1968..6. 103, Gianluca Petrella, 103, Electronique.it, 2015..7. Baby Boy, Beyonce feat. Sean Paul, Dangerously in Love, Columbia, 2003..8. Myxomatosis, Radiohead, Hail to the Thief, Parlophone, 2003..9. Spells, Greentea Peng, Spells, TENNNN, 2020..10. BIzness, Tunes Yards, Whokill, 4AD, 2015 11.You're Good, Selton, Saudade, Seltonmusic, 2013..12. Beato me, Dente, L'amore non è bello, Ghost Records/Venus, 2009 13. Porcelain, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication,Warner Bros. Records, 1998 14. O telefone Tocou Novamente, Nacao Zumbi, Noite do Bem/Los Sebosos Postizos, 2004
1. Ava, Pip Millet, Lost in June, +fours, 2020..2. Winner Take Nothing, Dirty Projectors, Dirty Projectors, Domino Records, 2017..3.Slush Puppy, King Krule, The Ooz, True Panther Sounds, 2017 4. Slow Down, Damé, Bye Bye, Brigante Records, 2020 5. Una Carezza in un pugno, Adriano Celentano, Azzurro/Una carezza in un pugno, Clan Celentano, 1968..6. 103, Gianluca Petrella, 103, Electronique.it, 2015..7. Baby Boy, Beyonce feat. Sean Paul, Dangerously in Love, Columbia, 2003..8. Myxomatosis, Radiohead, Hail to the Thief, Parlophone, 2003..9. Spells, Greentea Peng, Spells, TENNNN, 2020..10. BIzness, Tunes Yards, Whokill, 4AD, 2015 11.You're Good, Selton, Saudade, Seltonmusic, 2013..12. Beato me, Dente, L'amore non è bello, Ghost Records/Venus, 2009 13. Porcelain, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication,Warner Bros. Records, 1998 14. O telefone Tocou Novamente, Nacao Zumbi, Noite do Bem/Los Sebosos Postizos, 2004
Horatio and Chad drink beers and listen to Radiohead.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to a brand-new episode of the PeayCast, presented by CDE Lightband! The guys are in quarantine for this one, our first episode outside the friendly confines of the studio. With no Governor sports on the docket, the banter involves baseball lineups for must-win games, Terry Taylor and Casey's love of video games. Audio Intro: Joshua James, "Coal War" Audio Outro: Radiohead, "Myxomatosis"
Welcome to a brand-new episode of the PeayCast, presented by CDE Lightband! The guys are in quarantine for this one, our first episode outside the friendly confines of the studio. With no Governor sports on the docket, the banter involves baseball lineups for must-win games, Terry Taylor and Casey's love of video games. Audio Intro: Joshua James, "Coal War" Audio Outro: Radiohead, "Myxomatosis"
In part five of our look at the history of Radiohead, we examine how "Hail to the Thief" is influenced by issues as serious as the War on Terror and as lighthearted as children's television and sushi, leading to one of Radiohead's darkest albums. However, it is simultaneously one of their most human and heartfelt. In this episode we cover the years 2002-2004 in the history of Radiohead.Primary sources:https://www.amazon.com/Exit-Music-Radiohead-Mac-Randall/dp/0385333935https://citizeninsane.eu/https://web.archive.org/web/20060701093047/http://www.ateaseweb.com/https://web.archive.org/web/20190413025533/http://www.greenplastic.com/https://web.archive.org/web/20080913030118/http://www.followmearound.com/http://thekingoflimbspart2.com/https://web.archive.org/web/20060701093047/http://www.ateaseweb.com/
Many physical features of Neanderthals might not be for cold climate adaptation as previously thought. They may be for types of locomotion. Which, according to paleo-ecologist, John Stewart at Bournemouth University, makes the long thigh to calf ratios more likely that Neanderthals were adapted to fast, powerful sprints, as part of their hunting and survival. The clues to this lie less in the bones and more in the evidence that Neanderthals lived in wooded areas rather than tundra. Earth’s solid iron inner core, liquid outer core and interactions between the two give us our protective magnetic field and are responsible for the ‘geodynamo’ that drives this, as well as volcanism and Earth’s tectonics. But we don’t yet know when the solid core formed. It’s hard to find paleo-magnetic records from early in Earth’s history. But now a group at Rochester University in New York have discovered magnetic particles from 565 million year old Ediacaran Period rocks in Canada and they say that at the time lots of life was evolving on our planet, the geodynamo was low and wobbly. This leads them to believe the solid core formed two to three times later than previously thought. A typical sneeze will throw out 40,000 tiny droplets loaded with viruses or bacteria, which can hang in the air like a cloud until someone else comes along and inhales some. To a scientist, this suspension is an aerosol, and what goes on inside a tiny droplet can be very different from what happens in a beaker of fluid. But studying those conditions, which can alter whether a germ can survive its aerial journey is hard. Which is why at Bristol University they’ve developed an aerosol trap that can hold droplets mid-air, without contact, with an electric field. Rabbits and hares across Europe have been declining rapidly over the past few decades. There are a number of factors involved (Agricultural intensification, climate change, hunting and a whole host of infectious diseases.) Myxomatosis in rabbits, which has now jumped into hares, is fairly well known by the public, but there are other viral and bacterial diseases that are jumping between the species and the most recent one Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) is of particular concern right now. Very little is known about this disease in wild populations. It was seen in hares in Europe a few years back, but it’s now just been identified in the UKs native brown hare population. Biologist Diana Bell at the University of East Anglia wants the public to contact her if they see any hares that look like they’ve died from the disease. Producer - Fiona Roberts
Hello Listener! Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger. China is the home of this very recently developed breed, Chinese Angora's, or Chinese Coarse-wool Angoras as they are often called were created by crossing German ANgora, French Angora and White New Zealands during the late 1980's strictly for the commercial wool market. China is currently the number one supplier of raw angora fiber to the world. They developed the Chinese Angora, also known as the Coarse-Wool Angora in the late 1980’s by cross-breeding French and German Angoras with the White New Zealand rabbit. Chinese Angora is about 15% bristle fiber. Compare this to other Angora breeds that give at most 1.8% bristle fiber. The breed comes in Ruby-eyed White variety. The breed weighs about 9 to 9 3/4 lb (4.1 - 4.4 kg) https://www.raising-rabbits.com/angora-rabbit.html Now when we discuss Chinese Angora there is a video by PETA that is very difficult to watch. In the video we see the wool being yanked off, guard hairs included, in a manner that will ruin the coat for several cycles. It will damage the hair follicles and greatly reduce the quality and value of future harvests as new coats will grow in coarser and hairier. This scene suggests that the violent plucking at the beginning of the video and the shearing that followed took place on the same farm. Since commercial farmers generally don’t have mixed herds of molting and non-molting rabbits, we can also suppose that all the rabbits shown are non-molting German Angoras. The burning question is now unavoidable: Was the violent plucking of a non-molting rabbit in the opening sequence staged for the camera? It seems this would not be a normal practice on a commercial Angora farm. Basically, any farmer who treated his animals in such a way would not be in business long. In other words, rather than being “more lucrative”, it would only lose them money in the long run. However, I am not say the video was definitely staged. It is also conceivable that it showed a farm where everything was being done wrong. This could be a staged video of animal cruelty that is intended to fool the public into thinking these acts are standard practice in the fur industry, or a very poorly managed farm. https://www.truthaboutfur.com/blog/is-petas-angora-rabbit-video-staged/ Myxomatosis (sometimes shortened to "myxo" or "myxy") is a disease that affects rabbits, caused by the myxoma virus. It was first observed in Uruguay in laboratory rabbits in the late 19th century. It was introduced into Australia in 1950 in an attempt to control the rabbit population. Affected rabbits develop skin tumors, and in some cases blindness, followed by fatigue and fever; they usually die within 14 days of contracting the disease. Myxomatosis refers to an often fatal disease that affects domestic and wild rabbit populations. This disease is caused by the myxoma virus, a species of the poxvirus family. Several strains of this virus exist today. The virus is most commonly spread through insect bites, as the insect transmits the virus through its mouthparts after feeding from an infected animal. Transmittal methods can include fly bites, fur mite bites, mosquito bites, thorns, animal bedding, and food. The disease is spread by direct contact with an affected animal or by being bitten by fleas or mosquitoes that have fed on an infected rabbit. The myxomatosis virus does not replicate in these insect hosts, but can be physically carried by an insect's mouthparts, i.e. from an infected rabbit to another susceptible animal. Due to the potential of insect vector transmission, pet rabbits may be susceptible in enzootic areas and vaccination is highly recommended. The History of Myxomatosis Now this history is written by Professor of Microbiology, John Curtin of the School of Medical Research Myxomatosis constituted the major part of my personal research between 1952 and 1967. To put it in perspective, I (Professor of Microbiology, John Curtin School of Medical Research) will begin with a very brief outline of its history, which is covered in detail in Fenner and Fantini (1999). Myxomatosis was first recognized as a virus disease when it killed European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Giuseppe Sanarelli's laboratory in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1896. In 1911, workers in the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro observed the disease in their laboratory rabbits and correctly classified the causative agent as a large virus. Henrique de Beaurepaire Aragão, working at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, showed that it could be transmitted mechanically by insect bite. In 1942, he showed that the reservoir host in Brazil was the local wild rabbit, Sylvilagus brasiliensis, in which the virus produced a localized nodule in the skin. Knowing that the European rabbit was a major pest animal in Australia, and impressed by the lethality of the disease in these rabbits , in 1919 Aragão wrote to the Australian government suggesting that it should be used here for rabbit control, but the quarantine authorities would not permit its importation. Effects of the disease In rabbits of the genus Sylvilagus (cottontail rabbits) living in the Americas, myxomatosis causes only localized skin tumors, but the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is more severely affected. At first, normally the disease is visible by lumps (myxomata) and puffiness around the head and genitals. It may progress to acute conjunctivitis and possibly blindness; however, this also may be the first visible symptom of the disease. The rabbits become listless, looses appetite, and develops a fever. Secondary bacterial infections occur in most cases, which cause pneumonia and purulent inflammation of the lungs. In cases where the rabbit has little or no resistance, death may take place rapidly, often in as little as 48 hours; most cases result in death within 14 days. Often the symptoms like blindness make the infected rabbit more vulnerable to predators. Effects on other organisms Rabbits helped keep vegetation in their environments short through grazing and short grasses are conducive to habitation by the butterfly, Plebejus argus. When the population of rabbits experienced a decline due to Myxomatosis, grass lengths increased, limiting the environments in which P. argus could live, thereby contributing to the decline of the butterfly population. Treatment In pet rabbits, myxomatosis can be misdiagnosed as pasteurellosis, a bacterial infection which can be treated with antibiotics. By contrast, there is no treatment for rabbits suffering from myxomatosis, other than palliative care to ease the suffering of individual animals, and the treatment of secondary and opportunistic infections, in the hopes the treated animal will survive. In practice, the owner is often urged to euthanize the animal to end its suffering. Use as a population control agent After its discovery in 1896 in imported rabbits in Uruguay, a relatively harmless strain of the disease spread quickly throughout the wild rabbit populations in South America. Australia In Australia, the virus was first field-tested for population control in 1938. A full-scale release was performed in 1950. Myxomatosis was introduced to Australia in 1950 to reduce pest rabbit numbers. The virus initially reduced the wild rabbit population by 95% but since then resistance to the virus has increased and less deadly strains of the virus have emerged. Pet rabbits do not possess any resistance to myxomatosis and mortality rates are between 96-100%. It was devastatingly effective, reducing the estimated rabbit population from 600 million to 100 million in two years. However, the rabbits remaining alive were those least affected by the disease. Genetic resistance to myxomatosis was observed soon after the first release, and descendants of the survivors acquired partial immunity in the first two decades. The idea was revived by Jean Macnamara, a Melbourne paediatrician who had worked with Macfarlane Burnet and thus had an interest in virus diseases. In 1934, she went on a world tour to investigate poliomyelitis, which was her main professional interest. In America, she visited the laboratory of Richard Shope, in the Princeton branch of the Rockefeller Institute. He was investigating a tumour in local cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), which he showed was caused by a poxvirus related to myxoma virus. He called it fibroma virus. At the time there was an epizootic of myxomatosis in domestic European rabbits (O. cuniculus) in California, which was later found to have a different reservoir host (Sylvilagus bachmani). Shope found that fibroma virus would protect laboratory rabbits against myxomatosis. Learning of this fatal rabbit disease, Macnamara wrote to the Australian High Commissioner in London asking him to help her convince the Government to use the virus for rabbit control. Francis Noble Ratcliffe Born in Calcutta in 1904, Ratcliffe studied zoology at Oxford. In 1928, he came to the notice of the London representative of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and this led to his invitation to come to Australia as Sir David Rivett's ‘biological scout’, to study flying foxes and erosion in arid lands, as a result of which he produced a classic book, Flying Fox and Drifting Sand. He returned to Britain in 1932 as Lecturer in Zoology in Aberdeen, but was invited back to Australia as a scientific adviser to the CSIR Executive in 1935. In 1937, he was transferred to the Division of Economic Entomology to work on termites. In 1942, he joined the Australian Army and served with distinction as Assistant Director of Entomology. Since I was serving in New Guinea as a malariologist at that time, Professor of Microbiology, John Curtin saw quite a lot of him then. After demobilization he served briefly as assistant to the Chief of the Division of Entomology, but in 1948 he was appointed Officer-in-Charge of the newly created Wildlife Survey Section of CSIR. Initially he had to work on rabbit control, and after some disappointments succeeded in introducing myxomatosis. Study of this disease preoccupied the Section for several years, but later he was able to broaden studies of the biology of the rabbit and introduce biological studies of native animals as an important part of the work of the Section, which by then had been expanded to the Division of Wildlife and Ecology. He retired from CSIRO in 1969. He played a major role in setting up the Australian Conservation Foundation in 1964, and devoted a great deal of time to its expansion to become Australia's peak environmental non-government organization, until he had to retire for health reasons in 1970 (see Coman, 1998; Mackerras, 1971). The Chief Quarantine Officer was again very reluctant to allow its importation, but allowed scientists in CSIR (which was transformed into the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, CSIRO, in 1949), to test its species sensitivity against a wide range of domestic and native animals; they found that it infected only European rabbits. Several field trials were carried out, in dry inland areas, but the virus died out. Then came World War II, and in 1943 all investigations were stopped. With so many country boys in the army, rabbit control, such as it was, had been neglected throughout the period 1939 to 1945, and by 1946 rabbits had increased to unprecedented numbers. Jean Macnamara (now Dame Jean) wrote articles in the rural press highly critical of CSIR/CSIRO for not proceeding immediately to try myxomatosis for biological control of the pest. In 1948, a CSIR/CSIRO scientist, Francis Ratcliffe, was appointed Officer-in-Charge of the newly-established Wildlife Survey Section, but instead of studying the native fauna, Ian Clunies Ross, Chairman of the newly-formed CSIRO, insisted that he should first try out myxomatosis. Several field trials failed, but in the Christmas–New Year period of 1950–51 the disease escaped from one of the four trial sites in the Murray valley and spread all over the Murray-Darling basin, killing millions of rabbits. Resistance has been increasing slowly since the 1970s; the disease now kills about 50% of infected rabbits. In an attempt to increase that rate, a second virus (rabbit calicivirus) was introduced into the rabbit population in 1996. France Myxomatosis was introduced to France by the bacteriologist Dr. Paul Armand Delille, following his use of the virus to rid his private estate of rabbits in June 1952 (He inoculated two of the rabbits on his land). Within four months the virus had spread 50 km; Armand suspected this was due to poachers taking infected rabbits from his estate. By 1954, 90% of the wild rabbits in France were dead. The disease spread throughout Europe. Ireland Myxomatosis was deliberately introduced to Ireland by farmers in 1954. The skin of a diseased rabbit was sent by post from the United Kingdom and rubbed on healthy rabbits. Infected animals were transported around the country to hasten the spread of the disease. By 1955, myxomatosis had spread to every part of Ireland and, by the 1960s, the rabbit meat industry had collapsed. United Kingdom The disease reached the UK in 1953. The first outbreak in the UK to be officially confirmed was in Bough Beech, Kent in September 1953. It was encouraged in the UK as an effective rabbit bio-control measure; this was done by placing sick rabbits in burrows, though this is now illegal in the UK under a 1954 law. As a result, it is understood that more than 99% of rabbits in the UK were killed by the outbreak, although populations soon recovered. Myxomatosis in 1950s Britain. In 1953 myxomatosis, a viral disease of rabbits, broke out in Britain for the first time. It rapidly killed tens of millions of the animals from Kent to the Shetlands. Many farmers and foresters welcomed a disease that virtually eliminated a longstanding and serious agricultural pest. Others were horrified by the sight of thousands of dead and dying animals. With meat still rationed, consumers rued the loss of a cheap and nutritious foodstuff. Rough shooters deplored the loss of prey and hatters and furriers the unavailability of the fur on which their businesses depended. Rabbits also had champions within the 'establishment'; these included Winston Churchill who was personally influential in making deliberate transmission of the disease a criminal offence. The arrival in Britain of myxomatosis presented the authorities with difficult questions: should they try to contain it, spread it or do nothing; should they take advantage of rabbit depopulation and try to exterminate such a destructive animal? In the event the outbreak was allowed to run its course and rabbit extermination became government policy. New Zealand Myxomatosis was introduced in New Zealand in the early 1950s as a form of pathogenic control. Unlike in Australia, it failed to become established because of a lack of a suitable spreading organism. Myxomatosis in the US Myxomatosis cases in pet rabbits are periodically reported in the coastal areas of Oregon, California, and Baja California, Mexico, in the territory of the brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) who is a reservoir of this disease. Western Oregon 2016 Marion County, August 2016 Douglas County, July-August 2015 Polk County, June 2010 Western Oregon 2004 Linn & Benton counties, July 2003 Linn & Benton counties, July Northern California 2017 Monterey County/San Benito County, August (Aromas, reported by Dr. Hilary Stern at Animal Hospital of Soquel) 2017 Santa Clara County, June (Los Gatos, reported by guardian & Dr. Curt Nakamura Adobe Animal Hospital) 2017 Santa Barbara County, June, July, August, August 2016 San Luis Obispo, Sept 2016 Santa Cruz County, July & Sept 2016 Santa Barbara County, (reported by CDFA) June & July & August 2015 Monterey County, Sept 2015 Santa Cruz County 2014 Santa Cruz County, August 2013 Sonoma County, October (Sebastopol – reported by guardian & Dr. Pfann, Brandner Vet) 2012 Monterey County (reported by AFRP’s Rescue Rabbits Rock) Southern California 2010 San Gabriel Valley (near Los Angeles), July Baja California (Mexico) 1993 Ensenada, Sept-Oct Use of vaccine A vaccine is available for pet rabbits (ATCvet code: QI08AD02 (WHO)). The vaccine is not allowed to be used in Australia because the live virus in the vaccine has the potential to spread into the wild rabbit population which could result in wild rabbit immunity to myxomatosis. If this happened, there would be a dramatic increase in the number of wild rabbits in Australia, which would cause major damage to the environment and economic losses. Many pet rabbits in Australia continue to die from the disease due to their lack of immunity. There is at least one campaign to allow the vaccine for domestic pets. In the UK a live combination vaccine, Nobivac Myxo-RHD, made by MSD Animal Health, has become available since 2011. Its active ingredient is a live myxoma-vectored RHD virus strain 009 and it offers a duration of immunity of 1 year against both RHD and myxomatosis. There are two vaccinations against myxomatosis, however these are not available in Australia. Thus the only way to prevent infection is to protect your pet rabbits from biting insects such as fleas and mosquitoes. Put mosquito netting around your rabbit’s hutch even if indoors (this will help to prevent flystrike as well). If your rabbits are allowed to exercise outside avoid letting them out in the early morning or late afternoon when mosquitoes are more numerous. Please talk to your vet about flea prevention for rabbits. You can use Revolution (Selamectin) or Advantage (Imidocloprid) for flea prevention, but you must check first with your vet for dosages. Do not use Frontline (Fipronil) as this has been associated with severe adverse reactions in rabbits. Natural resistance The development of resistance to the disease has taken different courses. In Australia, the virus initially killed rabbits very quickly – about 4 days after infection. This gave little time for the infection to spread. However, a less virulent form of the virus then became prevalent there, which spread more effectively by being less lethal. In Europe, many rabbits are genetically resistant to the original virus that was spread. The survival rate of diseased rabbits has now increased to 35%, while in the 1950s it was near zero. Hares are not affected by myxomatosis, but can act as vectors. Symptoms and Types Incubation period is usually 1-3 days In the acute form, eyelid edema (swelling) usually develops first Perioral swelling and edema (the tissue of the mouth) Perineal swelling and edema (the outer area between the anus and vulva or scrotum) Cutaneous (skin) hemorrhage Lethargy Anorexia Dyspnea (difficult breathing) Seizures or other central nervous system (CNS) signs - excitement, opisthotonos (spasm of the back muscles) Death typically occurs within 1-2 weeks Wild/outdoor rabbits Cutaneous nodules at the site of transmission (insect bite, scratch) may be noticeable Young wild or feral rabbits may develop disease symptoms similar to pet rabbits Causes This disease is caused by the myxoma virus, a strain of leporipoxvirus. Outbreaks of it are more more likely when mosquitoes are numerous, in the summer and fall. Diagnosis Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your rabbit, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. A blood profile will be conducted, including a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. One of the obvious symptoms that will help your doctor to make a diagnosis will be the presence of nodules on the skin surface. However, in cases that are very sudden (peracute), there may be no lesions. Subcutaneous ecchymoses, or purple, bruise-like spots on the skin due to the rupturing of blood vessels, are sometimes associated with myxoma virus. An internal exploration may find ecchymoses in serosal surfaces (lining) of the gastrointestinal tract as well. In many cases, there is hepatic necrosis (death of the liver tissue), splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen), infarcts (death of tissue due to deprivation of blood supply), or hemorrhage in the lungs, trachea (windpipe), and thymus (gland near the base of the neck). Other findings include undifferentiated mesenchymal cells (the undetermined cells that are capable of transforming into many of the materials needed by the body (e.g., connective tissue, cartilage, blood), inflammatory cells, mucin (glycoproteins found in the mucous), and edema (swelling). If the rabbit is pregnant when it becomes infected, necrotizing lesions may be seen in fetal placentas. Treatment Due to the serious nature of this virus, most rabbits do not survive. Treatment is instead focused on making your rabbit as comfortable as possible. Take your rabbit to the vet immediately if you are concerned your rabbit might have Myxomatosis, and separate them from any other rabbits in your home. Your vet can determine whether your rabbit might instead have rabbit Syphilis, or an upper respiratory infection, or an eye infection, all of which are treatable conditions. If your pet rabbit does develop myxomatosis, your vet will advise the best course of action, which may be euthanasia. Treatment is rarely successful, even if commenced early in the infection and the course of disease is very painful and stressful. Thoroughly disinfect your rabbit hutch, water bottles and food bowls with household bleach, rinsing it off so that it cannot be ingested by any other rabbits. Bringing a new rabbit home is not recommended for at least four months after a case of myxomatosis as the virus is able to survive in the environment for some time. Why isn’t the vaccine in Europe/the UK available in the US? The Myxomatosis vaccine available in Europe and in the UK has not been approved by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Center for Veterinary Biologics, so there is no vaccine available in the United States, and it is not legal to import the vaccine from other countries. How can I protect my rabbit from Myxomatosis? House your rabbits indoors with window screens. If you live in an area with reported Myxomatosis cases, treat your rabbits monthly with Revolution, to prevent fleas and fur mites. Revolution is a prescription medication, available through your veterinarian. Or, treat with over-the-counter Advantage, which provides protection from fleas (but not from mosquitoes or fur mites). Be sure to give your cats and dogs flea treatment, too. Don’t let your rabbit play outside if you live in an area with currently reported Myxomatosis cases. Rabbits live longer, healthier lives when indoors. Because myxomatosis is just one of many concerns facing rabbits who live outdoors, House Rabbit Society recommends indoor homes for rabbits as the primary preventative, along with adequate screening on doors and windows. For rabbits who must live or spend some of their time out of doors, protection against mosquitoes is next best bet, via protecting the rabbits’ play area with mosquito netting or some other barrier. Prevention Screening to keep out insects, flea control, and keeping your rabbits indoors are some of the most effective preventitve methods against the myxoma virus. If you are bringing new rabbits into the home or property, quarantine the new rabbits, and do not house wild rabbits with domestic pet rabbits. Vaccination with an attenuated myxoma virus vaccine may provide temporary protection, but it may not be available in your area. If you are able to gain access to the vaccine, be aware that it may cause atypical myomatosis (due to it having a small amount of the virus in the vaccine itself). http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p34751/html/ch06s03.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomatosis https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/viral/c_rb_myxomatosis http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Viral_diseases/Myxo/Myxo.htm https://rabbit.org/myxo/ www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/animal/statement-chief-veterinary-officer-myxomatosis-vaccine http://kb.rspca.org.au/what-is-myxomatosis-and-how-do-i-protect-my-rabbit-from-it_73.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19069081 http://www.furandfeather.co.uk/untitled.pdf https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.42.12.1522 Why Lizards Can’t Sit http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2011/07/why_lizards_cant_sit.html An African-American Folktale Retold by S.E. Schlosser Back in the old days, Brer Lizard was an awful lot like Brer Frog, meaning he could sit upright like a dog. Things were like this for quite a spell. Then one day when they were walking down the road by their swamp, Brer Lizard, Brer Rabbit, and Brer Frog spotted some real nice pasture land with a great big pond that was on the far side of a great big fence. Ooo did that land look good. Looked like a great place for Brer Lizard to catch insects and other good food. And Brer Frog wanted a swim in that big ol’ pool. Brer Rabbit wanted to lay in the pasture. Brer Lizard, Brer Rabbit, and Brer Frog went right up to the fence, which got bigger and bigger as they approached. It kinda loomed over them, as big and tall as they were little and small. And the boards of that fence were mashed together real tight, and deep into the ground. It was too tall to hop over, and neither of them was much good at digging, so they couldn’t go under. That fence said Keep Out pretty clear, even though no one had put a sign on it. Well, Brer Lizard, Brer Rabbit, and Brer Frog sat beside that tall fence with their bottoms on the ground and their front ends propped up, ‘cause Brer Lizard could still sit upright then jest like a dog, and they tried to figure out how to get through the fence. Suddenly, Brer Frog saw a narrow crack, low to the ground. “I’m going ta squeeze through that crack over there,” he croaked. “Lawd, help me through!” And Brer Frog hopped over and pushed and squeezed and struggled and prayed his way through that tiny crack until he popped out on t’other side. “Come on Lizard,” Brer Frog called through the crack. “I’m a-comin’!” Brer Lizard called back. “I’m a-goin’ to squeeze through this here crack, Lawd willin’ or not!” Brer Rabbit hopped off to the pasture, and rested in the sun. Brer Lizard scurried over to the crack in the fence and he pushed and squeezed and struggled and cursed. Suddenly, a rail fell down and mashed him flat! After that, Brer Lizard couldn’t sit upright no more. And he never did get through that fence to eat them insects, neither! http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2011/07/why_lizards_cant_sit.html Word of the week: Laxative © Copyrighted
When was the last time you saw a rabbit - dead or alive? Despite its reputation, a BTO survey suggests European rabbit numbers in the UK have declined by around 60 per cent over the last 20 years. In turn, other species from birds to invertebrates are also suffering as a result. Tom Heap tracks down the story. Myxomatosis wiped out the majority of the population in the 50s and 60s and can still affect the young but now scientists are concerned about Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease. Ironically this is deliberately released in some countries as a deliberate way to control the population but is thought to be behind large-scale declines in the UK through spreading naturally. He visits areas which have seen numbers disappear, to hear what they're doing about it and concerns it may pass on to other species. Now groups are asking walkers and cyclists to log rabbit sightings to get a broader picture of numbers but should we really be working on an antidote? http://www.mammal.org.uk/volunteering/mammal-mapper/ Producer: Anne-Marie Bullock.
One of the newest rabbit breeds, named for the mane of long hair standing up in a fringe around the head. They are small rabbits, lively and energetic but good-natured. The Lionhead is a fairly short-furred little rabbit, with the exception of a mane of long wool around the face, neck, and possibly low on the flanks. They do look a like little lions. Origins The Lionhead gene is the first major mutation in rabbits since the Satin in 1932, and unlike other fur gene mutations it is dominant. This means that a Lionhead rabbit crossed with a normal rabbit will still pass on the 'mane' gene to some offspring, producing more Lionheads. We are going to explore the origins of the LionHead rabbit. There are differing accounts of where the Lionhead mutation first occured; some sources say it originated in Belgium, as a result of crossing Swiss Fox with Belgian Dwarf rabbits to create a long-coated dwarf rabbit, with the progeny then bred with the Dwarf Angora. Introduction to the Lionhead Breed Over in Europe... There has been a lot of speculation on how the Lionhead rabbit began. Bob Whitman, who was a very knowledgeable rabbit history buff and enthusiast, spent many hours researching the beginnings of this breed. He believed that the precursor of the Lionhead dated back decades earlier than first thought. Another widely held belief holds that they originated in Belgium in a litter of bunnies that was the result of the crossbreeding of the Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf in which a genetic mutation produced an early version of the mane we have come to recognize on today's' Lionhead. Other crosses to a smaller wool type breed may have also been included in the crossbreeding. Some sources list the Jersey Wooly, although more accurately it would be the European Dwarf Angora (in the USA we have no Dwarf Angora so the name Jersey Wooly was added here). In the early 1960's the Lionhead rabbit appeared as a genetic mutation in a litter of rabbits in France and in crossbred litters in Belgium. The breeders were actually trying to produce a long-coated Dwarf. The parents of the crossbred litter was a Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf. The exact trail of their development has been lost, however rabbits with "beards" were present in France in the mid-1960's. Ms. Meg Brown, renowned rabbit expert of Scotland, reported that these "bearded rabbits" closely resembled today's lionheads. Many experts believe that the lionhead rabbit originates from a crossing between a Swiss Fox and a Netherland dwarf rabbit, there is however no scientific evidence. Others state that the lionhead is a crossing between a Jersey Wooly and a Netherland dwarf but they can’t support their hypothesis with evidence. Although it is not likely that we will ever find out their true origination we can assume it is one of the mentioned theories. An undesirable trait in the Dwarf Angora, attempts were made to set the gene in a new breed, 'Téte de Lion'. Whatever its origins, the Lionhead certainly originated in Europe, and the Dwarf Angora played an important role in its early development. Belgian breeder Mr. Ronny de Clerq began breeding Lionheads in 1970. Through in-breeding and cross-breeding, he is credited with stabilizing and enhancing the breed as it is known today. At first weighing 3 kg (6.6 pounds) or so, he crossed his Lionhead bunnies with smaller dwarf breeds. This reduced the size of the breed, and it also introduced multiple color genes into the gene pool. Later, the breed was imported into England where continued crossbreeding of small breed rabbits and additional wool breeds were done. These cross-breedings made in Europe and in England created the current EUROPEAN LIONHEAD RABBIT. The one thing that we know for sure is that the result of the Lionhead, however they came about, was the first true gene mutation since the 1930's. Here in America... The first Lionheads that were used as a basis for any concentrated breeding programs in the United States were imported in 2000 by the late JoAnne Statler of Minnesota. In the following years, other breeders brought additional stock into this country. Tom Coats of Maryland, Theresa Mueller and Cheryl Rafoth of Washington State, Toni Tubbs, also of Washington and the late Bob Whitman of Rare Bits & Pieces in Texas also imported Lionheads from Europe. These imports, along with hybridizations made throughout the United States have produced the American version of the Lionhead Rabbit as we know it today. The five Lionheads that were first brought into Northern Minnesota were of very different varieties: a Silver Tipped Steel doe, a dark Siamese Sable buck(carrier of the Harlequin and Steel), a Harlequin (Black/Orange) doe, a Broken Chestnut Agouti buck and a Black sport buck (with a Dutch blaze, a carrier of the Vienna/BEW gene). In an attempt to broaden the gene pool, several Minnesota breeders began crossing the Lionheads to various other small breeds such as Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, Polish, and Florida White. Holland Lops have also been used by some in the Lionhead breeding program. The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club was born... The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club (NALRC) was founded on September 29th, 2001 at the Minnesota State Rabbit Breeders Association State Show held in Elk River, Minnesota. Since then, I have grown to a club of over 300 members. The NALRC hosts a National Lionhead Rabbit show the first weekend in May in Columbus, Ohio each year. The club publishes an information packed quarterly Newsletter called the Mane Musings, and all new members receive a Guidebook and membership card. Each calendar year, the NALRC sponsors a Lionhead Sweepstakes contest. The first NALRC National Exhibition Show was held... The first NALRC National Lionhead Exhibition Show was held in May of 2003 in Columbus Ohio. The show was judged by Eric Bengtson. The show had an overwhelming entry of 204 Lionheads. At that first show, Lionheads were shown the same way as the Netherland Dwarf breed with varieties judged first, followed by selection of best in each group. This type of judging was used in hopes of persuading the ARBA to revisit the question of allowing the Lionhead Breed to enter the ARBA Standard Book as a breed shown in groups and not varieties. When the ARBA Standards Committee met during the 2003 ARBA Convention, a formal request made by Bob Whitman to make that change was denied. Every year since the first show in 2003, the NALRC continued to hold an annual National Lionhead Exhibition Show on the first Saturday in May, in Columbus, OH in conjunction with the Ohio State Rabbit Breeders Association (OSRBA) annual show. Varieties on COD were judged individually, and all competed for Best of Breed. NALRC will continue to hold a national breed show in the Spring every year, but with the recognition of the breed came the ability for ARBA chartered clubs to bid to host the specialty in other areas of the country. The Lionhead is one of the newest rabbit breeds and has been developed following a genetic mutation that causes the growth of a longer 'mane' of hair around the head. In nature, mutations occur quite frequently, and many breeds result from a mutation that is fixed through a selective breeding programme. Rabbits with the 'mane' gene were imported to Britain and bred with other small wool breeds and Dwarf breeds, to develop the Lionhead breed as we know it today. The Netherland Dwarf has had a particularly strong influence in establishing the compact body shape and small ears of the breed standard, and also introducing a wide variety of colors. Some people refer to this breed as Lionhaired, which is not an official name but generally understood to be a collective term referring to the hair type, the miniature version and the lop eared version, the mini-lion lop or dwarf lionhead. Sometimes the Lionhead rabbit is referred to as the 'Teddy Bear' rabbit, but this is also incorrect, as this name was initially linked to the Angora breed. Chronological History of the Lionhead Rabbit for the BRC 1995 Derek Medlock and Joyce Taylor were in Bruges for a rabbit show. A friend was collecting 12 Lionheads and Derek and Joyce, having already been introduced to the Lionhead at the Cambridge show by Mary Page went with him. When they arrived there were 21 rabbits and Joyce said that she would like the ones that their friend did not want. She was given the choice of color and chose Sooty Fawn, the rest as they say, is history. Recognition in UK It took more than 4 years to complete the process. Already in 1998 the Breeds Standards Committee (BSC) had a meeting where they spoke about the Lionhead breed. A year later a standard was proposed to the BSC to which they agreed. In the following years the working standard was accepted and an official lionhead club was founded. This club became part of the much broader rare varieties club. 1999 A proposed standard was put to the Breed Standards Committee and agreed provisionally. Mr and Mrs Gaunt were to be secretaries of the Lionhead Club under the umbrella of the Rare Varieties Club. Clarinette Stud were Best Unstandardised with a Harlequin buck at Bradford As from the year 2000 several presentations were held at the Bradfrord Championship Show in different colors. In 2000 The Working Standard was agreed by the Breed Standards Committee with the ring size to be 'C'. First Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead at Bradford Championship show. You may be interested to know that the Judge was Mrs. Pam Honour, she was obviously impressed as she is now breeding and showing Lionheads. Clarinette Stud went Best Unstandardised with a Blue Lionhead. London Championship show - 1st presentation by Dee Millen of Agouti, Chin, Opal, Magpie and in partnership with Carmill Stud - Red Eyed White. 2001 The 2nd Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead at Bradford Championship Show. 1st Presentation of the Blue Lionhead at Bradford. 2nd Presentation of Agouti, Opal, Magpie and REW, The Chinchilla had, with permission from BRC, changed homes to Sandoval Stud. 2002 Schlegel and Davies were Best Unstandardised with a Chocolate Lionhead The third and final Presentation of the Harlequin Lionhead. (Harley, the rabbit that won Best Unstandardised in 1999 was in this Presentation) 2nd Presentation of Blue Lionhead at Bradford The major breakthrough was at the first of may in 2002. Just several days after the latest Bradford show ended the British Rabbit Council (BRC) decided to officially recognize the Lionhead rabbit breed. The BRC standardized the Lionhead rabbit in all of its available colors. A week after Bradford the BRC Management Committee agreed to standardize the Lionhead in all recognized colors from May 1st. Therefore there are no restrictions for showing your lionhead in the UK, all colors can compete for best of breed and best in show March 23rd - National Lionhead Rabbit Club granted official recognition as the National Club for the breed. May 1st - STANDARDISATION AS IT IS TODAY May 5th - First stock show at Southern Championship show at Bognor Regis. Recognition in US I will circle back on some of the history we already covered to explain how the recognition developed. Bob Whitman, whom we have discussed on other episodes, was a highly respected rabbit enthusiast, breeder and author on all things rabbit and particularly enjoyed the more unusual breeds. He passionately researched rabbit history on his favorite breeds and spent many hours researching the beginnings of the Lionhead breed. He also held a COD for this breed. He believed the Belgian dwarf and Silver fox cross theory and also that other crosses to a smaller wool type breed may have also been included in the crossbreeding. Bob wrote a very good book called 'Domestic Rabbits and their Histories' which includes descriptions about the Lionhead rabbit breed, which we will have a link to in the show notes. Further development involved European Dwarf Angora also known as a Jersey Wooly in the USA. Later, the breed was imported into England where continued crossbreeding of small breed rabbits and additional wool breeds were done. This crossbreeding made in Europe and in England created the current European Lionhead rabbit we know today. In contrast with their relatively late arrival in the United States the Lionhead Rabbit was already very popular in Europe during the late eighties. The first Lionheads that were used as a basis for any concentrated breeding programs in the United States were imported in 2000 by the late JoAnne Statler of Minnesota. In the following years, other breeders brought in additional stock of which Bob Whitman was one, who also imported Lionheads from Europe. These imports, along with hybrids made throughout the United States, have produced the American version of the Lionhead that we see today. The first lionhead rabbit was imported in 2000, it would however take more than 14 years before the standard committee of the American Rabbit Breeders Association would stand (ARBA) would officially recognize the lionhead rabbit breed. The five Lionheads that were first taken into Northern Minnesota were of very different varieties: Silver Tipped Steel doe Dark Siamese Sable buck (carrier of the Harlequin and Steel) Harlequin (Black/Orange) doe Broken Chestnut Agouti buck Black sport buck (with a Dutch blaze, a carrier of the Vienna/BEW gene) In an attempt to broaden the gene pool, several Minnesota breeders began crossing the Lionheads to various other small breeds such as Netherland Dwarf, Britannia Petite, Polish, and Florida White. Holland Lops have also been used by some in the Lionhead breeding program which went on to produce lop eared mini lions. NALRC The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club was founded on September 29th, 2001 at the Minnesota State Rabbit Breeders Association State Show held in Elk River, Minnesota. The first NALRC National Lionhead Exhibition Show was held in May of 2003 in Columbus Ohio. The show had an overwhelming entry of 204 Lionheads. At that first show, Lionheads were shown the same way as the Netherland Dwarf breed with varieties judged first, followed by selection of best in each group. The first attempt to get the breed recognized in the United States was made by Arden Wetzel of Minnesota who held the first COD for the breed. He made his first presentation attempt in 2004 during the ARBA Convention held in Rhode Island. The attempt in 2004 failed in all five colors. He then made a second attempt in 2005 at the ARBA Convention in Indiana. Arden was successful in Tortoise in 2005 which meant the breed moved forward in Tortoise only. As of 1 February 2014 the ARBA officially recognized the breed in the varieties Tortoise and Ruby Eyed White (REW). hope of persuading the ARBA to revisit the question of allowing the Lionhead breed to enter the ARBA Standard Book as a breed shown in groups and not varieties. When the ARBA Standards Committee met during the 2003 ARBA Convention, a formal request made by Bob Whitman to make that change was denied. Here is an invaluable new reference book, bringing years of experience, research and information together into one handy publication. Over 200 breeds have been meticulously researched, making this title indispensable reading for all rabbit enthusiasts. COD "Certificate of Development" The COD process involves presenting the breed to the ARBA Standards committee at the organization's annual convention and show. This process requires that there be three successful presentations within five years in order for the breed to become recognized, and included in the ARBA Standard of Perfection. At this time there are several Certification of Development (COD) holders that try to get their variety officially recognized. In order to achieve this they must have 3 successful show presentations, this has to happen within 5 years. The current breed COD presenter is Theresa Mueller of Seattle, Washington. She made her first successful presentation at the 2010 ARBA Convention in Minneapolis, MN in November, 2010 in the varieties of REW, Black Tortoiseshell and Black. In November 2011, at the 88th ARBA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Mueller Lionhead presentation was assessed one fail in each variety (REW, Black Tortoiseshell and Black) due to disqualification of one junior animal in each variety having transitional wool on the flanks that exceeded the allowable maximum length. The ARBA Standards Committee then allowed Mueller to make a few changes to her proposed working breed standard, and also allowed the grouping all four varieties of Tortoiseshell (black, blue, chocolate and lilac) for her 2012 presentation. In October 2012, at the ARBA Convention in Wichita, Kansas, the Ruby-Eyed White (REW) and Black Tortoiseshell passed their next attempt at second presentation, therefore both varieties needed one more successful presentation at the ARBA Convention in October 2013 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the breed to become recognized. The black variety did not pass, which ended Mueller's presentation process for that variety. In October 2013 the lionheads passed the evaluation by the standards committee in the colors of Ruby Eyed White and Tortoise. Those colors will are the only recognized colors, for now. Beginning with the 2014 ARBA convention in Ft.Worth, Texas other colors will begin the presentation process and attempt to also become accepted, show-able colors. As of February 1st, 2014 they have been eligible to show for Best in Show and receive legs of Grand Champion like any other of the accepted breeds. Despite the growing number of Lionhead breeders and excellent Lionheads crossing the unofficial show tables every year, the new breed turned out to be a hard sell to the ARBA. Eventually, however, certificates of development were issued. Lionheads finally passed their third showing at the 2013 ARBA convention, and have been eligible for competition at ARBA shows since February 2014. As of February 1, 2014, Lionheads have become officially recognized in the United States as the 48th rabbit breed of the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in the varieties of Tortoise (all 4 colors) and REW. This means that Lionheads in those varieties will be eligible to win legs of Grand Champion and compete with other breeds for Best In Show at ARBA sanctioned shows. They are also able to be registered with ARBA in REW and Tort, and receive certificates of Grand Champion. As of December 1, 2016 Chocolate and Seal were added to the list of recognized ARBA varieties. Per ARBA rules, show secretaries are not obligated to accept entries in any other variety except Tortoise, REW, Chocolate and Seal; however, most varieties on COD will most likely be allowed to be shown for exhibition, as may other colors that are not on COD. This means that they will be allowed to compete for Best of Variety (BOV) and Best Opposite Sex of Variety (BOSV), but will not be allowed to compete for legs of Grand Champion, Best of Breed (BOB), Best Opposite Sex (BOS) or Best In Show (BIS). Congratulations on the acceptance of the following new breed varieties at the 2016 ARBA National Convention in Del Mar, California: Lilac Havana, Chocolate & Seal Lionheads, Himalayan & Squirrel Mini Satins, and Blue New Zealand. Current Variety CODs: Chocolate, and Seal HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE PRESENTATION PROCESS AND WILL BE ADDED TO THE BREED STANDARD AS RECOGNIZED VARIETIES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2016. Sable Point and Siamese Sable will make their attempts at successful 3rd Presentation in Indy in 2017. BEW (Blue-eyed White) will be eligible to present in 2017. Black has recently been awarded a COD and will be eligible to begin the presentation process in 2018. Recognition in Europe? Strangely, the Lionhead rabbit is not a recognized breed in Europe nor has it been standardized anywhere. However there is an International Breeds Standard Confederation, otherwise known as The European Confederation of Rabbits, Pigeons and Poultry. (EE) Just like the BRC and the ARBA, the EE will oversee any new European breed and it must be breeding true to the original progenitor for at least four to five years before initial acceptance. Understanding how the hair genes work, will shed more light on their probable creation. Genes The gene that gives the lionhead its distinctive 'lion's mane' characteristic is a dominant gene, so breeding a pure-bred Lionhead with another rabbit will produce an animal with a the obvious mane and bib. This gene mutation phenomena is the most recent major gene mutation to happen in rabbits since the Satin gene occurred in 1932. From this mutation, breeders in Europe went on to develop this longer-haired breed of rabbit because of its striking mane and bib. Only a few Lionhead rabbit breeders have been given the official Certificate of Development, (COD). Development Appearance The Lionhead is a small rabbit, weighing around 1.3-1.7kg (3-3¾lbs). Lionhead rabbits have a compact, medium build with a short, broad and well-rounded body. The head is broad, slightly rounded and close-set on the body, with short, upright ears. Size: The Lionhead rabbit is a cobby, well rounded breed - Ring size C Weight: Adult Weight: Ideal 2.5 lbs to 3.5lbs Maximum 3.12 lbs Shape: The Lionhead rabbit has a small, compact body, short, cobby and well rounded, the shoulders and chest broad and well filled. The head should be bold, with good width between the eyes but not quite round from all sides, with a well-developed muzzle. There should be no visible neck. The hindquarters broad, deep and well rounded. Their legs are of medium length and they are of medium bone, not too fine with a stance to be high enough to show the full chest and mane. Ears: The Lionhead ears are not to exceed 3 inches (7.5cm) long. They are upright open ears, well covered, of good substance, but not furnished as an Angora. The ears should be balanced with the head and body. Eyes: The Lionhead rabbit should have bold and bright, eyes. The white coated lionheads should have red or blue eyes (the BEW not accepted by the ARBA). The eyes of any other color should be as per color standard. Self Varieties Ruby Eyed White Lionhead REW or Ruby Eyed White (Red Eyes) Pure white coat and undercoat. Notes: If the eyes are blue the rabbit is a BEW (Blue Eyed White). black lionhead rabbit Black (Brown Eyes) Rich uniform black color over entire body. Undercoat is dark slate blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the black color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be black on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Lionhead Rabbit Varieties The ARBA recognise the Lionhead breed in the following varieties: Tortoise - Black Blue Chocolate Lilac Ruby Eyed White - REW The BRC recognize all colors as long as they conform to a recognized color and pattern. The following color descriptions are based on the current breed standards, not all from the ARBA but will offer some guidance to the Lionhead colors and the way they can be seen on the breed, both in the adult rabbit and the kits. Included below are notes on how the colors can be faulted, i.e. if a rabbit does not meet certain color guidelines for that color variety then they are faulted or disqualified from show. Notes: Animals are faulted for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light under-color. blue lionhead rabbit Blue (Dark Blue/Grey Eyes) Rich uniform blue color over entire body. Undercoat is also blue. Lionheads may have a slight diffusion of the blue color in their wool due to the nature of the wool itself. Newborns will be blue on their entire body including belly and insides of the ears. Notes: Animals are faulted for having faded color, scattered white hairs, or a light under-color. Shaded Varieties sable point lionhead Sable Point (Brown Eyes) The nose, ears, feet, and tail are to be a rich sepia brown. The color of the points is to fade rapidly to a rich creamy body surface color, which has a creamy white under-color. Darker shading is permissible around the eyes. Newborns will almost look like REWs. Their points take a little bit to develop. Cold weather does affect their points and will make the points darker. Notes: Animals are faulted for having streaks, blotches, or smut on the body. Point color that is so light as to lose the contrast with the body color is to be faulted. Scattered white hairs are also a fault. Animals having a white underside of tail are disqualified. Siamese Sable (Brown Eyes) The surface color is to be a rich sepia brown on the head, ears, back, outside of legs, and top of the tail. The surface color will fade to a lighter sepia on the sides, chest, belly, inside of legs, and underside of the tail. The dark face color is to fade from the eyes to the jaws and all blending of color is to be gradual and free from blotched or streaks. The under-color will be slightly lighter than the surface color. Newborns will NOT be the dark rich color of the adults. They will be a light brown mocha color. Almost a silvery color with a brown tinge. Notes: Animals are faulted that have streaks, blotched, or poor color blending. Scattered white hairs, or lack of darker color in the loin area is a fault. Tortoise (Brown Eyes) On adults the points (ears and face) will be very visible in a dark brown. The undercoat will be lighter than the surface. Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks and dark insides and outsides of the ears. With the exception of the dark ears they will look like orange babies. Notes: Animals with a white belly or underside of tail are disqualified. Agouti Varieties The Agouti variety has banded hair shafts. The best way to tell is if you can see the rings caused by the banded hair shaft when you blow into the fur. Chestnut (Brown Eyes) The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be a light brown, ticked with jet black. The intermediate band is to be a well defined orange over a dark slate-blue under-color. The chest is to be a light brown over a dark slate-blue under-color. The under-color of the belly is to be slate-blue. The top of the tail is to be black, sparsely ticked with light brown, over a dark slate-blue under-color. The nape of the neck is to be orange, with the ears laced in black. Newborns will have very dark bodies and will look similar to black newborns. The insides of the ears will be cream colored (black babies have dark ears inside and out). The first few days they will have pink underbellies. A week or so later they will have pearl white underbellies and tops of the feet. Notes: Faults are given to animals that are too light or too dark in surface color, or too light in the color of the intermediary band or under=color. White toenails are a disqualification. Chinchilla or Silver Agouti (Grey, Blue or Light Brown/Grey Eyes) The fur should look silver with black ticking. Blue undercoat. The ears should be black laced. When you blow into the fur you should see prominent rings. This is caused by the banded hair shaft of an agouti. The rings should be off white and slate gray. Inside of the ears, feet, ring around eyes and nose should be pearl white. Underside of the tail and belly should be white or silver. Notes: Animals are disqualified with extreme dark or light color, brown patches of color, or extreme brownish tinge in ring color. Animals without black lacing on ears are also disqualified. Opal (Dark Blue/Grey Eyes) The surface color on the top and sides of the body is to be blue mingled with fawn. The intermediary band is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue under-color. The chest is to be fawn over a medium slate-blue under-color. The under-color of the belly is to be slate blue. The top of the tail is to be blue, sparsely ticked with fawn, over a medium slate-blue under-color. The nape of the neck is to be fawn. Newborns will be mostly blue expect for their bellies and the inside of the ears which will be a pearl white. Notes: Animals that have light color on the surface will be faulted, in the intermediary band, or in the under-color. Other Color Varieties Orange Lionhead rabbit Orange (Brown Eyes) Orange coat with cream undercoat. Back of the ears should also be the same color orange. Inside of the ears, ring around the eyes and nose, belly and chest should be cream. Underside of tail and around genitals should be white. Newborns will be orange on their back and head with dark flanks - they will look similar to a tortoise at birth. The insides of the ears will be white and outsides of the ears will be orange - not dark colored. Notes: Faults include any smut (darker hairs) in the coat. UK Colors All colors found in other rabbit breeds are recognized in the UK, commonly; Agouti, Black, Blue, Butterfly, Chestnut, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Fawn, Fox, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Orange, Otter, Sable Marten, Sable Point, Siamese Sable, Siamese Smoke Pearl, Silver Martin, Squirrel, Smoke Pearl Marten, Steel, Tan, Tortoiseshell, White (red or blue-eyed) Bi colors (white and one other color), Tri colors (white and 2 other colors) and various other shadings also apply. Fur Type / Coat Coat Lionheads have a normal rollback, dense coat of medium length over the saddle, and some have "transitional wool" on their flanks. The coat should be even all over yet some Lionheads have noticeably longer wool on the cheeks and chest, often with a finer flank line of slightly longer fur running down the length of the rabbit to the tail extending in a line to the groin. A small amount of extended fur around the flanks is permissible on under five months exhibits. Mane/Chest Lionheads have soft, medium length hair on their body, with a 'mane' of soft wool, 5-7cm (2-3inch) long, standing up in a fringe around the head and extending to a 'bib' on the chest. The mane of the Lionhead rabbit is of soft wool thick, with a crimping effect and at least 2"-3" (5cm-7.5cm) in length, forming a full circle around the head, standing up in a fringe around the head and extending to a 'bib' on the chest running into a "V" at the back of the neck. The mane should be between 5.0cm – 7.5cm (2-3in) in length extending to a ‘V’ at the back of the neck, falling into a fringe around the head, creating a "wool cap", with longer fur on the chest to form a bib. The quality of mane between Lionhead Rabbits varies a great deal. At the present time it makes no difference if they are purebred or crossbred. Some will have very dense manes, while others will carry a very long mane but it very thin in density. Some adults are loosing all but a wispy mane. Some adults loose their mane when they molt but then grow them back. Mane Genes The mane gene is dominant, therefore, both parents do not need a mane to pass it on to offspring; however, one parent must have a mane. It cannot be "carried". There are two genes involved – 'M' and 'm'. The mane seems to be a simple dominate gene with 100% of the offspring from maned rabbits (carrying two mane gene -2XM) bred with non-maned rabbits having a mane. These offspring are referred to as F1 generation crosses. It is impossible to tell the difference between purebred and hybrid bunnies as both type- those carrying heavy angora type wool all over their bodies or those with manes only – occur in both purebred and hybrid litters, and often as siblings. Mane Types Typically, the mane is thick, woolly and soft with evident "crimping". Depending on the pair of genes a Lionhead rabbit gets (one from each parent), it can have a double mane (two mane genes) or a single mane (one mane gene). A Lionhead rabbit can have a maximum of two mane genes. The only way to tell if a rabbit is single mane or double mane is when they are first born, past that many things contribute to how much mane they actually end up having including chewing on the mane by themselves or others and mats. single maned lionhead rabbit Single Maned Single mane Lionhead rabbits only have one copy of the gene responsible for creating a mane on a rabbit, called the mane gene. Single mane Lionheads typically do not hold a mane for their entire lifetime. They have a mane that can be around its head, ears, chin and sometimes on the chest and rump. The mane may be wispy and thin and may disappear on some rabbits altogether as they mature. The genotype for the single mane is Mm. Typically their mane wool diminishes as they get older. Single maned Lionheads are usually the product of a purebred double mane Lionhead being bred to a rabbit of another breed (process called hybridization), in order to strengthen a particular characteristic or introduce a particular color into the Lionhead breeding program. Kits born from single manes or hybridization with double manes that do not have manes are called "no maned" because they did not get a copy of the mane gene. Without a mane gene, a rabbit will not have a mane nor will they be able to produce a kit with a mane, unless bred to a rabbit with either a single or double mane. Double maned lionhead rabbit Double Maned Double maned Lionheads have two copies of the mane gene. They typically have a thick mane of wool encircling the head and sometimes have wool on their flanks that some refer to as a "skirt". The geno-type for a double maned Lionhead is MM. A double maned Lionhead is the product of either two single maned Lionheads (will have single manes in the litter) or two double maned Lionheads. Two double maned Lionheads will only be able to produce double maned Lionheads when bred together. Many double-maned Lionheads have excessive fur on the flanks and some can develop tufts on the tips of the ears, these are considered a fault in the show standard. Double-maned lionhead kits are easily recognizable. They are sometimes informally referred to as "gremlins", 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. BREEDING LIONHEAD RABBITS LIONHEAD RABBITS seem to be very easy to breed and most do not appear to have any difficulty kindling. Doe's have about 3-9 kits per litter (Litter size seems to be tied to overall size of the doe with small does under 3 pounds having smaller litters). Most are very good mothers with abundant milk supplies. Breeding Lionheads true to the breed standard is not simple. As double-maned rabbits often develop too much fur, and single-maned rabbits usually lose some of their mane in adulthood, breeding the ideal Lionhead is complex. Babies: Baby Lionheads tend to have longer fur in the vent area, similar to some lop-eared breeds. Therefore they tend to paste up more than other breeds. It is important to check babies that are 2-5 weeks old on a regular basis to prevent infection due to pasting up. If they do paste up, wash the vent area by putting under a light stream of lukewarm water until all material can be loosened and removed. You may also want to put some antibiotic ointment in the area. Many carry wool all over their bodies at first, with most starting to shed it out at about 6-7 weeks, until only a skirt remains. In most young Lionheads, somewhere near 10 weeks this wool will also begin to disappear and should be gone by 16 weeks of age. Some bunnies are born with so much wool on their bodies that they resemble a baby Angora. Some Lionheads never shed out the underwool in the coat to degree that will allow them to shown under the American Standard. Some Lionhead Rabbits carry the wool/mane down their face between their eyes (which is very undesirable under the Purposed Working Standard), and they all seem to have wool on their cheeks (which is allowed under the Purposed Working Standard.) Lifespan Average lifespan of the Lionhead rabbit is 7 to 9 years but as with any of the domestic rabbit breeds, the age is dependent on their care and more importantly, their diet. Personality Temperament The Lionhead rabbit is a breed that is relatively new and still in the development process. Their temperaments can differ between breeders depending on the parent breeds used to produce each line. Lionheads are generally good-natured rabbits, although lively and often timid. Gentleness and understanding are needed to win their trust and bring out the best in their personality. They can be quite outgoing and sociable and will thrive on attention. They are usually energetic, active and playful, and despite their small size, need plenty of space to run and play. They are quite timid when you compare them with some of the other small breeds like the Netherland dwarf but with all rabbits giving them the right king of gentle attention, along with gentleness and understanding will help them gain your trust. Lionheads need experienced handling since they can easily be frightened and because of this, may become aggressive. For these reasons they are not generally recommended with children. Some Lionheads may have a more skittish, or even aggressive nature. The Lionhead is a recent breed and still under development in many countries, temperament can vary quite a bit depending on the breeds used to develop each line. If you intend to buy a Lionhead rabbit, buy from a reputable breeder or rescue centre and observe the rabbit's temperament. When buying a Lionhead rabbit, also enquire as to any hereditary dental concerns. Training Generally Lionheads are easy to train as they are very smart creatures. They can comprehend certain orders like come, and play, eat etc and will respond to their own name. They are also very easy to litter box train and for that reason make very good house rabbits and home companions. Purpose The Lionhead rabbit was originally created as a show breed but has become a very popular domestic pet rabbit. Breed Status The Lionhead rabbit received official breed status with the ARBA in February 2014. Because it is still a relatively new breed there are still some colours and varieties that have yet to be officially approved and are still under development. It has been a recognised breed with the BRC in the UK since 2002. The Lionhead rabbit is overall, a relatively new breed and there will be certain differences in some varieties for some time until the breed develops a 'true' breed status. Lionheads have also been put to Dwarf Lops to create a Dwarf Lion Lops or mini lion lops. Rabbit Care & Handling Grooming The longer wool of the Lionhead's 'mane' needs to be combed once a week to prevent matting and daily grooming is necessary during moult. Young rabbits (2-4 months old) : Young Lionhead Rabbits have a little extra fur/wool on their bodies, particularly on the lower hindquarters area. This body wool will molt out by about 4 months old, and it is important to make sure they have adequate fiber in their dies as they molt this out to prevent wool block. Regular grooming at this stage is important so the Lionhead doesn't ingest to much of their own shedding wool causing a wood block in the intestines. Once they reach adulthood they do not require extensive grooming in the way that other wool breeds do. Older rabbits (4 months and up) : If your Lionhead Rabbit carries excess wool/fur on their body, particularly on the lower hindquarters area, most likely it is a double mane gene Lionhead. These require you to maintain extra fiber in their diet to prevent wool block. Some people feel the double mane gene Lionhead Rabbit will not be showable as adults due to the excess fur/wool, regardless they play an important roll in breeding. Grooming the mane (all ages); The Lionhead Rabbit mane can become felted similar to other wooled breeds, so it needs to be carefully brushed out periodically. Since the wool of the mane is similar to the English Angora wool, it can be pulled out if combed or brushed too vigorously, so it is important to be both patient and gentle. Top Tip The odd chunk of fresh pineapple in their diet, especially during shedding, is a great solution to possible hairball problems, as the acidic nature and other compounds in the pineapple helps to break down any hair that might be caught in the gut. (It acts a bit like drain unblocker!) Teeth Like all rabbits, the Lionhead can develop dental problems and this breed may be more prone to dental disease than other breeds and have more risk of developing hairballs, leading to digestive problems, both of which can be potentially fatal conditions. Their teeth should be checked regularly for signs of overgrowth and their diet should include fibrous vegetables that will help keep their teeth down. Enamel spurs and overgrown molars can prevent them from eating properly and can cause abscess injuries in the mouth so it’s vital that the teeth are kept in good order. Weight Avoid overfeeding. An overweight bunny can find it difficult to groom themselves and if fur is allowed to become soiled with urine or faeces it can attract flies. These flies lay eggs in the fur and the maggots can burrow into the rabbit’s flesh, causing painful open wounds that will require veterinary attention. Disease Vaccines All rabbits should be vaccinated against Viral Haemorrhagic Disease and Myxomatosis and should be treated regularly for fleas, ticks and worms. It’s also worth considering spaying any non-breeding females in order to prevent uterine cancer, which is common in all female rabbits. Outdoors If your rabbit is going to live outdoors their house must be large enough for them to hop at least 3 decent sized hops (surprisingly this can be up to 6 foot for this breed) and be tall enough for them to stand upright on their hind legs. It should be completely weather and waterproof and positioned out of direct sun and wind. The hutch should have shavings and straw on the floor and should also provide a covered area where the rabbit can nest. The hutch must be cleaned out completely once a week and droppings must be taken out every day. A hutch or house should not be the ONLY area where they live. Regardless of whether your Lionhead is going to live indoors or outside, They should have access to a LARGE exercise area when they are at their most active - early morning and late evening. A very large run or secure area of garden will allow them the opportunity to stretch their legs and indulge in their love of exploration. Indoors If they are to live inside, and Lionheads are very suited to indoor life, they can be easily taught how to use a litter tray. They must be provided with an area where they can retire to, hide away and relax completely. A dog crate or indoor cage is ideal but if they are given free run of the house (like cats and dogs are afforded the luxury of, so why not rabbits?) then they will usually find their favourite place, usually under a bed or behind a sofa etc. Just make sure all wires, cables and anything precious are out of the way and off the floor. Be aware that the rabbit could be near your feet, as they love being close to you, and take care not to step on them when you are moving around. Diet This should include good quality hay, rabbit pellets and lots of fibrous green leaves and vegetables like kale, cabbage, carrot tops and dandelions with constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. Handling It’s also worth making sure you know how to pick up and hold your rabbit correctly. Rabbits can struggle and panic if they’re held incorrectly. They’re stronger than they look and can injure their backs if they fall incorrectly or can give you a nasty scratch in their efforts to escape. Clubs & Organizations NLRC - National Lionhead Rabbit club is an organisation for all Lionhead rabbits enthusiasts within the UK. Its prime objective is to encourage the keeping, breeding, exhibiting and development of the Lionhead Rabbit through out the United Kingdom. NALRC - The North American Lionhead Rabbit Club is the official ARBA Chartered National Breed club for the Lionhead rabbit. A place where all people interested in every aspect of the Lionhead rabbit could come together to share information regarding the breeding, keeping and showing of this breed. LionheadRabbit.com - Is an online Lionhead rabbit community that brings together people who have a large interest in this special rabbit. It is free to join and they have a popular Facebook page. http://www.justrabbits.com/lionhead-rabbit.html www.lilymoonlionheads.com https://lionheadrabbit.com/about-lionhead/history/ http://www.lionhead.us/aboutlionheads/ http://www.raising-rabbits.com/lionhead-rabbits.html http://www.rabbitmatters.com/lionhead-rabbit.html http://www.bunnyhugga.com/a-to-z/breeds/lionhead.html https://lionheadrabbit.com/ http://rabbitagroworld.blogspot.com/2010/02/brief-history-of-lionhead-rabbit.html http://www.lionheadrabbitclub.co.uk/lionhead-history.html http://www.lionhead.us/aboutlionheads/standards.htm Cuter than cute, softer than soft, these twelve bouncing bunnies are pictures of pure innocence and charm. Twelve bright and detailed photographs celebrate the world of "bunny hood". The large format features big daily grids with ample room for jotting appointments, reminders, and birthdays. Also included are six bonus months of July through December 2017, moon phases, and U.S. and international holidays. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/03/tibetan-folk-tales-wolf-fox-and-rabbit.html How the Wolf, the Fox and the Rabbit Committed a Crime When an evil man gets mad at his enemy, he beats his horse on the head. Tibetan Proverb. ONCE upon a time a wolf, a fox and a rabbit were walking along the road together when they met a wizard carrying a pack on his back. The rabbit said to the rest of them, "I'll go limping along in front of this fellow and he will put his load down and try to catch me, and you two slip around behind him, and when he puts his things down, you get them." Sure enough, the man put his pack down, picked up some rocks and started after the rabbit in hot haste, while the wolf and the fox got his load and ran off with it. He came back pretty soon, when he found he couldn't catch the rabbit, and found his things were all gone. In great grief he started down the road, wondering what he would do and how he was going to live. Meanwhile the wolf, the fox and the rabbit met in a chosen place and opened the pack to see what was in it. There were a pair of Tibetan boots with many layers in the soles, which made them very heavy, a cymbal with a tongue or clapper, an idol of tsamba and some bread. The rabbit acted as divider and said to the wolf, "You have to walk a lot, so you take the heavy boots." And the wolf took the boots. To the fox he said, "You have a lot of children; you take the bell for them to play with, and I'll take the food." The wolf put on the boots and started out to hunt a sheep. The boots were so heavy he fell on the ice and couldn't get up, and the shepherd found him and killed him. The fox took the bell and went in to his children ringing it, Da lang, da lang, da lang, and thought it would please them, but instead it scared them all to death. So the rabbit ate up the idol of tsamba and all the bread and got the best of that bargain. Word of the week: Harem © Copyrighted
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