All genes come in pairs, so all other rabbit breeds that we know are simply mm, which means they have NO GENE TO MAKE THE MANE. Only Lionheads (a rabbit with a mane) can carry the gene because every rabbit with a M gene for the mane will have a mane.

Remember, because of the tendency for the mane to shed out on rabbits with only one large M, a rabbit may look like it has no mane gene as an adult. The Lionhead at the left is a single mane gene (Mm) doe who has lost almost all of her mane.

How much mane is retained by a Lionhead is often not a good indicator of what type of manes the offspring will carry. Hopefully as we continue to promote breeding programs aimed at retaining manes on adults this will change. The doe on the left has produced a lovely double mane gene (MM) daughter with a very nice adult mane.

If you are confused the chart on the right should help.

The chart illustrates the statistical probabilities of
Lionhead offspring (rabbits with manes) if you breed
rabbits together with or without manes. It is important
to remember you will see these percentages in every
100 bunnies NOT in every litter.

You can now see you cannot get maned offspring unless at least one of the parents has at least one mane gene.

Some people feel the non-maned rabbits (mm) can be
useful in a breeding program. They believe that
Lionheads carrying one mane gene (Mm) will make the
best show rabbits. As you can see from the chart
breeding a non maned rabbit (mm) to a double maned
gene (MM)Lionhead will produce all maned offspring.

Cimmaron Bonnie Bear
(7 months)
Double mane gene (MM)

The affects of the MANE GENE and the areas it produces wool.

The mane covers the entire top of the head the encircles the sides of the head in line a parallel with the ears on the sides till it blends into the wool of the chest and cheeks. On the top of the head (cap) it passes through the ears and blends into the triangle since the triangle is ALWAYS effected by the mane gene to some extent. On the doe in the photo on the left, you can clearly see the side line of the mane as it follows the shoulder from the the triangle to the bib (chest) along the line of the foreleg. You can also see the cheek wool. Some Lionheads carry a deeper cap on the top of the head in front of the ears then this doe. Notice the nice clean break on the back edge of the eye. Some Lionheads carry mane wool right up to the back edge of the eye, which is not desirable.

Cimmaron Radiance (4 months)
Double mane gene (MM)

The Tortoise Lionhead buck in the photo to the right also shows a nice development of saddle. He is showing an excellent break between the wool of the flanks and the wool of the mane/bib. You can see how the mane follows the line of the front shoulder. He has nice clean forelegs as well. The lower legs are another area that the Lionhead can carry wool that is undesirable. Both of the juniors used as illustrations here have very clean ears. It is not uncommon in Lionheads to see ear wool. It has been my experience that ear wool on juniors unlike face wool almost never sheds out. It has been our experience that this fault is a fairly easy problem to breed away from. In addition to flank wool many young Lionheads also have wool on the belly which sheds out as they age.

Most young Lionheads should be watched closely for problems with wool ingestion. As they groom themselves they can consume large amounts of wool even if the owner is brushing on a regular schedule.

Cimmaron FireBear (4 months)
Double mane gene (MM)
owned by Diane Ricketson, CA.

Some Lionheads will carry flank wool into adulthood. The Black doe at the right shows flank wool as a senior (which she still carries at well over a year old). She has got a very clean face. Flank wool and face wool are often found together on senior Lionheads.

FLANK WOOL is NOT a desirable trait but it is NOT A DISQUALIFICATION under the present working standard. The Present Standard disqualifies only for EXCESSIVE wool
on the flanks of a senior Lionhead

What is excessive? That is a question that is asked quite a lot, by judges and exhibitors alike. That question will be resolved by each judge. They will decide in their own mind what they consider excessive the same way they each have decided when they would disqualify a Mini Rex for low shoulders or at what point a Polish dewlap exceeds a pencil roll.

PrideRocks's Bethlehem (8 months)
Double mane gene (MM)

Some Lionheads carry wool over almost the entire face (with NO noticeable cap) this is a disqualification for the breed. See the picture of the Tort baby to the left. Many shed this face wool out as the age and this tendency is most common on double mane gene Lionheads (MM). We have noticed that if you can see a noticeable step up from the long face wool to the even longer wool of the mane on a junior Lionhead when viewed from the side, the face wool will shed out as the rabbit ages. If when you view the young Lionhead in profile there is no noticeable step up in length - the face wool will mostly likely remain. (This is not written in stone just an observation in the Lionheads we have dealt with here). Please note the ARBA judge is required to judge the Lionhead as it is on the table the day they see. It is NOT their job to guess if the face wool will go away as the Lionhead ages. If the young Lionhead has wool on the face it should be disqualified under our current working standard.

In addition to face wool some Lionheads can have wool on the ears. This is a heavy longer wool up the entire length of the ear and seldom forms tassels as seen in the English Angora. The doe pictured at
the right is a Lionhead who is an adult English import. It is surprising but she is single mane gened (Mm). She also has some flank - uncommon in (Mm) Lionheads. Almost all young Lionheads with
wool on the ears will have wool on their ears as adults, this is a disqualification under the present standard.