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Breed Personalities?

~ILoveMyBunny~

Alpha Buck
So I've been curious about this for a while and finally thought I should ask the experts :p.
I've read many times that the breed of a rabbit doesn't make much of a difference like it would with, say, a dog. And while I know that every rabbit is an individual and has a completely different personality I have noticed a similarity between those of the same breed. I've got two lops (not sure what type but they're both the same - one buck and one doe) and two lionheads (though one we're 99% sure is crossed with something else but don't know what). I've noticed that both lionheads (both does) are hyper and possibly slightly insane :lol: They both have to be running, binkying, jumping on furniture and generally causing havoc pretty much all the time. One of them literally never tires out :lol: If she flops she'll be back up again within 20 seconds.
The lops are also very similar to each other, both have an odd quirk in that they don't like being stroked on the head at all. Mishka will only be stroked on her terms when feels like it but only on her back, never on her head, ears etc. Cody, who we've had for nearly six months, literally will not be touched at all. He's not afraid of people and will quite happily climb all over you, jump up to you for food etc. But if you try to touch him in any way he runs away and hides somewhere. For the most part I've learned to accept that's just him. I'd never want to force him to be stroked if he didn't want it. But a degree of handling is of course necessary for nail trims etc so I haven't given up on him completely. In the past couple of weeks I've made some very slight progress. He will now sometimes let me stroke him if he's in the mood - but only on the back. Just like Mishka. All the other bunnies like to be stoked on the head but both lops will only be stroked on the back. They've also got a pretty independent personality. Not unloving at all but like to do their own thing most of the time.
They're also very similar in many other areas, as are Lunar and Snowflake (the lionheads).
None of them are related.
I've also read that a lot of Netherland Dwarfs are supposed to be a bit skittish and aloof - that said my boy is completely the opposite. He is the most gentle of the lot, energetic but also calm and likes some quiet time and loves nothing in life more than a head rub!
So is there actually a difference between breeds or is it just a coincidence that we've ended up with two extremely similar lionheads and two extremely similar lops?
 
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My lionhead, Athena, is quite crazy too! She loves me and attention but is bolshy to the extreme. She has the cats under the paw, as it were. My dwarf lop, Elphie, is rather relaxed (but does like head strokes), as was her sister Galinda. Galinda was a touch shyer though. I find rexes quite friendly, though my current 2 are shy at the moment. My 3 crossbreeds all vary in personality. Well, the buck, Apollo, is friendly enough but a bit aloof. I think he's a nethie/dutch. River and Morning are very food aggressive and bolshy but I think they suffered neglect in the past.

I would say treatment has more effect on them than anything.
 
So I've been curious about this for a while and finally thought I should ask the experts :p.
I've read many times that the breed of a rabbit doesn't make much of a difference like it would with, say, a dog. And while I know that every rabbit is an individual and has a completely different personality I have noticed a similarity between those of the same breed. I've got two lops (not sure what type but they're both the same - one buck and one doe) and two lionheads (though one we're 99% sure is crossed with something else but don't know what). I've noticed that both lionheads (both does) are hyper and possibly slightly insane[emoji38]They both have to be running, binkying, jumping on furniture and generally causing havoc pretty much all the time. One of them literally never tires out[emoji38]If she flops she'll be back up again within 20 seconds.
The lops are also very similar to each other, both have an odd quirk in that they don't like being stroked on the head at all. Mishka will only be stroked on her terms when feels like it but only on her back, never on her head, ears etc. Cody, who we've had for nearly six months, literally will not be touched at all. He's not afraid of people and will quite happily climb all over you, jump up to you for food etc. But if you try to touch him in any way he runs away and hides somewhere. For the most part I've learned to accept that's just him. I'd never want to force him to be stroked if he didn't want it. But a degree of handling is of course necessary for nail trims etc so I haven't given up on him completely. In the past couple of weeks I've made some very slight progress. He will now sometimes let me stroke him if he's in the mood - but only on the back. Just like Mishka. All the other bunnies like to be stoked on the head but both lops will only be stroked on the back. They've also got a pretty independent personality. Not unloving at all but like to do their own thing most of the time.
They're also very similar in many other areas, as are Lunar and Snowflake (the lionheads).
None of them are related.
I've also read that a lot of Netherland Dwarfs are supposed to be a bit skittish and aloof - that said my boy is completely the opposite. He is the most gentle of the lot, energetic but also calm and likes some quiet time and loves nothing in life more than a head rub!
So is there actually a difference between breeds or is it just a coincidence that we've ended up with two extremely similar lionheads and two extremely similar lops?
My two mini lops are literally EXACTLY the same! They will not tolerate being stroked at all unless they are eating, and even then only my doe will let me stroke her on the back (my buck won't let me stroke him at all). My Netherland Dwarf is absolutely bonkers and always excited about something! Hahaha
 
ive got dwarf lops, ive had the 2 adults since late august and spend most of my day with them (house buns) squiggles (f) will let me stroke her on her terms but willow (m) is like a wild rabbit apart from he will let me do the odd stroke while eating. i think they are like this from little handleing by breeder and pets at home and them pets at home chasing them any picking them up by the fur. i had made progress with them up until the neuter and spay but now willow hates me again lol.. and squiggles is showing me her bacl a lot. the 6 babies what they had on the other had are super tame. love sitting on your knee being stroked and even let me pick them up. i have done these things since day 2 of birth though so think that is the reason for their tameness. willow and squiggs sound just like your dwarf lops though xx be interesting to see what other rabbits are like who have been with there owners since birth x
 
ive got dwarf lops, ive had the 2 adults since late august and spend most of my day with them (house buns) squiggles (f) will let me stroke her on her terms but willow (m) is like a wild rabbit apart from he will let me do the odd stroke while eating. i think they are like this from little handleing by breeder and pets at home and them pets at home chasing them any picking them up by the fur. i had made progress with them up until the neuter and spay but now willow hates me again lol.. and squiggles is showing me her bacl a lot. the 6 babies what they had on the other had are super tame. love sitting on your knee being stroked and even let me pick them up. i have done these things since day 2 of birth though so think that is the reason for their tameness. willow and squiggs sound just like your dwarf lops though xx be interesting to see what other rabbits are like who have been with there owners since birth x
My female lop is called Willow [emoji38] I only had them since they were 6 months old and they were at a rescue centre so weren't able to be handled very often either. It's so strange how it's the male that is the most shy with all three of us though
 
i know thats what i thought too lol.. you can tell who male and whos female in the babies too, the females like to be fussed over more than the males. i tend to pick names for either sex lol.. not got much faith in sexing rabbits lol.
 
i know thats what i thought too lol.. you can tell who male and whos female in the babies too, the females like to be fussed over more than the males. i tend to pick names for either sex lol.. not got much faith in sexing rabbits lol.
Strange isn't it? And mine were 'done' before I got them so I didn't have that problem [emoji38]
 
My bridge lop loved head rubs and got excited when he knew he was about to have them but my current lop doesn't like his head touched at all.My REW enjoys being stroked,i think REWS are generally gentle and soft.
 
Well I've had two lops, years apart, both does, although I suspect my current lop Amy is more of a mix or some kind of gene got switched off as she's too big to be a pure dwarf, anyway other than both being bold, bossy and bolshy, they couldn't be further apart in attitude! Baby was a little terror, a real fierce firecracker who took no prisoners; part of this might be because, me being a child and not knowing any better, she was unspayed and had dental problems. She barely tolerated being ah fled, and hated having her back end and paws touched. Amy, meanwhile, although she is definitely the one really in charge, is soooo affectionate and snuggly! She doesn't like to be picked up/carried, but probably not more so than the average rabbit. But she loves to sit on me and get cuddled and petted; she's even fallen asleep on me a few times. And she has an absolute obsession with giving me kisses, especially on my face and hands. I don't know if she'd be any different if she was another breed, of if I'm just extremely lucky.

I think there can be case made for the physical differences informing some personality? Like long haired breeds, particularly angoras, need to be used to being handled and groomed every day, whilst breeds with short faces might have dental problems and be in pain to make them grumpy. Lops might depend on how good their hearing is, that sort of thing. The old nature vs nurture debate.
 
i suppose its only like humans really on the one hand you get amazing people who go out of their way to help others and on the other side their are people who hurt and kill others. humans are so very different than each other so it might be the same for rabbits too. they are intelligent enough to be like humans lol..
 
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