Bunnies Mounting

Question
Hi,
I read from a Website that when 2 bunnies are trying to mate (or one more so than the other), they can mount from the head or the rear.  It seems like that the male bunny constantly wants to mate, but the female one runs away.  
They are both 4.5 months old, one is a mini lop (female) and one is a lion head (male).
Tonight, the male lion head had tried 6 times and 5 of the times, he was trying to mount the female's head, and once from the rear.
I read that it is okay for them to mate this way as long as the bottom bunny can breathe. But if she tried to run away everytime when he started, but could not "escape", does it mean she is not "ready"?  Everytime after he had stopped (He humped for about 3-5 seconds each time), she would curl up and just lay there quietly while he goes lay down somewhere else. Is this normal or is she frightened?
I am concerned that she does not like to be treated this way.

Thank you very much!

Answer
Krystal..First of all, the age is a little young to be breeding. Most of us wait until about 6 months. More importantly, I don't have your details but I need to assume that you are somewhat experienced with rabbits and you do know you are not to leave them together at this age. Males and Females should be separated about 3 months and never be put back together at all except to breed, and then you are to only leave them together for about 2-3 minutes. (You always take the doe to the bucks cage.) If they don't breed in about 3 minutes separate them and try tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, until it works. They will do it on their own when they are ready, with no help from you.

If they are living in the same cage, separate them NOW. As for whether they mount front or back, the key is that if she is ready, she will be aggressive and they will do a 'mating dance' of sorts where they circle each other with their chins on the top of the other rabbits tail for a few moments. Then they will quickly assume mating positions and breed. Younger animals are a little awkward at first. That is why most experienced rabbit breeders always breed a young, first time doe with an experienced buck, and a young, first time buck with an experienced Doe.

I suggest you go to the website www.ARBA.NET and look for a rabbit club that is close to you. (They are verywhere in the US, find your state, and there will be a list, with contact people identified. Contact them and see if you can get the name of a more experienced breeder (very near to you) to come over and lead you through this. (You should join the club for more on going support.

Another question I have is, why are you breeding a Lionhead to a Minilop? Are you aware that, likely, you will get rabbits that (1) Do NOT have the Mane from the Lionhead, and (2) Do not have the lopped ears of the Minilop. Both of these are generally recessive traits that disappear with a cross such as you are comtemplating. (Thus you'll get just normal appearing baby bunnies, and they will for sure be Pet Quality.)  Again, a forum such as this (AllExperts) is not good at deciphering issues that have so many levels of variability as you are likely to encounter..but regardless of that, I must encourage you to do something FIRST, that is....if they are together, separate them. I hope this was useful. Thanks, Steve