Keeping Flemish Giant Rabbits
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See the bunny in the picture there? Well its not fake, some rabbits really can get that big! They are known as giant rabbits, and a popular breed of such rabbits are Flemish Giant rabbits. Most Flemish Giant rabbits won't get anywhere near that big, of course, but even normal sized ones can grow very large indeed.
If you want to keep Flemish Giant bunnies, then you are going to need a very big cage, or some very big indoor space, and also lots and lots of food! Giant rabbits go through food at a very fast rate indeed, so keep in mind the fact that your bunny food bills will soar if you get a Flemish Giant!
How Big Should The Flemish Giant Cage Be?
A bunny's cage should always be long enough for it to run and play in, so with a Flemish Giant that can mean a minimum of about eight feet by five feet, with a height of at least three feet. That is a very big cage, but in order for your rabbit to be healthy and happy, it will need that much space. If you keep your Flemish Giant inside, then you can have a smaller cage for sleeping and toileting and then let it out to run around. This makes your bunny a better pet and also more healthy!
Temperament
In spite of their huge size, Flemish Giant rabbits are very docile and quiet creatures, generally speaking. They also don't run around and jump as much as the smaller breeds, preferring to laze around most of the time. For this reason, Flemish Giants can actually be better pets for children than some of the mini breeds, which are much less friendly and which are prone to nipping and biting.
How Big Will It Get?
If you get a Flemish Giant rabbit, you are looking at getting a bunny that will weigh around fifteen pounds by the time it is nine months old. It could quite easily grow larger than twenty pounds!
Where Should I Get My Flemish Giant From?
It is always best to get a rabbit from a good breeder. There are several reasons for this. One, it means that your rabbit will have good breeding, and be less likely to get sick or have temperament problems. For two, it means that you will have an expert you can call on if you have any questions, or if you run into problems with your bunny. Rabbits are quite strange animals in many ways, more like keeping a sheep than a cat or a dog, so having someone on hand to help when needed can be a godsend.
If you have other general basic care questions, have a look at some of these hubs:
- New Bunny Owner Guide
Almost everything you need to know about taking care of your new bunny! - Rabbit Food
- BAD Rabbit Food
- Bunny Food Pyramid
- Grooming Your Bunny
- Is My Bunny Sick?
- Toys For Rabbits
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Comments
Where can i get a giant German rabbit from
the information here willhelp me!!!!!!
Thanks for your info. I have two Flemish Giant (fawn color).
We just purchased a bunny. She is black. She has gray fur on the bottom of her feet which we like to call feather dusters. Her ears are very long and stand tall. She eats A LOT! And drinks just as much if not more. We tend to have to feed her more then 4 times a day or she will get to the food on her own. We also seem to be refilling her water every other day or so. We were thinking after looking at the pictures and info on flemish giants that she could be one. Does anyone know if these are characteristics of this certain breed?
I have a baby Flemmish Giant and after introducing her to all our other pets, 2 dogs, 4 cats and two dwarf bunnies, I have to say I disagree with the comment made by Margaret Corrie (above) about these rabbits not getting along with dogs and cats. (Of course all animals, just like people, have their own personalities...) She is a very friendly rabbit, has been nothing but curious and accomadating to our other family members getting to know her, and her wanting to know them as well. One of my dogs, a miniature pinscher puppy, just under 1 yr old, has been VERY curious, will climb right on top of the giant, who at 10 wks old is just as big as my min pin! The rabbit will just sit there and let my dog snif, paw, and even chew on her, she's never so much as tried to run away never mind scratch or bite.
I've also read, in doing my research before getting a giant, that they are quite friendly with other animals, which makes them a good choice for many households. I've seen many a story of a pet giant being very close to a dog or cat in the same home.
My suggestion is to do your own research on Flemmish Giants in regards to your particular household before getting one, or any pet for that matter. As I said earlier, all animals have their own personalities and you should consider the individual animals involved when making a decision. And if you still have questions most breeders will be happy to talk with you and give you information and answer any question.
One more thing, I just want to add that I NEVER leave any of my rabbits alone in the house with my other pets unsupervised and I would suggest the same to others. Even after the rabbits "know" my dogs and cats, on occasion rabbits will bite. (Not to mention eat electrical cords!) I've never had a problem while they have been together supervised but I would not leave them alone together. Better safe than sorry...
Margaret Corrie says:
16 months ago
Hi, being a new owner to Flemish Giants, I can assure you that they are great eaters and need a great deal of water, they love to play and are a very social bunny with people (not dogs or cats and definetly not same gender bunnies) my gentle giants surprised me with my young buck jumping up to a hieght of 1.5 metres and landing on another hutch.
The Flemish Giant is a cuddly rabbit and loves being groomed, give them some grape vine cuttings to chew or stone fruit tree cuttings ( a hint from their previous owner which I have kept to) this is to help keep their teeth clean and trimmed.
Flemish Giants know how to show dissaproval of something you may want them to do, they have the ability to scratch and hit with their legs which are very strong, start with a slow assocciation process of getting to know one another, you would not like to meet someone and have them change you in a rushed manner, so please remember the Flemish Giant and all other bunnies have feelings too, "Old Habits take a while to change".