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How different are giants to normal rabbits?

Graeme27Uk

Warren Scout
Looking at some of the pictures of giants on the internet and some are HUGE!!! 22lbs is the biggest I have seen thus far.

I thought/read that giants don't have as long a life-expectancy compared to other normal breeds. Is this true?

Also, what other problems would a giant rabbit present?
 
I don't think they're that different to smaller rabbits, apart from everything just has to be on a bigger scale eg housing, carriers, food, etc

My pair are just like my smaller buns. My female is very gentle and compliant, whilst my buck is quite naughty and messy.
Mine don't binky in the same way as my smaller buns, they tend to more head twisting and gentler hops rather than the mad dashes the smaller buns do.

The main worries I have is that they don't get too large because of the strain on their joints, and with Hera in particular I worry about her back as she has such a long spine, so I make sure that I keep the jumping levels in their shed quite small.

I love all buns, but my giants are :love:
 
My giant Lyric is mental she does much larger and much faster binkys than my others she would eat for england if you let her shes very cheeky:)
 
I think I read that one of the reasons for short life expectancy is because their hearts are the same size as normal rabbits so their larger size puts more strain on it. Not sure if thats right tho.
 
I think I read that one of the reasons for short life expectancy is because their hearts are the same size as normal rabbits so their larger size puts more strain on it. Not sure if thats right tho.

Not sure how much documented evidence there is out there on larger buns.

I know lots of people expect frenchies to have a life expectancy of around 5yrs, but I know of several that have gone past 8yrs, so I guess a lot of it is down to breeding and genetics and lifestyle, just like us!
 
I have found that Contis tend to live to 4 or 5. Mine is very willful. When she's in a bad mood, you can't argue with her!:lol:

Lost her Mum to abscessed up feet just under 12 months ago (she was 3). The abscesses were caused because of her weight - and she wasn't overweight.

My Sherry is like a big teddy bear and when she's in a good mood, I could cuddle her for hours.

I also have 3 British Giants and 3 Frenchies - they are all much smaller, and a blue Beveren who is also big. I love the giants, they're really special!:love::love:

Deb
 
A lot of giants are described as 'like dogs'.
I suppose they would be more curious than smaller buns, they would see less things as a threat due to their size.
 
Yeh i thought giants have the same size heart as average size buns and thats why their life expectancy is shorter.
 
My french lop already dwarfs my others, and im getting a conti tomorrow that will dwarf my french lop:lol:
 
I wouldn't know about life expectancys of giant buns, mine are still pretty young at 2 years! I would hate to think that I only have 3 years left with mine, so I will dismiss all that, and believe mine will live as long as normal buns :lol:

There are diseases common to giant buns. Joint problems (which the vets think my girl suffers from, which caused her abcess... I think its back too which I am cacking my pants about) Also, my vet said they can suffer from enlarged hearts. Its what I lost my Hermy to under her spay. I think they will carry genetic problems, becuase the breed is so extreme, but it could be down to bad breeding too :?
 
My oldest so far was Willow,he was over five but didn't die from old age.All my contis carry the staph bacteria which has caused abscessed paws,ear infections,stomach abscesses and now a snuffles related illness.I have lost four so far to this awful illness.I love contis they are just like little dogs,they eat you out of house and home and need a very large area due to their size
 
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