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Big bunnies

Jaysmonkey

Jaysmonkey

Wise Old Thumper
I've never had a conti, a giant, a flmish, a frenchie. Now can anyone tell me the basics to take into account when considering a 6.3kg giant?

Space?
Food amount?
Companion size?
Handling?

The biggest bunny I have owned is Max at one point he was 4kg he's currently at his perfect weight at 3.5kg.
 
Space - lots.:lol:
My conti is actually very active - my cousin had her in a large area -she is a completely different body shape to a couple of other contis I have met that have come from Breeders & been kept in hutches. Jamie - a conti I had for a short time previously had very sore hocks - however he was 10+kg when I got him
Fudge has never had sore hock issues, but it might be worth considering

Fudge lives with a very large lionhead cross. Mishka is bigger than all my other buns - except Fudge. Mishka is actually in charge, so i'm not bothered about humping:lol:

Handling - well I got her because her partner had died & she had become aggressive. A conti charging at you & pinning you to a wall, is :shock::shock::shock: however - whatever her problem was, she's over it:lol: She loves nose rubs, is very curious, & climbs on me a lot. The hardest thing is trimming her nails. She doesn't like being picked up - used to struggle, but tolerates it now - however, I have found laying down & "spooning" the easiest way to avoid her getting distressed. She's one of those buns that had issues but sorted herself out & now is lively, curious & friendly:love:

Oh - & if they dig - your house's foundations may be affected:?
 
Would her own bedroom be adequate for daytime? or would she need the whole house? She would be free range when we're in?

*contemplates*
 
They need a huge amount of space, including things that you might not think about...larger litter trays, carriers, bowls...doorways :)lol:)

I've found that the food amount needs to be dramatically increased...although I know that many members won't agree with me on this point. (I've just never been able to keep a giant's condition on a small amount of pellets/greens and tons of hay. River has a large bowl of pellets a day and greens that always include carrot/apple, as I've found she needs that extra calorie boost. She is such a good hay eater and has golden poops....just needs the extra. In the winter she gets the odd tablespoon of porridge to help.

Companion size isn't so important, but temperament is. Frenchie's are very very relaxed buns who will very easily get annoyed with a tiny bouncing Nethie, but Conti's are generally more tolerant of the smaller, bouncier breeds. All I will say is that if there WAS a fight between a Giant and a Nethie it's pretty obvious who would come off worse.

Handling...it depends. I've never had a bun who won't let me pick them up....I've had a couple who enjoyed it. Then we got River. The power of her back legs means it's utterly impossible to pick her up, even for a moment. We're very well versed in carrier moving, and she's learned to just hop in it if we need to move her. I check her underside by making her periscope. Giants have VERY delicate backs, so you don't want them to struggle in your arms and fall funny.....I'm sure a few will remember what state Eddie was in when I got him.

Any other questions I can try to answer. I love big buns!! :love:
 
Thanks for all the information :D Whatever happens I'm giving myself a month to prepare for anybun if thats what we decide. :)
 
In general though how much space is needed? I google it and get giants for sale but no info :(. There are two particular bunnies who have caught my eye, one is a conti, one isn't and is generally smaller. Both are generally overlooked coloured buns!

This is completely theoretical.
 
Jaysmonkey said:
In general though how much space is needed? I google it and get giants for sale but no info :(. There are two particular bunnies who have caught my eye, one is a conti, one isn't and is generally smaller. Both are generally overlooked coloured buns!

This is completely theoretical.
Click to expand...

;) I think someone has seen a somebun...;)
 
Found lots of info on Rabbitrehome site which is of use :D Have forwarded to O/H. :) Thanks everybun and those crossed smileys were : no :
 
So long as it's small double/large single bedroom sized then it should be fine for whilst you're out. :) You'd probably come home to find her in the exact same place as when you left! :lol:
 
When we're not in Bella is 'confined' to the living/dining room, which is around 4.5 meters x 10 meters. She spends most of her time on the sofa so I'm not sure she's using the amount of space to its full potential! The only reason she's not allowed upstairs when we're not in is because she throws herself up and down the stairs like a loonie so I like to supervise!

Everything needs to be big! A mahoosive litter tray, so getting through loads of megazorb! She doesn't fit in any rabbit sized beds/hidey holes etc, so I tend to make my own beds, or find kids sized things for her from ikea/wilkos. She eats veg like it's going out of fashion. We get through a mountain of it.

We have no problems picking her up. Judging by the way she throws herself at my OHs arms she actually enjoys being picked up. Though I do struggle carrying her when she's in her carrier going to the vets.

And her thumping her feet is enough to wake anyone up within a 50 mile radius!
 
Space? - a great deal of it lol the more the better. and free ranging garden is fab :)

Food amount? - i fed my frenchie via dog bowl lol

Companion size? - doesnt matter as long as there happy, u wouldnt tell a tall bloke he cnt date a 5ft woman just cause of size difference :)

Handling? - mine prefered not to be handled but she liked been stroked on her terms(she was mardy)
 
Thank you everyone :D. O/H has said we'll discuss it tonight as obviously we're both at work. We will see, thank you! :D xxx
 
Look at you guys prying! Trying to get it out of me! :lol: Wait and see..:p Maybe a month..if you can! (Note will be a rescue if it happens! ;))
 
RubyTed said:
They need a huge amount of space, including things that you might not think about...larger litter trays, carriers, bowls...doorways :)lol:)

I've found that the food amount needs to be dramatically increased...although I know that many members won't agree with me on this point. (I've just never been able to keep a giant's condition on a small amount of pellets/greens and tons of hay. River has a large bowl of pellets a day and greens that always include carrot/apple, as I've found she needs that extra calorie boost. She is such a good hay eater and has golden poops....just needs the extra. In the winter she gets the odd tablespoon of porridge to help.

Companion size isn't so important, but temperament is. Frenchie's are very very relaxed buns who will very easily get annoyed with a tiny bouncing Nethie, but Conti's are generally more tolerant of the smaller, bouncier breeds. All I will say is that if there WAS a fight between a Giant and a Nethie it's pretty obvious who would come off worse.

Handling...it depends. I've never had a bun who won't let me pick them up....I've had a couple who enjoyed it. Then we got River. The power of her back legs means it's utterly impossible to pick her up, even for a moment. We're very well versed in carrier moving, and she's learned to just hop in it if we need to move her. I check her underside by making her periscope. Giants have VERY delicate backs, so you don't want them to struggle in your arms and fall funny.....I'm sure a few will remember what state Eddie was in when I got him.

Any other questions I can try to answer. I love big buns!! :love:
Click to expand...

Agree with all this. :thumb:

Would just like to add:

Also I know you probably don't want to think about this but they do have a considerably shorter lifespan than regular buns.

You have to be careful with them overheating too.

Also the bigger the bun the more damage! Mine live in a summer house and it's trashed! They are probably no more destructive than a normal sized bun it's just they can reach higher and have bigger teeth and make short work of anything in their path.

BUT I love them , I won't be without them. I find them totally different than smaller rabbits - maybe because of their size they seem cheekier, brassier, so much more mischievous! :D:love::love::love:
 
Have you not learnt yet that we do not do patient and we need to know now (and with pictures!!) :p
 
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