• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

I'm considering rehoming a flemish giant

DomaNikki

Mama Doe
I've always wanted a Flemish, I'm not sure if it's the right time but I am absolutely lost without Leo & Missy and their is a lady who can no longer look after her's due to illness.

I would keep her indoors to start with a view to have her outdoor, I did a post in the housing section but want any information I could be given by experienced flemish/conti giant owners too? My biggest rabbit was Missy she was just over 5kg, I know that space is key really and would have her free range the house and use the spare room as a base as it is not in use currently.

I have a 6x4 shed (it had a double hutch in there but I will take this out to make more space) and looking to get a 3ft high run but would a 10x4 or 12x4 run be ok? I am dead against unsupervised free ranging in the garden now as you all might be aware - so getting the right size first time round would help. I've looked on ukrabbithutches and welfarehutches and they have decent sizes for resonable prices.

What are your thoughts really? The only reason I don't think she would be indoor forever is my mom is my landlady and although she is happy with me rehome her she is not happy with the indoor situation long term :wave:
 
in my opinion any run is unsuitable for a giant rabbit, you need an aviary :wave: I have a 6x4 shed with a 15x4 aviary which I think is the giant rabbit version of a 6x4 run. I'd probably go wider and up to 20ft as a minimum for a pair of giants
 
Thannks Georgeypudding - anyone know a good place for avairy panels? Is the size not big enough?

I'm stuck because I wouldn't mind house rabbit but I don't want to take her on if it's going to cause issues with my mom. :?
 
I agree that a giant would definitely need an aviary and I also agree that 12x4 wouldn't be big enough especially if there won't be free ranging; my little buns have a 12x4 aviary attached to a shed and it gives them a fine amount of space to run around, stretch and binky, but a giant would be able to hop, stretch and laze happily enough in that size space but they wouldn't really be able to exercise in it. Mine was from something like www.aviarieworld.co.uk...suggest you turn the volume down before visiting the website though :lol:

I think the other issue to consider is whether you would be looking to bond her. Personally I don't think it's fair to keep single rabbits outdoors; ultimately they are social creatures and even if you devote several hours a day to being outside with her (which is unrealistic even in the height of summer, let alone in January!) then she will be alone for the vast majority of the time. At least being indoors she would be able to potter around, interact and have company during the course of your normal household chores and relaxation time. So I would also consider whether you would be able to get her bonded if you really wouldn't be allowed to have her indoors all the time.
 
Thanks Santa

I would allow free ranging but only supervised and I would bond her that's a must. It would be a lot easier if I could have her indoors. I think I might have to rehome a bun a lot smaller then, which is fine. I'm sure the right bun will come along soon. :cry:
 
I think once you have a bun indoors it's hard to put it outside as you will miss it! Everyone who has bought their buns from outside into the house has enjoyed the interaction.
 
I personally wouldn't put them in the sizes you suggested. Could you attach the aviary to the 6ft side of the shed? 15ftx6ft might be a better size :thumb:

speak with your mum, giant rabbits are much better off as house buns :thumb:
 
I have a British giant, which I know isn't as big as a conti/flemish but I've recently been advised about run sizes.

I am getting a 6 x 8 run, which is the same area size as 12 x 4 right? And I'm attaching it to another run that I already have, which is 3 x 5 (approx).

People say that they are best kept as house pets, but if you've never had an indoor rabbit, which I hadn't, and you don't have a spare room, it can be problematic. Mine has ruined my furniture and my carpet, I don't blame him and I'm not mad at him, but not everyone has the luxury of having a room that can devoted to a rabbit. I'm in the same situation really, I live with my Dad and he isn't best pleased with all the mess and ruined carpet.

You could bring her inside in the evenings to get her used to you and for a roam around.
 
I don't think the space I have is big enough for that size but i'll need to re-measure again. I might try and persuade my mom, I just don't want it to cause any issues as she is my landlady. I might try and guilt trip her :lol: :thumb:

Otherwise I have seen a bonded pair of lops that would be ok in my set up so I might take those on instead xx
 
Just wanted to say, good luck whatever you decide to do. You'll always miss Leo and Missy, having or not having another bun won't change that. You're doing a brilliant thing rehoming new buns in need of love and not letting your set up stand empty, hope you find the right bun/buns when the time is right for you :wave: xxx
 
Just wanted to say, good luck whatever you decide to do. You'll always miss Leo and Missy, having or not having another bun won't change that. You're doing a brilliant thing rehoming new buns in need of love and not letting your set up stand empty, hope you find the right bun/buns when the time is right for you :wave: xxx

Thank you :wave:
 
From my experience and point of view, Giants love a lot of attention. I could never dream of have my Giant Conti outside, even though her original owner had her outside. But there is the problem with room?

Amber, my Conti, has an entire room to herself with litter trays, hay racks and an extremely large dog crate which she sleeps in on a night. Even though she has a spare room to herself, it's still not big enough so we let her run around the entire house (apart from our own bedroom and rescue room.) Once we had brought her inside she used a litter tray straight away and didn't need any training on it! But the only downside, was she chewed a rather big hole in our spare room carpet one afternoon!

I know i am wittering on, but basically for interaction purposes, i'd have a giant inside. As soon as i come in Amber gets let out her room and runs around the house whilst i am awake. And If you see my recent threads, she is a very interactive bun. Will sit by the sofa with me, and comes and gets under the duvet when she's sleepy. Plus she gets on very well with our Netherland dwarfs, so she's an overall amazing bun. :wave:
 
Are you sure its a flemish? They're very rare in the UK, this is the only colour they come in -
rabbit_flemish_giant.jpg
but when a lot of people look online for giant breeds they come across american flemish giants which come in loads of colours and we don't have them here and they assume thats the rabbit breed they've got, when in fact they're british or continental giants

I know it's not really that important what the breed is but it saves you researching flemish giants if the owner did make a mistake
 
Thank you DemiS - She is black, she could be a conti thinking about it, i'm not sure I was told she was a flemish :?

Unfortunately I'm not having her at all, my moms put her foot down and I think it probably would be best to rehome a pair to go outside in my shed/run set up. :wave:
 
I saw a lovely pair of black lops on the 'rabbits in need' thread... They are in Essex though, I think. Best of luck with your search. :wave:
 
Back
Top