How big is a giant?

How big are the giant bunnies compared to the dwarkf ones. I would like to get a flemish giant because I like the idea of a big bunny, maybe I will be able to see them better and not trip over them. Anyway so, how big are they? Can I par one with my dwarf lop? And do they need any special care? Apart from a bigger hutch. Please tell me the pros and cons, are they hard to handle?

I think they are 'gentle giants'. The breed can be anywhere from 18 to 24 pounds so they are quite large. I can't say they are much different from average size buns, but i have never owned one.

You know alot about them for someone who has never owned one.

I've found a website on Google that may be able to help you out:

(Scroll down for the info you may need)

http://sunnyoaksrabbits.tripod.com/id1.html

xxx

Those pics

I've not owned a flemish, but I just wanted to say, size difference shouldn't matter if the buns get on. I had a large and small pairing that worked and I know others have to.

giants have a much shoter life span, averaging only 4 to 6 years. they are prone to health problems which depending on the breed may include sore hocks (not through obesity but rather the sheer size and weight of the rabbits body), flystrike (difficulty grooming especialy if fed incorrectly)and heart conditions such as galloping and mumurs.
temprament wise,(correctly handled) ive found them to be impeccable. thair size also makes them ideal house rabbits.

So with their size how does it make them better house rabbits, just curious because it will be outside most of the time and in at night/afternoon.

Giants can be either indoor or outdoor pets, just like any other breed. I think what maxxev was trying to say that because of their wonderful temperment, they might be preferred as a house rabbit over another breed.
You do have to weigh in the things that maxxev also mentioned like heath problems and a short lifespan. Also, a bigger cage, carrier, hutch/run. More food.
Other then that, you should be just fine with a giant I think!

xxx

toffeepudding said:

So with their size how does it make them better house rabbits, just curious because it will be outside most of the time and in at night/afternoon.

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because you can find a hutch bigger enough for a giant, and they cant get into all the small places dwalfs can get into BUT dont be fooled, you will be very suprised where they can manove rthemselves into!

also there ARE VERY prone to ilness, most of which are due to there size, and dont be suprised when they stump even the vets, i have a bonded pair of giants, the male has had no end of problems from the beggining but he NOW has arthritus, Hip dysplasia, ands a eye condition only seen in dogs, the HD cost me £450 and i dony know many people that would pay that except me :lol: :lol: and the eye if gets any worse is gonna have to have cosmetic and gonna be in the region of£800, and i am not the only one caz on her as a conti and he has had health issues too, so before you think about getting one of these, realise its not quite the same as getting a standard rabbit and whether you could affors to kep one should they be a sicky bun!

I wish they didn't get such bad health issues. That one point will probably mean I wont get one. I panic when I think there is something wrong with my bun but the worst so far is fleas. So I can't imagine thinking there is something wrong and there actually being something wrong. So what about a cross breed? What would be a sort of in between?

maxxev said:

giants have a much shoter life span, averaging only 4 to 6 years. they are prone to health problems which depending on the breed may include sore hocks .

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Actually, their life span is more like 6 - 8 yr., w/ 6 yr. being average, and if they live in their 7th or 8th yr., there will be a lot of health problems.

I am on my 4th Flemish giant now, never met one w/ sore hocks problem.

My 1st rabbit passed away just over 1 yr. old due to my ignorant in rabbit health and I'll live with that guilt for the rest of my life

My 2nd rabbit passed away just over 1 yr. old too, but that is due to the fact that she is nervous rabbit, very stress and grind her teeth all the time, and pneumonia was the cause, but truthfully, it is more due to the fact that the breeders are idiots, they don't know what genetic diversification is, keep breeding the same rabbit w/ no fresh DNA, which is why my 2nd rabbit is so nervous.

But during the 1st year of living of the above 2 rabbits, no health problems, the 2nd rabbit has a bit of ear wax, but no biggie.

My 3rd rabbit lives quite a long time at 4.5 yr. old and passed away due to cancer. He won't eat hay so he has some lack of fiber problem, but other than that, he live a very healthy life until the bacteria infection got in thru his penis, although that was cured, somehow the liver cancer occur and he passed away because of that.

The point is, during the first 4 yr., there is no serioius health problem. With the only problem being he won't eat hays, if he did, he won't not have the lack of fiber problem which leads to soft poo on occasion, and stomach shut down on occasion in which he has to be treated w/ metocloprimide.

Enclosed photos of my 4th Flemish Giant, very healthy rabbit who loves to eat hays.

Bunny photo 1:
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1518/mini080pg.jpg

Bunny photo 2:
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5053/mini072ap.jpg

Bunny photo 3: Goofball likes to hop on her pigeon hole (dinning room)
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5131/mini049rl.jpg

Bunny photo 4: close up of sitting on her pigeon hole
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1736/mini066rv.jpg

Bunny photo 5: inside her pigeon hole
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1069/mini055mm.jpg

Bunny photo 6: eating dry mango
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4945/mini038wa.jpg

Bunny photo 7: sitting on my sofa in the dinning room
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/2846/mini015nq.jpg

So basically what your saying is it depends on the rabbit and not on the breed in general. All of the things that ur buns died/suffered from were things that all rabbits get or CAN get. Its just more common? I'm planning on getting a bunny shed so space wont be a problem I want to rescue one so I will wait until after easter when there is more chance of getting one in the rspca because the breeders didn't sell as many as they thought they would etc. That way I will be able to see size/behaviour and not some little baby who loves everyone.

Delighted you are thinking of rescuing a giant rabbit. I have two French Lops, who are like large dwarf lops. I rescued them from a "friend" who had them in a ferret hutch for one year, with no hay and often no water. She and I became reacquainted and these bunnies made me so sad, I took them in. My understanding is that my dwarf lop could live over 10 but the French Lops 5 years. They are such a lovely pair, despite their history. They are in my kitchen and I am always falling "**** over head" as they are always behind me wherever I am. I would think even giants need a friend and the girls are inseperable. If they were outside, they would need a shed.

My guts tell me it is the breeder that control the diversification of genes, more than anything else. The stronger the genes, the healthier their upbringing is.

The health problems these past 3 Flemish Giants has in the past 6.5 - 7 yr., is no difference than any other breed of rabbits. And there is really not a lot of health problems to begin with.

They are definitely NOT more susceptible to disease compares to other breeds. I would say no more and no less.

They do need a lot of room to run around, and they made very nice household pets.

I do agree that you should wait for one when it surface at RSPCA.

it does depend on the rabbit but all giants will be more prone to problems.
personaly despite the increased cost both vetinary and in terms of food bills i wouldnt have any other rabbit.
i ment by my previous house bun comment that you would need to either convert a shed etc or commision a specialy biult hutch to house a giant since most of the readily avalibal ones are far to small.
having them in the house (especialy if you already own house rabbits and have or know how to bunny proff :wink: ) simply makes sence.

as has been said giants can suffer from problems due to there size from the onset, its is down to breeding but also down to the fact that rabbits should be that size and there life span is an example of the, where i think they were right the first time the life expectancy is realistcally more like 4/6 years. mine BG suffered because of his size and because of the breeding technique used (ie... they had no technique becaue they didnt know what they were doing) he has suffered from birth but with his size from about 7 months!

It's the same as dogs etc Great Danes don't live half as long as smaller dogs.
Giants are lovely! (All the ones I've met have been anyway) I will say though, they are very clumsy! Especially when babies. My conti Xanti is nearly 16 weeks and if he can stand on my feet, he will! (Not on purpose) He's very sweet, great for cuddles (some really don't like being picked up) they can be a bit lazy though, so would probably make a good house rabbit. Just bear in mind how high they can jump if trying to keep them in one area! Xanti was in a 2ft pen and he had absolutely no problem clearing it. In fact he seemed to find it an insult that we thought he couldn't get out! He jumped out of that and onto my bed in the middle of the night and scared me half to death (nearly winded me as well lol)

I hope my lovely Storm doesn't get too poorly when he's older :? . He is a 7 month old french lop and he is totally loopy! :shock: :lol: such a character, but very naughty due to his " teenage," stage. It's funny to see him clumsily charging around with his big ears flapping up and down as he jumps and binkies . He lives with Gypsy, my little lionhead. They get along really well, but sometimes she is a bit bemused at this big bun leaping and crashing around! she is so light and graceful compared to him and she just feels like getting out of his way when he's thundering around like a madman! :lol:
Storm has a lovely charcter, he's very affectionate and follows me around ( he's a house bun) he can be a bit stroppy if you try and pick him up though. I have heard lots of variation on the age of giants, frenchies in particular. I guess like people they are all individuals. Some people say 4 but one man told me his 4 french lops lived between 8 and 10

raven_guest said:

It's the same as dogs etc Great Danes don't live half as long as smaller dogs.
Giants are lovely! (All the ones I've met have been anyway) I will say though, they are very clumsy! Especially when babies. My conti Xanti is nearly 16 weeks and if he can stand on my feet, he will! (Not on purpose) He's very sweet, great for cuddles (some really don't like being picked up) they can be a bit lazy though, so would probably make a good house rabbit. Just bear in mind how high they can jump if trying to keep them in one area! Xanti was in a 2ft pen and he had absolutely no problem clearing it. In fact he seemed to find it an insult that we thought he couldn't get out! He jumped out of that and onto my bed in the middle of the night and scared me half to death (nearly winded me as well lol)

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mine are free range, would nt have the heart to look them up even in a room, there are tremedously lazyyyyyyyyy, mine spend most days asleep )out cold) on my sofa!, mine arent clumbys but hate being picked up and i havent found one yet that likes being picked up, hagrid would rather and does try to chew his own arm off if you try!

but i also have seen very aggresive giants, and its a fright when you see two of them fightening! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Unless I see one at the RSPCA which I fall in love with and has a good temperment I don't think they are for me. I'm prepared to pay vet bills but just for vacs neutering and emergencys (checkups aswell) but not constantly or I would go broke. I think I will stick to the smaller sizes until I have more experience in grooming and caring.