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Giant bunny breeds

Hi all :wave:

Just wondering who on here have bigger/giant breed bunnies such as Contis? Is there anyone who keeps giant bunnies outside or is it better to keep them indoors? Is there temperament different to small/medium bunnies?
What about health issues and life span - do they need more trips to the vet?
Do you keep them with another bunny of the same size or does the size of their partner not really matter?

Would be interested to know :) Pictures would also be great if you have any.
 
Hi all :wave:

Just wondering who on here have bigger/giant breed bunnies such as Contis? Is there anyone who keeps giant bunnies outside or is it better to keep them indoors? Is there temperament different to small/medium bunnies?
What about health issues and life span - do they need more trips to the vet?
Do you keep them with another bunny of the same size or does the size of their partner not really matter?

Would be interested to know :) Pictures would also be great if you have any.

I do not have any Giant Breed Rabbits now, but the ones I have cared for have all been very gentle in nature. Giants tend to have a shorter life span to smaller breeds, 8-9 years being about 'average'. Although I have known of some who made it to 10.

Health issues can include Heart problems, Spinal problems, in Giant Lops- Ear problems, Entropion/Ectropion.

IME bonding a Giant Rabbit with a smaller Rabbit is possible, it really depends on the individual Rabbit's character as much as their differences in size.

Giants can be housed indoors or outdoors. IMO if indoors they should be as 'free range' as possible and if housed outdoors then a large shed with a permanent large run attached or a large dog kennel/run would be essential. I dont think any Giant breed should live in a hutch.


A few of the Giant Breeds whom I have cared for:

The late Geoffrey, a Continental Giant, who was severely brain damaged due to an adverse reaction to a GA



The late Victoria Meldrew, French Lop, a Doe traumatised by spending 4 years in a 4 foot hutch. She was VERY aggressive as her feet were a mass of abscesses. But eventually she become a gentle giant



The late Big Libby, a Flemish Giant, rescued from a BYB at 10 weeks of age with a huge abscess on her spine



The late Colonel Colin, a Velveteen Lop (English Lop x Rex)

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Hi all :wave:

Just wondering who on here have bigger/giant breed bunnies such as Contis? Is there anyone who keeps giant bunnies outside or is it better to keep them indoors? Is there temperament different to small/medium bunnies?
What about health issues and life span - do they need more trips to the vet?
Do you keep them with another bunny of the same size or does the size of their partner not really matter?

Would be interested to know :) Pictures would also be great if you have any.


Lovely giant rabbits :D

I prefer to keep rabbits indoors and let them free range, and this I feel is even more important for giant breeds. Depending upon personality the size of a companion isn't too important :)

They do have health issues peculiar to themselves due to their size. Sore hocks can be one thing, and arthritis and spondylosis are common in giant rabbits as they get older.

Their lifespan is generally agreed to be between 4 - 6 years, though they can exceed this :) Particularly with Continental Giants - where their care and health is good they could live as long as 7 years

Some info here:

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/giantrabbits.asp

http://www.rabbitmatters.com/flemish-giant.html

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/GiantRabbitCareGuidelines.pdf
 
We have kept Giants from rescues of one sort or another for nearly 30 years. They are brilliant - Conti Giants Flemish Giants, French Lops, Giant Papillons etc. We have mainlky kept them outside in pairs in large garden sheds with attached runs. They also have the run of our large garden - in pairs only - when we are are in it. The health issues are as described in other posts plus less long lived. We have had several with chronic muscle wastage and spinal deformity due to tiny hutches and ear and facial absesses are a problem for the Lops. They are generally very gentle though hate being picked up. They can be quite a challenge to medicate given their size and strength and if you do get bitten it can be quite deep. All that said I would not want anything different.
 
We have kept Giants from rescues of one sort or another for nearly 30 years. They are brilliant - Conti Giants Flemish Giants, French Lops, Giant Papillons etc. We have mainlky kept them outside in pairs in large garden sheds with attached runs. They also have the run of our large garden - in pairs only - when we are are in it. The health issues are as described in other posts plus less long lived. We have had several with chronic muscle wastage and spinal deformity due to tiny hutches and ear and facial absesses are a problem for the Lops. They are generally very gentle though hate being picked up. They can be quite a challenge to medicate given their size and strength and if you do get bitten it can be quite deep. All that said I would not want anything different.


I thought of you Elizabeth :)

How long have yours lived? Such a shame they don't live as long as the tinies.
 
Varies of course but I think the oldest was 9. We've had several die suddenly, probably from heart attacks, when only 2 or 3, and under anaesthetic (with Rabbit savy vet). They do seem to be more fragile than smaller bunnies and perhaps suffer more from too small cages. Rupert our current biggest bun covers more than a metre in a single hop!
 
Varies of course but I think the oldest was 9. We've had several die suddenly, probably from heart attacks, when only 2 or 3, and under anaesthetic (with Rabbit savy vet). They do seem to be more fragile than smaller bunnies and perhaps suffer more from too small cages. Rupert our current biggest bun covers more than a metre in a single hop!


Rupert sound amazing :love:
 
Varies of course but I think the oldest was 9. We've had several die suddenly, probably from heart attacks, when only 2 or 3, and under anaesthetic (with Rabbit savy vet). They do seem to be more fragile than smaller bunnies and perhaps suffer more from too small cages. Rupert our current biggest bun covers more than a metre in a single hop!

That's interesting to know! What breed is Rupert?

Would you happen to have any pictures? :) :wave:
 
Rupert is a very handsome Continental Giant. We got him last June from a rescue to bond with our German Lop girl who had just lost her sister. Unfortunately that didn't work - he is very sweet and gentle but for a boy quite territorial and Raggy is a real madam. He has had awful sore hocks - we think he was kept on wire at some stage - and has bandaging on one foot which is changed every couple of days. His foot is now better than its ever been but the skin is so delicate and with his size I think he will always need a protective bandage. I've made him boots of many designs but he just gets them off in seconds while he seems to be used to the bandage now. We would really like to try bonding him again but are just so scared of the potential foot damage en route. I can't up!oad photos from my tablet but will try from the main computer.
 
I've had an english lop which i think might be classified as giant?

My parents/siblings had a flemish giant that free roamed the house for most of her life. She died when I was a baby sadly but she sounded amazing.
 
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