Flemish Giants? Beginner questions :) - Page 2

I was looking for mostly pets. however, I was planning on attending some poultry shows when I have time. I also wouldn't mind getting a few eggs out of them, but I can deal with bantam eggs. I was looking to get six bantams or four or five standards. Im not sure if i want a roo or not. My town allows it as long as they don't get out of control, but I'm still not sure. Do polish do as bad in the winter as people say?

Thank You! I was only planning on letting them free range if i have time to supervise them. I was going to buy a coop with a run. Im at a loss of what breed to pick. I don't know if I should get an assortment of breeds,bantams, turkens, polish, or easter eggers. I know turkens and EE's aren't very good for show, but I guess I'll decide soon. Thanks again! and if you have any more questions about rabbits I'd love to answer them! You should post a pic when you get one. I'd love to see it!

* Is seven too young for a rabbit?

 

I don't think so as long as she understands that she needs to take care of it. Kids only have to be five to be in 4H so I don't see why not.

 

* How long do they live?

 

Rabbit average around 7 years, I've seen many that haven't made it have far and have seen them past that. I have a friend whose rabbit is nearly 11 and still going strong.

 

* Is a Flemish too much bunny?

 

They are very sweet rabbits, however if she is one that really enjoys holding them I definitely suggest something smaller.

 

* How heavy is the average Flemish?

 

Flemish are pigs, we have a buck and a doe (both siblings and on the small side) the buck is about 12lbs and the doe is 15lbs last we weighed her.

 

* Which is sweeter, Male or Female?

 

I'd say bucks, but they tend to spray and try to breed you if they like you really well. Does have an age where they want to get bred really bad and tend to get grumpy then.

 

* And do you think that there's a better breed for her?

 

As much as I hate to say it, but Mini Rex I think would be great for her. The ones I used to have were really sweet. But any small breed I think would work well for her (except for Brits, but I doubt you'd be able to find anyone with one of those easily) there are Netherlands, Holland Lops, Dutch (lots of experience with these, they are very friendly!), Mini Lops, Mini Satins. There are a ton of breeds out there to choose from. Every rabbit is different, so its hard to say which breed would work the best.

Mini Rexes are nice, but they are small. If you wanted a big breed, these are only 4 pounds average. Also, mini rexes tend to be hyper and can nip. My first rabbit was a mini Rex and he is EVIL. If you are looking for a calm rabbit that won't bite, big breeds are better. And if you do want a small rabbit, Holland Lops are the sweetest things! However, I love New Zealand's, and any big rabbit! You might have to help your daughter carry it until she is older and can do it herself without dropping the bunny. Dropping them can be very serious if they land the wrong way. They can become paralyzed or have seizures the rest of their life. I know this because my friend's rescue was dropped down a stairwell by its old owner. The kid was 2 years old and wasn't being supervised when playing with the rabbit, and it now has random seizures, and broken teeth. Very sad.

Holland Lops are good if you want a smaller rabbit. They average only up to 4 pounds. There is also the American Fuzzy Lop which is a Holland Lop with wool. But, they are not good for allergy sensitive people and they need additional grooming. Holland Lops can live outside,  and as a matter of fact, any breed can. To help you, here's a list of the breeds I have and my experiences with them.

 

Mini Rex- most are nice, a little bit on the hyper side, and can sometimes be nippy. However, they make good pets. Mine just happens to be an evil beast. Average wieght: 4 pounds Note: they have the softest hair of any rabbit. It is short and velvety. Come in many colors. Normal eared. Showing is competitive

 

Holland Lop- the most popular rabbit breed of all time, they are almost always sweethearts. Come in a wide array of colors. Lop eared. Pretty hardy overall. Best pets ever. Showing is very competitive. Average weight: 4 pounds 

Note: lop eared rabbits get hot easier than normal eared, but it is not a drastic difference

mine loves people and cannot live without them

 

American Fuzzy Lop- a Holland Lop with hair. Sweethearts, do great in winter, keep cool in summer, additional grooming may be required. Not good for sensitive allergies. Come in many colors. Cuties! Average weight: 4 pounds. Mine makes squeaky noises and has a funny personality!

 

New Zealand- large, meat rabbits, but in my opinion, make better pets! Lazy, big, thick furred, but not long. They will sit on your lap for hours, and have funny personalities. Mine makes strange sounds, sometimes punches, and thinks she's the boss! But she is still sweet and a male would probably be a better choice. Average weight: 10-11 pounds, sometimes 12. Do not come in many colors (red, black, black and white, red eyed white, and blue is in developement) Note: some tend to be shy depending on where they are raised, but with some work, can be tamed. We had work to tame mine for a month, but she is now sweet.

 

Polish-(yes, it is also a rabbit breed!) Tiny, little bundles of fun! Some are hyper, some are calm. They all have very different, playful personalities. They are a favorite of mine. They have short ears, are very heat hardy, and do surprisingly well in the winter. Average weight: 2 1/2 pounds. Mine is the funniest rabbit I've ever met. He throws toys around, and makes a wide variety of sounds including the occasional Chihuahua bark. However, he can be VERY messy, and sometimes nips when excited. I still love him though!

 

English Spot- an old world, running rabbit. They have arched backs and very cool spotted patterns. They are a skittish breed and need regular excersise if their cage is small. They can be nippy, but mine is very calm and sweet. They are very hard to show. Not recommended for a young child, or a first rabbit. Gain some experience and they make great animals. Average wieght: 8 pounds

 

Hops this helps, but hese are only six of the 47 registered ARBA breeds. 

I know I'm over a month late for this thread but I myself have 2 flemishes, well 6 if you add in the 4 babies that our recently purchased doe had  lmao wasn't ready for babies BUT with that being said they are so sweet! Our female weighs about 12lbs right now, she's only 4 months old and our buck at 8 months old weighs in at 16lbs! Here's some pictures

 

This is Honey, she's a Sandy colored Flemish, non pedigree....3 months in these pics. As you can tell from the pics that both rabbits are very very friendly.

 

 

 

Her at 4 months with her litter of 4 babies

 

 

Our pedigree buck we bought about a week ago. He's around 8 months old and weighs about 16lbs