Flemish Giant Rabbits?

[Bunnylady]

Litter box training is something that kind of depends on the rabbit. Most rabbits instinctively use one corner as the "potty corner." Some are really neat about it, and always poop and pee in that one spot. Others aren't so clean, while they may pee there, they may drop bunny poo anywhere they happen to be at the moment. Cecal pellets (night feces) can wind up anywhere, as well. Like most animals, rabbits use their urine and feces to mark their territory, so some elimination outside of the corner is inevitable. Litter box training is often as much a matter of the rabbit training you where it wants to go as the other way 'round! A lot of people wait until the rabbit picks a corner, then put the litter pan there.

I'm sorry if my fellow breeder's words of caution discouraged you. However, I am glad you are going to look into the subject a bit more before getting a rabbit. I enjoy breeding and showing rabbits, but it isn't for everyone. I'm much more comfortable selling a rabbit to someone who says, "We bought the cage, and the feed, and the hay, what else do we need?" before they even set foot on my place. Believe it or not, I have had prospective buyers that have said things like "Oh, I just figured I'd keep him in my bathtub until I get paid next week, and I can buy a cage then."

And no, they weren't kidding!

It's kind of odd, how rabbit shows work. In almost every other kind of animal I can think of, the show animal is groomed to within an inch of its life! How well you can groom can make or break your animal in the showring. It's almost the opposite with rabbits. A rabbit is shown in as natural condition as possible. The coat is to be clean, and free of mats, but any sign of trimming, plucking, coloring, or any other attempt to alter the natural appearance of the coat is grounds for disqualification. The condition of the rabbit's coat is supposed to result from the excellent health of the rabbit, not the skillful application of grooming products.

I keep playing with the idea of getting a couple of Flemish Giants myself. I work with 5 rabbit breeds, 4 of which run 4 pounds or less. My largest breed is the Harlequin, which tops out around 9 pounds. Inevitably, people see one of my Harlies and say, "that's a big rabbit!" I'd love to be able to point to an 18-pound Flemish and say, "No, those are just medium sized. Now, that, that's a big rabbit!" Every once in a while, I do get a call from someone who is looking to buy a really big rabbit as a pet, so who knows? I may add a 6th breed yet!

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

i may not know much about showing rabbits but i take a rabbit from the school i go to for breaks i litter box train her and she lives in my bathroom i give her a very large pillow i dont use to dig in and she seems to like it and doesnt get dirty im not sure if people who show rabbits need to keep them in a cage or not but this way seems to work for me

 

[chinbunny]

Quote:
I never to discourage them from buying the rabbit. just wanted to see them get off to a good start so they dowell with showing them. Buying the cage and stuff ahead of time is a good idea. One thing the OP may want to consider is attending an actual rabbit show to see how things are done. do some research, talk to the breeders. You can also pick up cages and equipment from the vendors at them, which is very reasonable. Most sell hand built cages that last a lot longer then store bought ones do. They can probably direct you in the right direction for a flemish. i still highly recommend letting the original breeder take you under their wing. Good breeders are wonderful people when it comes to helping others get started. You will be a pro at showing before you know it.

 

[L&Schickens]

I have been to several rabbit shows but never really asked about how it all works.
Als, I just don't like the idea of a rabbit that big and heavy on wire. It bothers me a lot. I would rather have one on concerte or even dirt then wire. The little rabbits I have owned in the past were on wire and I let them out all the time to get off of it. But they had broken nails (even when they were short already) and I just didn not think they were comfortable sitting on wire all the time. Just something I don't agree with. I want a GIANT bunny. I will get a GIANT bunny one of these days, but I have to figure out how to house one without being on wire.

 

[chinbunny]

L&Schickens :

I have been to several rabbit shows but never really asked about how it all works.
Als, I just don't like the idea of a rabbit that big and heavy on wire. It bothers me a lot. I would rather have one on concerte or even dirt then wire. The little rabbits I have owned in the past were on wire and I let them out all the time to get off of it. But they had broken nails (even when they were short already) and I just didn not think they were comfortable sitting on wire all the time. Just something I don't agree with. I want a GIANT bunny. I will get a GIANT bunny one of these days, but I have to figure out how to house one without being on wire.

What kind of wire were you using? A good built cage should be breaking their nails. Anything that is real wide or flimsy will bother them. You want them on something strong and sturdy. Most large rabbit breeders keep their rabbits on wire. They just give them something to sit on to get off of it. Thats where the plastic resting boards come in handy. Its not the wire that hurts them anyhow, its the pressure they put on their hocks. Large breeds can even get sore hocks just from sitting on carpet, and solid flooring as well. Ask the breeder what their setup is, what works for them, and copy that. I have medium sized breeds and newzealand whites in all wire cages, and it doesn't bother them.​

 

[CoopCrazy]

Just on a side note from someone who bred and showed rabbits in 4-H and ARBA shows.. For stains you can use Lemon Juice on a cloth and sometimes get the stains out.. I have used it many times with my old Californias and they did great.. Also IMO to occasionally bathe a rabbit does not harm them .. This is my opionion only... I have bathed many rabbits a few days before a show and as long as you do it in a draft free warm area,use warm water and dry immediatly it does not harm them or their coats..

 

[chinbunny]

A cage like this would be ideal for a flemish giant show rabbit. If you want to show you have to keep them in something that will keep them clean. A wire hutch is the best way to go. And its not all uncomfortable for them. I can walk in my barn at any given time and see rabbits sprawled out on the wire. I think this is a 36x36. Add the resting matt if you don't want them sitting on the wire.

These are handbuilt by a friend of mine. They are about the sturdiest cages I have found.

And of course i do have some that are built by rabbit cage companies too. These, IMHO are the best equipment you will find. nice and sturdy. They last a long time. Rabbits seem to like them. They are the ones on the right.

I use the resting matts in my pigeons because seem to ignore them. but here is what they look like minus the pigeon poop.

 

[ksalvagno]

You could always buy a metal puppy pen, put it into a square which will make a 4x4 area. Then put down a rubber mat for the flooring. I have a Flemish Giant. He is in a 4x8 area that is totally covered with a rubber mat. Then I have about a 3x3 faux sheep skin rug that is one of those thick vet rugs for him to lay on. I also use 2 litter boxes that are the small concrete mixing pans from Home Depot with wood stove pellets. He goes in them most of the time with some pooping outside. This is easy to wash and keep clean. He also gets boxes from Costco as his house so he can chew them and make his own windows.

 

[chinbunny]

Quote:
Does the rabbit get stained though? The one she wants to get is a show rabbit. They can't be on anything that will stain their coat. The puppy pen is a good idea. what my neighbors did for their pet rabbit was that they bought a large dog cage, and lined the bottom with galvanized wire. which actually makes the whole thing more sturdy. That way a drop pan could be placed under the cage where the rabbit couldn't get into it. As suggested part of the wire can be covered with something that is safe for the rabbit. Also, I woul dbe worried about the rubber, and rug since rabbits will chew.

 

[ksalvagno]

I guess it depends on the rabbits but my rabbit is not stained at all. He also doesn't chew on the rubber or carpet. The rubber end is beyond the metal puppy pen so he can't get to the edges. He does love his cardboard boxes though and I make sure to keep him in a good supply of them.

When I got him, he was getting over SEVERE sore hocks. I have had him over a year now and the sore hocks haven't returned.