Flemish Giants in Missouri

[johnsonsflemish]

Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm a flemish giant breeder in North Missouri. I love my big bunnies and even set up a studio at Easter to take pics with area children/infants. Every year they book again. I love seeing people's faces when they first see my big bunnies. I raise blue, white, lt. gray, steel and sandy bunnies. I take them to shows a few times each year. It started as my daughter's FFA project and I just can't give it up! I love them!!!

 

[mlrod1914]

I love Flemish Giants also. We have Rex. One Black Otter and one Broken Blue.
I am in Massachusetts. There is a breeder a couple of houses down from me. How long have you been raising rabbits?

 

[johnsonsflemish]

I've been raising Flemish Giants for 7 years. I just love them! People want unusual house pets and these big guys are great house pets. They're easy to potty train and they're quiet! My indoor bunny jumps on the couch with me and watches t.v. Most of the time she's either kicking her heels up (very funny to watch) or just laying around. We had to put our cords out of her reach, but we love having her indoors with us. If we ignore her too long, she'll give my foot a nudge and want played with. She gets along great with our cat too.

 

[mlrod1914]

Our two house buns are similar. Of course, Rex rabbits have a more high strung personality and are super active. They rarely sit still. I'm glad that having house rabbits is becoming more popular. They do chew the baseboard if I don't watch them, but aside from that they are great. We have a bonded pair. Glad to hear you have your buns indoors.

 

[trilliumcoop]

I just put a deposit down for a white Flemish buck. We pick him up in two weeks. My kids intend on showing him for 4H and I hope to have him as a house bunny. I am nervous about chewing and litter training however. I set up a hutch a and run outside for him until he is neutered and litter trained. I have an x-pen and litter box and dog kennel for him inside. He'll be almost four months old when we get him. Do you think this age is ok? I worry he'll be too old already to transition to inside I guess.

 

[mlrod1914]

Congrats on the new bun!
We just picked up an unaltered doe (rex broken blue). She is 6 months old and has spent her whole life in a barn in a cage. We slowly transitioned her to being with our other neutered male rex and after a week they stopped beating each other up and are bonded. She has the run of the house for about 2 hours each evening and otherwise they both live on the porch "free range". She transitions just fine.
My suggestion is:
Make sure there are no wires where the bun can get to, they think they are vines that need trimming.
On hardwood floors, they are going to be super scared. They need to learn how to walk on the slick surface. It will take about a week to fully adjust. Make sure there is a liter box inside for the time it is inside. Otherwise it will pee on your couch or other soft surfaces. Be careful of shoes, they liek to chew the edges (sandals are my buns favorites.)
I think that they will adjust just fine to being in the house.
When left alone you will also notice that their personality really starts to open up.
Flemish giants tend to be rather quiet buns, so it should make things easier. If you want to keep them out of certain areas, concider animal gates/fences. Just remember that buns can jump most gates, you might need to use two stacked on top of each other. They also tend to chew the plastic gates trying to make a hole. I put wire mesh on mine, what works like a charm.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, I love to help with getting buns in the house, and also with bonding rabbits.
Glad to help!

 

[trilliumcoop]

Thanks so much! We are really excited and I have been reading everything I can about house rabbits in general and Flemish Giants specifically. I made an appointment to have him neutered a few days after we pick him up. My plan at the moment is to have him inside while we are watching him, maybe for meals and training a few hours every day, slowly increasing time and space as he learns how to be inside. My kids are home for the summer and we will have lots of time to spend with him.

 

[mlrod1914]

My pleasure. If you have any challenges, let me know. I'll be glad to help. Just a suggestion, they live in the litter box. So if its not big enough they will try to poop and pee in other places in an attempt to expand their territory. So if the bun starts this, then try getting another litter box and throwing in some hay. Also limit the area they have access to full time. They will get bold and try to assert their dominance. This is true for both bucks and does.This will include leaving pellets everywhere and chewing stuff. If this happens, limit the buns range for a couple of days.
Again, just let me know and I'll help.