How to Raise Flemish Giants

A Flemish Giant

Flemish Giant rabbits are a striking sight. With sizes larger than many small dogs and cats, you may be wondering how these large rodents fare as family pets. Luckily, Flemish Giants are much calmer than their smaller rabbit relatives and work well as both indoor and outdoor animals. While Flemish Giants can take a bit more care due to their size, many find their agreeable personalities to be well worth the trade off.

Things You'll Need

• Large rabbit cage
• Straw or wood shavings
• Rabbit feed pellets
• Alfalfa or timothy hay
• Rabbit hutch cleaner
• Rabbit toys

Instructions

1. Obtain a cage that is at least 2-feet high and has floor dimensions of at least 36-by-48-inches. For multiple Flemish Giants, the cage will need to be bigger. The floor should have a solid bottom or plank above the wires to protect the rabbit's feet. Fill the cage with bedding made of wood shavings or straw.

2. Feed your Flemish Giant hay every day. Younger rabbits eat alfalfa and adults eat timothy hay. Also give your rabbit pellet feed with at least 15 to 17 percent protein. You may also give fresh fruits and vegetables as treats, but do not feed your rabbit lettuce.

3. Clean your rabbit cage at least once every three days. If washing the cage, only use cleaners made for rabbit hutch cleaning. If your Flemish Giant is an indoor pet, train him to defaecate in his cage or litter box.

4. Exercise your Flemish Giant and supply it with toys and chewing material. You may let your rabbit run around the house, yard, in an animal run, or on a leash. For toys, cardboard boxes and toilet paper tubes work well.

Tips & Warnings

• 1. If keeping your Flemish Giant outside, protect your rabbit from sun, temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, rain, and strong wind. Place a frozen bottle of ice in your rabbit's cage in hot weather. She can lay by it to keep cool. 2. Spaying or neutering Flemish Giants can reduce the risk of common health problems and also reduce aggression and urine spraying in males. 3. Use an earthenware feeding bowl to prevent spillage and bowl chewing. 4. Try teaching your Flemish Giant to come when called. They are smart and can learn their names.

• 1. Rabbits love to chew. If your rabbit is indoors, keep electrical cords out of reach. 2. If giving your rabbit a treat of fruits or vegetables, introduce only one new variety at a time. Some foods can cause diarrhea. 3. Do not use fine sawdust for bedding. It may cause eye irritation.

References

• More About Flemish Giants
• Pet Planet: Flemish Giants