The Flemish Giant rabbit, also known as the "Gentle Giant", is a large domestic rabbit breed with origins possibly dating back to the 16th century and further developed in Belgium around 1860. Initially a utility breed for meat and fur, they are now known for their docile nature, making them wonderful family pets. A typical Flemish Giant rabbit lifespan is between 8-10 years. Females may have a large dewlap (fold of skin) under their chin and their average litter size is 5-12 offspring. Understanding their dietary needs is crucial for maintaining their health and well-being.
Space and General Care
Flemish Giants need more space than smaller rabbit breeds. Their cage should be a minimum of 36 inches wide, 36 inches tall, and 120 inches long to allow them to stretch out and move comfortably. Additionally, these large rabbits need lots of supervised time outside the cage to get exercise and socialization. Flemish Giants can be trained to use a litter box and are, overall, a fairly clean rabbit. Their heavy body weight means Flemish Giants are at risk for pressure sores or ulcerations on the bottom of their back feet. This can typically be avoided by housing your rabbit in a cage with a solid floor such as fleece over a yoga mat, instead of wire mesh. Carpet can be abrasive, so it should be avoided. Flemish Giants have long upright ears that are somewhat susceptible to ear bacteria, or less often with mites. Routine grooming is not only necessary to keep your Flemish Giant healthy, but it also provides a great opportunity to bond with your rabbit. A rabbit's toenails grow continuously and need to be trimmed every four to six weeks. If your Flemish Giant gets dirty, spot clean those areas with warm water on a towel or grooming wipes. Never bathe or submerge your rabbit in water, as this can be stressful and cause matts in the fur. Perhaps the most important thing to consider when deciding to bring a Flemish Giant rabbit into your home is space. This big bunny is friendly and social and thrives on interaction with their family members.
The Foundation: Hay
Hay is the cornerstone of a healthy rabbit diet, providing essential roughage. Each rabbit should eat their body weight in hay every day. This roughage aids in preventing hairballs and other blockages in the digestive system and helps to grind down their constantly growing teeth, preventing overgrowth. Large, unlimited amounts of fresh hay should be offered daily.
Types of Hay
- Timothy Hay: The most-recommended hay for rabbits. It looks like a dried blade of grass, fairly wide and its color is a soft green to grey/brown green. Timothy hay also has “solid cattails” which distinguishes it from Orchard grass hay.
- Alfalfa Hay: Offer alfalfa hay only to babies, nursing mothers, and elderly or injured rabbits. Alfalfa is usually brittle with flat green to brown leaves but can vary from dark lime green to yellow/green/brown depending on the season. It is high in calcium, but it can cause bladder-sludge & is high in calories. If you feed Alfalfa, watch out for loose or wet droppings, excessive weight gain, thick/dark urine and cecal pellets not being eaten.
- Orchard Grass Hay: Similar in appearance to Timothy Hay, but with very little nutrients.
Pellets: A Supplement, Not a Staple
Pellets should be a smaller part of a rabbit's diet. "The uncontrolled feeding of a pelleted diet to a house rabbit can lead to obesity, heart and liver disease, chronic diarrhea, and kidney disease as a result of the high concentration of calories, low fiber, and high calcium levels in the pellets,”. Use a good quality, high-fiber timothy-based pellet as a small part of your rabbit’s diet.
What to Look for in a Quality Pellet
Pellets should be fresh and relatively high in fiber (18% minimum fiber). Avoid “gourmet” pellets that contain nuts, seeds, or grains. When transitioning to a new type or brand of pellets, don’t jump the gun. Gradually transition by mixing a small amount of the new pellets with the current pellets.
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Feeding Guidelines for Pellets
For giant breeds, you should free feed pellets for about 9 months so they get all the nutrition they need to grow up nice an big. Once they get to be older, you would reduce them amount of pellets.
Ideally, you want no less than a 15% Protein content, but a 16 - 18% basis will yield better results. When it comes to fiber, this can be a toss up that is mainly dependent on other supplements, such as type & amount of hay given. If you give your giants a high-end quality & good amount of Hay regularly, then a lower fiber-to-pellet basis is fine. However, if you are using a type of hay that is lower in fiber, then you would want a higher fiber-to-pellet basis. Other bonus ingredients would include papaya, yucca, & dried yeast. Not only are these products nutritious, but they also are highly preferred palate-wise. Notably, the better it smells & tastes, the better it will be eaten. The same is true to that opposition too. No matter how nutritious the pellet is, if your bunny does not like it, he will not eat it. A high quality pellet will have a nice ‘fresh’ smell to it, & will be a green to brownish coloration, be completely or at least primarily dust-free, & without exception it must be clump-free. If at any time a bag is found to include moldy, grey-ish, or otherwise discolored or clumps of pellets, immediately discontinue feeding it; throw it away or send it back to where it came from. Otherwise, high quality pellets are most commonly sold in 25 - 50 pound bags; not in “pretty bags” or with “pretty colors” of pellets mixed into the green/brown ones. Pretty colored nuggets are simply more of a sales-gimmick, to get unknowing pet owners to buy their product. Respectfully, I will mention here that the colorful pellets don’t hurt your rabbit(s), but they aren’t helping either; in other words, “its just eye candy.” When you get down to the business-end of that however, those colorful tidbits are basically taking up space in a limited sized bag for the more-needed, more nutritious regular pellets.
Fresh Vegetables: A Daily Delight
Rabbits love fresh vegetables, especially leafy greens. A good rule of thumb is 1-2 cups of vegetables for every four (4) lbs. of body weight. Select at least three types of green leafy vegetables daily to provide a variety of nutrients. When trying out new greens, add only one new type to the diet at a time. As your rabbits are still young, veggies need to be introduced slowly. Do one at a time and in small amounts. Slowly increase the amount before you add a new one. If they handle a veggie well, wait about a week before adding a new one. Flemish giants should be able to eat the veggies that other rabbits can eat. Some rabbits don't tolerate all veggies. There are many lists of safe and unsafe veggies, so you can just pick from those.
Fruits and Treats: Moderation is Key
All fruits are considered "treats" because of their high sugar content. Carrots fall into this category as well. Limit these healthy treats to a very small amount once or twice per week. High glycemic fruits such as bananas and grapes should be used only as occasional treats.
Water: Always Available
A constant source of fresh, clean water is necessary. All of our bunnies are provide CHILLED water via an inline system with a 220 gallon storage tank. The supply lines are insulated to keep the water cool in the hot months.
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Special Dietary Needs
Some rabbits have special dietary needs. Your vet might recommend different proportions of hay/veggies/pellets in your rabbit’s diet in special circumstances. Mother rabbits nursing their babies need access to unlimited pellets and hay.
Foods to Avoid
Processed human foods are especially dangerous for rabbits and their delicate digestive systems.
Considerations for Showing
With show rabbits, you really want to pay close attention to what you are feeding them. You want something that is very high in fiber,and low in protein. otherwise you may end up running into condition and health problems. They may not do well on the table because of it.
Feeding Schedule Examples
- Kits (up to 3 months old): During these formidable growth weeks the focus is on bone growth and development. We free feed the pellets, bunny granola, and alfalfa.
- Juniors and Intermediate (3 months - 8 months): We free feed the pellets, bunny granola, and alfalfa. We offer up to four (4) pounds of select vegetables daily. As much as the bunny will eat within a 24 hour period.
- Seniors: We free feed the pellets, bunny granola, and timothy hay. We offer up to two (2) pounds of select vegetables daily. As much as the bunny will eat within 24 hours.
Potential Health Issues Related to Diet
- GI Stasis: Rabbits in general have sensitive respiratory systems, and Flemish Giants are no exception. While rabbits cannot vomit, they can develop a serious gastrointestinal (GI) disease called GI stasis in which they stop eating, stop passing stool, and become very lethargic. GI stasis is a very serious, potentially life-threatening condition that can have several underlying causes. Flemish Giant rabbits need plenty of roughage in their diet to maintain a healthy digestive system.
- Obesity: Large rabbits like the Flemish giant rabbit are at a higher risk of obesity compared to their smaller counterparts.
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