Giant rabbits can make wonderful pets. Their larger than life characters and enormous stature make them delightful to own. However, they come with their own set of special requirements and potential problems, so it is important to ensure you can meet these needs before making the commitment.
Source: Morgans Pals
Size matters
Giant rabbits are a term given to the massive breeds of rabbits that generally weigh over 5kg. These include the:
- French Lop
- New Zealand White
- Continental Giant
- Flemish Giant
- Belgian Hare
- English Lop
A giant rabbit should not be confused with an overweight rabbit, which is larger than normal in weight and size! A giant rabbit is said to be just… a giant and can weigh from 5kg – 10kg or more. This one is bigger than many dogs!
Accommodation
As you’d expect, the sheer size these rabbits can achieve means they need much larger accommodations than smaller rabbits do.
All rabbits should be kept in neutral pairs, or larger groups, and giant rabbits are no different. Pet store huts are rarely big enough to hold two giant rabbits, or even one giant rabbit and a smaller breed. Giant rabbits can be over 4ft tall when stretched out or when standing on their hind legs and the basic minimum is that they must be able to make at least 3 consecutive jumps in any direction at a time, for a total of likely 12ft. Therefore, it is best to keep your giant rabbit in a large cage, birdhouse or indoor rabbit arrangement. The sheds can easily be converted and attached to an outdoor run, and the aviaries are ready with an indoor and outdoor enclosure. This allows the rabbit to have plenty of space. All tunnels, toys, and shelves to jump on can be added to such an environment to provide entertainment.
All of this comes at a price and as a basic minimum you can expect to pay up to £300 for accommodation suitable for giant rabbits. This needs to be considered carefully before getting giant rabbits.
Like all rabbits, giant rabbits need daily exercise, preferably in a safe and secure garden, free of potential enemies, escape routes, and poisonous plants. Can you provide this space or a large space (over 20 square feet) where they can exercise, play, graze and forage?
Handling
Most rabbits don’t like to be handled and giant rabbit breeds are no different. Their enormous size makes them awkward and often difficult to handle safely and competently. They can cause nasty scratches and strong kicks to try to get away with incorrect handling. Not only can this cause injury to the owner, but it can also be fatal to rabbits with broken spines/back legs. As such, they should be handled only when necessary (i.e. health check, end inspection/cleaning, nail clipping, etc.) and should be disposed of while the owner is sitting on the ground. The spine must be supported at all times.
Feeding
Contrary to popular belief, giant rabbits are not very demanding on concentrated food. Young, growing rabbits all need more concentrated food (preferably extruded granules to prevent selective feeding), but adult giant rabbits require little or more than a cup of food. take pills every day.
There should also be a daily amount of hay, a fresh haystack and fresh fresh water, as with all rabbits.
Giant rabbits do not need to add any form of mineral or vitamin supplement to their diet, if they are fed as above, unless specifically directed by your veterinarian.
Health problems
Pododermatitis (pain hocks)
Due to their huge size, giant rabbits are very susceptible to Pododermatitis due to the pressure exerted on the rims of their legs. These conditions can get worse if not detected and treated early, so it’s important to use thick, soft bedding and check the ankle/foot areas daily.
Arthritis and spondylosis
Arthritis and spondylolisthesis seem to be very common in giant rabbits as they age. You may notice that your rabbit slows down, walks clumsily in the hind limbs, and gets contaminated with urine and feces. The condition can often be medically controlled with medication, so it’s important to get your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible.
Flystrike
Flystrike can affect any breed of rabbit, but especially many giant rabbits, which can have a pronounced foreskin, preventing grooming around the hind head. It is important to try to keep the giant rabbit in a slim position to prevent this from happening, and to check their hindquarters at least twice daily, using precautions (fly nets, Protecting rabbits). rear guard, etc. This product can be used if your rabbit is at risk of flies, as recommended by your veterinarian.), and cleaning as necessary is absolutely mandatory.
Cardiovascular problems
Heart problems are also seen in giant rabbits. Cardiomyopathy is thought to be much more common in large and giant rabbit breeds, and may be the cause of sudden death in giant rabbit breeds. Dilated cardiomyopathy, in which the heart becomes enlarged and weakened, meaning it cannot pump blood around the body effectively, is the most common heart problem seen in giant rabbits. If detected, early medical treatment can be attempted.
Longevity
On par with giant dogs, giant rabbit breeds appear to have a shorter expected lifespan than their smaller rabbit breeds. On average, you can expect a giant rabbit to live 4-6 years, although some may exceed this number.
