# Flemish Giant lifespan



## akdisneypirates (Jan 3, 2015)

I was having a discussion with my best friend, and we were wondering what is the life span of purebred flemish giants? the web shows 4-5 yrs but we are hoping its a lot longer if they well cared for in a home environment(not as a meat rabbit) and spayed/neutered. 

Thoughts?


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## miyumiyu (Jan 3, 2015)

I'm interested in finding out, as well. I've been having trouble finding much information about them as pets online.


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## 19psi (Jan 4, 2015)

10 to 15 years if it's kept inside, interacted with, spayed/neutered and fed a healthy diet.

5 years if it has a dirtbag owner who keeps it penned up outside year round and buys nothing but bargain priced pellets.


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## Troller (Jan 5, 2015)

My vet, a rabbit specialist with years of experience, told me mine could very well live up to 10 years if properly cared for. Most show breeders mention seven years.


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## JBun (Jan 5, 2015)

Large breed rabbits like Flemish, don't tend to live as long as smaller breed rabbits. As Troller mentioned, their average lifespan seems to be around 7 years, though some may live longer.


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## Liung (Jan 8, 2015)

JBun said:


> Large breed rabbits like Flemish, don't tend to live as long as smaller breed rabbits. As Troller mentioned, their average lifespan seems to be around 7 years, though some may live longer.




I'd learned the exact opposite; while smaller dogs are longer lived than large dogs, larger rabbits are longer lived than smaller rabbits.

For rabbits in general, yeah, a pet store or a pet overview will tell you a rabbit will live 6-10 years (or even worse, 4-6 years), and they're absolutely correct if you keep them the way they recommend: in a 2 1/2' x 4' cage, barely given enough space to move, often alone with no companionship, and not given free access to hay, minimal veterinary care, and completely unfixed.

My impression from hearing from good rabbit owners is that rabbits (that are kept properly, live happy lives, and get the veterinary care they need) can easily live into their teens. My own dwarf just turned 8 this week


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## doodlebugger (Jan 14, 2015)

Our rabbit savvy vet told us that Flemish giants don't tend to live as long around here because many of them come from bad breeders. We found this out the hard way with our first Flemmie. We learned a lot from him. He lived to be about 4 years old but had chronic health issues - especially dental. We gave him a lot of love, attention, proper food, proper hay, did everything right, and still he had health issues. I can't even say out loud how much we spent on him over the course of four years. But, she did say that they can live up to 10 years if they come from a reputable breeder, but even then there are so many things that can happen out of our control. Our female Flemmie only lived to be 2. She had a thymoma that was inoperable and died before they could put her to sleep.


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