# Flemish Giant



## BaileysMom (Apr 12, 2011)

Well yesterday I brought home a black female flemish giant. She will be 12 weeks old on the 15th she was born Jan. 14th. I had someone e-mail me yesterday telling me that her neighbor had 3 bunnies that she needed to rehome and I have been looking/wanting a flemmie for quite some time and they are very hard to find in this area. I went and looked at them and liked the black one, the other 2 were sandy's they were all so sweet but she handed me the black one and I stood there holding her and petting her while talking to the lady for quite some time and she just soaked in all the pettings and lovins, never once tried to jump out of my arms or get away, never got squirmy at all, so needless to say she came home with me. My youngest daughter named her Trixie, not sure if she will keep it that or not. Yesterday I was going to her cage and sweeping up the pellets and putting them in her litter box religiously and kept waiting and waiting for her to pee, finally later last night she pee'd AND she did it in the litter box YAY!!! Then this morning I let Oreo and Little Lady out for their exercise time and she pee'd again only on the floor of the cage (perhaps because of the other rabbits) but OH MY GOODNESS I swear she pee's a river, I know her pellets are bigger and she eats more but I guess I never stopped to think the "puddles" would be bigger also.

Anyways here she is....












Look at those feet.....


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## nochoramet (Apr 12, 2011)

She's just too cute! She looks a lot like our flemmie when she was that age  and yes, they pee a gallon! Even at only 9 weeks, our girl would soak entire shirts in one go


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## DIpitydane (Apr 12, 2011)

AWWWW, she looks like my Nelson who is 7 weeks old!


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## BaileysMom (Apr 12, 2011)

Oh boy, does that mean she's really gonna be a big one ? Her mom wasn't that big but she was only a year old, the dad was HUGE!


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## BaileysMom (Apr 12, 2011)

The girls got home from school, which of course meant more play time, plus we took her outside for a bit, I got a big scratch down my arm from bringing her back in, she did NOT want to come back in LOL.

I think she wants to go to school...






I don't understand how something so big can make themselves look so small.. I'm just a teeny tiny wee wittle wabbit





















ok, that's all for now.


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## Nancy McClelland (Apr 12, 2011)

Very cute.


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## nochoramet (Apr 13, 2011)

Yes she's gonna be big. Ours is 6 months old and ENORMOUS! I'll have to put up photos so you can see the size difference from 8 weeks old to now


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## BaileysMom (Apr 13, 2011)

Oh yes please do put up the pictures, I would LOVE to see the difference, and I mixed up in reply to Dipitydane, if mine is 11 weeks old and looks the same size as her 7 week old maybe she is going to end up being small, I hope not because honestly I like the BIG ones lol.


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## DIpitydane (Apr 13, 2011)

I can't really tell her size or if she's bigger or the same as him...and in the world of baby Flemish...I really don't know what's normal for this or that age....someone needs to make a growth chart! lol....Mostly I just meant that she looks in appearances a lot like Nelson (he is a steel but super dark and nearly looks black). As for size, right now at 7 weeks he is a little over 4lbs. I have no idea if that is "big for his age" or not. I think that I read somewhere that baby flemish average somewhere around 6 to 9lbs at 3 months....in any regard...she's adorable.


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## Kipcha (Apr 13, 2011)

What a sweet looking bunny! Glad to see you managed to find a Flemish, I hear they are great buns!

Just a word of caution, the harness you have on her doesn't have a good reputation (Done some research on different harnesses because of our rabbit hopping club), they have been known to tighten and strangle rabbits if you're not careful because all the pressure from the leash goes to their throat. If you put a harness on them, it should be an H harness like the ones we use, it's a lot safer, just in case something spooks them or something...

Anyways, can't wait to see some more updates and pics!


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## BaileysMom (Apr 13, 2011)

I just weighed her and she weighs 4 pounds 14 ounces (I have a postal weight scale) and she is ll weeks old, so it does sound like maybe she will be on the smaller side, that kinda stinks LOL.
She is black but in the pictures sometimes she almost looks a very dark smoky color because her undercoat is gray. Her mom was a sandy and her father was a gray.


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## DIpitydane (Apr 13, 2011)

I don't think she will be too small....it's kinda like Great Danes....One of our Dane girls was "small" at 100lbs but that's obviously still yet a very big dog! I think Flemmies are the same way. It is my understanding that the "average" senior flemish size is between 13 and 16lbs with the doe's of course being on the bigger side....Nelsons parent's were both above that average with dad being 17.6lbs and mom being 19.2....this is per his pedigree provided by the breeder. The smallest rabbit in his pedigree was I believe around 13lbs. I'd say he is probably just big for his age and that Trixie will mature at a good size regardless. I think it goes without saying that a rabbit whether 13lbs or 20lbs is a BIG bun compared to your average "large" rabbit that weighs 8 or 9lbs.


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## DIpitydane (Apr 13, 2011)

Oh, and if I didn't mention it before, SHE'S SUPER CUTE...Nelson is in love :inlove:


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## farmerchick (Apr 13, 2011)

aww looks like my flemish when she was 12 weeks old!!! my flemmy Dayl is 4 months old now, alot bigger than my 8 month old new zealand. she is about 23 pounds now. i got her at 12 weeks old and was about 8 pounds already. she is so hyper and full of life. she is huge and grows fast enough i swear i can tell when shes gotten bigger.

heres recent pics:





















a horrible pic of me holding her. she wasn't in pain, i know it looks like i'm really holding her down but i was afraid she would kick out of my arms and hurt herself. she is really strong.






Flemishes are awesome, hope you enjoy your new flemish! be prepared to change alot of litterboxes and buy ALOT of rabbit food. mine eats like a cow.


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## nochoramet (Apr 13, 2011)

This is her when we first got her... we estimated around 7-8 weeks:




Then a month later:





And now (not the best picture, it really doesn't do her size justice):


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## BaileysMom (Apr 14, 2011)

*Kipcha wrote: *


> What a sweet looking bunny! Glad to see you managed to find a Flemish, I hear they are great buns!
> 
> Just a word of caution, the harness you have on her doesn't have a good reputation (Done some research on different harnesses because of our rabbit hopping club), they have been known to tighten and strangle rabbits if you're not careful because all the pressure from the leash goes to their throat. If you put a harness on them, it should be an H harness like the ones we use, it's a lot safer, just in case something spooks them or something...
> 
> Anyways, can't wait to see some more updates and pics!


I decided that I didn't like that harness already the first time I used it, in the description and add for it, that little black part doohickey is suppose to lock so that it doesn't tighten and stuff what a joke, nope I wouldn't trust it either. If you can give me a website or somewhere where I can get a GOOD harness I would appreciate it, so the H ones buckle on the neck and chest area? And will she be able to grow w/ it or will I have to get a new one when she gets bigger, would you happen to know what size I would need to get for right now? Sorry about all the questions lol.


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## BaileysMom (Apr 14, 2011)

Robyn & Amanda thanks for all the pics they are both absolutely lovely. I just love it, LOL I will love her no matter what size she gets. Is there a way to condition them to like being held upside down? I tried once but she didn't care for it but it was also the first day I brought her home so she probably didn't trust me yet.

The lady I got her from also had a great dane but the dane was very small and built more like a bull dog in the body style, maybe I am just use to my danes all our danes are above average my female included. 
Yesterday I blocked off both entrances to my kitchen (I have an open floor plan) and put her litter box and food and water and some toys and that is where she hung out most of the day LOL, I put a blanket in there for her to lay on but I took it out because I seen she had pee'd on it, but she never pee'd anywhere else YAY!!! Because she is going to be soo big I am wanting her to pretty much be cageless unless we are not home but in order to do that I also have to make sure she gets along w/ the other rabbits when they are out and about, yesterday she nipped Oreo's nose a couple times through the gate I had up. Didn't hurt him just pulled some of his hair out. She was chewing on a piece of mulberry wood that I gave her and was chasing one of those balls that has a cat size ball inside it, she was pushing it around w/ her nose LOL. I got the video camera but as soon as I hit record the cat jumped in the kitchen with her so she stopped and stared at the cat but started again so the video is VERY boring at the beginning LOL.


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## DIpitydane (Apr 15, 2011)

Hey, I just found this on an older thread, not sure how accuate it is and I'm sure there are variables depending on bloodline, etc, but it might be helpful.




AGE BUCK DOE


2 MONTHS 5-6 LBS 5-6 LBS
3 MONTHS 7-8 LBS 7-8 LBS
4 MONTHS 9 LBS 9 LBS
5 MONTHS 10 LBS 10 LBS
6 MONTHS 11 LBS & UP 11-12 LBS & UP
7 MONTHS 12 LBS & UP 11-12 LBS & UP
8 MONTHS 13 LBS & UP 14-15 LBS & UP
SENIORS 14 LBS & UP 15 LBS & UP


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## Kipcha (Apr 15, 2011)

*BaileysMom wrote: *


> I decided that I didn't like that harness already the first time I used it, in the description and add for it, that little black part doohickey is suppose to lock so that it doesn't tighten and stuff what a joke, nope I wouldn't trust it either. If you can give me a website or somewhere where I can get a GOOD harness I would appreciate it, so the H ones buckle on the neck and chest area? And will she be able to grow w/ it or will I have to get a new one when she gets bigger, would you happen to know what size I would need to get for right now? Sorry about all the questions lol.


The ones I use are just the normal kitten harnesses that are in Wal-Mart, but for a bun that's going to get that big you're going to have to order one eventually... There is a woman in Denmark who makes almost all the harnesses for the hoppers there, they are a bit thicker but for such a bigbun, you would want something slightly thicker and heavier to be more secure, so I think it would be a good fit. They arean extremely sturdy harness.

She really does it with safety in mind (She's been doing rabbit hopping for over 30 years so she's done her research on the subject, that's for sure!) and the ones we got from her were excellent!

I would just wait till she's full grown before ordering one because she custom makes them to fit the bunny. It's kind of hard to compare her size in the pics, but she looks like she might be a bit too big for the kitten ones for now, if you could find a temporary harness, one of the dog ones, it may work BUT it has to be H style. It is waaaaay too easy for a bun to slip out of any of the other dog designs.

http://www.kaninhop.dk/uk/s12/

If you're on Facebook, I can put you in contact with her there too. A very nice woman and great to do business with!


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## TinysMom (Apr 15, 2011)

Something to consider about the flemish giants that stay smaller is that fact that there is less stress on their heart. Since flemish giants have a shorter lifespan than many other breeds - I prefer my flemish giants to stay a bit smaller....but that is just a personal preference.

I love your flemmie! My first flemish giant was a black buck we named Tiny. My current black flemish giant is a doe named Nyx (she currently has six babies) and I have other steel and light gray flemish giants along with one white. (I'm a breeder).


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## BaileysMom (Apr 15, 2011)

Kipcha, thanks for the website, I think I will wait till she gets full grown before ordering one. I have looked at some of the dog harness's and it seems the "back" part goes under the belly instead of along the back, not sure if that would make a difference.

Erin thanks for the chart, I couldn't find one anywhere, lol, the lady I got her from made it sound loke they continue to grow till they are 2 years old, maybe she isn't that knowledgable lol.

Tiny, that is very true about the size and a good point, as w/ my great danes having short life spans my above average size female is going to be 8 towards the end of this year and that is getting old for a dane, maybe it would be better if she stayed on the smaller side so that I can spend more time with her! I also know she will be getting spayed so that her life span doesn't get decreased that way either.


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## farmerchick (Apr 15, 2011)

not sure about that chart....i don't over feed my flemish, i actually try to cut back on the pellets so she doesn't pig out. my flemish is 22 pounds at 4 months old, and i know she is really 4 months old because i've seen her/been around her since she was born. she is really active and grows FAST. she isn't fat at all....

i think it has alot to do with genetics. i seen my flemmys mom and dad and they were beaster bunnies. lol


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## Paddy Ohara (Apr 15, 2011)

I bought a small dog harness at Tractor Supply for my Flemish. I like it because it is easy to adjust on her body. The head expands to allow the ears to come through and then you can tighten easily.


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## DIpitydane (Apr 15, 2011)

22lbs at 4 months is NOT your average Flemmie...I'd say that's exceptionally large rather than typical. :muscleman:

My friends who show mini rex, mini lop and Flemmies tell me that at 4 months their kits range in weight from 8 to 12lbs. It's got to be a very individual thing I suppose.


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## Paddy Ohara (Apr 15, 2011)




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## Paddy Ohara (Apr 15, 2011)




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## nochoramet (Apr 15, 2011)

Yeah our girl is about 11 pounds at 6 months old, and her dad was 18 pounds at 11 months old so that seems to follow the chart almost perfectly! Your bun must have some beasting genes!


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## BaileysMom (Apr 15, 2011)

Thanks Robin, I think I will definitely try a small dog harness then, and thanks for the pics, she looks so cute sporting her little harness.


I thought 22 lbs at 4 months sounded a little big also especially since the average size isn't even quite 22 lbs. when full grown however I know that can vary greatly. The one buck (the lady wasn't sure if he was the father or the smaller buck she had) was HUGE!! He had to weigh over 22 pounds lol, but I got to pet him and just loved him hee hee.


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## farmerchick (Apr 15, 2011)

wow, i thought it was normal they got this big! and honestly, the flemish we picked was the smallest in the litter, which was 11 kits. the rest went for meat.


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## nochoramet (Apr 15, 2011)

Yeah I have read that average for a full grown flemmie was around 18-20 lbs... yours is huge! But still super cute  she's about the same color as ours! Kind of a steel color?


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## DIpitydane (Apr 15, 2011)

Yeah...uhm...tho 20lbs and over isn't unheard of by any means, your average mature doe is generally somewhere around 17lbs with (I think) 14 being the minimum weight....13 for bucks...22lbs period is big, but at 4 months...would have to be some sort of record!


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