Big White Rabbit

[Becknutt]

OK, as some of you probubly know last month I adopted a Big White Girl Bunny from a local shelter. From the day we first saw her I thought she was a New Zealand (or cross)from what the shelter vet said. Until this morning I hadn't questioned it. My husband was doing some work for a breeder this week and after Robert told him I'm a bunny lover he invited us over to see his buns. He had a REW Flemish Giant Doe who looked identical to my Ruby. He thinks (from photos) my girlis a Flemie and not a New Zealand. I know that half the time shelters don't know what they're talking aboutSO what do you think???? We've been looking at some other New Zealand pics and she has the charictaristic big back feet and big pink ears. Her snout seems to be longer though... Any opinions appreciated. We love her no matter what.

I don't know what she weighs, she is still a bit shy about being held. I will try to weigh her tonight and update the post. I'm told she is about a year old, she was brought in to the shelter as a stray.

 

[jazzywoo]

with out any dout i can tell you that is a red eyed white continental giant

and i will warn you she wont stop growing till she is about 2 yrs old ,

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Her ears look a little small to be a Giant. She may be a cross? Her weight will tell us.

Edited to say: She is beautiful, whatever she is!

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

How much does she weigh?

Sharon

 

[jazzywoo]

she looks like a conti to me wouldnt say she is the best type wise but the way she stands , her head everything about her says conti even though she does look a little smaller than mine she could be crossed with a british giant

here is apple may give us a better idea :?

 

[Becknutt]

The 2nd photo does look a lot like her. I've been thinking she may be younger than they thought at the shelter. The vetdid not seemvery rabbit savy; may have guessed a year based on her size alone.

I googled Continental giant and her ears don't seem to be that large. They are big, especialy when she has them at full attention but not quite that big compared to her body. Right now her ears are about 4.5" from base to tip.

She weighs 8.5lbs; She was thin when we got her and is still puting on weight.

Let me know if any other pics/ info would be helpful. Her fur is soft and fluffy...

 

[jazzywoo]

Becknutt wrote:

The 2nd photo does look a lot like her. I've been thinking she may be younger than they thought at the shelter. The vetdid not seemvery rabbit savy; may have guessed a year based on her size alone.

I googled Continental giant and her ears don't seem to be that large. They are big, especialy when she has them at full attention but not quite that big compared to her body. Right now her ears are about 4.5" from base to tip.

She weighs 8.5lbs; She was thin when we got her and is still puting on weight.

Let me know if any other pics/ info would be helpful. Her fur is soft and fluffy...

well contis are very big rabbits she does look like one but she is small at 8lb unless she is alot younger than you were told , contis can grow up to 3 ft and weigh up to 3 st when adults , at 8lb that would make her if she is a conti about 8 weeks old lol

she could be a cross but she doesnt have the look of a New Zealand they are more chunky and flemish are quit long in the body and tend to lie flat where yours stand like a conti , in those pics apple is only a baby of 10 weeks , guess we are stuck to what yours could be now :?looking at pics id say young conti but looking at weight not sure mm very confusing lol

 

[JadeIcing]

No conti in the states that I have heard.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

She is the correct size for a New Zealand. There are many different head shapes and body lengths in the breeds. She is MUCH too small to be a Flemish or a Conti.

Sharon

 

[naturestee]

Conti's are extremely rare in the US. I remember hearing when someone imported the first few not too long ago. Anyway, Flemish would be much much larger and would have proportionally bigger ears. Flemish also have massive wide heads, while Ruby has a more dainty, slender head. 8.5 lbs is too small even for a skinny small-sized Flemish. My guess would be New Zealand, which are around 10 lbs or so and are very common.

It's also a little hard for me to tell, since Ruby is skinny and isn't sitting in the typical show pose (kind of a meatloaf position), but she also looks like she has the rounded body shape of a New Zealand more so than a Flemish which has a mandolin-type body.

Here's some pics of my NZ Oberon

Who is also about 8.5 lbs, by the way. Although he's at his healthy weight, he's just a bit dinky for a New Zealand, LOL!

It's not unusual for meat breeders to cross Flemish with New Zealands or other meat breeds and some do end up in rescues, but the crosses I've seen definately look larger than your average New Zealand. For example, Treasured Friend's bridge bun Kareena was black, over 12 lbs, and had ears that were proportionatley larger than Oberon's and also a heavier boned face. Very much a flemish cross. Here are some pics of her.
http://www.linedgroundsquirrels.com/BigDWouldUnderstand.html

JadeIcing's bridge bunny Samantha also looked like a flemish cross, I think she was around 15 lbs so giant sized but didn't look quite pure, or maybe she just wasn't bred for show.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=25021&forum_id=27

Hope that helps!

 

[BlueGiants]

Ithink she is mostly New Zealand. (She could be crossed with a Flemish, but she doesn't appear to have that body type...) 8.5 lbs issmall for a Flemish, unless she is very young (8-10 weeks old?). She has a well developed dewlap, so I'm guessing she isn't that young. Flemish ears should be minimum 6" base to tip. Based on the photo of her front legs, she doesn't have the bone that a Flemish typically has. The Flemish have VERY heavy, thick bones, most noticable on the front legs.

New Zealands should be 10-12 lbs as Seniors, (11 lbs ideal) ears just have to be in proportion to the head.

I know someone that imported a couple of Conti's recently, but she doesn't have the ear span (width) or the head width that they have... the Continental is not an ARBA recognized breed in this country and is still considered rare.

She is VERY pretty and She is so lucky to have been found by you.

 

[Becknutt]

Ok good, so we were pretty close originaly thinking she was a New Zealand. She has a long slender body, but I thought she was thin from the shelter. Her head is skinnier and long. I was confused when I started seeing NZ with the shorter heads. She looks just like Oberon, I've seen his pics.

She definitaly doesn't have the wide ears and is no where near 8wks old. Lol. I've had her for 4.

Thanks everyone for clearing that up!

 

[naturestee]

NZs in ARBA shows have shorter, wider heads than Oberon. But I see a lot of more slender ones in 4H shows and shelters. If they're not bred specifically for ARBA shows they don't necessarily look exactly like the breed standard. 4H around here doesn't seem to care much about the standards, so the show rabbits don't always look like they should. You should see all the 4 lb skinny long faced Polish I see here, they look more like Havanas!

 

[Becknutt]

I was pretty sure she was NZ until this guy put the idea in my head...and I was scared that she would grow A LOT bigger and I didn't want space to become an issue.

Ruby and Oberon could be twins really. On another thread I saw a pic of him and for a second thought it was her. I posted them in the look a likes photo phile.

It does make me wonder if she showed up at the shelter because she did not fit the breed standard and couldn't be shown. She was turned in as a stray, but I know people sometimes say that to avoid paying the fee for owner turn in. Anyway, her past will forever remain a mystery.

 

[pamnock]

She doesn't have the body type of a New Zealand, and doesn't appear to have the flyback coat of a New Zealand.

Flemish have a softer, rollback coat.

Beverens have blue eyes, so that could probably be ruled out unless someone crossed in New Zealand to improve body type. Beverens have a softer coat.

White Americans have red eyes, but they have flyback coats.



Pam

 

[MsBinky]

*Pokes*

So what are we left with?

I'm learning here

 

[pamnock]

Possible Flemish New Zealand mix ???

Pam

 

[MsBinky]

Ah :?Lol. Okies So it has the body type of a flemish... But what traits from the NZ does it have? Sorry if I ask, I'm really trying to learn more about the breeds

 

[pamnock]

New Zealand x Flemish crosses are not uncommon. The size of the rabbit at a year old is too small for a Flemish - a doe at that age should weigh at least 14 lbs. She's even a little small for New Zealand size.

If the fur is very soft, a Satin x Flemish cross could also be possible.

All speculation, we're not going to be able to determine for certain what she really is

Pam

 

[BlueGiants]

Excellent suggestion Pam, I didn't see that. Satin would cover the smaller ears and delicate bone... Flemish would cover the lower shoulders. Thanks!