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dmmcnair

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
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Location
Lexington, Texas, USA
I haven't been on the forum for a while, muchbusiness going on this summer. It took a while for me to kindof catch up. I have gotten a new bunny. He's aFlemish Giant. The only boy in my bunny family sofar. I have name hime Big Tex aka Bubba. I couldn'tresist. Being a Texan and all. Let me know what youthink. I am very proud of him. Too bad I can't getpics of all my babies together. I have to get the girlsfixed. I am thinking about breeding Bubba. Do youthink he has what it takes? He's 8 months and 12 lbs already!
My girls are doing pretty good. The Texas heat is definitelygetting to them. I read the post for heat stroke, and havebeen watching them very closely. They are right next to myback porch in the shade all day with frozen gallon jugs ofwater. I'm thinking I should put a fan out there for them.

I did have a question for the experts in the forum. Down herein Texas we don't have any Timothy hay. We have CoastalBermuda, which I hear is good for rabbits, well mine aren't eatingmuch. I don't know if I got a bad batch or if it is too dryor what. Honestly the hay looks like straw, but I don't knowwhat coastal looks like except before it is cut. Anyone haveany ideas? Really they don't eat a whole lot right now, theyare drinking big time though, I'm guessing it is just toohot. I don't even feel like eating. Well anyway,please let me know what I should look for in a square bale ofhay.

Thanks

Dawn
 
Hiya Dawn,

yep Flemish Giants are one BIG Bunny I'll tell you what! [Too much Hank Hill].

I have seen FG as big as twenty lbs and more. I am good friends foryears with a FG breeder and whenever I see him at a show I ask him ifhe brought his Dwarf Rabbits?" Of course his retort is always: "Whenare you gonna get some REAL Rabbits?" Flemish get to be as large as asmall Dog. They are know as the gentle Giant. I knew another breederthat tried to convince a Father not to purchase a Baby FG for his sonto show at youth-fair. Was she ever right! Come youth-fair the rabbithad grown so big the boy couldn't pick it up! As Buck would say, "Ohwella".

As for the Hay question:

I would prefer the hay to be a bit greener, perhaps the hay was old afirst cutting maybe. Rabbits will eat Straw it is much more fiber andno nutritional value. Many breeders prefer it as nesting material andkeep a few bails for that purpose. It can be used as a sourse oflong-fiber. I just prefer Grasshay. That said: so long as the Hay isnot dusty or moldy it should not be a problem. I hope thid helped.

Dennis,C.V.R.
 
Dennis, Thank you forresponding. Actually Coastal Bermuda is a type of grass hay,but it is grown in the hotter regions (like central Texas), likeTimothy is grown in the cooler regions. Neither can grow wellif their regions were switched. (Much research done!;))

I know most of the folks on the forum are from everywhere but Texas, somost everybody here uses Timothy. I would use Timothy, but Ican't get enough to last long enough to make a 70+ mile drive worthit. Or I could order it online, but I really don't trust thatI will get good hay that way. We actually grow hay, but wejust moved here from the big city...I haven't got a clue about hay!:?

I was just hoping someone out there fed their rabbits coastal and couldlet me know. I always appreciate the help....and I've seenthe great advice ya'll give to everyone.

Thanks again,

Dawn
 
Oh My! Bubba is Absolutely Gorgeous!

What a handful!!

One time, dajeti2 had her giant flemish rabbit named Apollo at herson's baseball game. He was on a harness and sitting underthe bench beneath her. Some woman came walking up to her andin a most appauling tone said, "What did you do to thatdog'sears!!

Dajeti2, being the calm, cool person that she is quietly said to the woman, "He's a rabbit!"



As HankHanky said, they can get as big as a small dog.

Bubba is a real beauty. I love his colorfur. Give him a bighug and kiss on thehead.

-Carolyn


 
Beautiful! I like to see them a littlelarger by 8 months. At this point, he's turned senior, butdoesn't meet senior weight requirments for Flemish if he only weighs 12lbs. For breeding, I'd look for a very large boned, huge doe:)



Pam




 
Thank all!

Flemish giants are just soooooooo loveable. There is just somuch there to love, and he lets me!:D The girls don't let melove on them. Jenna and Lexi pretty much ignore me.Jenna is a bit nicer about it, she does let me get a little bit ofpetting, Lexi is such a human snob, I have to bribe her. Ellawill only let me pet her if I let her out of her cage into theirpen. Then she jumps and hops around and will come up to meand give me kisses. Otherwise, forget about it!:?Bubba is so laid back....well I can just sit there and hold him and herelaxes and basically will fall asleep as I'm petting him.The only thing he hates is me messing with his owie. Whenhubby gets home we have to clean it, he has some "stuff"stuck. Honestly, I hope it's the heat, but those things arehuge! I hope he doesn't step on themagain!:shock:Anyway, I found out today that he doesn't likethose messed with, even if it is for his own good! So it willbe a two person job! He's pretty messy, I really wish I couldgive him a bath, he needs it. He didn't get a lot ofpampering at the breeders. Any tips on cleaning himup? I tried the bunny wipes, but they aren't really doing thejob, and his feet and belly are pretty yucky! I've beenletting him adjust to me before I do any really invasive things, likehis owie and his dirt!

Thanks again, I will be posting more pics as soon as I getthem. I have to build a new enclosure for Bubba (higher thanthe 4 ft tall one now, he climbs/jumps out of it!). And I have tofigure out a way to have the enclosure include the girls whileseparating all of them. Apparently the hormones arestarting. Jenna is the dominant, Lexi hates Ella, and ofcourse Bubba will try mating with them all....I don't suppose a FG anda dwarf lop would make a good mix! The girls will be gettingfixed as soon as I can afford it and have their new cagesbuilt. Cages first, they need separating, then I will seeabout putting them together again after they are fixed.

Sorry, I'm babbling, as usual.

Thanks again

Dawn


 
Here's Apollo, dajeti2's rabbit and her son. I call him "The Beast".

Attached Image (viewed 68 times):

attachment.php

 
dmmcnair, I took everyone's word for it thatbuns don't like water. (I suppose I should have guessed bynow that I don't have a normal bun) but at my little girls insistencewe let the tub fill with only a bitof water today so thatthere was still some dry surface. We put Sebastian in to seewhat he thought and it wasn't a problem at all. He hopped allaround in it and never acted bothered by it a bit. He sniffedit, sloshed in it, thumped it a time or two, but it didn't upset him atall. Maybe Bubba would be okay with a bit in a tub to soakthe icky stuff off his underside? Is there some greens he isparticularly fond of that he could munch from your hand while having alittle soak? He is beautiful by the way!!!
 
dmmcnair wrote:
The only thing he hates is me messing with hisowie. When hubby gets home we have to clean it, he has some"stuff" stuck. Honestly, I hope it's the heat, but thosethings are huge! I hope he doesn't step on themagain!:shock:Anyway, I found out today that he doesn't likethose messed with, even if it is for his own good! So it willbe a two person job! He's pretty messy, I really wish I couldgive him a bath, he needs it. He didn't get a lot ofpampering at the breeders. Any tips on cleaning himup? I tried the bunny wipes, but they aren't really doing thejob, and his feet and belly are pretty yucky! I've beenletting him adjust to me before I do any really invasive things, likehis owie and his dirt!
Click to expand...
A warm bath in a big tub will work well. Dawn dish detergentworks well for cleaning up the coat. I used to use it on ourwhite horses. It does work best with 2 people -- especiallytoenail clipping!

The giants do have uncomfortably large jewels. I don't knowhow my Checkered has avoided ripping his open. For goodnesssakes, they drag behind him :shock:

Pam


 
The giants do have uncomfortably largejewels. I don't know how my Checkered has avoided ripping hisopen. For goodness sakes, they drag behind him :shock:

Pam


ROFL!!! Oh that is just toofunny!!!! But it is true isn't it? I'll tell ya, Iusually avoid getting male pets, especially dogs, but Bubba was just sofriendly I couldn't resist. I really just never realized amale bun's jewels would be that huge!!! My husband isamazed.

I did soak him, but he did not like it atall!!!! I even tried hay, a carrot, and a banana (he lovesbananas) NO WAY! And he is stained on the underside withmats. How can I get the stain out, and do I have to cut themats off?

Dawn
 
Bubba is very cute. I'm getting a Flemish giant too next Sunday (the 22nd) only mine is a sandy.

He's very very handsome though. I hope my bun looks likeyours when he or she is older. (It's only 8 weeks old now)



And dont worry, I'll have lots of pics once I get him/her. :D:D:D



Good luck with your new bunny :)
 
Sorry I dont mean to interupt your thread, but I dont feel like making another one.

Pamnock, is it possible for a baby to be slow growing at first and thencatch up to regular size? The lady I am getting my bunny fromsays that right now they are about 3-4 lbs and they are 8 weeksold. She says they are very small compared to previouslitters by that mom. Is that really small for a 8 week old oris it still ok? She said that the mom was a slow grower butis now 15 lbs.

If you know, what weights should a flemish giant weigh at certainages? If you can list both male andfemale that would be nice as to I am not sure of the sex yet.



Thanks :)
 
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