4 Giant Breeds of Rabbit

Several years ago, I saw a woman walking her pet through a park. From a distance, the animal looked like a plump, medium-sized dog; its haunches were higher than her knees. As I got closer, I saw that the animal wasn't a dog at all, but an extremely large rabbit. According to his owner, this gigantic bunny weighed in at nearly twenty pounds-- nearly five times the size of an average rabbit.

There are several giant breeds of rabbit available as show-rabbits, pets and livestock. Here are a few of the most popular giant rabbit breeds.

Flemish Giant

One of the oldest and most remarkable breeds of rabbit, the Flemish giant is a true Goliath among bunnies. Flemish giant rabbits were originally bred in Belgium for their meat and fur. In its ancestry are the Steenkonijn, or "stone rabbit" breed and the now-extinct European "patagonian" breed. Flemish giants are very friendly and docile and will tolerate a large amount of handling. They are known for their dense, glossy fur and broad, muscular builds.

Checkered Giant

Known as the giant papillon in Europe, the checkered giant rabbit breed is only slightly smaller than the Flemish giant. Checkerd giants usually weigh about 12 pounds and exhibit a distinctive coat-pattern that can be either "blue" (cool gray) or black. American checkered giants differ slightly from their European cousins, but the breed standard is the same for both. Checkered giants do not provide quality meat; they are bred almost exclusively as show rabbits and pets.

French Lop

Produced by breeding the Flemish giant with the English lop, French lops are one of the most undeniably hug-able giant breeds of rabbit. These stout bunnies weigh in at about ten pounds and have long, floppy ears that hang by the side of their heads. Its coat is dense and soft. Breeders and showers accept two varieties of the French lop-- solid and broken. These house-bunnies have very relaxed temperaments can can learn to get along with children, cats, and even dogs.

Giant Chinchilla

Giant chinchilla rabbits weigh 12-16 pounds and result in a cross between Flemish giants and the chincilla rabbit breed. Giant chinchilla rabbits are sold primarily as meat rabbits, but they can also be excellent pets if kept properly. Its name refers to the similarity between the breed's fur and that of a chinchilla. The giant chinchilla is extremely dense; it carries strong muscles and thick, stocky bones.

If you are interested in owning a giant breed of rabbit, make sure that you have the proper accommodations to humanely house them. A giant breed of rabbit can not live in a "normal" rabbit cage; they require plenty of open space to roam freely. Consult a professional breeder for more help choosing a rabbit breed.

When Are Rabbits Old Enough to Breed?

If you are interested in breeding rabbits, you will need to calculate the age at when your rabbits are old enough to breed. Rabbits mature at different rates depending on their size, breed, nutrition and environment. If you have questions about breeding rabbits, it's a good idea to consult the breeder who you got your rabbits from. He or she will know about the family history of maturation and parenting behavior of your breeding pair.

It is critical to know when your rabbits are old enough to breed, because a pregnancy in a very young female rabbit can result in the death of the mother or her offspring. Before the doe is fully developed, a pregnancy can cause her death because it drains her of nutrition and muscle mass. The babies may also be too large to fit through her birth canal, in which case she and the babies will all die without immediate veterinary care.

When determining if you rabbit is old enough to breed, you need to be aware of the rabbit's emotional and mental maturity as well as its physical maturity. A young doe may be physically capable of conceiving a pregnancy and giving birth, but she may not be able to care for her young properly until she is older. Breed your rabbit only when she behaves like an adult, consistently acting independently of her parents and siblings.

In general, female rabbits are physically old enough to breed sooner than males. A small-breed doe, such as a mini-rex or Netherland dwarf, can mate at 5 months of age. A medium-breed doe, such as a standard rex or English spot, is not ready until she has reached 6 months old. Does from large breeds, such as the New Zealand, are old enough to mate at 7 months of age, and giant breeds like the French lop should not mate until they are 8 months old or more.

Because bucks mature slightly later than does, they generally need about one month longer than their female counterparts. A male rabbit will have fully descended, functioning testicles at 6 months of age if he is a small breed. Medium-breed bucks are old enough to mate when they are 7 months old. Large-breed males can mate at 8 months of age, and giant males are fully mature at 8.5- 9 months.

There are several signs that can give you a clue that your rabbits are old enough to breed. They will begin to emit a strong, musky odor-- particularly the males. The male rabbits will have visible testicles that may be somewhat "dangly," particularly when they are interested in mating. A mature female rabbit will have a reddish or violet vent area during her fertile days (about 13 out of every 15 days).

If you have chosen a good breeding pair and both of your rabbits are old enough to mate, it's time to get started. Be sure that you have proper housing accommodations and plans regarding your future kits. Responsibiltiy is a key component of pet guardianship and breeding.

Eco-Friendly Uses for Used Rabbit Bedding

Since I first started keeping rabbits, they have grown on me more and more as an all-purpose eco-friendly pet. Among the other ecological benefits of rabbits as pets, these snuggly critters provide and endless supply of used rabbit litter-- which, to a gardener, is worth its weight in gold.

The bedding from a rabbit's cage or enclosure can be used in several earth-friendly manners. Here are a few eco-friendly uses for rabbit litter in your garden.

Mulch

This is, by far, the easiest and quickest use for rabbit litter. Many rabbit litters are made from pine and cedar chips, which are excellent mulch products, as well. This tecnique requires absolutely no time investment for composting, because the litter does not need to biodegrade or decompose to act as an effective much.

To use rabbit bedding as mulch, simply spread all of your extra litter around any area that needs mulch-- such as the bases of trees and dormant winter flower-beds. As long as your bunny produces a steady supply of poopy litter, you'll have limitless mulch for all of your gardening needs.

Compost

When allowed to decompose, rabbit bedding becomes an excellent compost material. It is very rich in nitrates and low in ammonia compared to other animal waste products. And, unlike cat poop and dog poop, it does not require years of decomposition before it's safe to use on food crops. You can use all forms of rabbit bedding as compost, including paper pellets, pine and shredded cardboard.

If you are interested in this eco-friendly use for rabbit litter, you can either add it to your base compost pile or use it separately from composted food. Allow it to decompose for 4-24 weeks (depending on the type of bedding material) and then use it as you would use any other form of compost. You shouldn't need additional fertilizer.

Fertilizer

If you need a natural, earth-friendly fertilizer that you can pour or spray directly on your garden plants, rabbit bedding is an ideal base material. Put several scoops of rabbit litter into a one-gallon bucket, then fill it with water and leave it to sit for a few hours or overnight. After this compost "tea" has steeped, it is extremely rich in nutrients such as nitrates and can be poured on your plants.

As a pet guardian, you should take responsibility for your bunny's ecological paw-print. If you are conscientious of your pets' impact on the environment, you can help to ensure that your rabbit helps, rather than harms, the planet that we all share.