30 pound rabbit ?

[butsy]

so i was chattingwith a man on kijiji who has flemish giants for sale . he sais they would be around 30 pounds full grown, is that right ??

 

[Whiskerz]

Thats HUGE..uh.. I dont think thats right :?

 

[lelanatty]

It is possible for them to get that big, depending on their genetics. They have no weight limit.

 

[TinysMom]

I suppose a flemish COULD get that big - but I doubt it. I am thinking normally seem to top out around 22-25 pounds or so.

Here is a link to the world's largest rabbit as far as documentation shows.

 

[butsy]

wow thats huge, hahaha . i can send you a pic of them now, they are just ready to go , i dont know how old that would be

 

[butsy]

here's one of them, ADORABLE. he is going to breed again in the spring, i def. want one ! but is it the same in rabbits as in dogs ? the biggest ones live less long that smaller ones?
what do you think about him

 

[lelanatty]

Should be 8 weeks at least. Pictures would be great

If both of their parents are over 30 lbs then and only then would I believe the guy that they could possibly get that big.

 

[butsy]

there is a pic above we must have sent the replys at the same time lol

 

[lelanatty]

It is so cute!

 

[Jaded]

The minimum show weight for a Senior (older than 8 months) doe is 14 lbs (about 6.4 kg), and the minimum weight of a Senior buck is 13 lbs (about 5.9 kg)(ARBA Standards of Perfection). As with other "giant" breeds, the Flemish Giant grows slowly. A senior doe can take 1 year to reach full maturity. A senior buck can take 1.5 years to reach full maturity. It is not unusual to see a 10 kilo (22 pound) Flemish Giant, and specimens weighing 13 kilos (28 pounds) have been reported.

 

[butsy]

i know he sent me three pics, i hope the kits this spring will be as cute

 

[Whiskerz]

oh my goodness..how would you pick one of those bunnies up? lol

They are pretty though!!!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

how would you pick one up--with a back brace on. Most Flemmies I've seen were no where near thirty pounds. The largest male I've been up close and personal with was 22 pounds--seemed gigantic till our Checkered Giant finished growing--she's a whopping 17 pounds and makes our white NZ look small-he's only 11 pounds, poor little guy.

 

[TinysMom]

What I'm about to share is PERSONAL OPINION only - based on what I've read on the board and my experiences with flemish giants.

There is someone in the New England area - or Virginia area (I forget which) that deliberately breeds rabbits for the huge heads and massive flemish giants. At one time we had two members on this forum who had rabbits of his - they were half-brothers or something like that. One was light gray if I remember right - the other one was white (Apollo - a well-known rabbit among our older members).

Those rabbits were huge - or at least Apollo was...but they both lived fairly short lives - I want to say two years or so? I'm sure they didn't make it to age 3. When they died - it was pretty sudden - I know Vash died suddenly of heart issues and Apollo was having some health issues (GI stasis) and he died suddenly also.

I had a flemish giant that we named "Tiny" as a joke - not realizing that for his breed - he really WAS tiny. I think he topped out around 15 or 16 pounds - and he died young too - but from a bladder infection - I think had we known he had it earlier - he would have lived longer.

Now that I breed flemish - I really don't want them going to 20 pounds and above. I know people like having a BIG rabbit - but my personal feeling is that is a lot of strain for a rabbit's heart. I'd rather have a 16 pound flemish giant that was smaller and lived 6 years - than a 20 pounder that lived 2 1/2 years.

Once again - that is just my own personal opinion and they're like feet - we all have 'em but some stink. Mine probably stinks.

Its just I've gone through the loss of a flemish and I know how awesome their personalities can be. I'd personally rather have a smaller flemish that would live longer...cause the loss always rips me apart.

I'd ask how long the average life span of this breeder's offspring is...and see the pedigree to see how much in-breeding he does.

 

[butsy]

thanks for your replys everyone well i wasnt plannig on showing him or anything, i was just suuuper suprised of the weight he/she would get. i told the man i would consider getting one when he breeds again in the spring. this is his first time breeding i think. sooo, he might have just guessed the weight also. i guess i will have to wait and see ! anyone wanna see the other pics ?

 

[butsy]

im used to butsy, my little 6-7 pound lop lol