Checkered Giant VS. English Lops

[Hill-Hutch]

My mini lop, Fuzzy, has fallen ill with pastrella(sp?) And he won't be able to show again.

I've had some experience with showing and handlin and I wanted to get another rabbit to show and care for.

I'm trying to convince my parents to take me to pick out either a Checkered Giant or an English Lop for my 13 birthday, but I'm not sure which one would be better to work with.

I plan on breeding both breeds when I get older, but I just dunno which one to start with!

I want to get a buck because I find that I build a better relationship with male animals.
of course, no one will ever replace my Fuzzy boy!

So a little help please?
Thanks!
~Sydnie

 

[Kipcha]

Just remember that if you get another one, there is a possibility that Pasturella can be passed on to others if they are not part of the percentage that already has the bacteria. Do you have him on medication and such to get rid of the symptoms?

Personally, I would go with the lop as I've seen some Checkered Giants and the ones that I have seen are all pretty nippy, some of them are downright nasty, but I guess if you handle them enough they get better. But English Lops are known for having a better temperment. I have never had one personally so I don't know what special care they may require, though. I'd assume you have to do something with those big ears!

 

[mistyjr]

I agree with Amanda, If you get any more rabbits it can be passed on to the other rabbits, I would wait and then bleach everything before getting anymore, Or you can keep them as far apart and touch him and feed him last...

The English lops are very pretty and big, have seen them at shows and they are nice, Alot of people have them, So it wont be hard to find them!

 

[Hill-Hutch]

Fuzzy is quarantined and he is on medication. We have 4 other mini lops and they all live in hutches on the far side if the yard, fuzzy is up on the porch.

I saw an English lop at our state fair and he seemed pretty grouchy...

If I did get one, or a pair of Checkered Giants, I'd have to go to Yelma Washington, which border's the top half of Idaho.

I don't know of any English Lop breeders in or close to my state.

I do plan on breeding both breeds plus mini lops when I get older and I wanted to get a head start on either the English Lop or Checkered Giant.
I know that lop breeds are more calm and docile.

There are a lot of lop breeders in Idaho and I kinda wanted to do something different. I kinda wanted to bring a rabbit like the Checkered Giant to some of the rabbit fanciers to Idaho and to the fairs in my area.

I will talk with the breeder i got fuzzy from and see what she thinks.

Thanks!
~Sydnie

 

[Kipcha]

Well, there is a breeder in our area who wanted to try something different and brought in Checkered Giants and found out why they were rarer. Apparently she doesn't even go near the cages without thick garden gloves because every rabbit in her entire herd attacks her hand. Heck, even the judges at the shows around here refuse to take them out of the show pens and put them on the table because they are known for being nastier.

I'm not saying they can't be nice, but from what I have heard they aren't.

Personally, I wouldn't go for the Checkereds, but that's just basing everything, again, on what I've heard from others. I've never had one myself.

Then again, I have a friend with a Flemish x Checkered cross and she loves him to bits, and I believe Fraggles on the forum is a Checkered, so maybe ask Katie some questions. But again, both of these rabbits are spayed/nuetered, so that probably makes a big difference.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I really love the checkered giants. I almost bought one at the ARBA Convention (he was a gorgeous blue buck) but i have heard they can be nasty. Also i think they have to be housed on solid floors. I do know a lady who has gotten into them and she really likes them but we're kind of far away.

Im not sure about english lops.

 

[Hill-Hutch]

Solid floors? That wouldn't be too hard to get. We have one the our young buck, D.B, lives in.

I'm really curious about this nasty temper they are said to have.
My mom said that it takes a certain kind of person to change an animal and the way it acts. I managed to fix up Fuzzy and he has a few first place rosettes just from the county and state this year.

I'm not saying i'm 100% sure i can fix its temper, but perhaps if I got a pair of fairly nice rabbits, I can work with them and perhaps I can make a line of better tempered Checkered Giants.

That's a reasonable goal, isn't it?

I really like the Checkereds! I think they would be an interesting breed to work with.

 

[Revverress]

I've raised English Lops on and off for a few years, and have looked heavily into the Checkers.

I recommend the ELops WAY over the Checkered Giants. My experience with the ELops' personalities has been absolutely positive- Generally, they are friendly, outgoing bunnies, and many breeders describe their personality as "puppy dog like". They can be silly and clownish (mostly my bucks have been like this), and temperament-wise, they make great pets. That said, I experienced a lot of health problems in the breed, even with ELops from different lines. I tried to breed a lot of those issues out, but in general, they are just not a healthy breed.

Checkered Giants are INTENSE. They are a LARGE running breed, meaning they are meant to run on the show table, not be posed still like other breeds. I own a English Spot and have owned a Rhinelander, both running breeds, and while I would describe both their personalities as energetic, they are nothing compared with the high strung, and even aggressive attitudes seen in the Checkereds. Checks are not commonly kept as pets, and are rarely ever sold as pets, and it shows in their temperaments. They are not cuddly rabbits, they are not sweet, and they are not a breed you want to get into if you want a laid back breed. This is what breeders of CGs have told me, and what I have observed from the judging of the breed at shows (I've seen barricades put up to keep the Checkers from going after people and other bunnies on the judging table).

Check need LARGE, solid-flooring housing; we're talking 5-6ft long hutches with a lot of height space. It's recommended that these bunnies also get daily exercise outside their cages; they are extremely energetic, and need to get that energy out. Keep in mind that being a marked breed, it is much harder to breed a show quality Checker, and you will get a lot of unshowable mismarked. You need to have an appropriate outlet for these culls, as this is NOT a breed that should be sold as pets. Checks are not common, and you won't have a lot of show competition, or many other breeders to sell to or buy stock from.

That all said, YES there can be nice Checkered Giants, and YES there can be mean English Lops (I had one aggressive ELop buck a while back who I euthanized, so it does happen!), but in general, if you want a nice tempered rabbit, go for the ELops. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE the CGs and I definitely want to get into them one day, but I would not recommend them as a first time breed, especially to a youth. I totally understand your goal of wanting to breed a nice tempered line of Checkers (I do too, some day!), but definitely try your hands on a breed that is more manageable before jumping into a breed that is so intense.

 

[Sweetie]

I agree with the others. Get the english lop, they have better temperments and you won't get discouraged when trying to show them and/or handle them.

I would wait until you are more experienced in handling rabbits before getting a checkered giant. Checkered giants are a nippy breed, they have a lot of energy and need to get it out.

Yes Katie, I_heart_Fraggles, has a checkered giant mix, I forgot what the other breed is though.

 

[Hill-Hutch]

I see...
i was talking to my mom last night and she said she didn't really want to get an English Lop because or their ears.

Are their any other breeds that would be good to work with? Perhaps lionheads or californians?

My friend has a New Zealand that she showed this year, and her sister had a californian, but the cal had a DQ cause not all his black marks were where they were supposed to be.

The breeder we got our mini lops from breeds cal's and New Zealands, so those 2 breeds wouldn't be too hard to get.

 

[Hill-Hutch]

What about flemish Giants? Would those be ok to work with?

 

[Kipcha]

Flemish would be another you would need to have on a solid bottom cage. Temperment wise, though, their great.

 

[mistyjr]

They are great, Just HUGE!

 

[DelightfulEccentricity]

I really like my New Zealands. They seem to be easygoing, really "good doers," very undemanding in terms of upkeep. I can't say this for the whole breed, only my own limited experience, but they seem really good-natured and very sweet. I've been trying to lay hands on some Californians with no luck, but in the meantime my New Zealands rock.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Hello to you.... Our Fraggles is 3/4 checkered and 1/4 standard rex. She is a funny mix of both breeds as she is stubborn and can have a nasty temper (right now we are fighting over my new sofa) BUT she is also very quick to force her head under your hand for lovings. She also gives bunny kisses a lot. But she we also get foot flicks all the time and she is a thumping queen. She does not bite but will box your hand. She is very dominant and dislikes other rabbits. She is spayed and we have had her since she was 5 weeks. My advice to you. If you want a docile rabbit then go with the english. If your up to a challange go with the C.G. If you get a C.G then get a 8 or 9 week old and just hold it as much as possible so it will bond to you. I love both breeds and would love to have an English Lop but right now 14 pound Fraggles rules the roost.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I think you need to sort of decide what you want from your rabbits. What size do you want, how much grooming do you want to deal with, what colours might you want to work with (some breeds can be tricky with colours), what is the purpose of the breed, what you find appealing and what you can get. Also consider the caging requirements, feeding requirements and how much time you have to work with them.

Most of the breeds you have mentioned are giant breeds. They require large cages and usually need solid bottoms. They will eat a lot. Everything for them also needs to be bigger from the carriers to food and water bowls to litter boxes. They are also big and heavy, so it could be challenging for you to care for them and do things like trimming nails yourself.
Lionheads are not a recognized breed, so you can have troubles showing them. While they are a nice breed, they do require more grooming and some can have attitudes.

From a breeding stand point, some breeds can be harder to get good show rabbits out of due to them needing specific markings. This does mean that you can end up with many rabbits who are not show quality and you will need to find ways to deal with them if you can't keep them all. Colours can be hard to breed as some aren't compatible within a breed. If you were to choose a breed that comes in many colours, focus on a few that can be bred together until you get the hang of it more.

Try looking at the ARBA website and check out the breeds. Each breed has it's own club where you can find out more info on them. If you find a breed you like, try contacting some people involved in the club to find out more about each breed from someone who raises them.

I would really look for a breed you like, can handle and have the space to keep. If you can, go to a show and meet breeders and rabbits of that breed to see if you like them in person.

 

[CCWelch]

Lets see, you are turning 13. I would definitely recommend the E-Lop. As the owner of a Checkered Giant I would think that would be a little much of a rabbit for you to handle. From experience, they do not like to be picked up, their feet will knock the wind out of you if you try. There is a reason why at shows the owners pick them up like luggage. As much as you want to love and cuddle them, they don't usually like it.

Mine is not on a solid floor but the wire has a lot of support and he spends a lot of time on his bunny board. I like challenges and would get more myself but I do not recommend one as a pet/show bunny.

 

[CCWelch]

BTW, Pasturella can be cleared up enough that you can show again but it takes time and money to do so. I have 1 bunny with it.
Rule #1 is to keep it away from all other rabbits
Rule #2 keep it in a well ventilated area.

I use a 1-2-3-4 punch when it flares (about 2x a year) 1)10 days of Durapen. 2) 10 days of Duramycin in the drinking water and 3)Rabbit Mycin nose drops as directed 2x during the 10 days. Followed by 4)Probiotics for at least 3 days. All of this is available over the counter at a farm supply store or online from a rabbit place. The Nose drops are the hardest to do.

 

[CCWelch]

After rereading this thread, I realized that you are considering getting rabbits from the same breeder as your Mini Lop. How old was your Mini Lop before it showed signs of Pasturella? If it was under a year, I would steer clear of that breeder unless they can prove to you that their rabbits absolutely are not the carriers.

 

[CCWelch]

After rereading this thread, I realized that you are considering getting rabbits from the same breeder as your Mini Lop. How old was your Mini Lop before it showed signs of Pasturella? If it was under a year, I would steer clear of that breeder unless they can prove to you that their rabbits absolutely are not the carriers.