Who is familiar with Flemish Giants? Babs needs a friend.

[Ainsleys_mommy]

One month ago, I brought home a 10-week-old Flemish Giant who I named Sweet Baboo AKA Babs. She is now 3 1/2 months old and is starting the certification process to be a therapy rabbit. We went to our first nursing home last Wednesday. Because she is getting so big, I no longer allow her to play with the smaller rabbits and she doesn't like the dogs because they get too personal. I worry that one accidental kick to the smaller rabbits and she will kill them. So I have been thinking I needed to get another Flemish to be her friend. I know that they'll both have to be spayed before allowing them to live together.

Also, I'm assuming I should wait until she's 1 year old to spay so she'll be full grown?

 

[whiskylollipop]

I would think once she is spayed, she can be around smaller rabbits (that are also fixed). Unless their personalities clash and they start fighting, I've never heard of flemmies hurting smaller rabbits by accident - they're usually known to be the mellow, gentle ones!

You can probably spay her earlier than 1 year, maybe 6-8 months, it depends on what the vet is comfortable with.

 

[Ainsleys_mommy]

The vet is telling me three months. That seems WAY too young. I want to make sure her growth plates are fused.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Wow I agree, 3 months is a touch young even for smaller, fast-maturing breeds. My minilops were done at 5 months.

 

[flemish giant]

I would probably seek a different vet. They don't seem to know what they're talking about.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Rabbit Forum mobile app

 

[Watermelons]

If a vet is comfortable doing the procedure at such a young age on a rabbit, that does NOT make them incapable. Her being a large rabbit would actually make things easier.
Spaying/Neutering a young animal early does not affect their ability to grow.

 

[missyscove]

At 3 months old a flemish giant should be big enough to spay and size of the patient really is the main factor in rabbits, to my knowledge.

I'm not aware of any evidence in rabbits of effects of spaying early vs. late like we've seen in dogs.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I wouldn't spay a Flemish Giant at 3 months old. Flemish are a large breed that mature later than smaller breeds. They're typically bred for the first time around 8-10 months old, so that's when I would recommend spaying.

 

[flemish giant]

I agree. Harper isn't getting spayed till 8 months.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Rabbit Forum mobile app