any breeders of Flemish Giants?

boxercreations

I'm looking for a Flemish giant rabbit - will house with a companion either jointly or side by side. I do not want one until late August but have no idea where to find an Irish breeder, grateful for any help.
Have past exp with rabbits but not giant breeds - would prefer a doe and if anyone has any relevant info about keeping them that would be great too.
thanks

morganafay

You could try www.irishrabbits.proboards.com

I don't really know anything about giant breeds, except that they need a massive cage!

neelyohara

Check with The Little Shop of Horrors in the Arcade, Bray.

They moved premises recently (to Bray) and I know in their old location they definitely had them. The guys are great, they know their stuff and if they don't have any in stock I'm sure they might order one for you or put you in contact with someone who breeds them.

Dusty87

Partner used to breed them. She asleep now but il get a breeders number off her and PM you tomorrow.

boxercreations

I do have a lot of space and would have a custom cage and run built. I've been looking in the UK and am now undecided between a pure bred continental or a Flemish - it's the good nature of the Flemish that appeals. I don't have a dog or cat so I'd like to socialise as a house pet, although would be housed outside.

morganafay

I saw some on dondeal today, they're continental X flemish and in wexford. They're ready to go now, but maybe if you contact them they can help you out.

Giant rabbits scare me! I love rabbits, but only small ones . . . because it's bad enough if they scratch or bite . . . but giant ones!

Sigma Force

They need large housing, sad thing is that a lot of regular sized rabbits don't get the proper housing in this country. Giants need pens or rooms rather than cages, well I guess a pen or run is just a big cage anyway.

Something like a cill dara run but a large one, I had a 5 by 5 run plus an 8 by 6 shed attached for regular sized rabbits and that was just about big enough to keep them happy in.

Start planting veggies now, lot nicer to give rabbits home grown veg or buy organic where possible if you can.
Wonder how many carrots a giant can get through in one day hehe.

morganafay

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

They need large housing, sad thing is that a lot of regular sized rabbits don't get the proper housing in this country. Giants need pens or rooms rather than cages, well I guess a pen or run is just a big cage anyway.

Something like a cill dara run but a large one, I had a 5 by 5 run plus an 8 by 6 shed attached for regular sized rabbits and that was just about big enough to keep them happy in.

Start planting veggies now, lot nicer to give rabbits home grown veg or buy organic where possible if you can.
Wonder how many carrots a giant can get through in one day hehe.

Exactly! That's why I only want small or dwarf rabbits, because I can't give them as much space as they'd like (which would be the whole garden!)

I'm growing lettuce (different types, but not iceberg) and herbs for mine in pots in the garden. It's meant to be very easy and I haven't killed them yet, which is amazing! (The plants, not the rabbits!) And if you get a dish of water, or a baking tray or something, with a centimeter of water in it, and when you chop the tops of things like carrots, parsnips, swedes, then you can put the tops into the dish of water and they'll start to grow in about a week (in a sunny spot and top up the water if it runs out). That's what I'm doing now, since the tops are much better for them than the root.

boxercreations

I literally have fields - my FIL used to farm and the land at the back of my house is brimming with dandelions, chickweed and grass.(all organic - has not had any chemicals on the land since he bought it 18 years ago) I do grow lettuce, carrots and some legumes - although any rabbit will have a battle with dd on his hands for baby carrots.
So I have room for a large run - I know a guy who makes greyhound houses and runs and thought he could adapt the idea for me. Same size, just not as high. There is also an outbuilding with electric so I thought I could have the housing part there with run attached, so can heat it in the winter.
I had regular sized rabbits years ago and had 2 that were able to be left outside and came and went as they wanted and never made any freedom bids! So hopefully can manage to socialise and train a big guy or girl a well. How are they with harnesses or is that not done anymore?
Thanks for the info, I'll try and see if I can find someone likely to have kits for late August - I've hols and stuff before that so not feasible. I'd really like a pure bred rather than a X but if I saw the right rabbit I might change my mind on that.
As for rabbit scratches - when I was 10 I got up one morning covered in big red welts on my arms, my mum nearly had a fit and thought I had something seriously wrong with me.
The truth?
I had smuggled my rabbit into the bedroom and the bugger had scratched me to ribbons while I tried to make it lie down and sleep in my bed.
She found out. Mums always do.

morganafay

That sounds like an amazing home for a rabbit!

I never tried mine with harnesses but want to try it soon, at least with my baby one because I figure it'd be best to try it from a young age. My old one could hop around the garden when supervised, but I'm too scared with my new ones because they're small rabbits and I have cats. I think they should be ok with harnesses if they get used to it. Just as long as they're fitting properly so they can't wriggle out, and be careful if they start wriggling and freaking out in case they hurt themselves.

My old rabbit Dylan was lovely, but everytime I carried her from her hutch to her run and back (twice a day) she scratched my arms up completely! So we had to just put her hutch out on the grass with the run and leave her out there all day, which meant the hutch rotted away and had to be replaced about 3 times in 3 years! She was a lovely rabbit though

Rabbitandcavy

Where are you located?

If you make a post on irishrabbits.proboards.com you are likely to be pointed in the right direction.