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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A would love to chat about flemish giants! just got baby! have questions!

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    • stella'smom
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        hi! i just got an 11wk old flemish giant. SO cute and huge! the breeder said that he will just melt in my arms in two days, and how gentle and loving they are, but this little guy is scared still. he came around and sniffed me today, which is good, (day 2), but when i try to pick him up, he is very afraid. he has never been held by a human before, so i do understand. everyone says that most of them like to be held (i know every rabbits different, some do and some don’t like being held.)

         does anyone here have ANY experience with a flemish giant, any personal info on what they are really like would be GREATLY appreciated!!!


      • calipa_st
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          Not with flemish giant, but I do know you need to get down on his level. Let him run around and come to you as he wants…just lay there, let him sniff you and leave as he pleases. Rabbits like to be in charge


        • KytKattin
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            I grew up with a flemish. She was an outside bunny with free reign of a large yard. Not exactly the safest setting for a bunny, but I wanted to provide some back story for our interactions. A breeder was giving her up because she was infertile, so she was like $30, which was super cheap for one then (not sure how much they are now or anything). She was a big sweetheart for the most part, but she never liked to be held. Honestly, because of her size and our young age, we never really tried to pick her up unless we really needed to (brushing or nail trims). She loved her nose rubbed though. Unfortunately, due to her being infertile, she was never spayed. This caused some moodiness on her part. I remember she ended up biting my sister (which everything did, that wasn’t unusual) after she got to close to the treats that were put out. It did leave a mark, but really was more of a warning. I have seen what smaller rabbits have done to people out of viciousness, and she could have easily left my sister needing stitches. Like I said, I feel her aggression was due to her not being spayed now that I look back on it. She would sometimes stomp her back feet, and goodness I think they could have cause earthquakes! She was a fairly low activity rabbit compared to her smaller companions, but she could really move if she wanted. The end for her was because she wasn’t spayed and developed uterine cancer that was already fairly advanced when discovered. My mother was crushed, and her rabbits have always been spayed since. Her main reason for spaying at the time was to prevent pregnancy, she just didn’t know of the huge health benefits.

            I don’t know if it is true anymore, as I have recently come back to the forum after a bit of a hiatus, but it seems like most people who get a flemish don’t post very regularly, which is a shame because they are such lovely rabbits to see pictures of.


          • Ellekke
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              I would just be more patient. The breeder can say what he wants but a bunny melting in your arms after two days, that’s just wishfull thinking


              Two days is a short time and sounds like you’re doing great! Maybe get him to jump on your lap using pellets to lure him. It takes weeks for them to completely trust you and give you licks and stuff. He’s still young so very active. The best part of the day is noon, they’re calmer then and more prone to just chill out next to you. That’s what I noticed with my bunnies.

              I don’t have experience with flemish giants but I still hope this helped! Good luck


            • CheriB603
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                Hi! I am raising my 2nd flemmie! He is now 8 months old but he came to me at 6 weeks. Flemmies are very much like puppies, but I can tell you that NO rabbit LOVES to be picked up, and most hate it with a violent passion!! Picking him up now while he’s so new is just going to upset him and teach him that he should stay away from you unless he wants to get snatched up into the sky!
                Now, having said that… flemmies are very sociable and enjoy being out where the action is. They are curious and love to check out new items that come into the house as well as new people. Mine LOVES toddlers and follows them around the house – but I think that’s mostly because they drop cracker crumbs!! Speaking of food… they can EAT!!!! And not just a little! Make sure yours has an unlimited supply of hay and pellets for the first year. Flemmies don’t reach their full growth til 12 – 14 months. And keep a LOT of water handy. All that food has to get washed down! And flemmies need a TON of room!!! Like, the ENTIRE HOUSE! Mine has free reign all day from 7 am til bedtime around 9 pm. And even then he just goes into his HUGE, 2 story, 4 foot by 4 foot by 6 foot tall cage only to sleep!
                And remember – the bigger the bunny, the bigger the teeth! They chew, chew, chew!! No electrical cord, box, piece of wooden furniture, baseboard, door, or book is safe!! Lol! And when they chew, they don’t “nibble” – they CONSUME AND DESTROY!!
                Mine is VERY affectionate and hops up onto my lap for pets and snuggles… but he got that way because in the early days I just gave him his space! Let him explore… sit on the floor and let him come to YOU…and when he does, don’t reach out to pet him… just let him sniff you and maybe crawl on you…put a treat in his path so he associates your body with calmness, safety and FOOD!
                Before you know it, he’ll be seeking you out for affection!
                Oh – and they can jump up onto and over EVERYTHING! 4 ft baby gates are a joke! So I literally have NOTHING below 6 feet in my house that is not bunny safe! Even the top of my dining room table! (Keep your chairs pushed in at all times and keep toilet lids DOWN! Lol!!!
                I’m available to chat any time!


              • CheriB603
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                  Oh! And to see pics of my boy, Simba, just click on my name, then click on “Topics Started”… you’ll see all my posts with questions I have asked and many pics!


                • Beka27
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                    Cheri, I edited your email address out of your post. We ask that members don’t post their emails directly on the forum bc spambots can scan forums for emails and start blasting you with spam.

                    Feel free to message this member through the BB private messages and from there you can share your email, or just do your chatting through the message center. 🙂


                  • Beka27
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                      Stellasmom… How exciting! A new baby! Congrats!

                      I’ve never had a flemmy, but for many of us they’re kind of that “dream bunny” we always think about!

                      Is this your first bunny? What made you decide to get a flemmy, or did he just kinda fall into your lap?

                      I’d love to see pics of him! If you want you can start an introduction thread in the Welcome section!


                    • CheriB603
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                        Thanks Beka!

                        Stella’s Mom – sent you a msg


                      • Beka27
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                          You’re welcome! If you’re email is anything like mine, got probably already get plenty of emails offering info on “supplements” and all the “hot singles in your area who want to meet you”! Lol! 😉


                        • CheriB603
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                            Ooooh! There are hot singles who want to meet me???!


                          • Beka27
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                              Allegedly! Lol! I should email them back a picture of me… They’ll take me off their email list then… 😉


                            • stella'smom
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                                wow! thanks so much for all of the kind words and answers!!! i’ve always had rabbits. i have 2 girls right now. Brownies and Canvas, which are 2 different types of lops. very very very cute! they are my “girlfriends”, run to me everytime i get near their room (they go out and in to the main area of the house, throughout the day). i saw the flemish giant on the internet months ago, and wanted one ever since. friday night at my motherinlaw’s house, we were fooling around on the internet just for fun, and she said “hey see if there are any of those flemish giants for sale in the area”, and when i looked, there were 9 and 11 wk babies only 1/2 hrs away from us. was so excited to get him, although was disappointed when i got there at the conditions of the lace.NONE of them had hay. ALL of them were on wire floors. i plan on writing a letter to this breeder, and warning him that i may go to his affliates for improper conditions.

                                the breeder told me to feed him 1/2cfood/day and no hay yet. WHAT?!!!! for that day, he was starving, and then i was thinking, ‘hey this is a BABY!!!! he needs unlimited food and hay!” so i ignored his advice and have been giving it to him. although i was curious to know if it IS different for a flemmie?! should i limit his food becuase he is SO big?! (6lbs and 11weeks old). i’ve just been treating him the way i did all of my other rabbits, which is giving him unlimited hay and food.

                                it is very hard to remember he is just a baby! he is bigger than my adult rabbits, and only 2mo. i laid down on the floor today, and let him come to me. he was crawling all over me, sniffing my face and lips, letting me give him kissses. i think he will be fine. i think i just had the wrong expectations.


                              • stella'smom
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                                  and i never got one this old. my rabbits wre always just weaned. is he too old to bond to me?


                                • stella'smom
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                                    i actually wrote this in diet section, but breeder told me that buddy cannot drink from a water bottle, that he could never get enough water that way and he needs a bowl for his water. is that true?!


                                  • Deleted User
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                                      I have a Flemish mix and she’s only 8 lbs full grown, but even then this girl can EAT!!!!! She will never refuse food and constantly on the lookout for it! Flemmies do have an outgoing personality; my other bun is an English Spot and they are quite different. My Leia is always in ur face and up ur butt, god forbid u do anything without her being involved! It’s like having a toddler. Good luck with this new baby, she will bring u years of entertainment and large grocery bills! Lol!


                                    • CheriB603
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                                        DO NOT limit food! Because he is big he needs MORE food than your other buns! Unlimited pellets, hay and soon, veggies!! Mine has a water bowl because he really needs the easy access to water. I got one of those self watering cat bowls that has the big resevoir you fill and then it goes upside down to continuously add water to the bowl. Lasts about 2 days.


                                      • JackRabbit
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                                          Ok flemmie parents, dont forget the rest of us. . . . We love pictures!!! (My husband wants a flemmie!)


                                        • LongEaredLions
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                                            Rabbits of any age can bond to you with enough time.
                                            I want pics too!


                                          • stella'smom
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                                              cheri~ i love the self-feeding water bowl idea!!!

                                              i will post pics soon. i already posted pics of my other 2 girls (and the old bunny i rescued last year) in my profile pics (i think! lol!)

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                                          Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A would love to chat about flemish giants! just got baby! have questions!