Skip to main content

Flemish Giant

Flemish Giant
It was pointed out to me that this week has been a bit of an unofficial theme week- the last couple days have featured animals that are popular within the pet industry! Well, why not keep this inadvertent theme going? Let's talk about the Flemish Giant, one of my favorite breeds of Domestic Rabbit, which can grow to weights of over 20lbs! That is larger than some dog breeds!

As the name suggests, Flemish Giants were developed in the region of Flanders. They are a very old breed, as far as modern rabbits are concerned, and were developed as far back as the early 16th century. There is some debate over the origins of the breed before that time, and some think they may have descended from large South American breeds brought back to Europe by Dutch traders.

The first confirmed records of the modern Flemish Giant breed date to the 1860s, and by the turn of the century breed clubs and standards were forming. These Rabbits were initially bred for their meat- a larger sized animal produces more food- but they are now popular as pets and for showing. The standard calls for 7 different recognized colors - black, blue, fawn, light gray, steel gray, sandy, and white - and are shown in 6 different age and sex based classes.

Flemish Giants are very docile Rabbits, and are less energetic and feisty than many of the smaller breeds, though improper socialization can make them fearful and violent. If properly handled, cared for, and interacted with, they become very tolerant, laid back, and healthy pets.

Keep in mind, however, that these guys are huge. Not only can they weigh over 20lbs, but they grow very, very quickly. A Flemish Giant can reach its full weight at only 9 months of age. They need a large habitat to move around in, and need a great deal of feeding (though don't give them too much, they are prone to obesity!)
Status : Domesticated
Location : Originated in Flanders
Size : Weight up to 22lbs (10kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Lagomorpha
Family : Leporidae -- Genus : Oryctolagus -- Species : O. cuniculus
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
60 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Binturong

The Binturong ( Arctictis binturong ) also has an equally awesome alternate common name, the Bearcat! However, it really isn't much of a bear OR a cat. While it is true that it is part of the Feliforma suborder, it is not a member of family Felidae. Binturongs are a part of their own family, Viverridae, which is shared with Civets, Linsangs, and Genets. There are six subspecies of Binturong, all of which have slight differences based upon location and habitat. Binturongs range in body size from 60-100cm in length, (not including their tail which has roughly the same length) and weigh between 20 and 30lbs. Binturongs are nocturnal animals native to the rain forests of South East Asia. The species range spans through several countries including China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. They are tree dwelling mammals, and have fully prehensile tails that basically double their body length and can be used to cling to the trees or to grasp food. Binturongs are phe
Post a Comment
Read more