Care Advice for your Giant Rabbit

Giant rabbits generally tend to be more laid back and less excitable than smaller rabbits. They are good natured and affectionate, making them an excellent pet rabbit. They are great as an indoor (house) rabbit although it is essential that they are neutered.

Giant rabbits require plenty of space due to their large size and are literally a big commitment. Please consider very carefully the space and financial demands of this type of rabbit before buying and taking responsibility for one.

A visit to the vet will be essential and we will not sell one unless you have a suitable carrier. We recommend the larger plastic pet carriers and if you buy one at the same time as the rabbit we automatically provide a discount. We do not consider cardboard boxes suitable.

Varieties of giant rabbit include British Giants, Flemish Giants, Lops (which may be German, French or English lops in origin) and Giant Papillions.

Size and lifespan.

Giant rabbits may weigh up to around 7 kg. German lops are one of the smaller breeds of giant, usually having an adult weight of 3-4kg, whilst British and Continental giants are usually the largest, sometimes achieving a weight of almost 7kg. Due to their weight, size and power they may not be suitable for young children. The average lifespan is generally less than smaller breeds and may be as little as 4 years.

In-door housing

An indoor dog crate with a plastic base can be used as your rabbits sleeping area and personal space within your home. Crates are on display in the dog section of the store and any member of staff will be happy to help. Remember all rabbits gnaw and this can include wiring so it is important that accessible areas are ‘rabbit proofed’. Wooden gnawing toys can provide hours of distraction and fun for your pet. Giant rabbits may even play with some toys designed for small dogs.

Out-door rabbits.

Hutches should be no smaller than 180cm long and 60cm high with a large run or secure garden for exercise. Many giant rabbits are housed in small garden sheds or Wendy houses sold for children. Any outdoor housing should be secure enough to protect your pet from rats and foxes.

Handling.

Due to the size of giant rabbits it is extremely important that they are handled frequently from an early age. All rabbits need to be health checked regularly and in particular this means examining its bottom to check for signs of dietary problems and fly strike. If your rabbit does not allow you to do this without a fight both of you will become stressed and you are likely to hurt each other in the process.

It is highly recommended that all rabbits are registered with a local veterinary surgeon as soon as possible after purchase. Even if they are kept as house pets, vaccinations are important and are strongly recommended.

We believe that neutering is essential. Even though they are much bigger, giant rabbits can mate with much smaller varieties which can create many problems. More importantly perhaps, neutering prevents uterine cancer in females and produces a calmer rabbit in both sexes. Un-neutered (whole) rabbits can be difficult to house train. Once they reach puberty they can exhibit undesirable behaviour such as spraying and may be difficult to handle.

Their size can also create specific health problems such are sore feet and back problems. Rabbits that do not have enough room to exercise can also become obese so the amount of food you provide should be controlled.

Veterinary care can be expensive and for this reason we recommend the principle of pet health insurance.

Our book ‘The Pets at Home Guide to Rabbits’ is available with the other small animal books and contains lots of information that will help you keep your pet rabbit happy and healthy. We recommend you read widely prior to making the lifelong commitment to care for a giant rabbit.