Flemish??

[shamn]

So, we bought this rabbit for a whopping $5 at the Livestock Auction. It was labeled "Flemish Giant Buck." There were 3 others that were identical to this rabbit but about 1 1/2 times as large labeled Flemish Does. I know you take your chances at the auction, but my daughter (and myself) took a liking to him and brought him home. So, now my question is..is he actually a Flemish or a cross, or something totally different? It's kind of hard to tell for me just comparing him to pictures of Flemish rabbits. He looks to be a steel gray color with a white underbelly and bluish/gray eyes. He has a slightly longer face than I'm used to seeing with my rabbits (but mine are Lionheads). If anyone could give me some insight, would greatly appreciate it. If he is a Flemish...I think I need to modify his hutch

 

[Learningstill]

Well, I have a question. Blow into his fur, what do you see? Does he have 4 bands of color? Grays, white, and black? He looks a little long in the face and too big of ears to be an American Chinchilla, too big to be standard, so I am thinking he is a giant chinchilla. If you are not familiar, it is a purebred. But the history is an American chin mixed with a Flemish. He will be 12-15 Ibs.

His cage should not be smaller than 42x30x18 and he needs to have resting boards if bottom is wire. They are heavy and they need breaks from the wire. If you were to get a doe, she would need a larger cage if bred. The does are 13-16 lbs and their kits are rapid growers.

We have American chins and they are the best breed of rabbits, so I can imagine him to be a great fellow. Your daughter is lucky to have came across him for five dollars. I wish you the best. Tell your daughter to have a great time with him!

 

[shamn]

When I blow into his fur I see the grays, white and black...but by bands, I'm assuming you mean in layers? And this is just kind of mixed but the white is more towards his body. His cage right now is 4'x2'. However, there are 4 identical hutches, so we were going to take the dividing board and wire down between 2 cages if he was a very large breed making his cage 4'x'4'x18". I have plywood pieces to lay down on the wire for him...does it all need to be covered or just 4-5 resting pads? Thank you for your input. Even if he is a crossbreed, my daughter just loves him Thank you for the input!

 

[Learningstill]

Yes, like rings of layered colors. Google american chinchilla bands of color and look at the images. To me he sounds like a giant chin. not a mixed breed. He may not be a real good quality, because the better quality the more distinctive the bands are, barely any blending. However, I would guess by the pictures he is a purebred. I would make sure the wood is untreated, because he will chew it. The 4x4 cage sounds perfect.

If he does not get to be the size I described earlier than he may be another chin breed. By the pictures, his face and ears were a little too much like a Flemish, so I feel he is the giant, but if his size never reaches the 12-15 lbs he may be American or Standard chin..

He will always have a great personality. The breeder we bought our American chins from, said that he has bred a dozen breeds and the chins were the only breed he has had that has never gotten mean, or severely territorial. He breeds them for meat along with other breeds. He said the chins are the only rabbits he ever felt a little hesitation with.

 

[Bunnylady]

This color is called Light Gray in Flemish, but it is called Chinchilla in a bunch of other rabbit breeds.

Steel Gray is a bit different:


It is quite possible that your boy is exactly as advertised, a Flemish Giant.

Here's a link to the website of the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders. It can tell you a lot more than I can about the breed:
http://www.nffgrb.net/index.htm

 

[Learningstill]

I copied this from a site regarding light gray Flemish. So it sounds like their color matches even better than the giant chin.


The ideal light gray shown on a table would be very similar to a chinchilla in coloration. It is an agouti coloration, having three rings of color, plus black tipped guard hairs. The undercolor is a slate blue, intermediate ring is PEARL (not white), and top ring is a silver gray color. The black tipping should be evenly distributed to avoid harlequin striping, blotchy or uneven appearances, or shadow bars. The ears are laced black, the inside of ears, around eyes, underside of nose and chin, underside of belly, and underside of tail, feet, and toes are white.


Here is the site too.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/DunnMountain/ltgray.html