Flandre is a giant rabbit, representative of the most common breed in the world. These animals are large, clumsy, with massive elongated bodies, thick hair. The large weight of individuals, dense warm fur and high fecundity of females make Flandres a valuable meat and selfish breed.
History of origin
The history of the appearance of these huge rabbits, sometimes reaching the size of a small dog, is not known for certain. Exists three versions of its occurrence:
- Flandre is the result of the breeding work of the Flemish breeders. According to this theory, the breed of Belgian Flanders was first bred by rabbit breeders of Flanders in the XVI century.
- Flandre is a descendant of the long-extinct large rabbits that once lived in Argentine Patagonia. It is believed that giant animals were brought to Europe by Dutch navigators in the XVI-XVII centuries. It is impossible to prove this fact, because the Patagonian rabbits have long disappeared. Opponents of this theory claim that the Argentine animals were not large - their average weight was about 1 kg.
- Flandre is the result of crossing Patagonian and large Flemish rabbits. Opponents of this version claim that there was no sense in crossing: the Flemish animals were much larger than their Patagonian relatives. Accordingly, the improvement of the Flemish breed with the help of smaller animals could not be considered.
Not so important where the Flandres came from. For most rabbit breeders, what matters is that such rabbits have high-quality skin, tasty meat and high resistance to negative environmental factors.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the Belgian flanders before other breeds:
- high fecundity (from 7 to 15 cubs), good milk production of rabbits,
- low mortality among young
- calm, balanced character,
- lack of care and food,
- resistance to adverse climatic conditions,
- high growth rate, weight gain.
The disadvantages of the Belgian flanders:
- the low price of the skins due to the small amount of fluff and the unevenness of the pile,
- gluttony (flandry are ready to eat all day without a break),
- a large number of animals that do not meet the standards of the breed, with developmental disabilities.
And yet this giant rabbit is still popular with farmers. Breeding such animals is a profitable business that can generate income for many years.
External characteristics and breed parameters
Now, many countries are withdrawing their species of Flandres. However, they all have features characteristic of the first - the Belgian flandru. Breed flandr different xcharacteristic signs:
- large size, large body mass,
- an extended strong body with developed muscles, a broad chest,
- strong thick legs with well developed pads and strong claws,
- thick, dense coat
- a large, rounded head with wide cheeks and big, fluffy ears sticking up
- color - dark gray, reddish gray, light gray, black, silver, white, bluish, sand.
Flandre is not considered to be very handsome: its massive body with thick legs, a round head and huge ears looks clumsy and slightly disproportionate. However, soft fluffy wool and uniform color make Flandres very cute.
This breed has a calm, good-natured disposition. Therefore, now these giants are kept as decorative pets.
See a brief overview of the Belgian Flandres breed.
How to buy a rabbit?
Buy producing rabbits should be in large farms. There, the animals are raised by professionals who will tell you which animals are suitable for further breeding.
Rabbits must respond as follows requirements:
- they perfectly meet breed standards,
- born to an elderly rabbit aged 2-3 years,
- breastfeed, not artificial mixtures,
If you want to buy a rabbit, then its compliance with the breed characteristics can not be established: breed traits do not appear at an early age. Therefore, focus on weight. At the age of 2 months, the animal should weigh 1.5 kg. The price of such a rabbit can be 1000 rubles.
Signs of breed quality
If you buy animals for subsequent breeding, make sure that they are the ideal representatives of their breed. Future manufacturers should have the following characteristics.:
- wide, fluffy ears, 19–25 cm long, upright and with a black rim at their tips,
- round big head with well developed cheeks,
- slightly sunken chest, 35–42 cm wide,
- an extended body with a curved back 65–72 cm long,
- the mass of an adult individual at 8 months is 6–7 kg,
- color uniform, without spots (black, white, silver, bluish, gray of different shades),
- the wool is thick, dense, the length of the fur pile is 3.5 cm.
If the length and weight of the animal do not reach the ideal characteristics, the animal has a disproportionately large head and small ears, then it is better not to take it for breeding.
Maintenance and care
Belgian flanders, despite their large size and resistance to different environmental conditions, require constant care. They feel great during temperature extremes, they can live outdoors, they are not afraid of wind and bad weather. In the absence of basic sanitary measures, animals may become ill or die.
Cell selection
Since the Flandres are very impressive in size, the cells for their content should be large and spacious:
- individual cell size - 110 × 70 × 50 cm,
- the size of the cage for the rabbit with rabbits is 170 × 110 × 50 cm.
It is better to make the bottom of the cage from solid wood, since the mesh surface will rub the tender legs of the animals. A considerable weight of animals will only contribute to the formation of corns and weeping wounds on the pads.
Care rules
The owner of the rabbit farm should regularly clean the cages so that no moisture and feces accumulate on the bottom. The litter should be changed at least once a week. Feeders should be cleaned daily, and fresh water should be regularly added to the troughs.
Space Requirements:
- open space or barn
- lack of moisture and drafts,
- protection from direct sunlight, overheating.
Disease resistance
An important part of the content of flandrov - preventive vaccinations against pasteurellosis, myxomatosis, hemorrhagic disease. It is these diseases most often exposed to the Belgian giant.
It is necessary to monitor the health of pets. Any manifestation of the disease - lethargy, drooping ears, itching, trembling, swelling - should be a reason for going to the veterinarian.
The giant of this breed is not capricious and can eat any food, however, for rapid growth and weight gain, it is recommended to adhere to a special diet.
Feeding rules
Feeding flandra has several features:
- it is produced twice a day at the same time
- hay should be filled as needed, usually at lunchtime,
- there must always be clean water in the drinking bowl
- A nursing rabbit should get a wet mash of zucchini, pumpkin, boiled potatoes, beets, cabbage, carrots, feed,
- the diet should contain salt, biomitsin,
- All food should be thoroughly washed and cleaned.
In the diet should include:
- fresh, boiled vegetables (root vegetables),
- cereals (wheat, barley, oats) and seeds,
- legumes,
- corn kernels
- hay silo
- sunflower cake,
- green dried grass
- meat and bone meal.
A giant rabbit can easily get along with this food: a varied diet contains all the vitamins and elements necessary for the animal. But if you are afraid that the food will be unbalanced, you can buy branded feed (their only drawback is the high price).
Prohibited Products
There are products that should not be given to animals:
- spoiled food
- frozen products,
- potato topper
- branches of elderberry, broom, stone tree,
- poisonous herbs.
These products will lead to indigestion, bloating, severe poisoning and even the death of a pet.
Breeding
Breeding Flandrov - is a simple matter. Due to the high fecundity of females and their excellent milkiness, the problems with the calves of a farmer will not arise. In addition, females of giant rabbits almost never eat baby rabbits.
Sexual maturity at the Belgian flanders comes in 8-9 months. From this age you can make mating. For breeding, you need to choose two healthy rabbits that fully meet the standards of the breed.
Cases can be carried out at any time of the year, but it is better to refuse autumn okrols. At this time, rabbits actively molt, so pregnancy will be an additional burden on the so weakened body. In addition, a short light day affects the behavior of the male, who may simply refuse to mate.
Like in other breeds, in females of Flandres, a sexual hunt appears every 5–7 days in summer and 7–9 days in winter and lasts about 4–5 days. It is at this time that the rabbit should be placed near the male. The procedure for mating of giant rabbits is not at all different from the usual mating.
A pregnant female should be well fed, constantly give her fresh water and monitor her calm. Despite the fact that females of this breed are usually less irritable than ordinary rabbit, it is better to protect them from harsh sounds and sudden flashes of light. Read more about caring for a pregnant rabbit here.
Pregnancy rabbit lasts about a month. Usually the female gives birth to 7–8 cubs, but in rare cases their number can reach up to 15.
If the young female for the first time brought a very poor offspring, do not rush to reject her. This is a feature of the breed. Subsequent rounds will be more productive. Fertility decreases after 3 years.
The cage for the female with the young must be wide and spacious (at least 170 × 110 × 50 cm), since the animals are rapidly gaining weight. The fact that the kids develop correctly, their mass testifies:
- in 1 month - 700 gr,
- in 2 months - 1.5 kg,
- in 3 months - 2.5 kg,
- in 4 months - 3.5 kg,
- in 5 months - 4.5 kg,
- in 6 months - 5.5 kg,
- in 8 months - 7 kg.
If in the future the rabbits go to slaughter, then they can be set aside from their mother as early as 1.5 months. If you plan to make them manufacturers, it is better to hold them around the rabbit up to 2 months.
Content in the apartment
Now many keep flandrov as pets. The housing maintenance of giant animals is especially popular in America. Such a giant is very friendly and calm, he lives in an apartment without any problems.
Advantages of keeping flandra as a decorative pet:
- does not require regular walking,
- the coat is rather short, so it does not pollute the room,
- gets on easily with other pets
- as a toilet, you can use the usual cat tray with wood filling.
However, it is better not to take Flandra for a very young child. A rabbit may accidentally injure a baby or bite.
Such animals need a spacious room and plenty of food. They are kept in the enclosures, covered with rugs made from natural fabrics. At least once a week from the aviary clean dirt.
Farmers Reviews
Rabbit breeders point out that breeding Flandres is very beneficial. If the animals are kept in a shed and provide heating of the queen, then okroly can be obtained all year round. And since fecundity in females is high, a significant amount can be earned on the sale of meat and skins.
Good profits are provided to those farmers who sell young animals. If the price of one rabbit of ordinary breeds is about 300 rubles, then the price of a baby Flandre comes up to 1000 rubles!
To the animals did not die after the transition to adult food, they are recommended to add biomitsin to their food. Rabbit can reach commercial weight in 4–8 months (depending on the intensity of feeding).
The best offspring is obtained from rabbits that are not closely related. It is recommended to have 3–4 male sires to ensure exclusion of closely related matings.
Many farmers recommend holding a pair of male flandr breeds and donating them to other rabbit breeds. From such mating large viable rabbits are born, quickly gaining weight.
The origin of the breed flandr rabbits
The birthplace of this breed is the historical region of Flanders, most of which today is part of Belgium. It is for this region that this breed got its name. As for the history of the appearance of the Flandres, there is no consensus here. Since the breed is very old, there are at least three basic theories of its origin.
According to the first of these, modern Flandres are a further development of local Flemish breeds that have not survived to our days. According to another version, the Flandre rabbits were bred on the basis of Patagonian rabbits, brought to Flanders in the XVI-XVII centuries. Finally, the third theory claims that the Flandres are a mixture of old Flemish breeds that disappeared now with Patagonian rabbits. However, given that the Patagonian rabbits and hares are quite small animals that are not comparable in size with modern flanders, the first version seems to be the most realistic.
Anyway, the first reliable description of the breed of the Flandre rabbit belongs to the 1860s. And the first official breed standard was drawn up in 1893. Large rabbits were quickly evaluated, and rabbit breeders began to create derivative breeds based on the Flemish giants. In the second half of the 19th century, these animals began to be actively exported to England, and in the 1890s to the USA, where the so-called “rabbit boom” took place. There Flandres were used primarily to improve the local population, although over time many farmers switched to purebred Flandres.
Starting in the 1910s, the breed rapidly conquered the USA, and then the rest of the world. Today, everywhere, where industrial rabbit breeding is on a serious level, the basis of the livestock is made up of flandres or local breeds bred on their basis and very close in their characteristics to the original.
It is noteworthy that in the Russian Empire, rabbit breeding was extremely underdeveloped, since the population was not accustomed to rabbit meat, and rabbit skins could not compete with real fur. However, with the formation of the USSR and the transition to a planned economy, rabbit breeding was assigned an important role in both meat and fur areas. In this regard, large quantities of foreign breeds of rabbits, among which there were many flanders, were purchased abroad. Subsequently, on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR and the BSSR, Soviet breeds were bred from rabbits of the Belgian flandre breed - the gray giant, the Soviet chinchilla, etc.
Description of breed flandr rabbits
The Flemish giants are not considered very beautiful rabbits. Many even tend to characterize them as ugly. However, the majority of rabbit breeders consider them nevertheless to be quite sweet and quite cute. Moreover, there are a lot of those who start flandrov as pets instead of a cat or dog. The main flaw in the appearance of these rabbits is their excessive massiveness and, as a result, some clumsiness.
However, for industrial breeding for the sake of meat and skins, the visual appeal of rabbits does not matter. Attention is paid only to general compliance with the standard. The Belgian giant Flandre rabbit has an elongated, noticeably curved body. The head and ears are also quite massive and quite proportional to the body. Cheeks should be a bit "swollen." The average length of the body is 65-70 cm, ears - 17-19 cm. The depth of the coat is 3.5 cm. The mass of an adult rabbit varies between 7-8 kg, but individuals often weighing 10-12 kg.
The official breed standard also regulates the possible types of color. However, the standard is quite wide and allows for the whole range of colors from black to opal, from white to blue.
Typically, highly productive breeds of farm animals are characterized by bad character and capriciousness. However, in the case of Flandr rabbits, the opposite is true. They have a fairly calm and balanced disposition. Representatives of the white Flandre rabbit breed rarely show aggression, so they are often used as pets. It is also generally accepted that the Flandres are very clever and quick-witted, intellectually comparable with dogs. However, this is only the opinion of some breeders, and not a scientific fact.
Flandr rabbits productivity
Females reach sexual maturity about twice as long as other breeds - only at 8 months of age. The average fecundity of the Flandres is 6-8 rabbits in the litter, but often there are 10-12 pieces. A large number of young stock is not a disadvantage, since the milkiness of the females is also quite high.
Rabbits quickly gain weight and by the end of the second month of life reach 1.6 kg, at the end of the third month they weigh already 2.6 kilos. After six months of life, the average weight of the Flandre rabbits is 5.5 kg.The masses of 7 kg with the correct content of flandry reach the beginning of the ninth month of life. The average meat yield in these rabbits is about 55%, which is noticeably less than in purely meat breeds. But given the large size of an adult individual, from a 5.5-pound (optimal for slaughter weight) rabbit, you can get 3 kg of dietary meat, which is quite a lot.
The quality of the skins is average (inferior to specialized fur breeds), but due to their large size they are still in good demand.
Content of Flandr rabbits
As many rabbit breeders point out, the Flandres are quite demanding of conditions. In the Russian climate, it is cold in winter, so during the cold season they can be kept only in a warm room. Otherwise animals quite easily catch cold and die.
Otherwise, nothing extraordinary is required of them. Is that the cells should be bigger, because they are quite massive animals. Optimum cage sizes for Flandre rabbits:
- for the rabbit with rabbits - 170x110x50 cm,
- single cell - 110x70x50 cm
This breed has a fairly good resistance to infectious diseases, but for this you need to constantly maintain purity in the cells.
As for nutritional issues, there is one fundamental point here. According to reviews of rabbit breeders, young flanders often die from abdominal distention. Fortunately, this scourge is easy to fight: you need to regularly add biomitsin to feed.
Feed the Flandr rabbits should be hay (should be all the time in the feeder), grain and wet mash, which should include grated vegetables (pumpkin, boiled potatoes, fodder beets, carrots, cabbage, etc.) and feed. It is also recommended to mix in small amounts of salt, fortified meat and bone meal and, if necessary, medication. Of course, rabbits should always have access to water.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed Flandr
There is an established opinion, formed in the Soviet years, that purebred flanders are not suitable for Russian conditions. They tolerate our cold climate too poorly, so local breeds bred at the base of the flanders, for example, the gray giant, are more preferable. Nevertheless, we suggest that you independently form an opinion on this breed based on its advantages and disadvantages.
The main characteristics of the Flandr rabbits, for which the Flemish giants are valued all over the world, are:
- Great weight. The mass of carcass is 3-4 kg, which is completely unattainable for any other breed.
- Resistance to infections. Unlike most domestic breeds, Flandres rarely suffer from rabbit infectious diseases.
- Friendly disposition. These rabbits are very calm and friendly. Never show aggression if they are not provoked. Quite calmly get along with each other.
- High milk production females. Rabbits not only give 6-8 rabbits at a time, but feed them without any problems, which results in excellent fertility rates.
However, there is a breed and disadvantages, for which the domestic breeders desperately criticize this breed:
- Colds. The breed comes from the region of Europe where winters are rather mild and there are almost no frosts, and winters without snow are a common occurrence. Accordingly, in the continental Russian climate, the maintenance of Flandre rabbits in street cages is unacceptable. If they are not relocated to a warm room for this period, they will easily catch a cold.
- Bloating. Juveniles are quite susceptible to this problem, which can be dealt with only by the constant addition of drugs to feed.
- Low yield of meat. If to compare with purely meat-oriented breeds, the slaughter meat yield of the Flandres is about 5-7% lower.
- Low quality skins. Although the flanders' skins are large and thick, their undercoat is very small, which is a significant disadvantage.
- Long ripening. To reach the optimal for slaughter age, the Flandrum takes about twice as much time as rabbits of meat breeds. However, this disadvantage is compensated by the fact that the elapsed time is converted into twice the mass.
Prospects for breeding in Russia
We are forced to emphasize once again that the majority of domestic amateur rabbit breeders and small farmers do not like this breed because of its inappropriateness to Russian climatic conditions. Where there is no possibility to equip cages for rabbits of the breed Flandr in a warm room, preference is given to other more cold-resistant breeds.
Also, small farmers do not like Flandres for their health problems. As the visitors of the rabbit breeding Internet forums say, it is easier to grow two ordinary meat rabbits than one flandre: the result is the same, but less hassle.
However, on large rabbit farms, where there is an opportunity to set up a pet care system at a more professional level, the attitude to flandram is more favorable.
As for the "selfish interest", here the Flandres do not show themselves well in domestic conditions. As you know, the quality of the skins of fur animals directly depends on the climate in which the animal was raised. Therefore, the north is the farm, the better the skin. However, with the flanders, this principle does not work because of their intolerance to cold weather. The skins of these rabbits are large, but not very warm, so their value is not very high.
Thus, it can be argued that, for all its merits, in general, the flanders are not the best breed in either meat or skin specialization.
Appearance history
Flandr Rabbit
There is still no reliable data on the occurrence of this breed. Scientists have given some of the most likely assumptions:
- Flandre is a hybrid obtained by crossing Argentine, Patagonian breed and large Flemish rabbits.
- A descendant of the Patagonian breed, brought from Argentina in the 16-17 century by Dutch travelers. This version is rather doubtful due to the fact that the Patagonian adult rabbit weighed no more than 1 kg.
- A descendant of large Flemish rabbits, now extinct.
Ancestors of the breed were brought to North America from Europe in the 19th century. They gained recognition and widespread participation in exhibitions. In 1916, even the National Federation of Breeders of the Belgian Giant was opened. In modern society, the love of Americans is still given to the Flandre rabbits.
Named these rabbits in honor of Flanders - an area that is part of the Belgian state in the 16th century. Presumably it was from here that the rabbits came to the North American continent.
Breed external data
Rabbits are distinguished by large size of the elongated body, long ears, wide cheeks. They look clumsy, good-natured. Their wide powerful paws are very formidable weapons. Some completely unfounded consider Flandres ugly. At the same time, many bring them up as a pet for decorative purposes.
Signs of breed flandr
At present, there are a large number of species and branches of the breed, but there are specific signs characteristic of all representatives.
- The impressive size of the body, whose length is 65-70 cm, chest girth 35-38 cm, back concave or straight.
- Color coat. Official standards are white, sandy, sandy-red (faun), opal, silver, gray-orange (agouti), blue, black, dark gray (kangur), gray color.
- Ears are vertical, wider at the sides, with a wide black stripe on top. The size of the ears - 19-25 cm.
- The head is very large, the cheeks are voluminous, plump.
- Body weight 6-12 kg, an average of 7-8.
- Wool is thick, hair height 3-4cm.
- In one litter the maximum number of animals is 15. The average number is -7-8.
- The average weight of a little rabbit: 1 month - 700g, 2 months - 1500g, 3 months - 2.5 kg, 4 months - 3.5 kg, 5 months - 4.5 kg, 6 months - 5.5 kg, 8 months - 7 kg.
Rabbit character
- An adult rabbit is calm, non-conflict.
- Perfectly gets on with other animals.
- Possesses high intellectual abilities.
- Does not show aggression in relation to people.
- It is characterized by balanced behavior.
- Shows friendliness, especially when dealing with children.
Constitution and appearance
Flandres are very massive and even slightly clumsy animals. They are distinguished by huge ears, which give them an even sweeter and more homely look. The main features of this breed include:
- Body mass. They weigh much more than other breeds, from 6 to 10 kg.
- Color. There are several shades, but on average the color of rabbits ranges from dark gray to sandy brown.
- Body structure. Flandra rabbits have an elongated curved body, long and wide ears, a large head with large cheeks, a wide and deep chest, dense and thick hair.
- Fertility. The rabbit on average per child can give birth to 8 to 15 rabbits. Also flandry have a fairly high rate of milkiness.
Features, advantages and disadvantages
Like any breed of rabbits, they have their own characteristics. The main disadvantages include:
- Voracity. Those who decide to breed these particular rabbits should get a huge amount of food, because they almost always want to eat.
- Low yield of meat. Despite the fairly large weight, their meat yield is significantly lower than that of meat breeds.
- Congenital curvature of the limbs. Often, individuals are born with violations in the structure of the limbs, they may be bent or underdeveloped.
- Low quality skins. The high density of hair in Flandres is combined with a small amount of down, besides, hair growth is uneven.
The advantages enjoyed by rabbits include:
- high fertility and vitality of baby rabbits,
- unpretentiousness in breeding, omnivorous,
- resistance to disease, temperature extremes,
- balanced temperament
- the possibility of growing for skins, meat and for decorative purposes.
Flandry have more pluses than minuses. Breeders are constantly working to improve the quality of Flandres and minimize the drawbacks. Proper care, balanced feed will allow you to get good healthy offspring.
Tips for choosing
For those who are interested in this breed, there are a few simple tips that will help make the right choice when buying:
- Place of purchase. It is best to buy rabbits in large farms. After all, it is in them that the life, the development of each individual is followed by professionals. Rabbits receive all the necessary vaccinations, properly fed and maintained. In the Moscow region there are several rabbit farms - “Makhra-krol”, Personal subsidiary farm of the Ivanov family, KFH Scherbakova AE, LPH Chernova AG. Each of the farms has its own website.
- Cost of. You should not buy into cheap ads, the average cost of one flandre is 1500-2500 rubles.
- Age of mother and pet rabbit. The strongest offspring give rabbit at the age of 2 years. It is best to choose the rabbits from the summer around and at the age of 2-3 months.
- Appearance. When choosing, pay attention to the limbs of the rabbit, the appearance of the skin, the size of the ears and general well-being, its mobility.
Before proceeding to the selection of flandr rabbits, you must decide on the purpose of purchase. Rabbits for breeding meat, for offspring or for growing at home for decorative purposes will differ in their characteristics. It is also necessary to determine in advance the type of Flandres and color of the skin.
Characteristic external features of the Belgian giant rabbit
These are the largest members of the hare family. Differ massive body and great weight.
Rabbit breeders from all over the world breed species of breed that differ externally from members of the same breed on another continent, however, all animals have similar features:
-
Big weight and impressive dimensions. On average, the weight is 7 kg, however, a representative of this breed with a weight of more than 20 kg is recorded.
An elongated body with a large, strong chest. - The musculature is well developed.
- Big powerful paws.
- Thick coat. The fur is thick and soft to the touch.
- Big head with well defined cheeks.
- The ears are large, stick up.
- The coat color must match the color of the animal's claws.
Flandrov can not be called the most beautiful of the hare family, however, they find a lot of their fans among ordinary citizens. The Belgian giant is very common as an apartment tenant. People with pleasure get Flandrov for decorative use.
What is the character of Flandrov
These animals have a very docile and gentle temperament. They are calm and peaceful. Flandre are very attached to their master and love children. Rabbit Guides say that this breed is similar in character to dogs, they are as loyal and intelligent as the representatives of the four-legged friends.
Rabbits are unpretentious and easily get along with other animals that are kept in the apartment. The Belgian giants have absolutely no manifestation of aggression. They are typical representatives of soft and fluffy animals. Even pregnant rabbits behave calmly and adequately, although the rest of the breeds of the hare family are characterized by anger and aggressive behavior during this period.
Rabbits of breed Flandr with ease will take hold of your heart and will become favorites of all family. Children will be happy to watch these unique animals and play with their pets. However, everyone who wants to acquire this breed must first learn features of their content and the basic principles of care, and only then acquire animals.
Advantages of the representatives of the breed:
- Females of this breed are distinguished by increased milkiness and fertility.
- High vitality baby rabbits.
- Unpretentiousness and lack of aggression.
- A quick set of muscle and fat mass, accelerated growth and development.
- Resistant to adverse weather conditions.
Disadvantages:
- Representatives of this breed are too voracious.
- Because of their large size, they require a lot of space.
How to choose the right cell
-
The cage should be large and spacious so that Flandre is where to roam.
- Cover the bottom of the cage with a special mat so that the animal does not hurt its delicate paw pads on hard rods.
- The cage should not be stained.
You can make a rabbit cage yourself or buy the appropriate option in a specialty store.
How to care for rabbits in the apartment
If you plan to keep the Flandre rabbit in your apartment, you need to know the basic rules of care and follow them regularly.
So, to contain the Belgian giant you need:
- Provide a spacious cage with all the amenities for the animal (house, water bowl, toys, food bowl, and others).
- Properly and regularly feed the animal.
- Regularly comb and monitor the condition of the coat.
- Immediately vaccinate and visit the vet.
- Keep the cell clean and tidy, regularly ventilate the room.
Adhering to the basic principles of care, you can maintain health and prolong the life of your pet.
Attention! It is not recommended to keep rabbits of this breed if you have very young children. Rabbits may inadvertently bite or injure your child..
The diet of the Belgian giant rabbits
To feed this glutton, you need to spend a lot of finances, so you must be prepared for the excessive voracity of this breed.
To ensure the proper functioning of the digestive system and metabolism, it is necessary to adhere to proper and balanced nutrition:
- Specialized dry food with optimal composition.
- Cereals, feed.
- Fresh juicy grass.
- Well washed and peeled vegetables and root vegetables.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes.
- Flour from the bones.
- Fresh and clean water.
Need to feed rabbits 2-3 times a dayby sticking to the same meal times. You can mix different vegetables and roots, only a prerequisite is the freshness and quality products.
Hay is not recommended in the diet of rabbits, it is better to give preference to fresh and juicy grass.
Biomitsin - compulsory medicine that you need to feed the animal to protect against various infections.
Where to buy and how much are
You can buy Flandrov rabbits in special places:
- Do rabbit breeders in your area.
- In specialized stores.
- With hands on ads on sites.
When buying, you should pay attention to such features:
- External signs (size, weight, wool and others).
- The rabbit must be active and alert.
- The coat is shiny and soft to the touch.
- Eyes and spout should be clean without acidification, swelling and scratching.
- It is better to acquire a two-month rabbit.
- The high price of a purebred animal.
It is best to acquire the Belgian giants from the rabbit breeders, because you can be sure that they were properly maintained and followed all the principles of proper care. Of these rabbits grow strong and viable individuals.
Цена на животное может варьироваться от полутора до нескольких тысяч российских рублей и зависит от нескольких факторов:
- Чистота породы.
- Color
- Разновидность кроликов.
- Половой принадлежности (самцы продаются дороже).
Knowing all the features of this breed, you can easily choose a loyal and devoted friend.