Flemish Giant Rabbit
The Flemish Giant originated in Flanders. It was
bred as early as the 16th century near the city of Ghent, Belgium. It is
believed to have descended from a number of meat and fur breeds, possibly
including the Steenkonijn (Stone Rabbit – referring to the old Belgian weight
size of one stone or about 3.76 kg (8 lb 5 oz)) and the European
"Patagonian" breed (now extinct). This "Patagonian"
rabbit, a large breed that was once bred in Belgium and France, was not related
to the Patagonian rabbit of Argentina (Sylvilagus brasiliensis), a separate
wild species weighing less than two pounds (about 1 kg), nor the Patagonian
hare (Dolichotis patagonum), a species in the cavy family of rodents that
cannot interbreed with rabbits. Thomas Coatoam, in his Origins of the
Flemish Giants, tells us, "The earliest authentic record of the Flemish
Giant Rabbit occurred about the year 1860."
A sandy Flemish male napping next to a sable and
white sheltie. The first standards for the breed were written in
1893. The Flemish Giant is an ancestor of many rabbit breeds all over the
world, one of which is the Belgian Hare, imported into England in the mid
19th century. The Flemish Giant was exported from England and Belgium to
America in the early 1890s to help improve the size of meat rabbits during the
great "rabbit boom".
It received little attention until about 1910 where
it started appearing at small livestock shows throughout the country. Today, it
is one of the more popular breeds at rabbit shows because of its unusually
large size and its varying colors. It is promoted by the National Federation of
Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders, which was formed in 1915. The Flemish Giant has
many nicknames, first and foremost the "Gentle Giant" for its
uniquely docile personality and also the "universal rabbit" for its
varied purposes as pet, show, breeding, meat and fur animal.
Flemish Giant Rabbit, including the type of
"giant" because of his immense for the size of rabbits in general,
the weight can reach 13 kg. This rabbit with special feed weighed 22.23 kg
never reached and entered the Guinness World Records.
General characteristics of Flemish Giant is having a
long body (as an adult more than 51 cm), and big, thick boned, and full chest.
Head width, long ears and thick, and standing (as an adult length of the ear
more than 15 cm), and has an great legs, long and sturdy.
The color of the Flemish giant rabbit that
recognized is black, blue, light yellow brown (Fawn), abu2 light, such as sand
(sandy), abu2 iron (steel gray), and white.
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Tagged @ RABBIT
