Characteristics of the Belgian Flandre rabbit
The Flandre rabbit or, as it is also called, the Belgian Giant, is one of the most valuable breeds. All because of the special thick and warm coat and a very significant weight for such an animal. The Flandre rabbit with a large elongated body is bred very quickly and is the most common breed in the world, which adds another plus to these large and awkward pets.
Flandre rabbit
Flanders were bred in Belgium, which is where this name came from. In Russia, Belgian pets are becoming more and more popular every day. The history of their appearance is interesting. According to the most famous version at the moment, the Flandre breed of farm rabbits appeared as a result of crossing the Patagonian and Flagship individuals.
Advantages and disadvantages
Flandre rabbits do not require special care, which once again attracts the attention of breeders. The Giant has pros and cons in terms of keeping and breeding it. If you follow a number of simple measures for the care and breeding of the breed, the individuals will always be active and healthy, and, if desired, will bring a good profit.
Let's start with the positive aspects of breeding these pets:
- The Belgian Flandre is considered an undemanding pet, and it does not need a lot of time both in terms of care and in the selection of food. Keeping such fluffies at home is not very different from the keeping of primitive breeds.
- Flandre rabbits are resistant to different types of climate.
- Flanders, while still rabbits, develop rather quickly and gain weight.
- This breed has a very rich offspring: up to 15 cubs at a time. And at the same time, the cubs very rarely die at an early age, but, on the contrary, they quickly gain strength. Breeding Flandre rabbits is a profitable investment.
- Flanders rabbits have a kind and balanced character. At home, they can be kept as decorative animals.
The Flandres were not without their shortcomings. Firstly, for many it seems like a minus the immense appetite of these cute pets, because they eat almost every minute, and you have to pay for this. Secondly, many farmers are embarrassed that not all Flanders grown up meet the standard criteria, as a result, they cannot be sold. The last negative quality of the Giant is the low cost of its wool.
Despite the disadvantages, the advantages outweigh, which is why this type of business is popular and profitable.
Description
Many years have passed since the appearance of this breed and the beginning of its breeding, so it is not surprising that each country has its own Flanders. In Germany it is the German Sheep, in France it is the French Sheep. Of course, they all differ in appearance, but still there are basic similarities.
The first thing that distinguishes any Flanders is an impressive weight and an elongated torso with well-developed muscles. Such proportions have the breeds French and German sheep.
The male Flanders looks very massive, some farmers say that he is too big.Naturally, such an animal has large strong paws and claws on them. His head is also quite large, wide cheeks give the muzzle a special roundness.
The second feature of animals is wool, it is on its sale that farmers earn.
The color of the giant rabbit is varied, you can find a red, and gray, and even bluish pet. Rabbits of the Farm Flandre breed are also sandy and black. Nature has not deprived of the number of shades of the fur coat of this animal.
Some consider this breed to be unattractive due to its physical characteristics, but it is the coat and various colors that save the day.
Character
If we take into account the reviews of the owners of this breed, all rabbits of the Farm Flandre breed are especially good-natured and non-conflicting, which makes them almost ideal pets. They do not arrange fights with each other and do not show aggression towards strangers even during the period of bearing young pregnant rabbit. This is the reason why they are often bought not only for breeding but also as a friend for children. Adults are attracted by these pets with a kind character and high intelligence.
Okrol in eared ones occurs naturally, females tolerate fostering easily. The females do not abandon the cubs when the okrol has occurred. Rabbits of the Farm Flandre breed are characterized by a well-developed maternal instinct. All this makes the Flanders desirable pets at home.
Acquisition
The question of buying this breed can arise from any person who is just planning to breed these giants. The answer is unambiguous: to acquire a good and productive individual, you need to contact farmers who have been doing this for a long time and, if necessary, are able to provide assistance in choosing.
Before purchasing a pet, you need to study the description of the Flandre rabbits. You can go to the forum and chat with the owners of this variety in order to have a complete understanding of the breed. When buying, it is advisable to pay special attention to the appearance of Flandre Belgian rabbits, so that you do not regret it again later.
It is better to give preference to a more adult individual, because it shows whether it meets all the criteria of the breed or not. If you want to buy a small rabbit, you need to pay attention to its weight: it should already be about 2 kg.
When shopping, don't be afraid to ask questions. It is important to find out at what age the mother of a particular rabbit gave birth, because this criterion is very important, since a rabbit at the age of 2 or 3 years bears the best and healthiest offspring. It is also advisable to clarify what the baby was fed with: mother's breast milk is the best food for children, helping them to develop well in the future.
Many people buy pets from their hands on various Internet portals. However, it is safest to buy pets from breeders, since the risk of running into scammers in this case is noticeably reduced.
How much rabbits cost to have a white, blue or chinchilla coat color, you need to find out from the breeders. The price may vary depending on the region and the level of the nursery.
Before buying, you need to see what characteristics this animal has, how many kilograms it weighs and how it feels at home. When buying, you need to pay attention to the ear, eyes and, in general, to body composition. Everything should be in proportion.
Rabbit quality criteria
These are the criteria that must be considered when buying if you plan to breed eared ones. The selected rabbits must produce high-quality offspring, and for this they must be ideal representatives of their species.
Flander rabbits are easy to breed. The ideal representative of its species will be a rabbit already 8 months old, weighing at least 6 kg. His long ears should stick out above his head, their size is about 23 cm.
The Belgian Giant should have a long torso (from 65 to 73 cm), while its chest should be about 40 cm wide, and its round head should have sufficiently noticeable cheeks.
The coat should be perfectly uniform and uniform in color, without any spots or tints. Rabbit fur should be 3.5 cm long.
To check the qualities of the pet, you can take a centimeter and measure the indicators. If the selected rabbit does not meet at least one, and even more so - several criteria, it is not worth buying, because such a Giant rabbit will not pay for itself. If someone likes voluminous and eared rabbits, you might also consider the French Sheep rabbit breed.
Care
The animals must be constantly looked after, despite their impressive size and picky to weather conditions. Rabbits of this breed can live in the open air, however, they do not follow simple standards of hygiene, the rabbit can die or get sick.
Cage dimensions
Depending on the size of the animal, there is a special table that indicates what dimensions the cage should have in order to keep them comfortable. Animals cannot be raised in cages that are smaller than necessary. For such a large animal, a large cage is required. The recommended cage size for keeping one Flandre rabbit is 110 × 70 × 50 cm, and for keeping a rabbit with offspring - 170 × 110 × 50 cm. The bottom of the cage should be made of solid wood.
The pet's cage should be cleaned at least once a week, and you shouldn't forget about the feeders, which should be cleaned every day. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the water in the drinkers is fresh. Rabbits of this breed are not recommended for strong overheating and drafts. To maintain the health of the pet, regular consultation with a veterinarian and the timely provision of all necessary vaccinations are required.
Animal nutrition
Rabbits of this breed are unpretentious in food, but for rapid growth and weight gain, you must adhere to a special diet.
Feeding giant rabbits has a number of features: Flanders eat twice a day and preferably at the same time, the water in the drinkers should be at room temperature and drinking, all food should be given clean, hay should be added after dinner.
The lactating female is given boiled or fresh vegetables, hay, wheat, oats, corn seeds. Prohibited foods include potato tops, poisonous herbs, and frozen foods. Flandres are capable of poisoning with these products.
Breeding
Rabbits of the Flandre breed are undemanding, their breeding differs little from the rules for keeping the same Butterflies or Caspian eared ears. Rabbits can mate all year round and breed almost constantly. The only recommendation is not to have Giants in the autumn, since the pussies shed at this time and pregnancy can harm the already weakened body of the rabbit.
Giant rabbits, just like representatives of other breeds, are ready to mate in a week in the summer and nine days in the winter. This continues for 5 days.
Pregnancy lasts an average of 1 month. The female of the giant breed gives birth to up to 15 eared ears at a time. The dimensions of the cage for the female with the rabbits must be respected, otherwise the animals will be cramped. In the first month, the male Flandre weighs up to 700 g, and at 8 months - up to 7 kg. If the offspring is intended for slaughter, the rabbits should be removed from the mother at the age of 1.5 months, and if for breeding, then at 2 months.
Flandre in the apartment
A rabbit of this breed is often kept in an apartment, because the pet is friendly and calm, it easily gets along with other animals. It does not need to be walked, and you can use a cat litter box as a toilet. There is no wool from him.
You should not get a giant rabbit if the family has small children, as the rabbit can accidentally injure or bite the child.
Summarizing
Breeding the Belgian Giants Flandres is a profitable business, the main thing is to first learn everything about the Flandre rabbits.
If you keep Flandre in a heated room, you can get offspring all year round. The female of the Giant rabbit gives a good litter. The benefit is obvious when you consider that the cost of an ordinary eared one is on average 300 rubles, and a giant rabbit costs 1000 rubles.
You can also make money on the sale of skins and meat.