Rabbit of the Risen breed
There are many breeds of rabbits in the world, but the most popular are large ones, which bring not only a lot of meat, but wool. Rabbits of the Risen breed are considered a versatile variety; they are quite popular among farmers.
Description of the rabbit breed Riesen
The representative of the Riesen breed is also known as the German Giant, a direct descendant of the well-known Flandre. The breed was bred from the Belgian Giant in 1937 in Germany, where these rabbits were named Deutsche-Riesen, now the name of this breed simply sounds Riesen.
Rabbits of the German Riesen breed are large and fleshy. They are considered an elite breed.
In Russia, Risena rabbits are known, but still not popular. Many farmers purchase pets from overseas or from skilled breeders in large cities. Before buying such a variety of rabbits, you should familiarize yourself with the breed, study the description and reviews, see a photo or video. The price for pets may vary, depending on where you plan to purchase a pet.
External characteristics
These animals are the largest of their kind. Risen have a large body, the length of which is 75 cm, they have rather developed muscles. The girth of the chest ranges from 33 to 43 cm. It is not surprising that such a rabbit has a very large head with noticeable cheeks and ears, reaching 20 cm, which are widely spaced on the head.
The weight of a giant can be up to 10 kg, and sometimes up to 14 kg. This largely depends on the nutrition and care of the animal. Riesen's legs are straight and unnaturally large, so the animals walk a little awkwardly. These pets have thick fur, its length is about 4 cm, but it may be less.
The color of the Giants can be any, usually sand or yellow-gray, there are also decorative colors such as black, blue, white and even yellow. The most popular are black and white pet colors. The gold color is also popular.
Risen rabbits have the same eye color - brown. All the traits are retained by the giants for 4 generations.
Where to buy and how to choose
For everyone who is going to breed Risen rabbits, the question of where to buy and how to choose representatives of the breed should be especially acute. The best option would be to buy animals from a breeding farm, and most importantly, from an experienced farmer who has been breeding them for a long time. So it will be possible to personally select suitable animals, get to know them before buying. Personal examination allows you to gain confidence in the quality of the rabbits. Before buying, it is recommended to study the characteristics of the pet and its external description.
For breeding, it is important to buy young rabbits, because otherwise the mating process will be more difficult. You can have rabbits from 9 months. It is worth buying rabbits somewhere from the age of 4 months, preferably from the spring birth, because it is these rabbits that are the strongest and healthiest.
During the selection, you need to take a close look at the rabbit in order to make sure that it is healthy.The ideal representative of its kind is a well-fed eared eared with clear healthy eyes, an even back and legs. The coat must be clean and free of any bald spots. The bite must be correct: this is direct evidence that the rabbit is healthy.
It is also important to examine the ears: they must be clean, without any hint of illness.
Risena rabbits should definitely eat well, as this is also a sign of health. During the purchase, you need to make sure that the pet is active and mobile: a healthy Risen rabbit should be just like that.
When buying a female, you should pay attention to the size of her pelvis: it should be very wide. It is better to choose individuals of medium size, as they are best suited for breeding. Bunnies that are too thin or too fat may not bear the young.
Care and maintenance
Risen is considered a demanding breed, but if desired, even a novice farmer can cope with caring for such a pet. Risen are very kind and loyal animals. It is not surprising that this type of rabbit often becomes a pet and lives in an apartment or house. People who keep such pets note that this breed is very intelligent and sociable.
Rabbit care
Animals do not get along well with children, so families with children should not buy such large pets.
Keeping rabbits is a very difficult task, and not everyone will like it.
Representatives of the breed of German Giants, despite their impressive size, are active, so they need a very large cage. For one individual, her size should be at least 110 cm by 70 cm. When the female has babies, she will need a bigger cage, about 170 cm by 110 cm, so that all the rabbits with their mother can play a lot. They love to jump, therefore they need so much space.
Arrangement of the cell
You can keep Rizenov in any conditions. They can be placed both outdoors and in the aviary: the animals will continue to feel good. So that Riesen rabbits do not have any diseases and corns, they must be kept in a properly built cage. So their home is desirable to be made of a mesh covered with plastic, the bottom and top should be made of wood or rubber. In such conditions, the rabbit will feel as comfortable as possible and he will not have corns.
German Giants tolerate any weather conditions well, be it frost or heat. They also have a well-developed immunity, they are very rarely exposed to diseases.
Constant ventilation must be installed in the cages. From dust and strong dirt, the pet can get sick and even die. The bedding in the cage should be done in 2 layers: hay and sawdust. Fresh hay should be added daily as this will improve the maintenance and cleanliness of the pet's cage. You need to clean at least 3-4 times a week, clean the feeder 8-10 times a week, change the water in the drinkers every day. It is important to remember that every time the cage is cleaned, it must be disinfected. By following these simple rules, the content of the Rizens is simplified.
Food
Feeding the Risen is not very different from feeding any other breed of rabbit. You need to feed these rabbits 2 times a day. The food should be balanced and healthy, in no case should you give the rabbits stale food.
In the summertime, it is good for rabbits to eat freshly cut grass. You can also give branches of fruit trees, such as apple, alder branches. You can also give raspberry and currant branches. In winter, Risena rabbits use high-quality hay well, because in frosts, animals need more high-calorie food, warm water should be added to drinkers.
Rabbits of this breed are very fond of fruits, as well as mixtures of vegetables and grains. The feed is divided into groups. Juicy contains about 80% water. This diet is suitable for colder seasons and also promotes sexual activity and milk production in females. Roughage is a plant-based and dry food.They should make up about 30% of the total food volume. The most beloved and undoubtedly useful product, regardless of the size or type of pet, is carrots.
The Risen rabbit gets useful vitamins from carrots, but most of all vitamin A. Another plus - pussies eat this product with pleasure. You can also give meat and bone meal.
Do not forget about additional vitamins. Concentrated feed should make up 70% of the total diet. These feeds mainly include compound feeds and grain plants. Grains of legumes or cereal plants should be well crushed and moistened with water. Drinking water should be monitored very carefully and changed every day.
What should not be given to pets
- sweet pastries;
- spicy foods with many spices;
- apricot, cherry.
Breeding
Breeding rabbits of Giants is very costly, as it requires a lot of food and large cages. Because of this, large farms are reluctant to breed rabbits of this variety. Small-scale farmers, on the other hand, willingly take up this business, since the cost of feed is fully paid off from the sale of skins and meat.
Rabbits can mate at 3-5 months of age, but pets are usually bred to mate at 8 months. Risena's rabbits are usually calm. For mating, it is worth removing everything that may interfere from the cage, and only after that, add the rabbit to the rabbit, and then leave the pets alone for about 20 minutes.
Breeding a german rabbit
After successful mating, the male leans back and makes a squeak. In some cases, after 5 days, a second, control mating is carried out, but the female may not be given to the male if she is already carrying cubs. If during the control mating the rabbit showed composure and even aggression, she should be placed in a separate large cage.
When the rabbit begins to build a nest, you need to put a box with sides about 3-5 cm in the cage and move the nest into it.
Childbirth usually takes place quickly and without human intervention. After giving birth, a day later, the female is again ready for mating. It is not worth mating animals so early, experienced farmers let the female recover and donate for the next mating no earlier than a couple of months. Any body needs to recover and replenish its supply of vitamins.
The female Riesen gives birth to 9 to 12 babies at a time.
Rabbits
The farmer's further earnings depend on caring for the rabbits. In order for the offspring to grow up healthy and large, simple rules should be followed. It is necessary to ensure that the cage where the rabbit and the rabbits are located is clean, so that there is always fresh and clean water inside. It is also recommended to get all the necessary vaccinations at the veterinarian.
The first vaccination is done 15 days after the birth of the pet. Re-put in 14 days after the first vaccination. The final one is done in a month.
You need to feed the rabbits of the Giants a lot and often. For weight gain, the Rizen are given boiled bran potatoes. Rabbits grow and gain weight up to 12 months, and a lactating rabbit on such a feed quickly recovers after giving birth and has a large amount of milk for feeding the young.
Some livestock breeders give young stock a special feed start, it contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
In winter, food should be given slightly warmer than usual. Such a measure is needed so that individuals can warm up in the winter, even if they are kept indoors. Give enough wet mash so that the pets can eat everything in one go. This is especially true of liquid mash, which often spoil, and the Risen rabbits are so picky that they may not eat lying food.
Useful Tips
So that the Risen breed rabbits do not suffer from vitamin deficiency, vitamins and minerals should be added to animal nutrition in winter.Risen rabbit makes serious demands on the diet, so you cannot give him spoiled food or vegetables, fruits from the store. It is best to grow pet food on your own on your site, since chemicals are most often added to the store to extend the shelf life.
Risena's rabbits need regular walks. In the summertime, you can let your pets go outside every day.
Rabbit Riesen should receive fresh drinking water daily. Pets should have clean water and food at all times. If the water is contaminated, it is replaced with a new one, since animals have a weak gastrointestinal tract. Rabbit litter should be changed as needed. If a pet has spilled water on it, then it is better to replace it with fresh water, since such animals do not like moisture. Insects can also grow in dirty and damp bedding.
You need to clean the premises 5 times a week. Drinkers, feeders and cages must be cleaned with disinfectants. At the time of cleaning, the animals are transferred to another room so that they do not inhale the fumes from the chemicals.