The Origins and History of the Flemish Giant Breed
No one knows the exact origins of the Flemish Giant Breed. Some people surmise that during the 16th and 17th century, Dutch Traders may have brought back giant rabbits from the Argentine Republic to Europe. The large rabbits of Flanders were well known at the time and may have been cross bred with them.
The name Flemish comes from Flanders. But because the Flemish exhibits the same body type and appearance as the rabbit from South America, it is most likely that our favorite Giant is descended from the Argentine rabbit. There is no verifiable record of the Flemish Giant Rabbit until 1860. Travelers from Flanders spoke of the giant rabbits raised in that country. English rabbit breeders, raising the typical 7-8 lb. rabbit, were having trouble meeting the demand for rabbit meat in their country. So some of these "Giants" were imported to England and it was only a matter of time before they began showing up at local rabbit shows.
The original Flemish Giant was typically impressive in size, about 14 lbs., and of a dirty iron grey color with sandy or white bars on the legs and long ears with bent tips. Now, through the efforts of Flemish Giant Breeders Associations around the world, our Gentle Giants have evolved to 7 varieties (colors), Black, Blue, Fawn, Light Gray, Sandy, Steel and White, and sizes of 14-20 lbs. In the United States, the National Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders was founded in 1915 to promote and improve the breed.
The Flemish Giant rabbit can produce large litters, usually between 5 to 12 in a litter. The gestation period is between 28-31 days. On average they give birth at 30-32 days. The ideal age for the female Flemish Giant rabbit to start breeding is about 9 months of age.
Rabbits can become trained to learn their name. They are more intelligent than guinea pigs and hamsters. They can even be trained to go to the toilet in one specific area, which makes cleaning up after them much easier.
The Flemish Giant rabbit is the largest of any of the breeds. They should appear square with a good width of body. The area of head between the ears should be flat, large and wide. For showing the colouring of the coat is important, it should be of a steel grey colour, some can be darker in the face than others. The underside is white with a darker base colour. The ears should be long and stand erect.
