Flemish Giants

[Tuppence]

Calling all Flemmie owners! 

My Alfie seems to have an aversion to jumping. I don’t think it is cause for concern, but I was wondering if this was a typical Flemmie trait. He’ll put his paws up on the couch where I am sitting to say hello/demand a pat/give me a kiss, but when it comes to jumping or climbing up, he’s all “NOPE, too hard.” On a couple of occasions I’ve picked him up to sit him next to me and he won’t jump down either. When he decides he’s had enough of the couch he’ll lean over the edge, but won’t get down without my assistance. Plus he doesn’t run much, he’ll have a few short bursts of galloping around the room and then stop to do a leap of joy accompanied by a head shake on the spot, which seems to be the extent of his binkying. Is this a giant breed peculiarity or do I just have a big, lazy bun? 

[Hanz]

How old is your flemie? My guy is 4 months old. I love this breed so much, they are big goofballs. As far as jumping up goes, my guy does get up on the couch and he gets down too. However, it is not graceful at all. He is slowly becoming a big lug and I doubt he will attempt to jump up when he is 8-10 pounds bigger than he is now. As far as his level of activity goes, he is the same as your guy. Short burst here and there followed by a nap☺ This is my first flem, my last bun was a petite and agile little bun who was everywhere all the time. I am enjoying the lazy clunky goofball that is a flemish giant.

[Tuppence]

Greetings fellow Flemmie companion! Good to know I’m not the only one here. Alfie is 5 months old. He’s my first Flemmie too, my last bun was a mini lop who was a little rocket. As much as I loved watching him bolt around doing his acrobatics, I am thoroughly enjoying the Alf’s couch potato disposition. He is due to get the snip soon. If he is this chill as an intact teenager, I can’t imagine what he’ll be like once the hormones are out of his system.

How big is your furry friend? I’m not sure exactly how much Alfie weighs but he’s bigger than next door’s cat. I’m hoping that he’ll be enormous but I feel like he should be bigger than he is for his age.

[BanditCamp]

Have your tried making a middle step for him to he knows he actually can jump? I had to do that for my bunny though he’s not a Flemish

[Vienna Blue in France]

Hi HJ – there are a few Flemmie and big bun owners on here.
I have a 6kg girl. She can jump from periscope position. I thought she had forgotten how to since she’s got big and heavy but the other day I was cleaning (and removed) their big step in the condo and she periscoped up, aimed and jumped !!! I couldn’t believe it !! I quickly put the step back so she didn’t jump down and break her front feet….

Yes try a step up and pop a treat on it, which may give her a reason to jump up and explore.

My buns don’t do bunny 500s anymore, but they can hop around quite fast, when there is food involved. LOL

[Tuppence]

Good grief, I couldn’t imagine Alf doing that! Actually, I can imagine it, the image of him trying to get his large derrière airborne is highly amusing. Is that a Flemmie along with a French lop I spy on your avatar, Vienna? Having two big buns must be quite the handful! As for Bandit, how long did it take him to figure out he could jump after he was given some assistance? Thanks for the tips re: giving him a step up, guys! He does love his treats, I think he’ll find it difficult to resist a piece of delicious apple or baby carrot.

[Hanz]

Hazey Jane, I see your flem in your avatar, such a beauty! Is he steel colored? My Hanz is steel colored, wish I could show him off but I am unable to put a picture on here? As far as his weight, my guy is about 9 pounds. His parents were in the 18 pound range. He will get neutered in July and like you I can’t imagine how much more lazy he will be after. I too am enjoying the couch potatoe personality. I can’t get over the size of this rabbit, it’s incredible to think he will about double his weight.

[Vienna Blue in France]

HJ – The dark one is Zou and she’s a Vienna Blue, 6kg – , and the cheeky French lop (grandma was a flemmie apparently!) is Henry 5kg, so yes two big buns who eat more than I do.
A handfull? Prob not much more than 2 little ones, but definitely more food, more poop and more space required !! LOL (oh and 2 transport carriers)

[flemishwhite]

My previous rabbit, Bunny, was an 8 pounder.  She was pretty acrobatic particularly in her younger days.  Our current two rabbits, Flemish rabbits,  weighing 14 lbs and 14.5 lbs, haven’t been interested in jumping.   They have really big leg muscles, and I’m pretty sure they would have good jumping performance if they wanted.  They may have an instinctive reluctance to be very careful about jumping since their front leg bones look fragile. 

………………………………

I’ve read that Flemish Giants need to be at least 15 pounds to be listed as Flemish Giants at a rabbit show.  So my girls are a little light.  I know nothing of the pedigree of their mother and father, so they well could be of mixed species.   Both are sisters. 

[Tuppence]

He is indeed steel, Hanz! Gold-tipped steel. It’s hard to see his handsome features in photographs on account of how dark his face is. I’m not sure if/how much it will lighten up. He currently has quite the molt line on his noggin. I’d love to see pictures of your big fella if you can manage to upload them! He’s only 5 months old but his hind quarters are already formidable looking, flemishwhite. Which is why I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to jump! I’m going to give him a middle step tonight and see if it encourages him. His parents were very big buns so I’m hoping he takes after them.

[Hanz]

I wish I could upload pictures. I don’t think I can tho because I use my iphone?? I am not computer savvy unfortunately. You can see my guy tho if you want. Just go to Three d’s farm, click on their facebook . Hanz is on there I just sent them a pic of where he is lounging with his cat friend by the fire. They posted it! Check it out if you get bored. This is also the farm where I got Hanz. Can’t wait to see more pics of your guy. He looks beautiful! I hope the step works.

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Hanz on 5/09/2017 12:58 PM

I wish I could upload pictures. I don’t think I can tho because I use my iphone?? I am not computer savvy unfortunately. You can see my guy tho if you want. Just go to Three d’s farm, click on their facebook . Hanz is on there I just sent them a pic of where he is lounging with his cat friend by the fire. They posted it! Check it out if you get bored. This is also the farm where I got Hanz. Can’t wait to see more pics of your guy. He looks beautiful! I hope the step works.

 

Too sweet not to share Hanz!

[Vienna Blue in France]

In a “Chandler” fashion – “could there BE a cuter photo this month ??!!!!”

[Hanz]

Jerseygirl thank you for sharing my Hanz!

[Vienna Blue in France]

I was just about to say actually he’s not that big – but I’ve just re-read that’s he’s only four months old !!! LOL – oh my !!

[LittlePuffyTail]

What a beautiful pictures!!!!!

My boy is around 11lbs and he’s an avid jumper. He’s able to jump on the couch and end table to look out the window. He can also go up and down the stairs (about 5 stairs).

[Tuppence]

Holy moly, Hanz is such a handsome boy!

LPT, how old is your little (big) man? I’ve been trying the step with Alf and put some apple on the couch to entice him but he’s still all “NOPE, GONNA STAY DOWN HERE.” And hey, that’s fine. You do you, Alf.

[jerseygirl]

I gotta say it….careful what you wish for Hazey Jane! Rabbits often decide that sofas are awesome toilets, You might be trying to get him to stop jumping up there in a few months time. 

I suppose every bun is different. I found rabbits where more likely to jump and were better at it when younger, but once they put on weight, they were less agile. But that’s certainly not the case for all. When there’s a will….they’ll suprise you.

Could his aversion be anything to do with shades of colour? If you have dark furnishings perhaps?
Sometimes I notice Ailís reacts to to different shades. She seems more tentative when I darker cloth to cover their sitting area. (They have an old set of drawers they sit up on top of). She is 5kg bun but agile when she needs to be. She’s also ruby-eyed, so her vision is a little more limited then other buns.

@ Hanz, you’re welcome! 

[Tuppence]

Oh, I am perpetually on the look-out for rogue pee pee. So far Alf only goes in his box (the kennel), even if we’re having a jolly good grooming session and he needs to go, it’s “BRB just going to the little boy’s room!” I’ve only found the odd solitary poo outside the box too. Hopefully he’ll be fixed before he decides that one loo isn’t enough and widdles on the carpet/me/the furniture if he ever manages to haul himself up on it. My couches are a champagne coloured leather. Perhaps it’s the leather he is averse to, when I’ve picked him up to sit with me he slips and slides on it due to the lack of pads on his paws. I don’t know why that didn’t occur to me before! He hasn’t tried to hop up on the coffee table either, though he likes sitting next to and under it.

[jerseygirl]

Maybe try tucking a blanket or towel on it for him to land on. Or something like a yoga mat.
Is there a rug on the floor to jump down to?

[Tuppence]

The floor is both carpeted AND strewn with several flokati (Greek fleece) rugs which he lurrrrves. There are two very close to the couch too. so he could easily hop down on to them. I’ve tried it with his favourite blankie up on the couch too but that doesn’t seem to make a difference. I think I may just have to accept that he cares not for ze couch! Good thing I spend a lot of time lying on the floor. It’s become nigh on impossible to do so without him demanding all the pats and cuddles and trying to use me as the test subject for his burgeoning career as a hair stylist. 

[jerseygirl]

Ah. Why come up on the couch when he can get you to come down to him?! He’s just exercising his right as Master and not letting you forget you are a rabbit slave.

[Tuppence]

Oh yeah, I am definitely his minion. His majesty expects nothing less than 24/7 access to cuddles, kisses and treats. Last night the boyfriend said “ALFIE GETS MORE AFFECTION AND ATTENTION THAN I DO!” Which isn’t entirely untrue… Alfie is also not particularly fond of the boyfriend. He will let everyone else who comes to the house pat him at length but as soon as boyfriend so much as extends a hand he gets a face full of bunny butt. Apparently yesterday while I was still at work Ben (the boyfriend) simply walked past the Alf while he was having a sniff around near the coffee table and received a big ol’ stomp for his trouble. Could it possibly be because I have been claimed as Alfie’s human/we are bonded (as much as human and rabbit can be) and he perceives Benj as comptetition?

[Hanz]

I have to lol about Alfie and Ben! Similar situation in our house? Although, I think my husband is kind of leary of Hanz….so Hanz torments him a bit☺This comes in the form of Hanz nibbling on husbands pant legs, no actual biting of skin, just nibbles on denim? Hanz only does this to him. Also, Hanz loves dried papaya and you had better be ready to give Hanz some papaya if you are sitting near papaya bag. Sometimes husband sits close enough to papaya bag and eventually Hanz pops up near stands closely on his hind quarters and stares at husband waiting for his papaya. I think all this intimidates my husband and I find it so very entertaining! ❤

[Hanz]

I have to lol about Alfie and Ben! Similar situation in our house? Although, I think my husband is kind of leary of Hanz….so Hanz torments him a bit☺This comes in the form of Hanz nibbling on husbands pant legs, no actual biting of skin, just nibbles on denim? Hanz only does this to him. Also, Hanz loves dried papaya and you had better be ready to give Hanz some papaya if you are sitting near papaya bag. Sometimes husband sits close enough to papaya bag and eventually Hanz pops up near stands closely on his hind quarters and stares at husband waiting for his papaya. I think all this intimidates my husband and I find it so very entertaining! ❤

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