Flemish Giant Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus


The Flemish Giant Rabbit is considered to be the largest breed of the species. Flemish giants are a utility breed, and are most commonly bred for their fur and meat. The breed is known for its docile nature and patience when being handled, resulting in domestication and commonly being kept as pets.

These rabbits were bred as early as the 16th century near the city of Ghent, Belgium. The Flemish Giant is an ancestor of many rabbit breeds all over the world, like the Belgian Hare, Patagonian Rabbit, and Stone Rabbit. The first standards for the breed were written in 1893. It received little attention until 1910, where is started appearing at livestock shows throughout the United States. By this point, the Flemish Giant was being exported from Europe to America to help improve the size of meat rabbits.

Being one of the largest breeds of domestic rabbit, the Flemish Giant has a distinguishing arch back feature, starting behind the shoulders and carrying through to the base of the tail, giving a “mandolin” shape. Their bodies are long and powerful, with broad hindquarter legs. Their fur is known to be glossy and dense, when stroked from head to tail, you can see the fur roll back and forth. On average, Flemish Giant Rabbits weigh 15 lbs, with the biggest ever recorded being 22 lbs. The longest one on record measured 4 feet 3 inches long.

Say Hello To Cub Creek's Rabbit: Guinevere

Guinevere was donated to us in December of 2018 and she sure is giant. She weighs almost 15 lbs, which is the average for her species (our other rabbits usually weigh 5 lbs or less). She is very friendly and super fluffy, which makes the perfect combination for giving her lots of pets. Some of her favorite activities include eating sweet potato and cuddling with her rabbit roommates.

Flemish Giant Rabbit Map - Cub Creek Science Camp

Flemish Giant Rabbits were first bred in Belgium. After domestication, it was then transported to England and North America.

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HABITAT -Flemish Giant rabbits live in a home environment with a human. Or an outdoor pen environment for breeding.

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DIET -In the wild, they’ll graze on grass. Domesticated will eat, fresh fruits, vegetables, timothy hay, and dry food.

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FUN FACT -The New York Daily news once “interviewed” a flemish giant, a rabbit named Herbie, living in Prospect Park Zoo.

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SOCIAL BEHAVIOR -Flemish Giant Rabbits are companions to humans, living in home environments.

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ACTIVITY -They tend to be more active during the day and sleep at night.

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PREDATORS -Predators include humans, wild/domestic dogs and cats, and birds of prey.

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SIZE -They can weigh up to 22 lbs, and grown to be 2.5 feet long.

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RELATIVES -They are thought to be bred from the Belgian Hare, Patagonian Rabbit, and Stone Rabbit.

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CONSERVATION -Flemish Giant Rabbits are considered Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Cub Creek Animal Care Information


Housing - Our Flemish Giant rabbit lives in a specialized enclosure, a large room with plenty of room for them to hop around and explore. As these rabbits grow, it’s important to keep in mind their enclosure should accommodate its size. Their enclosure is bedded with shavings to make cleanup a breeze, and they always have access to clean water. His enclosure also has logs, hides, and a large window to allow natural sunlight.

Diet - We feed our Flemish Giant a balanced vegetables and dry food to ensure they get all the nutrition they need. They’ll eat sweet potato, lettuce, rabbit pellets, and range cubes. This diet provides well balanced nutrition of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Of course they enjoy special treats like timothy hay, dried fruits, and other green vegetables.

Enrichment - We make sure to give plenty of time and attention to our Flemish Giant, so they are very sociable with campers. During the summertime, campers will make them special toys from cardboard and other materials. They also get special treats made for them out of fruits and vegetables, the campers love making them, and our rabbits enjoy the attention.