Need advice for breeding Flemish Giants?

[KateCastle]

Hello,

I've got a question about breeding my Flemish giant, Pika. She's a light grey, and we got her about a year ago. We believe she is about a year and a half old. She is quite a big girl now. We always intended to breed her, but things kept coming up, and we never got around to it. We have some extra time now and were wanting to breed her, but I've read that you can't breed a female flemish who hasn't had a little within the first 9 months of her life. Is this true? Do you think it's worth it to try to breed her now?

 

[Alicia G]

Well people say that after a year there pelvis begins to fuse, but I know quite a few people who breed rabbits and have a does have there first litter at over a year old, and there were no complications. Saying that, you still need to look at the pros and risks that come with breeding a rabbit weather it be 6 months or 1-2 years old.

 

[oneacrefarm]

Hello,

I've got a question about breeding my Flemish giant, Pika. She's a light grey, and we got her about a year ago. We believe she is about a year and a half old. She is quite a big girl now. We always intended to breed her, but things kept coming up, and we never got around to it. We have some extra time now and were wanting to breed her, but I've read that you can't breed a female flemish who hasn't had a little within the first 9 months of her life. Is this true? Do you think it's worth it to try to breed her now?

You should look more into that, what I have heard is that Flemish take longer to sexually mature and most Flemish breeders don't breed them till they are 1 1/2 to 2 years old.

This is a message on another board from a Flemish breeder...

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ShowBunnyList/message/7860

She states, "We don't breed our Giants until they are at least a year old or more often until
18 months and have completed their bone growth. Flemish tend to grow in spurts
and I have seen them get a full 2 inches longer after their 1 year birthday!
Breeding the does sooner will rob calcium necessary for bone growth I am afraid.
One of the reasons Flemish are so expensive is the time you have to wait for
them to become productive! Sigh..Barbi"

Shannon

 

[hollandloplover]

It may still work their palvis closes up at about 2 rs so try now and it might work!

 

[3 River's Rabbitry]

I raise Flemish myself, and I dont breed until they are 10 months or older. Breed her and see what happens.