continental giant rabbits

Question
hi dana my daughter has just acquired a giant rabbit and is keen to know there lifespan and the best diet for them also any good books on the breed thank you

Answer
Dear Clive,

This is a very new breed, and I don't think there are any books yet that are specific to Continental Giants.  The best book on care of any rabbit is The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman, and the best web site for all the most accurate rabbit care information can be found here:

www.rabbit.org

Giant breeds of rabbits--like giant breeds of any domestic animal--generally have a shorter lifespan than normal-sized individuals.  Often, this is because artificial selection has been for external body size alone, without regard to the size of the internal organs necessary for the proper upkeep of such a large body.  Usually, the organs of a "giant" breed animal will not be as giant, scaled, as the body proper, and the result is usually short lifespan due to cardiac problems and other disorders associated with organ failure.

I know that Flemish Giants' life expectancy is about 7 years, as opposed to 10 or more for more normal-sized breeds. And that is with excellent care and constant veterinary checkups and maintenance.  The Continental Giant hasn't really been around long enough for us to establish an average lifespan with confidence, but some sources say they can live to be perhaps 10-12 years old.  But they *do* tend to also have many of the congenital problems that come with intensive inbreeding, such as dental malocclusions, joint problems (due to their size) etc.

I hope your bunny will be well and robust, and be a happy companion for many years.  You can find information on the breed from many web sites, such as those listed here:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=continental+giant+rabbit&btnG=Search

Good luck!

Dana