Contents
Quick facts
- Weight: 12-16 lb.
- Giant Chinchilla lifespan: 7-10 years
- Origin: United States of America
- Purpose: Meat, show rabbits, pets, and pelt.
- Size: Giant rabbits
- Body type: Semi-arched
- Comparable breeds – Flemish Giants and American Chinchilla rabbits
History and origin
The Giant Chinchilla rabbits were developed by Edward H. Stahl of Holmes Park, Missouri. He was among the first people to have the original Standard Chinchilla that originated from France.
Guessing how these bunnies were going to take over the American fur industry he wanted to create larger ones since their size was limiting.
He began experimenting with a large-sized pure buck that had perfect color with several does including New Zealand whites, White Flemish, American Blue among others.
The offspring from the American Blue and White Flemish Giant doe ended up with excellent colors and larger. He continued to breed them selectively until a Giant Chinchilla doe was born on the Christmas morning of 1921, naming this doe the ‘Million Dollar Princess.’ In 1928, these rabbits were accepted as Giant Chinchilla by ARBA.
These bunnies grow very fast producing fryers weighing about 7 pounds in about two months, thereby producing meat not only fast but also cost-effectively.
To quickly evaluate your stock, the Giant Chinchilla Rabbit Association has the following guidelines “ at 3 months it would be ideal for your rabbit to weigh 7.5 lbs, at 4 months 8.5 lbs, 5 months 9.5 lbs, and at 6 months,10.5 lbs”.
Currently, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) has put the Giant Chinchilla under watch since there are hardly 200 registrations annually with a global population thought to be about 2000.
Body type, color, and size
These are giant-sized rabbits weighing about 12 to 16 pounds. Does weigh slightly bigger 13 to 16 pounds while bucks weigh 12 to 15 pounds.
It has as semi-arched body shape which according to Bunnyhugga.com, this rabbit has “ substantial build, with a long body, broad straight back, rounded haunches, and powerful legs: Its head is broad, cheeks full and ears erected straight."
Their eye color ranges from marbled to blue-gray to dark brown. However, the dark brown eyes are often preferred.
Color
Like other Chinchillas, the giant ones have an “under color (next to the skin) that is dark slate blue, the middle color band is a pearl, and the tips of the hair grey. Black 'ticking' (guard hairs) are distributed unevenly over most of the body," as Triple H Rabbits notes.
If their coat is petted backward or lifted up, it should show distinctive rings since each hair strand has “five distinct bands of color in a pattern of blue, pearl, black, white, and black,” notes Lovetoknow.com.
Its neck, flanks, belly and eye circles have pale pearl tickings while those of ears are black. The underbelly is soft white.
Coat
They have a dense, short, soft and straight fur of medium length that does not require much grooming.
Giant Chinchilla rabbit care
Brush their fur with a soft-bristled brush once a week to help get rid of loose hairs that would end up on your furniture, clothes, and carpet. This regular brushing will help you grow a bond with your bunny. Ensure their coats are always tangle-free, soft and looking glossy.
Their diets should include pellets (5%) like Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets, grassy hay (80%) and the remainder will be leafy greens and vegetables as well as fruit treats. Also, there should be an unlimited supply of clean drinking water.
Cages can be indoor or outdoor, must be spacious to let this big bunny stand upright, hop around and stretch. See a guide on cage sizes for various bunny sizes. %It is recommended that their cages be made of wooden floors and have a lot more beddings made of straws and shavings.
Outdoor cages should be raised, safe from predators, weatherproofed, preferably under a shade that allows free air circulation.
To help socialize your rabbit, spend some time with it in a fenced area of your backyard or if inside your house, rabbit-proof your home to avoid them chewing valuable items in your home.
Health Issues
Ensure your bunny has standard vaccinations and take good care of it to avoid fur mites, fleas, flystrike and so on. Also, check if they have overgrown teeth and any other ill-health symptoms and regularly deworm them to avoid rabbit worms.
Unless intended for breeding, your bucks should be neutered and does spayed to increase their lifespan and prevent disease affecting their reproductive organs.
Temperament and behavior
These bunnies are docile, gentle and well natured. They are also friendly, easy-going, love attention and playful.
If socialized while still young, they can easily be handled. Also, they are good with children who know how to handle them as well as other pets. If you don't have rabbit toys, some cat and dog toys can be a good play companion and help reduce boredom.
Due to their huge size, we do not recommend them for families with kids below the age of 10 years unless, i.e., they are suited for families with older children, singles, seniors, first-time or experienced pet owners.
Giant Chinchilla rabbits for sale
Whereas they are not as rare as the American Chinchillas, they are also under watch by ALBC. This means you may not get them readily available everywhere.
The cost or price of the Giant Chinchilla rabbits will range from $40 to $100+ depending on whether they are purebred, pedigreed or show rabbits.
To get them, search online, on social media, rabbitries, rescue centers and from ARBA recognized Giant Chinchilla rabbit breeders. We found a few listed on these websites:
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