Rabbits of the Risen breed are one of the largest domestic animals not only in Russia, but throughout the world. They differ not only in their large size, but also in their rather massive and well-developed muscles. What other features of these animals are distinguished by zoologists and veterinarians? What are the positive and negative traits of animals? Under what conditions should they be kept? We will answer these and some other questions in our material.
Characterization
First of all, it is important to note that the Riesen rabbits have a rather interesting history of their origin. They first appear in the XNUMXth century. Moreover, at the beginning of their existence, the animals had a slightly different name – they were called Belgian giants. Generally speaking, the breed originated in Flanders but was later introduced to Germany. German scientists, being one of the most advanced, carried out selection work and brought out more meaty German giants from the Belgian giants. From the German word “riesen”, which translates into Russian “giant” and the name of the breed came from.
If we talk about the anatomical description of Riesen rabbits, then special attention must be paid to the distinctive features of this breed. So, animals have a rather massive and wide chest and a long torso. They move thanks to thick, but straight paws. Because of this, many distinguish that rizen rabbits look a little awkward. The mass of rabbits usually varies from 6 to 10 kilograms. This indicator is considered the so-called gold standard. However, there are exceptions: record-breaking rabbits belonging to the Riesen breed can reach 14 kilograms in their weight.
Surprise with their size and dimensions of the rabbit. The length of the body of the animal can reach 75 centimeters, and the girth of the chest usually does not exceed 42 centimeters. Among other things, rabbits are distinguished by their large head sizes and large cheeks. The ears of the rizens can also be considered champions in length. Females and males can have ears ranging in length from 13 to 20 centimeters (in rare cases, a length of 25 cm is noted).
At the same time, despite the impressive size and dimensions, the wool of animals is rather short and does not exceed 4 centimeters in length. It can be painted in a wide variety of shades: agouti, gray, white, blue, sandy gold (golden), black, yellow (gold) and others.
In terms of size and size, rizen rabbits can compete with another well-known breed of giant animals – flander rabbits. However, of course, these animals have pronounced differences. The color of the eyes of animals is usually brown.
Advantages and disadvantages
Riesen rabbits have unique characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Before you start a pet at home, you need to familiarize yourself with these features.
Advantages:
- a large mass of adult mature rabbits;
- low incidence;
- high fertility;
- the female takes care of the offspring on her own.
However, Rizens have negative traits. Among them are:
- long maturation;
- intensive nutrition and exactingness to feed;
- the need for a spacious home.
Characteristics of character
Rabbits of the Risen breed do not have aggressive traits. On the contrary, their character is quite calm and flexible. It is thanks to the friendly behavior of rabbits that they are often chosen as pets. In general, animals interact well with people. However, it is worth noting that if a preschool child lives in your house, then you should refrain from buying such a rabbit. Due to their rather large size, such animals can inadvertently harm the baby or injure him. Otherwise, rabbits are completely suitable for home keeping, they are sociable and intelligent.
How to choose?
Choosing and acquiring a rabbit is an important and responsible task, so its implementation must be approached with all the necessary responsibility. Follow the tips and tricks to get a purebred and healthy animal. First of all, experienced livestock breeders are advised to purchase rabbits only in special breeding farms. In such farms, you can look at the parents of young rabbits. It is important to make sure that you are buying an animal that was born from crossing different breeding lines.
As for the optimal age of the animal, it is recommended to buy rabbits when they are 3-4 months old. Such time frames are due to the fact that the Risen breed belongs to late-ripening species. On the contrary, it is not recommended to buy adult and mature animals. Also, before buying, it is important to examine the external condition of the rabbit – it should look good. Give preference to those individuals who are quite well-fed, but not too fat (this indicates a good appetite), have a straight back and even legs.
Also make sure that the ears and teeth are healthy: the rabbit should have a correct bite, and there should be no redness, scratches or other signs of disease on the ears.
Wool should also have a pleasant appearance. It should not have any bald spots, lichens and similar shortcomings. The eyes of a fluffy animal should be clear and mobile, without clouding.
Content
Riesen rabbits are animals that require special conditions of detention. They are quite demanding on a variety of care activities and need a lot of attention. That is why you should follow the instructions and rules for caring for animals. If you follow the recommendations and advice of experts, then your rabbit will lead a healthy and active life for many years.
Dwelling place
First of all, it should be remembered that rizen rabbits must be kept in spacious cages. Animals must be able to roam freely within the territory provided to them. The ideal dimensions for a single dwelling are dimensions of at least 100 by 70 centimeters. The optimal height is 50 centimeters. If you plan to keep several individuals or a female with a brood in one cage, then the dimensions should be proportionally increased.
Animals can be kept not only in a cage, but also in an aviary. However, it should only be placed in the south or east. In addition, a ventilation system must be arranged in the dwelling so that clean and fresh air enters the rabbits at all times. Otherwise, they can get very sick. Bedding must be placed at the bottom of the cage or aviary. It may consist of sawdust or hay. Moreover, fresh hay in the dwelling should be added to the animal every day.
Food
Diet is an important part of keeping rabbits. So, animals of the Risen breed should be fed at least 2 times a day, but access to water for animals should be provided constant and uninterrupted. Moreover, the water should be fresh and clean, so change it at least once a day.
In summer and spring, the rabbit’s diet should be as varied as possible. Animals should be given vegetables, grass, twigs, root crops, fruits. In winter, the food for rabbits will be simpler: hay and compound feed. It is also worth periodically adding various vitamin supplements and mineral complexes to rabbit food in order to maintain the health of the animal at the proper level. Similar formulations can be purchased at zoological shops and veterinary clinics.
Hygiene
Hygiene procedures deserve special attention, which must be carried out quite carefully, and most importantly, regularly. First of all, attention must be paid to cleaning the cages that contain rabbits. During the cleaning and cleaning of the animal’s dwelling, disinfection and treatment of all surfaces (floor, walls and ceiling) with special chemical compounds intended for cleaning must be carried out without fail. In addition, during the general cleaning, you need to completely change the bedding.
Also, do not forget to regularly clean the cage of food debris and feces.. Wash and clean the feeder and drinker regularly. If you ignore these tips, then rabbits can get very sick by catching an infection or becoming infected with harmful microorganisms. The consequences can be sad – even fatal.
Walking
Since rizen rabbits have an impressive size, their constant presence in a cage brings them discomfort. That is why it is periodically worth releasing rabbits into the wild so that they can move around. However, before releasing animals, you need to find a suitable area for their walking. Give preference to green meadows and lawns. Pay especially close attention to the fact that in the territory where animals will graze, there are no harmful and even more poisonous plants.
Also clear the area of debris. While walking, you can let the rabbits eat grass.. She will play the role of the so-called pasture. It is also desirable to fence off the area in some way so that the rabbits do not escape. Do not walk them in completely open spaces (in the forest or on the field).
Breeding
Breeding rabbits of the Risen breed is quite difficult. In order to avoid the occurrence of genetic abnormalities, the instructions should be strictly followed. Despite the fact that animals reach the age of sexual maturity already after reaching 3-4 months, the first mating should occur no earlier than at the 8th month of the animal’s life. For breeding, choose only the best representatives: they must be healthy and active.
In order to ensure the process of mating, the female and male must be left alone for 20-30 minutes in an empty cage (you need to remove food so that the animals are not distracted). After this procedure, you should wait 2 weeks, and then perform a palpation procedure to find out if the female is pregnant.
If the rabbit becomes pregnant, then she must be placed in a separate and rather spacious cage. During pregnancy, the animal must be carefully monitored.
When you notice that the rabbit is building a nest, then in the place where she builds it, you need to put a box with sides. Childbirth takes place on its own, without human intervention.
See the following video for an overview of Risen rabbits.
