Recommended Cage Sizes English Lops: 30 x 30, 30 x 36, 24 x 36, 24 x 48 Flemish Giants: 30 x 36, 24 x 48
For these breeds, wire cages with resting mats/boards are the best housing option. Cages should be cleaned at least once a week.
Feeding English Lops: 1.5-3 cups of 18% feed supplemented with Calf Manna, Old Fashioned Oats, Timothy or Orchard Grass Hay, and Black Oil Sunflower seeds Flemish Giants: 2 cups of 18% feed supplemented with Timothy or Orchard Grass Hay
My rabbits are all fed in the morning. My English Lops get 1/4 cup of Oats and Sunflower seeds mixed together each day in a separate bowl along with 1 tablespoon of Calf Manna. This keeps weight on them and keeps their coats in good condition. All rabbits have at least a 32oz. water bottle, some of my bigger drinkers have a 64oz. bottle. Some of my rabbits use water bowls as they never learned to use a bottle of simply refuse to.
Grooming None of my breeds require daily grooming however they do need to be brushed more often during molt. Their nails are clipped about once a month and are re-shortened before shows. English Lops' ears need to be cleaned 1-2 times a month to remove excess wax and dirt and prevent ear infections. I use a few drops of mineral oil and a Q-tip. Only clean the outside of the ear canal not the inside. Baby powder can be used to keep sprayers dry between their legs and prevent urine burn. Rabbits should NEVER be given baths as they can go into shock and die. I use Kaytee Quick and Clean Small Animal Instant Shampoo to remove stains from light colored coats and even help remove excess hair during molt.
English Lops and Flemish Giants should not be bred for the first time until they are at least 9 months old. They are bigger breeds which take longer to mature. Waiting until 9-11 months helps to ensure healthy kits, a better mother, bigger litter size, and reduces the risk of having stuck kits/difficult labor. Bucks aren't carrying kits so they can be bred earlier than does. If a doe of either of my breeds is very small I will wait to breed her until she reaches minimum senior weight, or she won't be bred.