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About us
We're a middle-aged couple with a big old farm in Maryland and a bunch of cats and rabbits. We've had numerous house rabbits over the years and have learned a great deal from them and about them, and decided to give back by helping to improve the breed and promote the Flemish Giant more widely. We started laying the plans for South Mountain Rabbitry in 2007 and started Flemish Giant breeding in 2008 with the belief that we could add to the breed by selecting for strength, size, health and classic form while not sacrificing the qualities that make Flemish Giants excellent companions. We specialize in sandy Flemish Giants, but are branching out into white and other colors as time and space permit.
And yes, we still have our house rabbits!
What do you get when you work with us to find a Flemish giant?
Sure, you could go to the mall and buy a bunny. We know where many of those rabbits come from, and we know that the wholesalers know damn near nothing about the rabbits. Not their health, their background, their personalities. They just buy them up and sell them to people who don't know much. We and almost all professional breeders are very different.
If you're not used to big wabbits, we will give you all the information you need to get started with your Flemish.
We will ensure you get a strong, healthy rabbit who comes from good lines and solid breeding. You won't get this from a mall pet store, where if you're lucky they might even be able to tell you the breed of the rabbit correctly. We will not sell you a sick rabbit and if anything happens to the rabbit soon after you get it home, we will stand behind our rabbit as a matter of pride and compassion.
We will be available to you as your wabbit grows and matures, and you can draw on our knowledge and the knowledge of our friends in the Flemish community.
If you're in our local area, we are glad to refer you to our trusted sources for feed and supplies, and make referrals to veterinarians we work with who know rabbits and know our rabbitry. It can be maddeningly difficult to find a vet who actually knows or who will even treat rabbits. We've already done that work!
As a side note, we'll also likely encourage you to groom and show your rabbit! We're looking forward to the day when a rabbit we've sold to a good home comes to a show and beats our own rabbits... you could be the one!
Our principles
We have a few, very strong principles when it comes to our Flemish Giants. Take a minute to read through this, it will help you decide if a Flemish is right for you (and whether you're right for a Flemish).
- We do not sell "Easter bunnies." Period. End of story. If you come to us seeking a cute little bunny to amuse your kids, we will direct you to a local shelter where you and your kids can adopt some "cute little bunny" from last Easter that a short-sighted parent bought and then discarded when it wasn't little anymore. While you're there, you can pick up a castaway duck that used to be an Easter duckling, but be careful, those things poop anywhere.
- We do not sell meat rabbits. You are perfectly within your rights to eat rabbit, but you won't be eating one of our Flemish. This also means we won't sell rabbits for them to be bred for meat. There are better breeds for that.
- We are not in a rush. We make our main living doing other things, so we will never pressure anyone to take a rabbit who isn't ready for it, or take a rabbit who isn't ready for the world. We have time, space and a great deal of patience, and we think that makes for a better wabbit and a better experience for everyone.
- If, after you get it home, for any reason you feel you cannot keep the Flemish, you will bring it back to us. You will not give it away, sell it, drop it off at a shelter or dump it in some local field to fend for itself. We know how to care for an adult rabbit and we can find it a new home better than you can. We didn't raise these giants to become a future burden on animal shelters. Know your limits, and if in doubt, don't get a Flemish.
- Flemish Giants are just that. They are enormous rabbits. We will provide you with all the information you could possibly want regarding what to expect when you live with one, and we will provide you with the healthiest, best-tempered rabbits we know how to produce, but ultimately every rabbit is a little different and every owner's capabilities and ways are different. As they grow up, they go through several personality stages and they can be a real challenge at times. We will try to make you as aware of this up front as we can. Stick with them through that time, be patient and caring, and you will end up with a majestic, friendly wabbit who will be your best friend. If you have any doubts about your own patience, do everyone a favor and get a cat.
Our methods
We're very "hands-on" with our rabbits. We feel that since these are big, strong rabbits, they need to understand that they're safe with people and that they need to get used to people. We spend an amazing amount of time with them. When they're young, they get handled and talked to every day, we pet them, scratch them under their chins and between their ears, let them explore the world, and (sigh) let them nibble us and our clothes. We have the nicks to prove it. But this method is important, because a secure rabbit is a friendly rabbit! When you meet them, they will come up and say hi, they'll be curious about you, they'll want to see what you're about.
We encourage prospective owners to carry this on. No rabbit wants to sit in a hutch by the stove or on the back porch all day, with nothing but the sides of their nose to look at all day. Flemish are big, friendly rabbits and want to know what's going on. As house rabbits, they will "patrol," checking the house out on a schedule, seeing what's different, stopping by to say hi to you and visiting the same places every day.
The only way you get rabbits comfortable with people is to handle them, and handle them a lot. We take that time and put that effort in, because the results are worth it, when your rabbit sits in your lap clicking his or her teeth in contentment.
We do not ship or deliver rabbits. If you're far enough away, we will likely refer you to another of our friends in the Flemish world who might be closer to you. Rabbits don't tolerate shipping well, and we don't do it, and we can't afford to deliver them ourselves, though if you intend to be at a show we're showing at, we can arrange to bring your rabbit along.
We'd prefer to adopt to experienced rabbit people, people who know what care a rabbit needs. Thus, if you're a parent and are looking for a rabbit as your child's first pet, you should probably consider something other than a Flemish. When adults, these wabbits can wrestle your kid and easily win best three-out-of-five.
What we ask
It's best if you come out and pick your rabbit with our guidance. Kits won't leave here until they're 10 weeks old and healthy. If you choose a rabbit for later pickup, we ask a $40 deposit. After all, we won't sell your rabbit, and you reserving a rabbit means someone else can't choose that rabbit, so if you choose to change your mind later, it may be more difficult for us to go back and sell that rabbit to someone else.
We also ask that you stay in touch with us. We'll ask for your contact information (and email, if you have it) so that we can get in touch with you if we later identify a problem or an illness that could potentially affect your rabbit. Since we're also aware of any illnesses that may be around at a given time, we can give you a heads-up and offer assistance in keeping your rabbit healthy.
We're serious.
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