Checkered Giant rabbit
The Checkered Giant is a big white show rabbit with bold black or blue markings: a butterfly on the nose, a stripe down the spine and spots on each side. Bucks weigh at least 11 lb and does at least 12 lb, with no upper limit. It is a running breed, carried in an arch, and needs a large cage and time out of it.
- Temperament
- Gentle, Friendly, Active
- Cold tolerance
- Heat tolerance
- Space needed
- 10 sq ft
Is the Checkered Giant right for you?
Good fit if
- You want a striking show rabbit and enjoy the challenge of breeding for exact markings
- You have room for a cage of about 10 sq ft and can let the rabbit out to exercise
- You want a large house rabbit. The breed club says they litter-train easily
Poor fit if
- You want a meat breed. The club itself calls this a show rabbit
- You want a rabbit that likes to be held and cuddled
- You only have space for a medium-breed 30 × 30 in cage
Appearance and varieties
A Checkered Giant is one of the largest rabbit breeds. It carries its slightly arched body higher off the ground than other big breeds; the standard asks for plenty of daylight underneath.
The coat is white with markings in black or blue. The pattern is exact: a butterfly across the nose, a line along the top of the back, solid-coloured ears, circles round the eyes, cheek spots, and a set pattern of spots on each side. Getting all of that right on one rabbit is the hard part of breeding them.
The breed club notes that American and European markings differ, although they are counted as the same breed.132
Temperament and handling
The Livestock Conservancy describes the breed as gentle and friendly, and also as active and not as affectionate or cuddly as some others. Expect a rabbit that wants to move more than it wants to sit on a lap.
It needs regular exercise outside its pen. The breed club says Checkered Giants do very well indoors, are easy to litter-train and keep themselves very clean.142
Animals vary within a breed. Treat this as what to expect, not a promise, and meet the animal before you buy if you can.
Housing, feed and health
Housing
ARBA calls this a running breed that needs a large cage to move comfortably. UMass gives 48 × 30 × 18 in for large breeds and names the Checkered Giant as an example. The breed club asks for at least 3 ft × 3 ft × 4 ft.
If the cage has a wire bottom, the club says to cover it with a plank or a mat to protect the feet.
Plan for heat rather than cold. Alabama Extension says rabbits do not cope well above 90 °F, and Michigan State says most suffer heat prostration above 92 °F. Shade, moving air and constant water are the basics.39287
Feed
The breed club's diet is commercial rabbit pellets, timothy hay available all the time, and fresh water. It advises against alfalfa hay because of its high calcium, and says to keep fresh vegetables and fruit to very small amounts so they don't upset the gut.
Budget for appetite. New Hampshire Extension says giant breeds eat up to 8 oz of feed a day, against 2–3 oz for a small breed.211
Health
The one breed-specific point is feet: the club says a wire floor should be covered with a plank or mat to avoid damage. Beyond that, Penn State's basics apply to any rabbit: clean cages, good ventilation, a close look at each animal, shelter from sun and rain, and isolating any rabbit that is sick or hurt.
This is a starting point, not veterinary advice. If a rabbit stops eating or seems unwell, call a vet who treats rabbits, or your county extension office.212
Similar breeds
| Breed | Adult weight | Litter size | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkered Giant (this breed) | 11 lb or more | |||
| Flemish Giant | 13 lb or more | $150–$200 |
History
Large spotted rabbits were known in Europe from the mid-1800s and became popular in Germany. In 1904 Otto Reinhardt began crossing them with Flemish Giants, black ones by most accounts and grey by some, and the result became the Checkered Giant.
The breed reached the United States by 1910 and was recognised by ARBA in 1919. In Europe it is known as the Giant Papillon, after the butterfly marking on the nose. In 2019 American breeders marked 100 years of what the fancy calls the Rabbit Beautiful.132
Common questions
How big do Checkered Giant rabbits get?
Mature bucks should weigh at least 11 lb and does at least 12 lb. ARBA sets no maximum weight for the breed.23
Are Checkered Giants good pets?
They can be, for someone with space. They are gentle and friendly, and the breed club says they litter-train easily. They are active rather than cuddly, and need regular exercise outside the cage.12
What colours do Checkered Giants come in?
Two: black, which is white with black markings, and blue, which is white with grey markings.210
What size cage does a Checkered Giant need?
UMass gives 48 × 30 × 18 in for large breeds, which is 10 sq ft of floor. The breed club asks for at least 3 ft × 3 ft × 4 ft, with any wire floor covered by a plank or mat.92
Are Checkered Giants raised for meat?
Not usually. The breed club describes the Checkered Giant as a show rabbit as opposed to a meat rabbit, and The Livestock Conservancy lists its uses as exhibition and pet.21
Is a Checkered Giant the same as a Giant Papillon?
They are counted as the same breed. Giant Papillon is the European name. The markings asked for in Europe and America are different.21
Where can I buy a Checkered Giant?
The American Checkered Giant Rabbit Club points buyers to ARBA's breeder listings, and keeps a breeders' list of its own at checkeredgiant.org. There is no price range here because fewer than two breeder pages posted prices.2
Are Checkered Giants rare?
Fairly. The Livestock Conservancy has the breed on its Watch list.1
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Checkered Giant Rabbit.
- American Checkered Giant Rabbit Club, About.
- American Rabbit Breeders Association, Checkered Giant.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Heritage Rabbit Breed Comparison Chart (PDF).
- Ohio State University Extension, Ashtabula County, Study Tips for Rabbit Breeds, revised 2016 (PDF).
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service, Rabbit Tracks: Summer Rabbit Care, 4-H 1440 (archive copy, PDF).
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Summer Heat and Rabbit Production, UNP-0082 (PDF).
- UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, Rabbit Housing.
- University of Illinois Extension, ARBA rabbit breed identification guide: breeds, varieties and showroom classes (PDF).
- University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Getting Started in Your Rabbit Project (PDF).
- Penn State Extension, Rabbit Production.
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