The Checkered Giant rabbit is a large breed which was developed in Europe. It was actually originated in the Lorraine region of France during the end of the nineteenth century.
The breed was developed from the Flemish Giants, Spotted rabbits and large French lop-eared rabbits. Checkered Giant rabbit made it’s way to the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The breed was initially known as the Lorrainese, and is known as Giant Papillion in the United Kingdom. Papillion means butterfly, which refers to the marking on a Checker’s nose. But the Giant Papillion in the United Kingdom is slightly different in body type and markings.
The Checkered Giant rabbit is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. Today the breed is considered as a show rabbit rather than a meat breed. Although it is heavier than other renowned rabbit breeds, such as the Giant Chinchilla and the Flemish Giant rabbit.
However, review physical characteristics, uses, special notes and full breed profile of the Checkered Giant rabbit below.
Checkered Giant Rabbit Characteristics
The Checkered Giant rabbit is a large breed compared to some other domestic rabbit breeds. It is larger and heavier than some other most popular rabbit breeds, such as the Flemish Giant and the Giant Chinchilla. The Checkered Giant rabbits have a muscular build and slender type body.
Their body is long, arched back and the legs are long and powerful. They have a wide head with large, broad ears which are held firmly upright. The coat of the Checkered Giant rabbit is white with colored markings.
They have rings around the eyes, colored ears, cheek flashes and a butterfly shaped marking on the nose. Their fur is short, thick and very soft. A dorsal stripe runs down the spine from ears to tail, with colored patches on the haunches.
Recognized color varieties of the breed are Black and Blue. Average body weight of a matured Checkered Giant buck is at least 5.0 kg and a mature doe weights about 5.4 kg. But there is no specified maximum weight of this breed. Photo from Wikipedia.
Uses
The Checkered Giant rabbit is a larger sized rabbit breed. But it is rarely raised for meat production. Today the breed is mainly raised as a show rabbit breed.
Special Notes
The Checkered Giant rabbits are generally good natured animal. They have relatively calm temperament. They are very active and energetic rabbits. They are very playful and require plenty of exercise.
This breed usually performs very well in the home and are excellent pets. They are very friendly and easy going. In case of raising as pets, they should be handled properly and very carefully.
Although, the Checkered Giant rabbits are sometimes said to be prone to aggressive behavior. The average lifespan of these rabbits is around 5 to 8 years. But they can live up to 10 years in captivity. However, review full breed profile of this rabbit breed in the chart below.
| Breed Name | Checkered Giant |
| Other Name | Lorrainese, Giant Papillion |
| Breed Purpose | Good for meat production. Good as pets. Today mainly kept as show animal. |
| Breed Size | Large |
| Weight | At least 5 kg and no specified maximum weight |
| Suitable for Commercial Production | Yes |
| Good as Pets | Yes |
| Climate Tolerance | All |
| Color Varieties | Black, Blue |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country of Origin | France |
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