http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,772770,00.html Article translated by me: [quote:d4881f9783] [size=24:d4881f9783]Hans Wagner's rabbit is as big as a half grown man[/size:d4881f9783] [b:d4881f9783]He's german. He's big. He's a rabbit. The name is obvious - the rabbit is simply named "The German Giant". But he's really a belgian.[/b:d4881f9783] The world's largest rabbit is living in Germany, but is of the breed Flemish Giant Rabbit. The gigantic rodent is owned by the German Hans Wagner and lives in his home in Berlin. Flemish Giant Rabbit is the biggest breed of tame rabbits. Hans Wagner's monster specimen is as long as a half grown man. And according to Åke Johansson, chairman of Sweden's Rabbit Breeders National Organisation, the German Giant and his pals usually weigh ten kilos or more. [size=18:d4881f9783]Popular in Germany[/size:d4881f9783] - This is a very popular and common breed of rabbits in Germany, says Åke Johansson. Even in Sweden the interest has increased, but as they are large and stout few people have room for them at home, he says. The breed is originally from Belgium and has been known since 1825. First time a flemish giant was displayed in the Nordic was in Copenhagen 1896. - I owned one myself in the fifties, says Åke Johansson. [size=18:d4881f9783]Eats carrots[/size:d4881f9783] The huge rabbits need no special care, except that they eat more than regular rabbits and demand more space. The diet consists of, like all rabbits, of hay, fodder and carrots. - Most people who own this kind of rabbits keep them in cages outdoors so they get plenty of space to move about, says Åke Johansson. [/quote:d4881f9783] Look at the feet! It's a bloody kangaroo with it's tail cut off!
Jesus H. Harvey that's a big rabbit! It must be a hoax surely, or maybe that guy's really small? This rabbit is reported as the world's biggest, but it doesn't look as big as that one.
If you can get them in this coloration, I'm getting one! (that one's obviously a hoax, but I'm not sure about The German Giant. I choose to believe until evidence states otherwise)
Let me insert one of those stary LOLs here. Hm. I can't really validate that this breed is common in Germany. Maybe it's popular in those rabbit breeding circles, and I am unaware of it, but [i:0a8e54caac]I[/i:0a8e54caac]'ve never heard of someone owning such a large thing. I'm not an expert though. I've red somewhere, though, that when filming the Tele-Tubbies, they used a giant rabbit race to make the actors, who were pretty large in their costumes, with their own head somewhere at shoulder height of the tubby figures, look smaller in comparison. i mean, when you see a cuddly figure with a rabbit next to it that goes up to its knees, you imagine it to be very small, right? (Makes you wonder why they didn't use the giant-rabbit-tricks in the LOTR-films... ) "Hans Wagner" though sounds absolutely made up. Its just one step away from "Hans Schmidt". Compare this: http://www.riesenzuechter.de/bildergalerie/b0000009572144a80d8.jpg That's the measuring of a "German Giant".
They are a pretty damn big breed. A google image search for flemish giant shows that! - although they do mostly look the size of the one Mal linked to, so maybe there is a hint of photoshoppery *shrug*
This is a giant cat, but it looks very fake to me. Edit ~ It's the rigid way it's being held. Also, surely a man would look under a little more strain carrying a beast like that. Still, if it's real, I want it. Also: Lol, "Eats carrots." What a great headline.
Hmm. Ba isn't sure that it's faked through photoshop. He suspects it's more that the way the rabbit is being held makes it seem larger than it really is. For example, the way the rabbit's feet hang toward the camera, bringing them closer and making them seem larger. The rabbit probably isn't that much larger or heavier than any other Flemish Giant.
I think Ba is correct, it is the common photographic technique of a fisherman holding the fish as far out in front of him as possible to make the fish look impressive (this only works if the fish is of at least reasonably impressive size to begin with though, I have proof of that in my photo files)
Also, it should probably be pointed out that rabbits are not rodents. They are lagomorphs. Both make good pie when cooked correctly, mind.
Umm, capibara pie - an ideal treat for the not so easily satisfied. Also I found a page explaining the difference between lagomorphs and rodentia http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th14.htm if anyone's interested?
[quote:0e4b48ff2c="Ba"]Hmm. Ba isn't sure that it's faked through photoshop. He suspects it's more that the way the rabbit is being held makes it seem larger than it really is. For example, the way the rabbit's feet hang toward the camera, bringing them closer and making them seem larger. The rabbit probably isn't that much larger or heavier than any other Flemish Giant.[/quote:0e4b48ff2c] Yeah maybe it was taken from a fisheye lens, those make anyhing close up look big.
Besides my disbelief that the size of a rabbit can inspire two pages of discussion... I concur that the way it is being held makes it look bigger... especially the way it is draped avor the arm so that the body hangs and extends... The guys probably a midget too, I mean someone who is a rabbit breeding enthusiast who likes big rabbits has got to be a little off in the head and lacking more traditional social outlets for his passion... And Ben put it away, hanging it towards the camera does not make it look bigger... As has been pointed out you need a reasonable size before the technique works* *Sorry the smutty EM penis joke was there and its too early in the morning for me to resist... Oh for more sleep.
[quote:e3086ecb55="Faerie"]Holy cripes, he's huge.[/quote:e3086ecb55] **seeks the link between this and Ben's... carrot... and gives up** Please don't encourage him, Faerie
That bunny was just on the news here... they said its about 9kg and it was big but not as huge as the photo.
