Checkered Giant (US)

The United States checkered giant is the American show form of the large butterfly-marked rabbit, maintained as a distinct breed under American Rabbit Breeders Association rules. It is a full-arch rabbit, meaning the body rises in a continuous curve when posed or moving, unlike the compact commercial breeds used mainly for meat. Accepted show markings are highly specific: a nose butterfly, eye circles, cheek spots, colored ears, a spine stripe, and side spots on a white body. Black and blue are the standard varieties, and there is no small version of the breed.

In United States rabbitries, checkered giants are bred for both pattern and athletic type, which makes selection demanding. A litter from correctly marked parents may include show-marked kits, solids, and charlies, so not every healthy youngster will be showable. The breed's size and energy call for large, secure housing, daily exercise opportunities, and careful handling that supports the hindquarters. Buyers should be prepared for a rabbit that can be personable but quick, and breeders need to watch hock condition, digestive health, and structural soundness rather than focusing only on spots.

Colors: Agouti, Albino, Black, Blue, Broken, Charlie, Chestnut, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Cream, Fawn, Harlequin, Himalayan, Lilac, Lynx, Magpie, Marten, Opal, Orange, Otter, Pointed White, Red, Sable, Seal, Squirrel, Tortoise, Tri-Color, Vienna Marked, White