# I have been offered a free angora rabbit



## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

He's black and white. Looks to be in at least decent health, but matted some on his underneath. Not terribly tame, but once he settled down with my hand in the cage he held still for me to pet him. I didn't think to look at his droppings to see if they were healthy looking, but he was moving around fine. Clear eyes, lovely fiber. 

Is he worth it? 

Just what I need, a new fiber addiction.... BUT... since we are moving, I have to sell my sheep. Don't you think I need at least ONE fiber animal???? :viking:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If it's free sure!


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

You CAN!!! I saw someone do that at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival (which is coming up in Sept... any Oregonians going besides Miss Menagerie and me?)

This little guy hasn't been brushed much, or handled at least recently, so I think it would take some work to get him to sit still... you know, I don't really even know if it's a boy or a girl rabbit... 

I knew I could count on you guys to support me in my madness.... 

Project for the day... turn the chicken tractor into a rabbit hutch...


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

unless you are willing to do the ONGOING work required for an angora I'd pass honestly


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> I saw a picture of a person spinning directly off the pet angora rabbit in their lap!
> 
> can you actually *do* that?!?!?!?


you bet! I used to do it with my angoras... until I realized (ok, admitted) that I was allergic to angora and had to give them away.

I agree with Brody,they can be work, keeping their fiber unmatted... but it is fiber work (which is fun!)


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Well, right, I was thinking I would need to be willing to brush the rabbit daily, or at least every other day. I have three little girls who will be all over me to let them help. I'm thinking it will be a good pet to handle that we don't have to give away (they get all attached to the kittens and then they have to say goodbye  ).

Brody, what are the downsides?

Ok, oldest dd and I bought hardware cloth for the bottom of the cage. We got some food and some timothy hay. And a little brush. And nail trimmers, but I'd been needing those already. Oh, and some more fancy goldfish, but that's a different story.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I am researching these rabbits myself. I have heard a lot of horror stories about trying to cut mats out, once they are down to the skin. Rabbits have really thin skin, and it could be hard work to get those mats off a wiggly bunny. 

For FREE, though? I doubt I could say no. 

Cyndi, I hadn't even thought about allergies! I have gobs of (curse word) allergies. Hmmm. ( thinking of ways to know if I am allergic to bunnies..)


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

spend some time with a rabbit first - I'm amazed at the number of times people end up with rabbit allergies ...

downsides to angoras (and I should admit we are talking my favourite breed here)
it's mostly maintaining the coat - just after plucking or shearing it's pretty easy but if bunny is in bad shape it can be awful 
under those to the skin matts you can find all kinds of skin problems .. 
if the matts have been bad enough there can be nutritional problems 
if the rabbit is anxious and grooming a long coat wool block can kill it

what type of angora is it?

I will be thrilled for bunny if you say yes and quite delighted to talk dematting -come on over to rabbit forum if you get her/him  i just want you to know what you are getting into 

rabbits are addictive - our forum should come with a warning


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Odd thing about my allergy with the angoras ... I wasn't allergic to our meat rabbits ... just the angora


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nellie we have several threads on Angoras and their are here. You may want to search those out and read them.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Odd thing about my allergy with the angoras ... I wasn't allergic to our meat rabbits ... just the angora


Okay, I was just thinking how I have never noticed being allergic to meat rabbits. My grandparents had a huge barn full and they never got to me...I fed, handled, cleaned cages, butchered, etc.

Do you think I could figure out if I am allergic by handling some raw angora fiber (unwashed)? I sure would hate to get started and then find out that I am miserable.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

So far all my allergies are food. Wow, I hadn't thought of it like that, but I'm sure glad it's food and not animals!

MissMenagerie and I were looking online to see what kind he is. We're thinking he's a Silk Angora or a French Angora. The mats are on under his chin and belly, I figured I'd just save us all the agony and just cut them out, or if they are too close, let them grow out, whichever works. I'll post a pic when we get him home. 

Our friends, who have him, say he's eating well, and his stools look normal. So I'm hoping that he doesn't have much of a wool ball. You know you have a good friend when she goes out of the house to the rabbit cages and pokes at poop for you.  Evidently, someone gave the rabbit, along with some meat breeds, to our friends, and they are just raising meat rabbits, and don't know what to do with the angora. They are so excited that we're taking him!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I have a rabbitry full of Angora rabbits. Most are English/French crosses.
I dont find them that hard to manage!
Once a week they get brushed and checked over.
If there are any matts they are easily and quickly cut off with a pair of good scissors.
The English are the worse for matting and need a touch up of grooming 2 times a week to stay 100% matt free.
The French are easiest and can go more than a week before needing any grooming.
My mixes vary depending on if they are more English or French.

Anyhow, Angoras are not that big of a deal and just on bunny, thats nothing.

Get the new bunny and a good pair of scissors and cut all its hair off. Let it grow a nice new coat that you keep groomed and there shouldnt be any probs.

When you have bad matts its because the rabbit went into its quarterly shed and no one bothered to fully pluck it. Bad matting is 100% avoidable with 15 minutes of brushing per week and plucking when that heavy shed starts.

Give hay to the rabbit often. It prevents wool blockage.
I never have had a angora rabbit get wool block. I always have used nice stemmy hay for my buns. The stuff the goats dont want because its to slemmy is what the rabbits get.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

RiverPines- you take good care of your rabbits - most of the rabbits I see have been badly cared for when I first see them 
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said - "its because the rabbit went into its quarterly shed and no one bothered to fully pluck it."
different individuals seem, in my more limited experience, to require slightly different amounts of care - I'd say 15 minutes once a week is a MINIMUM .. some need 5 mins every day ..but I do agree with you 

I just think an angora in the hands of someone who isn't doing the (minimal and pleasureable) work required is a very very sad thing

I feed hay too and haven't ever lost a rabbit to wool block - I did have one come in very badly blocked but I don't think he had ever been offered a piece of anything but pellets- I think it's something any angora person should know about


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Ok, looks like I was mistaken, he's a Fuzzy Lop.  His fur is so fine and soft and long, I thought he was an angora! The first time I saw him, his ears were laying along his back, not flopped down on the sides. Here's a pic, I started cutting his fur because it's so matted. It's gonna take a bit to get it all.


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> I saw a picture of a person spinning directly off the pet angora rabbit in their lap!
> 
> can you actually *do* that?!?!?!?


Oh yes, my wife's been doing it for years.

It takes the right bunny, and his/her coat has to be molting.

Here is a URL to a picture of her doing it... and there is a link from there to a movie of another time.

http://www.oldhaus.net/Wheel's in Action.htm

Look and ENJOY  

JLH


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

RiverPines said:


> I have a rabbitry full of Angora rabbits. Most are English/French crosses.
> I dont find them that hard to manage!
> Once a week they get brushed and checked over.
> If there are any matts they are easily and quickly cut off with a pair of good scissors.
> ...



Exactly, 

We have Giants, French, and Satins.

Satins are our "most work" ... but if we are going to shows, every other week for them is enough. 

French, some are so easy, just pluck them when they are molting & an occasional "blow" from the blower & they are fine.

Giants are pretty easy, as long as you blow them out 1-2 times a month. It's the dander build up that get's bothersome. Especially to the Checkerd Giant owners when you are at a show. They don't understand!!! 

I can't say about English Angoras. 

American Fuzzy Lops, it to depends on their wool type. Baby fuzz on any of them can be ukky. 

I've got some baby Giants right now, they are outside in our largest cages & the little dorks like to play in the rain. 
Little felted puffballs, ... they are all set for a hair cut.... 

Giants don't molt, so they do get a clipping 2x a year. I have gotten up to 1.5 pounds on my biggest doe. it takes me ~1ish hour on an adult. The babies may sit still, & not take long... or not. Besides my small "sharp" pinking shears, for the good wool. I use a sharp seam ripper for knots, you have to be careful. But you can do a "de-knotting" pretty fast with one. 

I do it on my grooming table, with a turntable, and the blower close by. 

I cleaned up a TOTALLY KNOTTED English Angora Buck once at a 4H workshop. His owner had been having him on a leash, but kept sweaters on him. OMG was he a mess. But it took me ~1.5 hours & he was ready to begin "a new coat". Needless to say she/her mom & I had a talk about the sweaters! ... LOL 

Good Luck & let me know if you have any questions! 

JLH


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