# Clipping a rabbit?



## Illini (Apr 13, 2009)

I'm considering clipping my English Angoras right down to keep them more comfortable in the hotter months. If they cooperate and mostly shed right before then, I'm hoping that I wouldn't damage the spinning value of the fiber.

Has anyone used electric clippers/shavers to do this? Were they human hair clippers, dog or goat clippers, or what? What setting did you use? And, how do you avoid hitting any, um, protuberances on the rabbits?

Thanks!


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

boy, wish I had personal experience with clipping, but I can tell you what I've read on the English Angora group about it, and then someone who's done it can chime in 

They do mostly seem to use scissors, but the ones that use clippers talk about using a human hair clipper with the 1/2" plastic comb in place so that you don't clip down to the skin. I'm thinking it might be like keeping a dog in a kennel clip so that it doesn't have such long fur (like poodles, etc.)

Since it's a motor, I'd have two people there at least the first time. and I'd probably turn Mr. Bunny over and cover his head with a towel when I trimmed his bottom parts.


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## jkmlad (Jun 18, 2009)

I have a few woolers for my nursing home program. I went out and bought dog clippers a few summers ago to shear them. It was a total waste of money for me! I ended up clipping everyone with scissors and doing a very poor job, I might add! One of my Jersey Woolies had a bad hair day for three months! The others grew in pretty quickly and easily. Make sure that you use a good quality scissor to clip, so you're not just hacking away at the wool. When it is warm, and you are working with wool, you don't want anything to extend the amount of time you are working.


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## Illini (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks for the advice, guys. It sounds like scissors are the better option. Fortunately, there are no mirrors in the barn, so even with my poor "haredressing" skills, their self-images won't suffer too much


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## Jay27 (Jan 11, 2010)

illini said:


> thanks for the advice, guys. It sounds like scissors are the better option. Fortunately, there are no mirrors in the barn, so even with my poor * "haredressing" *skills, their self-images won't suffer too much


boooooo!!!!


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Dpg clippers or human clippers won't work for rabbits, the hair is too fine. You need livestock shears with a fine blade to clip them effectively. I used a pair of livestock clippers on my Angoras when I had them. It was so fast and easy! Be sure to remove any mats before you try to use clippers though, they don't handle mats very well. And you need to understand the shape of your rabbit before you clip them, stretch the skin taut while clipping to prevent nicking their tender skin. Use caution when clipping around the knees/thigh as there is some skin there that can easily get caught in the clippers. Be extra careful over the belly and around the genitals (I usually would leave it longer over the belly, or often just use scissors to trim down and only clip over the back).


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I use scissors. At first I made little ponytails and clipped those one at a time.

As I got more confident I would cut half inch wide rows, leaving about 1/4 inch high on the rabbit. I usually try to tilt the scissors so the blades cut up and away from the skin. Some people use a comb as a spacer between the skin and the scissors.

Put the rabbit up on a grooming table where you can keep control of them.

When it's time to turn the rabbit over, I sit down, I put the rabbit belly up with the head toward my knees and pin the ears between my knees. That's how I control the rabbit while I do a trim job on the rabbit.

I try to save the longest, best wool from the back and sides in one pile for spinning. All the other stuff goes in another pile for blending or felting. If some of the wool is stained, you can put that aside for wool that will get dyed. Really short or badly stained wool is thrown away.

I hope that helps.
Have a good day!


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

Scissors here too. I can do a full clipping on a Giant Angora in ~45 minutes. I use little pinking shears. I keep them sharp. I clip from Shoulders to Tail (no tails clipped) then the dewlap, and flip for tummy, (watch for nipples, and winkies) 

I only clip French if they EXPLODE... 

Sometimes I use a seam ripper (big handled and sharp) to pluck off knots. 

I always use a turn table on my grooming table. They also get blown out w/ our grooming blower at least monthly.

Let me know if you have any questions

JLH


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## Mainelyhappy (Jan 28, 2008)

There IS a wonderful clipper for rabbits. It is the German Red Clipper, and they sell it in an "angora package" with a special blade that is designed for dense, fine rabbit fur. You can google the web addy, (not sure if it is "legal" to post site addresses.) 
Daryl


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