# Angora rabbit fiber



## dixienc

I am being buried under a mountain of Angora fiber from my rabbits, and due to the fact I don't know how to spin yet it's not being used just taking up space. Anyone interested in this fiber? Make me an offer, I have no idea what it is worth as I have never sold fiber before. 

The color is blackish silver and I also have some grey/silver fiber. Very clean, very soft and sitting inside ziplock bags since harvest. If you need a picture just email me at [email protected] or send me a PM and I will put one up.


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## Madame

I'm interested, but I have no idea what to offer. Anyone know?


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## luvzmybabz

I would also be intereted depending on how much you have to offer. I too have no idea on price.


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## dixienc

I have three gallon size ziplocks, black/silver 1 3/4oz, light grey/silver 2 1/4oz, med grey/silver 2 1/2oz. The locks are from 2 1/2 inches and longer ( last pic shows one).

























I found someone selling the same thing on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120571388207


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## mamajohnson

I'd be interested if there is any left? med/gray/silver ?


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## dixienc

mamajohnson said:


> I'd be interested if there is any left? med/gray/silver ?


I have 2 1/2 oz of that one, do you think $5 an oz is too much? I looked on Ebay and the same type of fiber (Prime, not washed) is going for $17 an oz! That is really expensive. I don't think shipping would be much if I used a large envelope. Would you want all the 2 1/2 oz or just part?


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## mamajohnson

dixienc said:


> I have 2 1/2 oz of that one, do you think $5 an oz is too much? I looked on Ebay and the same type of fiber (Prime, not washed) is going for $17 an oz! That is really expensive. I don't think shipping would be much if I used a large envelope. Would you want all the 2 1/2 oz or just part?


Your price is great with me! I would want all 2 1/2 oz, yes. A flat rate priority envelope should work.... let me pm you....


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## dixienc

mamajohnson said:


> Your price is great with me! I would want all 2 1/2 oz, yes. A flat rate priority envelope should work.... let me pm you....


Ok, great! And thanks.


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## Marchwind

Just for the record. Angora is typically not washed before spinning (I would say never but you know what they say about saying that)

Glad you found a home for your fibers.


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## dixienc

Marchwind said:


> Just for the record. Angora is typically not washed before spinning (I would say never but you know what they say about saying that)
> 
> Glad you found a home for your fibers.


I've never heard of being washed either. Have you ever seen an Angora Rabbit that gets wet?? What a mess! The fiber is too fine, I think.


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## RiverPines

No you dont want to wash angora fiber. You wont be spinning after its been ruined. It is just to fine.

It can be washed after its been spun.

Guard hairs will devalue the fiber because they are hairs not wool and dont hold the spin well and are not soft on the skin.

The more guard hairs the less of value.

The premium price angora has no guard hair at all.
So you have to factor that into price as guard hair in angora wool is not wanted. Its a pain to pick it out, believe me.


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## rabbitgeek

dixienc said:


> I have 2 1/2 oz of that one, do you think $5 an oz is too much? I looked on Ebay and the same type of fiber (Prime, not washed) is going for $17 an oz! That is really expensive.



$5 is a very fair price. At a fiber festival, I saw an angora breeder selling white english angora wool, clipped, in 2 ounce bags for $10 a bag, 3 bags (6 oz) for $50. She sold all that she brought. This wool was unwashed.

I've sold angora for $6 per ounce. 

Angora wool is a premium fiber. One of the reasons it is premium is because it comes off the rabbit in a form that is ready to use for spinning. You don't have to wash it, you don't have to card it, you grab it and spin. 

The guard hairs are an important part of the structure of the angora wool. The guard hair is part of what creates the halo of spun angora yarn. There is supposed to be a certain percentage of the wool that is guard hair, depending on the breed.

The guard hair on individual rabbits can vary. Most of the show and wool rabbits have soft guard hairs that do not have to be removed. Some rabbits have coarse guard hairs that should be removed. But this is not standard practice. This would be the exception.

The way these breeders are dealing with coarse guard hairs is to breed for soft guard hairs. They want to be able spin wool plucked directly from the rabbit with no other preparation. 

I've been checking with my panel of experts, angora rabbit breeders and hand spinners. Most of them have never removed guard hairs before spinning. 

A couple of people mentioned having seen very hairy wool, almost like a llama and so they de-haired the angora rabbit wool because that is what they do with llama or cashmere (angora goat). But this is not a standard practice with angora rabbit wool..

One person mentioned they remove guard hair to reduce lumps in the yarn, but that is not standard practice. That is just a personal decision they made.

The sale prices for angora rabbit wool are running from $4 to $6 per ounce for clipped or plucked, packed in plastic bags. Packing in tissue paper is usually done only for fiber show judging and is not an indicator of the quality of the wool.

So that's what I've heard from my friends in the angora rabbit world who raise English, French, Germans, Giants, Satins, and various angora crosses. Also from my friends who are spinners. 

Even someone who is not my friend said they have never removed guard hair from the wool before spinning.

Apparently some people have reasons for removing guard hair from their rabbit wool. They are free to do so if that is their choice. 

However, it would not be considered standard practice.

I hope this info helps.

Your mileage may vary.
Have a good day!
Franco Rios


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## dixienc

rabbitgeek said:


> $5 is a very fair price. At a fiber festival, I saw an angora breeder selling white english angora wool, clipped, in 2 ounce bags for $10 a bag, 3 bags (6 oz) for $50. She sold all that she brought. This wool was unwashed.
> 
> I've sold angora for $6 per ounce.
> 
> Angora wool is a premium fiber. One of the reasons it is premium is because it comes off the rabbit in a form that is ready to use for spinning. You don't have to wash it, you don't have to card it, you grab it and spin.
> 
> The guard hairs are an important part of the structure of the angora wool. The guard hair is part of what creates the halo of spun angora yarn. There is supposed to be a certain percentage of the wool that is guard hair, depending on the breed.
> 
> The guard hair on individual rabbits can vary. Most of the show and wool rabbits have soft guard hairs that do not have to be removed. Some rabbits have coarse guard hairs that should be removed. But this is not standard practice. This would be the exception.
> 
> The way these breeders are dealing with coarse guard hairs is to breed for soft guard hairs. They want to be able spin wool plucked directly from the rabbit with no other preparation.
> 
> I've been checking with my panel of experts, angora rabbit breeders and hand spinners. Most of them have never removed guard hairs before spinning.
> 
> A couple of people mentioned having seen very hairy wool, almost like a llama and so they de-haired the angora rabbit wool because that is what they do with llama or cashmere (angora goat). But this is not a standard practice with angora rabbit wool..
> 
> One person mentioned they remove guard hair to reduce lumps in the yarn, but that is not standard practice. That is just a personal decision they made.
> 
> The sale prices for angora rabbit wool are running from $4 to $6 per ounce for clipped or plucked, packed in plastic bags. Packing in tissue paper is usually done only for fiber show judging and is not an indicator of the quality of the wool.
> 
> So that's what I've heard from my friends in the angora rabbit world who raise English, French, Germans, Giants, Satins, and various angora crosses. Also from my friends who are spinners.
> 
> Even someone who is not my friend said they have never removed guard hair from the wool before spinning.
> 
> Apparently some people have reasons for removing guard hair from their rabbit wool. They are free to do so if that is their choice.
> 
> However, it would not be considered standard practice.
> 
> I hope this info helps.
> 
> Your mileage may vary.
> Have a good day!
> Franco Rios


Thank you so much for the brief education on Angora fiber. I wasn't sure about he guard hair for Angora. I haven't seen many coarse hairs in the my angora fiber that I have plucked, but was wondering about it. I have played around with my spindle trying to spin this angora fiber and I did manage to get a foot or two before I got it too thick and stopped. It spins beautifully right from the bag, and is so soft!


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## Marchwind

I used to have and breed French angora and I bred wanting lots of guard hairs, mine were never course enough to need to be removed.

Franco thanks for the info.


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## mamajohnson

Franco, thnx for all that! Great information.
I am trying to talk DH into angora rabbits, he is wanting meat rabbits again. The drawback is, it gets so hot here, I would worry about them. Or possibly get them an a/c.. lol!
I love the softness of angora.


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## rabbitgeek

Air conditioning is a very good option for angoras. We've had to use AC for our rabbits kept in the garage.

For open air rabbitries, angoras will need fans and ice bottles once it gets above 85F in temp. When it got around 100F, we started moving our angoras into the house to sit in carrier cages in the hallway until sundown.

Our short hair rabbits were usually okay up to 110F with the fans blowing, then any rabbit showing signs of heat stress came into the house.

This assumes rabbits outdoors are shaded from the sun, plenty of ventilation.

You could setup for meat rabbits, sell some, and use the money to buy wool from somebody. Anybody will tell you it is cheaper to buy the wool than to buy rabbits.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios
Sacramento, Calif
110F + temps in summer
Currently 54F and scattered showers


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## rabbitgeek

dixienc said:


> Thank you so much for the brief education on Angora fiber. I wasn't sure about he guard hair for Angora. I haven't seen many coarse hairs in the my angora fiber that I have plucked, but was wondering about it. I have played around with my spindle trying to spin this angora fiber and I did manage to get a foot or two before I got it too thick and stopped. It spins beautifully right from the bag, and is so soft!


Don't give up on the spindle. I learned how to spin with angora combings so I did not know it was supposed to be difficult to spin. 

It's not that hard to spin it. Just take your time. Keep bag and spindle handy for sitting in front of the television.

Have a good day.


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## Marchwind

MamaJ I have my rabbits outside year around. It get bitter cold up here and it can get down right hot, 90's-100's. My rabbits were on the north side of a building and under several crab apple trees. Like Franco said when it got hot I would put an ice bottle (liter bottles frozen with water in them or smaller pop bottles). I also made sure they had plenty of fresh water. Their cages were up on legs about 3 feet off the ground and were all wire with a roof. I never lost one of mine to the heat. I would also try to time their plucking/shearing so they would not be in full coat during the hottest part of the summer. I also handled them minimally during these time, less stress is always a good thing for angoras.


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## dixienc

Marchwind said:


> MamaJ I have my rabbits outside year around. It get bitter cold up here and it can get down right hot, 90's-100's. My rabbits were on the north side of a building and under several crab apple trees. Like Franco said when it got hot I would put an ice bottle (liter bottles frozen with water in them or smaller pop bottles). I also made sure they had plenty of fresh water. Their cages were up on legs about 3 feet off the ground and were all wire with a roof. I never lost one of mine to the heat. I would also try to time their plucking/shearing so they would not be in full coat during the hottest part of the summer. I also handled them minimally during these time, less stress is always a good thing for angoras.


I also have mine outside, and if you've ever been to Nc you k now it gets HOT here and very humid. I keep them in covered cages by our forest of trees where the air is cooler and check waterers at least 6 times a day. I also keep them brushed out and plucked every 3 months about. this weekend I will be harvesting from them again, just before the real hot weather starts up. I have not lost one rabbit, no matter the breed, to heat issues.


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## dixienc

rabbitgeek said:


> Don't give up on the spindle. I learned how to spin with angora combings so I did not know it was supposed to be difficult to spin.
> 
> It's not that hard to spin it. Just take your time. Keep bag and spindle handy for sitting in front of the television.
> 
> Have a good day.


The angora is so fine! If I spin in the wrong direction just a little it pulls right apart. I know I'm doing something wrong, even after watching all the videos on youtube that I could for reference. Maybe I just wasn't meant to spin?


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## rabbitgeek

dixienc said:


> The angora is so fine! If I spin in the wrong direction just a little it pulls right apart. I know I'm doing something wrong, even after watching all the videos on youtube that I could for reference. Maybe I just wasn't meant to spin?


Forget about doing the "right" way and just do it your way.

You can coax that wool into becoming yarn. At first it wants to be fat. Let it be fat if it wants to be. Work on producing yarn evenly and thin will come later.

Play with it. Have fun with it. This craft is supposed to fulfill you. If it drains you, then it's like a job.

My two favorite words are "park and draft", letting the twist run up the strands. 

Edited to add: Yes, you have to overspin angora compared to sheep wool.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios


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## vickiesmom

Just curious, since I had one angora in my life, the kids used to call it the Martian bunny. Do you clip the hair, of is this what they normally shed.


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## rabbitgeek

Some people prefer to pluck the rabbit when it sheds the coat. They say it makes better fiber for spinning. 

Some rabbits do not molt, so be sure your rabbit sheds their coat before settling on a plucking schedule.

I prefer to shear the coat with scissors. It is faster. Some people won't buy clipped wool, but I've always been able to find buyers.

When a rabbit has suspected wool block the coat should be sheared off. Many breeders will shear off a coat before breeding a rabbit so the pretty coat doesn't get shredded for the nest.

So clipping is a good skill to have. 

Have a good day!


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