cereshill
Well-known member
I just got three pure bred angoras for fur, they seem fully fluffed out. At what point do you shave them? They are 3 months...
Raising for wool etc. not meat!
thx
Raising for wool etc. not meat!
thx
Angoras: when to shave?
- Thread starter cereshill
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
Didn't the person you purchased them from tell you if they shed or needed to be clipped? or anything else? Angoras all have different "timing"
mine are all on a 3 to 4month (depending on the bun) cycle with shedding. When they start to shed, I pluck them.
clipping....you want to catch them before they really start to shed, otherwise you will end up clipping some of the new wool as it comes in.....and you end up with tiny little hairs that don't spin and spinners HATE.
generally...the wool is 3 inches or so....you also need to be careful not to clip them down so far that they're left too short of wool if you're going to leave them outside...imagine being covered in a nice warm parka..and then suddenly you have a thin sweater.
mine are all on a 3 to 4month (depending on the bun) cycle with shedding. When they start to shed, I pluck them.
clipping....you want to catch them before they really start to shed, otherwise you will end up clipping some of the new wool as it comes in.....and you end up with tiny little hairs that don't spin and spinners HATE.
generally...the wool is 3 inches or so....you also need to be careful not to clip them down so far that they're left too short of wool if you're going to leave them outside...imagine being covered in a nice warm parka..and then suddenly you have a thin sweater.
As I understand it, the breed of Angora affects when and how you harvest the wool. I'm not expert on the this but what breed are yours, CH? French, English, German... a mix?
cereshill
Well-known member
French all white pure bred--they are sending papers.
Paid $20ea... two male one female.
Paid $20ea... two male one female.
DevonW
Well-known member
Most of the big time Angora Breeders I know wait until one year to shave them down.
cereshill
Well-known member
I am going to house them in the garage--much warmer!
the meat buns are outside
the meat buns are outside
rabbitgeek
Well-known member
I would leave the coats on until they start to molt out. French angoras are most likely to have a molting coat. FA breeders like the molting coat because it gives better color bands in the chinchilla and agouti colored coats.
When they start to molt, time to shear. You can leave a 1/2 inch of coat length on the rabbit to keep them warm.
How long is the coat now? As mentioned before, ask the breeder how long the rabbits usually hold the coats before molting. This would be an average number of months, since even rabbits from the same litter can vary in molting cycles.
Hope that helps.
Have a good day!
When they start to molt, time to shear. You can leave a 1/2 inch of coat length on the rabbit to keep them warm.
How long is the coat now? As mentioned before, ask the breeder how long the rabbits usually hold the coats before molting. This would be an average number of months, since even rabbits from the same litter can vary in molting cycles.
Hope that helps.
Have a good day!
uumom2many
Active member
What consistent temp outside should it be for outside housed rabbits to be sheared? We're in FL and temps keep dipping. I know my guy (at 9 months) NEEDS to be trimmed but I'm afraid to do it and then have close to freezing temps again.
So at least at 9 months they need it LOL
So at least at 9 months they need it LOL
rabbitgeek
Well-known member
Rabbits can handle cold better than they can handle heat. Leave about 3/8 of an inch of wool on the rabbit when you clip and they'll be fine. If you are concerned about freezing temps you can put a tee shirt on them or make a little pullover from the sleeve of an old sweatshirt. Cut little hole for the front legs to go through.
Or if you see freezing temps coming, you can put some straw in the cage for them to nest in.
Have a good day!
Or if you see freezing temps coming, you can put some straw in the cage for them to nest in.
Have a good day!
lonelyfarmgirl
Well-known member
I've seen some english angora people that let the wool get a foot long. The standard says ideal length is 3 1/2 to 5 inches and longer wool is not to be a consideration on the show table. I don't know why they do that.
My giant buck is about 7 months old and I have never clipped him. Its been in the mid 30's during the day and mid 20's at night. He is starting to yank it out in strings, so I think he is getting over heated. I am going to be clipping him very soon. His hair is probably 5 inches, guessing without looking.
My giant buck is about 7 months old and I have never clipped him. Its been in the mid 30's during the day and mid 20's at night. He is starting to yank it out in strings, so I think he is getting over heated. I am going to be clipping him very soon. His hair is probably 5 inches, guessing without looking.
SarahMelisse
Well-known member
4hgirl":315g1hri said:rabbitgeek":315g1hri said:
I want to get some angoras just so I can make them sweaters!
knit them a sweater out of their own wool! Now there's an idea.
opie7441
Well-known member
I have French and English Angoras and they both are able to be plucked, we wait until we start to see wool at the bottom of the cage, then we just hold them on our lap and gently pull the wool and it comes right out. Like when a dog blows its coat in the spring, ours plucks off and the bunnies are usually almost naked. It will grow back very quickly if they are cold.
owlsfriend
Well-known member
I went to Good will and bought a t-shirt for a premature baby....fit my Satin after his clip perfectly....rabbit got too warm in the house, but I didn't want him in the drafts along the back wall last Dec. Looked pretty silly....fortunately, satin angora's are a laid-back and forgiving bunch...
