Fiber rabbits and heat

[goathengefarm]

I am wanting to raise rabbits. I would like to do dual purpose and get angoras. The issue I have is it gets really hot here during the summer months. It can reach triple digits. So the question is how temp sensitive are angoras? How hot is too hot. I do know that they raise Jersey woolies locally and may go that route for the fiber. Thanks

 

[skysthelimit]

Most people shear their angora's in the summer.

Jersey Woolies produce so little fiber you would have to have 10 to every angora.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:hi: Goathenge!

I would see if there are any local breeders of Angoras in your area, and buy from them. Make sure they raise their rabbits in the way you intend to raise yours- in other word don't buy from a climate controlled barn if yours will be outside.

We have a few woolers on the board, so hopefully they will be able to answer your question about heat tolerance. As Sky said, I believe most people shear them in the summer months.

 

[goathengefarm]

:hi: Goathenge!

I would see if there are any local breeders of Angoras in your area, and buy from them. Make sure they raise their rabbits in the way you intend to raise yours- in other word don't buy from a climate controlled barn if yours will be outside.

We have a few woolers on the board, so hopefully they will be able to answer your question about heat tolerance. As Sky said, I believe most people shear them in the summer months.

My issue is I have yet to find anyone local that sells angoras the closest in Sacramento and they are 4 hours away. She wanted 150 per rabbit.

 

[Secuono]

Lionheads and heat, that's also an issue! Only the cellar is cool enough throughout summer, but it's dark, no natural light, just a tiny light bulb. =/
Gotta figure out a way to cool rabbits in humid heat that doesn't involve round the clock ice and hope the rabbits are smart enough, because some are not...

 

[goathengefarm]

Lionheads and heat, that's also an issue! Only the cellar is cool enough throughout summer, but it's dark, no natural light, just a tiny light bulb. =/
Gotta figure out a way to cool rabbits in humid heat that doesn't involve round the clock ice and hope the rabbits are smart enough, because some are not...

What is the temp highs in the summer?

 

[AnnClaire]

Hi Goathenge,

I live in NW Oklahoma where last summer we had 100+ temps EVERY DAY for over 8 weeks! And I raise English Angoras (see my avatar ) and haven't lost one to the heat, they all maintain weight, but I do NOT breed during the summer months ... will stop breeding next month.

I shear my angoras during the heat of the summer. I also have runout pens where the buns go all day. I sweep up the poops (to keep the flies down) and wet the soil in the morning, I also have some concrete pavers set into the soil that conduct the cooler soil temps and the rabbits lounge on them. Then, I drench the soil again at noon and mid afternoon. These pens are under trees, but there are a couple of hours in the middle of the day that the sun is on the pens, so I also provide a shade tarp.

I feel that with the option to move around, dig for cooler earth, lay on the pavers, that the rabbits tolerate the heat much better than in their cages. In the runout pens, any breeze that blows goes through there, where the cages are only facing east and north, so not all breezes get into the cages even when I have the raincoats up.

As for the price you were quoted, yep, that's about standard for a show quality angora. Myself, I had to have my one doe transported in from Tennessee ... the black doe I just got was a 3 hour round trip to pick up, and the next doe I want will be at least an 8 hour one way trip to pick up if I can't arrange transportation. It is what it is ... do your research, talk to folks, go to shows and get advice. Good luck!

 

[goathengefarm]

AnnClaire,

Thanks for the info! I will continue the "hunt" locally. So I go back to my regularly scheduled research

 

[DonnerSurvivor]

If it makes you feel any better I spent about 6 months looking for good wooler quality Angoras locally. I am now finally on a waiting list for french/German hybrids for 50$ each so hopefully I am done searching. Remember show quality and breeder/wooler quality are different things atleast in my opinion. A show rabbit can be disqualified for having toe nails the wrong color even if that rabbit is healthy/beautifully formed and has great wool production it may not be sold with a pedigree or as a "breeder" but it may still be a fantastic wooler and produce kits of great quality.

 

[dangerbunny]

yup, I got a super nice doe very cheaply because her conformation wasn't perfect for showing. She was an awesome wooler though.

My Angoras did okay in the summer, about the same as the rest of the rabbits. Make sure the always have plenty of fresh water and on really hot days I put frozen plastic water bottles in with them.

Good advice here

 

[skysthelimit]

Mines will get their shave down after the Ohio show in two weeks.

 

[SarahMelisse]

In my area, we get a few 100-105*F temps during the summer and about two months of 90*F or so. The first week of hot temperatures I shear all of my French Angoras down (I call it their "summertime shorties" ha!) and then they get two frozen 2-liter water bottles a day. Changed out once the first bottle is only about 1/2 frozen (or is it 1/2 thawed?). I also keep an oscillating fan in the rabbit shed and they have 1/2 latticed walls for good ventilation. Everyone is pretty uncomfortable during the summer, but they make it through okay.

 

[goathengefarm]

Thanks for the info guys! I will then continue with the plans for french angoras. I personally will be looking for woolers over show stock... for now

 

[PSFAngoras]

I have heard a lot of people say that Angoras shouldn't go over 80 degrees, but honestly, I live in Southern CO, and we run mid-high 90's with our fair share of triple digit days here in summer and my Frenchies all do fine. Sure, they're not pleased, but they make it through just fine. I do shear mine down in summer as well, and provide them with frozen bottles on the hottest days. They are all outside, but my back yard if fully shaded, so that helps too.

On the note of local stock, it might be best to go the more expensive route and pay the money for local stock. It's very likely that if the breeder you mentioned doesn't have a fancy air conditioned barn, she has selected for stock that produces well in your/their area. Bringing in stock from somewhere else could mean mean that they may not do as well. The new stock I just picked up came from nearly 4,000+ ft in altitude higher (MUCH cooler up there!) and I had to let them live in the house (we don't have air conditioning, but it's cooler than outside) for a few weeks to acclimate to the higher temps down here before I stuck them outside. Also, you get what you pay for in stock.

 

[AnnClaire]

I am catching up on this forum and thought I would share a few more things about angoras and heat. Remember, the coat is an insulating coat and can keep the hot temps from the rabbit skin. However, I do think they still do a bit better in the heat if they are plucked/sheared.

Another thing I did this summer was install misters on my bucklings line of cages. WOW! What a difference that makes!!! Some days, the angoras pelts all had signs of them lounging under the mister heads

I also found that the EA kits from the does acclimated to this climate did MUCH better than the kits from the Silver Foxes I transported in last winter from Northern breeders! This summer hasn't been too terribly hot so I hope the SF acclimate a bit better for next summer!