oops... i did it again... this time a satin angora buck! (:

[ohiogoatgirl]

:roll: :mrgreen: wohooo! and he is a chocolate! he'll be here afternoon of the fourth.

i'm SOO EXCITED
i have alot to catch up on! i've been kinda listening in on the angora rabbit conversations around but never really LOOKED much because i know all i see are like starting at $150 for one angora rabbit. so i didnt look so as not to tempt myself with yet another thing i need to save up for.

well.... on facebook someone posted an ad on a group for a guinea pig and a rabbit. $50 each. super nice show piggie. and an angora buck rabbit. so needless to say i'm not much out of the way of where she's going to so i'm meeting her right in town. which in itself is nuts cause like no one comes this way.

he is a chocolate satin angora buck <3 going to try and add the pic of him that was used in the ad.

 

[boundarybunnyco]

very pretty!

 

[ckcs]

Congratulations. I wish to get into Angoras in the near future. Kits around here are $80-$90 and not many choices at least that I am aware of.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

okay now for questions... haha you knew it was coming

what kind of brush/comb should i have for him? i'm thinkin my current wire brush and a cheap metal comb from the dollar store would fit the description of what i'm reading. anyone with good links by all means post them


thoughts on breeding him to a cali doe? i'm having a hard time getting any meaty rabbits so if i could get dual purpose in a couple generations i'm all for it!


satin angoras dont shed so pluckings not an option i see. does that mean the wool just keeps growing and growing so shear when it gets to good spinning length? like 3-4 inches?

havent gotten that far yet but anyone with some good shearing advice/links/videos by all means share away


thanks!

 

[skysthelimit]

Have fun with this new guy.

I'm just using the same wire brush I card my wool with and brush the woolys with. When the weather gets warmer I'll start using the dog blower.

I've been told every 3-4months, I clipped the boys Jan, so I will get a chance to see how that works.

 

[Oceanrose]

I have 14 satin angoras here and they all molt their coats out. Typically down to the skin. Not sure who told you the don't shed.. You can shear or Pluck, whichever yo like. I prefer to pluck,you do lose some fiber but it is higher quality.

He is a pretty boy. Did they give you a pedigree too?

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

huh i thought i read that they dont shed... well how often do they shed?
i've read some about wool block. i suppose a "hay day" will be called for as i've seen. pretty sure it was here. a day or two of feeding only hay but tons and tons of it. to keep the guts moving well.

__________ Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:22 pm __________

i dont know about pedigree yet. to me its not that big of a deal but i hope he has one if at least for color purposes if i breed him.

if i bred him to a cali doe what would the kits likely come out as? i was thinkin regular fur and carry the wool gene. then if i wanted wool babies i'd need to save a doe from the litter and breed it back to him.
would this be fairly good wool? i dont mind guard hairs because i know those mean less matting. rather have less matting and have to pick out some hairs then have tons of matting.
just a thought. not sure i'd keep anymore woolers. depends alot on how this one goes.

__________ Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:48 pm __________

i'm wondering if i should set up an inside cage or outside cage. i think he's been a housepet with the person i'm getting him from. i could set up something in my room over the guinea pig pen. they could eat the waste hay lol at least that would make somewhat less waste and mess.

is there anything i should add or watch for cage wise with him that i didnt really need to with my other rabbits?<br /><br />__________ Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:52 pm __________<br /><br />computer is messed up. sorry about the short bumping posts. didnt want to type it all and laptop randomly die before i sent it >.< hahaha i would have been mad.

 

[Oceanrose]

Mine molt every 4 months or so as seniors. Once they start to molt you can pluck it out, or else shear it off.

Crossing him out, and then breeding back, fiber quality all depends on your choice of what you keep. If you cull heavily, you can end up with some nice bunnies. You may also find a Satin Angora doe for a decent price, there are several breeders in the Ohio area. They don't make a bad meat rabbit. There is one breeder back there who breeds them for that purpose as well. Weights aren't even bad. My litter of 7, are all over 3# at 7 weeks. I'll get and record an 8 week weight on them too, but I am betting they'll all be 4# or more. Not as much as a NZ, but better than a lot of other meat breeds. The problem is they're so darn cute!

Yes, hay is critical. So is noticing if they eat. If they skip a meal, treat for wool block (pull pellets, increase hay and fresh foods). I really think that fresh veggies are important to them as well as hay. Cage wise, loose hair (there will always be some) makes for dirtier cages. It seems like I am constantly cleaning hair out so that it doesn't catch every single bunny berry. Because they will ALWAYS poop there!

Personalities, once the trust you, they are just loves and full of personality. Take your time, they're smart, and remember people and situations very well.

 

[AnnClaire]

Also, I find with my English Angoras, any hay IN the cage will wind up in the fiber! So, I make a hay rack for each cage out of the wire I cut for the door and attach to the outside of the cage. Way less mess and loss. I also provide free feed hay ... sometimes, they don't eat any for days/weeks, then all of a sudden, the hay rack is half empty! LOL

Your wire slicker brush is fine, and you actually want to keep the brushing to a minimum ... blowing is the preferred method, with using the slicker brush AFTER blowing to "order" the fibers. If you have a mat (and yes, you will get them) start out breaking it up (sort of tearing it apart) then using the slicker brush gently, you can tease it apart with the brush or a comb.

You will also find that the fiber sticks to EVERYTHING! Moistening your hands with water, or spritzing the fiber lightly will help keep the fly-aways somewhat under control. And, in the summer, if you decide to keep the bun sheared for the heat, and you do it on a windy day, it can look like a bunny exploded all over the yard And, yes, grooming outside is a good thing

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

what is angora fiber going for?

i know its higher then most wools. i think last time i looked at some it was like $7 an ounce.

are the different breeds of angora, the fiber going for different prices?

 

[AnnClaire]

OGG, last I checked it was priced like this:
(lengths stated in English Angora apply throughout)

English Angora:

Prime 3"-4" plucked $8.00 - $10.00 per ounce
Wool 2.5"-3" plucked or sheared $6.00 - $8.00 per ounce
Seconds 1"-2.5" generally used as stuffing, $2.00 per ounce

French and German (usually sheared, but no difference in price for plucked):

Prime: $6.00 - $8.00 per ounce
Wool: $5.00 per ounce
Seconds: $2.00 per ounce

Satin:

Prime: $8.00 - $10.00 per ounce
Wool: $6.00 - $8.00 per ounce
Seconds: $2.00 per ounce

In all breeds, unusual colors can command a higher price.

And this is what I have learned from my research when deciding which wool breed to choose:

The angora wool does not have lanolin, and does not need to be washed or carded before spinning (after spinning it is washed.) It blends well with other wools, silk, and cottons. Some breeds such as the English and the Satin are highly sought after for the most delicate, next-to-the-skin garments because they have either fewer guard hairs, or the guard hairs are so similar in size to the wool fibers, there is no "itchiness" associated with these breeds wool. English will bloom most of all the angora breeds, satin is silky and blooms less. French and German both have relatively more/larger guard hairs, but not to the point that they need to be removed like some sheep wool or llama wools. The French and German both make a soft, luxuriant fabric when knitted or crocheted but can have a bit of an itchy feel when worn next to sensitive skin, so are very often blended to soften other wools.

As a natural fiber, angora wool is eminently suited for dyeing, and interesting results can come from overdyeing a colored wool.

Many spinners like plucked wool over sheared wool, as the cut end is considered to be a "sharp" end that is unpleasant against the skin. Other spinners couldn't care less, but if you own English Angoras and put all that effort into keeping the coat in condition, IMHO why stop at the final stage and take the easy way out by shearing? LOL

The higher prices for the English reflects this grooming along with the smaller micron diameter of the fiber. For the Satin, the higher prices reflect a lower amount of fiber per molting ... where you can get 4+oz of prime pluck from an English, a Satin will only supply 3 oz of prime. The breed is currently being developed for denser coats now that the satin fiber has been established, so when searching for breeding stock, ask what the average ounce per molt in the parents (always good to ask when buying any angora breed.)

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

well sorry to say it... but due to people being flipflarping ignorant and backing out last second. or even so far as me driving a rabbit over to someones house and then them tell me "oh i dont want it anymore, i picked up a few the other day" when it was WEDNESDAY and they said they wanted him thursday or friday and we had everythin set up on MONDAY already!!! :evil:

so i'm not getting the angora.... because i now have neither the money or cage space.

i explained to the seller and she was very understanding. she said if i am ever looking again to message her and she will get me in touch with his breeder that she got him from. and that he works in the meaty angoras, breeding for meat and fiber.

*sigh*

 

[AnnClaire]

Oh, too bad ... yep, I totally gave up on posting on CL around here ... too many wanting bunnies, then there is always something that comes up ... flakes!