Soon to be a newby in the angora bunny business

[Wallyswabbits]

I haven't purchased any bunnies yet, but I'm gathering information so I can do it right. Any suggestions? I know I want angoras (for the fiber)

1. Inside or outside? (I live in Michigan)
2. How many should I start with?
3. What's a good angora bunny to start with? English or French
4. Any good books to help me with this journey?
5. Baby or an adult to start with

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi Wallyswabbits! Welcome to RabbitTalk!

It is great that you are doing research before getting started in rabbits. I would recommend "Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits" by Bob Bennet as a good book that covers the basics of care and housing. He recommends starting with 4 rabbits- two does and two bucks, so you have options when breeding them.

Starting with younger rabbits might be best for you since you are getting a wool breed- that way you can get used to grooming them before you start breeding them. There are quite a few angora raisers here, so hopefully they will be able to tell you the pros and cons of English versus French, and what housing works best for them.

Good luck!

 

[SarahMelisse]

1. I live in the California mountains, but I'm sure it gets colder for you (we get 10-20*F at the lowest) so I can't really answer that. I keep my rabbits in a shed outside even when it snows.

2. Start with one if you're really not sure. Or if you think you can handle it, start with a breeding trio and then choose to breed or not to breed when you feel ready.

3. I like my Frenchies so I'm a little biased. I chose French over English because the French have clean (un-wooled) faces, ears, tails, and feet. It just seemed like they would be easier to care for... and I like to see their little faces.

4. "Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits" was good for general rabbit raising, but I found it to be geared more toward meat rabbits. Actually I found ARBA's "Guide to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies" to be the most helpful. I haven't read anything angora specific, but the ARBA guide did have an angora grooming section.

5. I liked starting with sheared 6 month olds. That way I had 2 months to get to know them before they were even ready to be bred and with a freshly sheared coat, I had time to learn good grooming practices before they were in full coat.

Hope I helped a little. These were just my personal experiences and I'm sure you'll figure out what's best for you.

 

[LindseysWoolies]

I have english they are the sweetest rabbits ever, you can do anything with them, which is important for grooming. I like starting with babies just so they get used to the grooming from a very young age. I also have a 3/4 satin angora and 1/4 english angora, her hair is very similar to a french. She is very easy to take care of and rarely mats. If you want to breed start with a pair or trio if you just want to get a feel for them start with one. I got my first one and 2 weeks later got my second I love angoras! To me they are the sweetest rabbits, ive had many different breeds and by far angoras are my favorites. Mine are outside right now but i'm in georgia. I am going to have to come up with ways to keep them cool in the summer. I got the book The Nervous New Owner's Guide to Angora Rabbits by Susie Surgrue, It was very informative about the grooming aspect and told about the different breeds.
http://www.amazon.com/Nervous-Owners-Gu ... 750&sr=8-1

 

[arachyd]

I think the best advice I've ever given is to only get 1. Go through the molting stage and deal with grooming it regularly. When you've had it for several months and kept it in good health you are ready to decide if angoras are for you. I have English. They have a LOT of wool, regular molts and very sweet personalities. Unfortunately they, like many of the E.A., are very prone to matting because of their wooliness. Regular grooming is needed. Their hair blocks the wire floor so the poops don't always fall through and I have to clean it a lot more often than for my regular rabbits. Little bits of anything (hay, oats, even pellets) can get stuck in the wool and cause a matt. Some E.A. are not as matt-prone as others but odds are you won't find one of them unless you want to pay a lot for it. I hear French are less matt-prone but I love the look of my balls of fluff with their ear tassels. They are definitely high-maintenance rabbits.

 

[5dognightfarm]

Welcome! Who all have you contacted? There are several wonderful, responsible Angora breeders in Michigan, with a strong state club that's designated purely to Angoras. A good friend of mine breeds French, I think they'd be easiest to start with because they don't mat as easily.

 

[Wallyswabbits]

I have talked to a gal from Blossom Acres in Leslie. I just want to make sure I have lots of information before I take the plunge....very excited!

 

[5dognightfarm]

I have talked to a gal from Blossom Acres in Leslie. I just want to make sure I have lots of information before I take the plunge....very excited!

Oh! I know them, their girls show in 4-H with us and their booth is next to ours at the farm market. Those girls definitely know their stuff, they're easily some of the smartest 4-H kids in the county.

 

[Wallyswabbits]

Where is the farm market that you attend? There is so much to learn! I'm so excited. Do you know of anyone who has English Angoras in Michigan?

 

[5dognightfarm]

We go to the Dansville farm market. English Angoras...hmmm...oh! Marcus Rhoden has some GORGEOUS ones. He's at every show and is on the Michigan Rabbit Breeders Facebook page.

 

[AnnClaire]

WallysWabbits,

I would suggest that if you go with the English (I have those ), you might consider the route I took. I acquired my buck as a 6 month old in full coat and spent the next year looking for just the right doe to compliment his features. This gave me time to learn how to care for the coat, how to shear and when to pluck and what each process "did" to the coat. Then I found the right doe and am now looking for another. My first 2 are REW but the next doe will be a "color" I also have successfully bred my doe 2 times (she lost the first litter) and her first successful litter was 5 (9 weeks old) and the second was 8 (7 @ 1 week old). Now, I have my sights set on taking the best of the 2 litters to Convention in Wichita in the fall to get them under a judge's hands. As I am new to showing, I hope I have made the right choices in the doe :lol: as I know I made the right choice in the buck!!!

Also, if you can, visit the rabbitry and talk to the breeder about the rabbits and their faults and good points and get your hands on some buns!

 

[lonelyfarmgirl]

I agree with annclaire 100% and keep them outside. In an open air or well ventilated shed would be ok. Do NOT keep them in the house. They smell when confined because of urine and there will be wisps of hair everywhere.

 

[toastedoat37]

I dont know anything about them angora rabbits much, but i do know that the french angora looks like a lot better eating than the english one, you could get fiber and a good meal.

 

[HoneyTree]

I've looked into angoras a bit, and a breeder near me recommended this book: http://www.amazon.com/Completely-Angora ... B0006E8C3W. It's out of print, so sometimes the prices on Amazon are just stupid high, but I've seen it more reasonable, too, around $25. She called it "the Angora Bible." Best of luck to you!

 

[Brody]

Completely Angora is a great read ... angoras are a LOT of work - depending on what else is going on your life be prepared for mats and to invest time in them ... My english is a pain about having his face groomed - so he has dreadlocks at times - yuck! my clean faced angoras are a lot easier but they are brutal when about 4 months old - they felt the second they get wet ...

 

[owlsfriend]

I have 2 Satin Angoras and clip them on an alternate schedule, so one's naked and needs little grooming as the other goes into full coat and needs daily attention. I recently got a rescued English, who is a feisty little doe. She's still intact (the others are s/n) and her pee stench will peel the lids off your eyeballs. Faye is in full molt-mode and not a happy bunny, as I'm grooming her daily--brush and comb, no blower.

Remember, junior coat is very easy to mat. Wait until the rabbits are 8 months plus to make a final decision on their wool quality. Adult coat is much easier to deal with. I can't imagine grooming more than three rabbits--and I enjoy doing it.

Oh yeah. I wanted to tell you one of my summer cool-down "tricks"--I got some obsolete samples of marble from a floor and tile dealer. They boys love to lay on their slabs. I don't refrigerate them, but I do swap them out for ones that have been in the house (air conditioned) around lunch time.

 

[AnnClaire]

Owlsfriend, I thought about using frozen water bottles, but with 2 full adults, (was 5)now 2 juniors and 7 4-week old babies, there is no way I can keep that many bottles frozen even with the chest freezer So, I am keeping all sheared for the summer and they are LOVING IT!!! And I can put a tub of water in the runout pen for them to play and lay in ... one of the juniors has figured it out, but then we had a cool day yesterday so no one else tried it yet ... maybe today if it gets hot :lol:

Toasted, you are right, when you shear an angora you will find a "hare" type body underneath, nice and arched and set up on the hocks ... I'll have to get a pix of the senior buck. I am getting a good cross with my satin doe and most of those kits make up into a good meat rabbit, but a couple will take with the EA body style. Since I butcher at 16 weeks, they are still fine meat rabbit bodies and make the 5# butcher weight.