Angora rabbits are well known for their long, fuzzy hair. While they are bred for their hair, this type of rabbit also makes a great pet. If you have been considering raising an Angora rabbit, look no further than this article. In this article, I’ll be going over the different Angora rabbit breeds and how you can care for your Angora. Let’s begin.
Breeds Of Angora Rabbits
There are many varieties of breeds of Angora rabbits. Among these breeds are German Angora rabbits, English Angora rabbits, Giant Angora rabbits, French Angora rabbits, Satin Angora rabbits, Dwarf Angora rabbits, Jersey Wooley rabbits, and American Fuzzy Lop rabbits. There are also some breeds that look similar to Angoras, such as the Lionhead rabbit, but they are officially not a part of the Angora rabbit family. However, you can still raise these types of rabbits just like you would raise Angora rabbits.
German Angoras
German Angora rabbits are considered the most popular breed of Angora rabbits. They weigh between 5.5 pounds to 12 pounds, which makes them larger than some of the other Angora rabbit breeds. Unlike some of the other breeds, German Angoras do not shed their hair. Therefore, every 80 days you will need to shear their hair.
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English Angoras
Unlike the German Angora rabbit, the English Angora weighs in at a smaller weight. The weight ranges from 5 to 6 pounds, and they can live up to 12 years. English Angoras are well known for their fluffy hair. Unlike some of the other breeds of Angora rabbits, the English Angora has hair around its entire face. This Angora rabbit breed needs extra care with its hair. To prevent it from becoming matted, you will need to brush them one to two times per week, as well as shear them four times per year. A good English Angora rabbit will give up to 16 ounces of fiber yearly.
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French Angoras
French Angora rabbits are another larger breed of Angora rabbits. This breed usually weighs about 8 pounds. French Angora rabbits are not as soft as other breeds, but their hair becomes felted less often.
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Giant Angoras
This breed of Angora rabbit can weigh from 9 to 14 pounds and will give nearly 2 pounds of fiber per year. They are very similar to German Angoras and are sometimes mistaken as such. However, you can tell the difference by looking at their size. Although German Angora rabbits are large, Giant Angoras are usually larger.
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Satin Angoras
Most Satin Angora rabbits will weigh in at 8 1/2 pounds. This breed of Angora will produce less than half a pound of hair per year. Satin Angora rabbits have finer, softer, and silkier fiber than other Angora rabbits.
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Dwarf Angoras
The Dwarf Angora rabbit weighs in at around 3 to 4 pounds and can live up to 10 years. Dwarfs require less maintenance than the English Angora because their hair does not become matted as quickly. Also, this breed does not grow as much hair as English Angoras.
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American Fuzzy Lop
The American Fuzzy Lop rabbit is similar to a Holland Lop rabbit, but it has hair like an Angora. It is officially a type of Angora rabbit because of its long, fuzzy hair. American Fuzzy Lops come in a variety of colors, including solid colors and speckled colors.
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Jersey Wooley
The Jersey Wooley weighs in at about 3 pounds. They are popular show rabbits and make great pets. In order to keep the Jersey Wooly’s coat clean and tangle-free, owners need to brush their rabbit’s coat at least once a week during non-shedding seasons. Adult rabbits will need to be brushed a little more often once spring hits, as this time of year is commonly known as “shedding season.” Unlike some of the other Angora breeds, Jersey Woolies do not need their hair sheared as often or even at all.
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How To Care For Your Angora Rabbit
Now that you know the different breeds of Angora rabbits, it’s time to take a look at how to care for them. Just like any other animal, Angora rabbits need fresh water, food, and a place to run around. Because of their long hair, Angora rabbits need their hair to be brushed and sheared to prevent it from matting. Their hair is very profitable and can be used for making hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, sweaters, and much more. But we’ll go over this later. First, let’s take a look at how you can care for your Angora rabbit.
Food and Water
The most important things that any animal needs to survive is food and water. Without it, animals will die very quickly. Make sure you give your Angora rabbit plenty of fresh water in a clean container. As for feeding your bunny, it is recommended that an Angora rabbit’s diet contains the following:
- Protein: 15 to 17%
- Fiber: 14 to 16%
- Fat: 2 to 4%
- Salt: .5 to .7
- Calcium: 1 to 1.2
- Phosphorus: .3 to .5
- Copper (mg): 10
- Vitamin A: 6,000 to 10,000
- Iron (mg): 50
- Zinc (mg): 40 to 50
- The following Amino Acids:
- Cystine & Methionine: .7%
- Arginine: .6%
- Lysine: .5%
- Vitamin D: 500 to 1,500
- Vitamin E: 20 to 60
Your rabbit’s main diet should be hay. Rabbit pellets should be another part of your Angora rabbit’s diet. You can buy rabbit pellets at a local feed store. As for treats, giving your Angora rabbit fruit and vegetables every once in a while is a good idea. However, make sure you do not give your rabbits too many fresh vegetables at once, because it may cause diarrhea. Good vegetables to try include carrots, beets, broccoli, chard, collards, and turnips. You can give up to one cup of fresh veggies per day to your rabbit in addition to dry rabbit pellets and hay.
Some people give their Angora rabbits pineapple and papaya, which will help prevent wool block (build-up of hair in the digestive tract). Dandelion leaves, plantain, yarrow, yellow dock, and red clover from your yard can also be fed to your Angora rabbit.
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Shelter and Space To Run Around
Next, it is important that your Angora rabbit has shelter. There are three options for giving your rabbit shelter. The first option is to put your Angora rabbit in a cage. A lot of people do this, but you must keep in mind that the cage can hurt the rabbit’s feet over time. If your rabbit will be walking on solid surfaces often, this won’t be an issue. You will still need to put the cage somewhere indoors or with a roof because cages do not offer any kind of protection from the weather.
The second option is to put your Angora rabbit in a rabbit hutch. A rabbit hutch is an outdoor enclosure that provides shelter for rabbits. Some rabbit hutches have a little pen that allows your rabbit to run around in, but others are simply a four-sided wooden cage with a roof. A rabbit hutch is meant to be kept outdoors.
The third option is to let your rabbit run around indoors all the time. If you litter box train your rabbit, there is no problem with letting your Angora rabbit run around the house all day long. Make sure that any other pets that you have will get along with your bunny. Also, make sure your rabbit always has access to water if you keep him or her indoors.
Providing Space For Your Rabbit To Run Around
Whether your rabbit is indoors or outdoors, make sure he or she has plenty of space to run around. If your Angora rabbit gets to run around your house all day, this shouldn’t be a problem. But if your rabbit lives in a cage, you’ll need to set up an area for your bunny to run around. Make sure that the place you set up for your rabbit is bunny-proof. Rabbits like to dig holes, so make sure they can’t escape. If your Angora rabbit lives inside, make sure you block off areas that have electrical cords or places you don’t want your bunny to be.
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Grooming Your Angora Rabbit
How to Shear an Angora Rabbit:
Shearing your Angora rabbit is very important. Without being sheared, an Angora rabbit’s hair would become matted and would weigh your bunny down. To shear your rabbit, lay a towel down so that you do not get hair all over your clothes and floor. You can either shear your Angora rabbit on a table or on your lap. Next, get your rabbit shears (pet shears), or use scissors. Rabbit shears may not be sharp enough to cut thick hair, depending on the brand of the shears and breed of rabbit you have. If you use scissors, be very careful that you do not cut your rabbit’s skin. Their skin is very easy to cut.
Make sure you have some blood stop powder ready in case you do cut your rabbit’s skin. Once you finish shearing your rabbit, store the fiber in a bag or bucket. Don’t forget to shear your bunny’s stomach and feet. If you want, you can leave the ear tufts uncut.
How to Brush an Angora Rabbit:
Some Angora rabbits only need brushed or need to be brushed in addition to shearing. To brush an Angora rabbit, place a towel on your lap and set your rabbit on the towel. Holding a slicker brush in one hand, begin brushing your rabbit’s hair. Pay special attention to his ear tufts, between the ears, under the chin, and on his side furnishings (the hair on his or her cheeks). Use a wide-toothed brush on matted areas. If you will be grooming your rabbit for a show, you will also need to use a blower to blow your rabbit’s hair. A blower will make your rabbit’s hair look extra fluffy.
How to Clip Your Rabbit’s Toenails:
Don’t forget to clip your rabbit’s toenails. If your rabbit spends a lot of time outdoors digging in the dirt, you won’t really need to clip his nails. But for indoor rabbits or rabbits that are in cages, you will need to spend some time clipping the nails. Some people take their bunny to the vet to get his nails clipped, but this is not necessary. You can easily do it on your own at home. All you will need is nail clippers (which can be bought online), and perhaps someone else to hold your rabbit in place. You can also do it on your own by wrapping a towel around your rabbit to limit movement.
Make sure you do not cut the quick (a blood vessel). Have some blood stop powder nearby in case you accidentally cut the quick. If your rabbit has darker nails, you will need a flashlight to see where the quick is. Once you are done cutting your rabbit’s nails, reward him or her with a treat.
Using Your Angora Rabbit’s Fiber
Once you have sheared your Angora rabbit, you’ll need to do something with the fiber. There are so many things that you can make from your Angora rabbit. You can make mittens, hats, scarves, socks, and sweaters. You can also sell the fiber itself or spin the fiber into yarn. There are so many ideas for selling your Angora fiber.
Image Source: Mariann Foster
I hope this article has answered all your questions on raising an angora rabbit. Angora rabbits not only make great pets, but their fiber is also worth a lot of money. In this article, I went over the different Angora rabbit breeds and how you can care for your Angora rabbit. Hopefully, this article has inspired you to get your own Angora rabbit. Soon you will be rewarded with the friendship and reward that comes from caring for a rabbit. Have fun!
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