Anybody know anything about fiber bunnys?

[ninny]

I have be surfing the web for about a year looking at these bunnies. I am wanting any advice on them. Also what is the difference with the breed wool types?


I am planing on having them in a barn. Do i need to have a air conditioner for them?

Would you suggest getting a baby or adult first? I'm leaning more towards the french as i have heard they are easier to groom.

Thanks!

 

[FrizzleFreak]

Okay, my friend has had them for a while, and I just got one from her. Unless you live in a very hot climate, you shouldn't need an air conditioner, you can just put in a frozen water bottle if it gets over 70. Also, they should be fairly naked most of the time if you shave them. Adults are more likely to have behavior problems if they are being sold, just something to consider. Umm, wool types...Satins have no furnishings (wool on face, legs) and their hair is satiny and light,German/Giant, white, very dense wool, don't blow(you have to shave them),French, no furnishings,easy to care for, lots of guard hairs, English(my fave), lots of furnishings, little guard hair, most colors, soft wool.
Wool Coat Termssorry the formatting's weird, it's off of Excel)

Awn Fluff: The soft, crimped, intermediate wool fibers that end with a straight tip. As
seen in the Giant Angora.

Awn Hair: The straight, strong, protruding guard hairs in the undercoat or fleece of
Giant Angoras.

Bangs: The longer wool that appears on the front base pf the ears and the top of
the head in some angora breeds.

Felting: The wool fibers that have become woven together during growth

Fleece: The wool covering a rabbit

Furnishings: The tassels, fringes on the ears, bangs and side trimmings seen in some
wooled breeds.

Fringes: The wool appearing on the ears in some wooled breeds, which falls between
the tassels and bangs.

Matted: When the wool becomes entangled in a thick mass.

Packed: Wool that becomes compacted or felted.

Side Trimmings: Wool that appears on the head and face in some wooled breeds.

Tassels: The longer wool at the top of the ears in some wooled breeds.

Tuffs: The wool and guard hairs on the tips of the ears that is not long enough
to be called furnishings.

Underwool: The shortest wool fiber that lies at the base of the coat. In some breeds it is
a distinguishing characteristic.

Webbed: The start of wool fibers as they begin to felt or mat.

Wool Cap: The short, dense wool that protrudes at the base of the ears forward.

Wooled Breeds: English Angora, Satin Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora,
Jersey Wooly, American Fuzzy Lop

 

[ninny]

Im thinking of getting french. How hard is daily upkeep? I am thinking of getting a trio. They will be out in the barn. What would be a good size cage for them. I am having a hard time finding any around the midwest. I can't afford to have them shipped.

 

[cutiepieacres]

I keep my French Angora on a wire bottomed cage with foot rests. I groom her maybe once a month when she is not shedding out. She has never gotten mats and she grows a beautiful coat.

When she sheds about once every 3-5 months I comb her about an 30 mins- hour a day for 3 days or so until I remove all the coat that is coming out.

On the once a month grooming I mostly go over her with my fingers and pick out any shavings or particles that may have gotten into her fur, blow her out with a force air blower(like a dog groomer would use) to blow out the dust(they produce a white dust that sits in the under coat that needs blown out). Sometimes Ill use the pin brush on her just to smooth her over but not always, especially if you want to show, I do show her, the less you can brush the better as it pulls out density.

I feed Advanced Nutrition Purina show rabbit, its important to have a high protein feed with quality ingredients so they can grow these massive coats of wool. I also feed papaya tablets since bunnies do groom themselves she will pick up lots of hair in the process. She also get lots of free fed grass hay and hay cubes.

I got her as a 3 month old and she is pretty laid back and calm but I wouldnt say she is overly sweet or wanting to cuddle like my Flemish Giant.

here are some pics when she was about 4 months old with her fuzzy baby coat her wool is now around 3" long

 

[FrizzleFreak]

Babies you have to brush a lot more. But then when their baby coats go away life is good, and the personality is often improved in babes. ONCE A MONTH??!! wow, maybe I should get a french Anyway, if you're showing, the only way to win is to use the blower everyday. You can use a hairdryer set on cold. My little dude is very friendly, always wants to be picked up, especially if he can get a banana in the process.OMG, I forgot.
WITH ALL WOOLED BREEDS:
Bunnies can't throw up. If they have wool, they get wool balls in their stomachs when they groom. Thus, the balls block the stomach/intestines, sometimes causing something like colic in horses. Usually, the stomach just tells the rabbit to stop eating. Then the bunny might stave to death. Then you've got to get the bunny to pass the ball of wool...anyway, to prevent it you feed the bunny fruits like apples, papaya, mango, and banana. Every day. About an inch of banana, a slice of apple, and the rest you can buy in tablet form. (btw, just one per day, you don't need to give them one of each. I feed my guy banana.)
edited to say: feel free to pm me with any more questions!

 

[cutiepieacres]

I bought her knowing she was an Angora and wanting the work that goes along with it. I was kind of disapointed with the fact that I dont need to brush her as often.

She has shown before and done well as a baby I have a show coming up in the next week and I hope her coat can hold out, she is almost on the edge of shedding out so I am just hoping to hold onto that undercoat for another week.

The other thing I forgot is I feed her hay cubes mostly and if she gets loose hay its in a rack and only enough to eat in one sitting, loose hay in her coat is a nightmare.

I have been wanting a new pic of her so here she is today

 

[ninny]

Oh i was thinking i would have to blow them out every day. I'm glad to hear otherwise. It seems English are the easiest to find around here. How are they grooming wise? I'm really not wanting a huge grooming hassle. They are really cute though. But also about 100 bucks per bunny. No way i can pay that.

I found a farm in Missouri that sells French for 60 to 80 dollars. Does that sound like a good price?

Do angoras breed easy?

Can you spin jersey woolys wool? I can get these easier i think.

I was plaining on feeding them 17% protein bun food, hay cubes, and apples and those treat sticks. I am also gonna let them have lots of floor time to run around in our silo. The bunnies i had before love that.
Does that sound okay?


Sorry so many questions!

 

[herbandteas]

Hi

Jersey wooly rabbits will not give you as much wool to spin. That said though you would have less grooming with them as you would with angoras. I like the english as they have the sweetest personality. You can comb angoras every day if you want to just get them use to you. You will also need to clip nails as well every other month.

 

[cutiepieacres]

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I paid $50 for my French and around here I thought I got a great deal as at other shows they were priced at $75 and up.


Quote:
You can, but I dont think it has as much length and you get much less per bunny as they are so small.

Quote:
Make sure its a its a good brand of feed with quality ingredients. As far as the treat sticks if they are a petstore type treat I just stay away from those they are usually just "junk." Depeding on what type of floring it is on how clean it is will determine if they can run around. I cant let my bunny loose in the barn or garden as she is just a big "mop" and will run around collecting EVERYTHING in her coat, she can come in the house after I sweep so there is nothing she can collect.

 

[redhen]

they are pretty.....and so much easier than a sheep!