English Angora Bunny Babies

[m.kitchengirl]

After months of searching I have located some baby English Angoras! I recently started spinning my own yarn and love it, it is a loophole I discovered to my "no buying yarn until I bust my stash" rule.

I had lop bunnies when I was younger and loved them, and my Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits is on the way. I have a hutch already, and a cage for in the house. I hope to raise the baby as a house bunny but give it some outside free range time with me during the day. I have an extra run I made for my chickens when they were babies - a portable PVC & hardware cloth run - that the bunny will use.

I have done a lot of research, but I always like to hear tips from the pros. I tend to over research and then have trouble deciding what approaches to use, and BYC has always helped separate the wheat from the chaff.

I have 2 weeks until they are ready to come home and am bunny proofing the house & getting my duck & chicken coops ready for winter so that when the bunny gets here I can put it into its routine immediately.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Awesome! I really love the English angoras. They have very, very sweet and playful personalities. Tips I have are to know what sort of harvesting you want to do. Fiber collected from blown coats brings in more money than when clipped. Rabbits have thin skin, so if wanting to clip the coat, make sure the method you are using is safe. Ie. If using scissors, it is a good idea to keep a comb at the base of the hairs to ensure you don't nick the skin. If using an electric razor, get them used to the noise beforehand. Start them early learning to sit on your lap or any sort of table you will be using to harvest their wool. If you teach them to sit still during this process, it becomes enjoyable for you both. As with any rabbit, start early on flipping them over on their backs. For angoras, this helps in wool collection, but in any breed, touching their feet while doing this helps prepare you both for nail and any tooth trimming that would need to be done.

Wool block in angoras is more of a concern than in other breeds. Feeding a bit of papaya (some other fruits have the same properties, my angora loved papaya best though) will help prevent wool block. Keep an eye out for any unusual poops (ie. poops tied together with hair, elongated, fewer or smaller than normal, etc), as this will help you catch wool block or other issues. Decide what kind of flooring you want to keep them on (wire bottom to keep wool clean, or just a wire bottom litter pan that would keep wool clean while still allowing the rabbit access to other surfaces. Sounds like you have done your research and they will have a smooth arrival.

And most importantly...enjoy these guys! They are such cute and personable rabbits.

 

[debilorrah]

English can be hand harvested. No need to clip at all. Also no need to wait til they blow their coat. When you can grab the wool and pull gently and it comes out, it is time to harvest. They will already have a new coat started at about 1 inch in length when you harvest. It does not bother them to be harvested either..

You will need a small, tiny comb for the face and ear hair. It is finer than the rest of the wool so will need more attention. A slicker brush and a fine tooth comb and a wide tooth comb as well.

Timothy hay assists with wool block as well. I offer timothy hay blocks as it assists with the filing of teeth (their front teeth never stop growing).

Here is a link to the most famous lady in the US that raises english. She has more wins that any one person ever needs. LOL

http://bettychuenglishangora.com/

Trust me when I say this lady knows what she is doing. She has great advice on grooming, harvesting, feeding, etc.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Thanks folks. I am so excited.
I plan to hand harvest her and to get her used to all sorts of handling. I originally planned on an outside bunny but have come to terms with the fact that she will live next to my sewing table and craft area. I just want to make sure she has PLENTY of attention, and I know she will inside with me.
I have been freezing my leftover papaya (I am the only one in the house who likes it) in small bits for the bunny and for me to put in breakfast smoothies. Can they eat thawed papaya? Also, I used to take papaya powder capsules for my stomach, would they be something I could put in her water? Has anyone tried? Sometimes, here in Maine, it is tough to find papaya (hence the papaya shelf in my freezer!).

I have PVC tubing around the wires and got baby gates for the doorways to the kids rooms - there's no bunny proofing in there, I try to set reasonable expectations.

I have read a lot about feed and get sort of confused there. Some people say that standard rabbit feed and table scraps, timothy hay & some free range when possible is enough, others add all these things to the feed - sunflower seed with shell, etc. Any suggestions there? The woman I am getting her from will have a package of some feed and brands she is used to to get me started, but I want everything all ready for her when she moves in.

She is a blue Angora, which is very cool. My most favorite stuffed animal growing up (I took it to college with me...) was a blue bunny. Now when I talk to my blue bunny, and snuggle it after a long day, I will look a little less crazy... right?

The cage I am using in the house has a plastic dropping tray under a wire floor, it has a box and an area with floor, should I also put a soft layer of something on the wire? Maybe the perforated stuff I put on my kitchen shelves?

 

[debilorrah]

Do yourself a favor and only cover half the wire. If you cover the whole thing... well, rabbits poop ALOT!!!!!

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Thanks, that is what I figured, but new mom nerves are in high gear right now.