Herbert, my new English Angora...

[m.kitchengirl]

This is Herbert Von Frinkle. (All my pets get last names. My cousin also gives her pets last names, so it it hereditary. I am also aware it is silly.)

He is now 10 weeks old and turning into a lovely little guy. Right?

I have researched Angoras for 2 years. I went & met spinners who raised bunnies and settled on English for a few reasons. The curly ears got me at first, and to be able to pluck fiber rather than clip. I also have enjoyed spinning & knitting English fiber even before I met the rabbits. Blah, blah, blah.

He seems to have great crimp, and his fur gets thicker & more wonderful everyday.

I am very taken by his personality.

He is just SO friendly. MUCH more so than I expected. He is very close to litter trained, aside from the occasional pellet (which I think is him marking his area, yes?) he is very good about hopping back to his box. He also LOVES to be groomed every day. He is very patient for the process (except his belly) and then hops like a goof all over the place, which I take to mean he is happy.
He also LOVES to sit on our laps. He will run head first across the room when I am near the grooming area and hit my leg until I sit down. Then he hops on my lap & nuzzles my face. Is this "normal" rabbit behavior?
I have his hutch on the breezeway - it has become a tradition to keep new additions there to quarantine them & get them used to us. I planned to move him to just outside the front door under the cedar bush on a raised platform. But, he really seems to prefer being here with us.

Just looking for some input from other rabbit folks. He is an only bunny, but I have ducks and chickens and kids that keep me outside despite most winter weather. I am torn about what to do, move him out where I think cage maintenance would be easier, or keep him in where I think he could evolve into a good house bunny.
He is VERY popular with the man of the house who spent about 15 minutes the other night showing me pictures of other English Angoras who are "nowhere near as cute as Herbert".

Also, the yellow paws... He came home that way but ... is there a good way to clean them?

 

[Glenmar]

That last picture. Too cute. He looks like a little mop.

 

[ChickInDelight]

We had an Angora that was also litter box trained.

He would also run circles around some people - I think those that smelled like grass.

When we moved him to a nice, big outdoor pen and house, after the kids picked and fed him some grass that their grandfather suggested, bunny died.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Soooo adorable!

He is very close to litter trained, aside from the occasional pellet (which I think is him marking his area, yes?)

Yes, males especially are big on leaving a few poops here and there. Some suggest sweeping them into the box immediately. I find if I leave on token poop there for a while, the poop scattering stops in that area, but increases if I sweep them all up.

He also LOVES to be groomed every day. He is very patient for the process (except his belly) and then hops like a goof all over the place, which I take to mean he is happy.

Yes, and expect binkying to commence!

Angoras are some of the most patient breeds I've seen when it comes to grooming them. I guess they are bred for it though, but they sit oh so still for it.

He also LOVES to sit on our laps. He will run head first across the room when I am near the grooming area and hit my leg until I sit down. Then he hops on my lap & nuzzles my face. Is this "normal" rabbit behavior?

For docile breeds raised as house rabbits, it especially is normal behavior.

If he hops circles around you, that can be problematic if the tail is up, and especially if he is carrying anything in his mouth. That can be courting behavior, which can lead to spraying and such. But, my neutered male and female Elops run up to me like puppies, nudge legs to be pet or picked up, follow us around the house, and curl up with my husband and I in bed to sleep. They are very affectionate and social...like giant rats (and I mean that in a good way..I love rats!). Angoras (English), and English lops are the most dog-like rabbits I've personally owned thus far.

Angoras are absolute joys, because they tend to have such playful natures along with being docile!

 

[reereechickens]

Awww! What a cutie! I have a Holland Lop and I still can not pick her up! I would LOVE to have a lap bunny that wants attention!

 

[tunaoftheland]

My English Angora is an awesome house bunny! He is fixed so I don't have to worry about spraying, and our house cat is afraid of him. He just wants to be friends with everyone, and visitors to our house always get a real kick out of him. He is in a cage when I am not home, but he has a litter box in there too, so every evening I just scoop the pee spots out of both litter boxes and then once a week I dump the litter and start fresh. It probably is a little more work than having him outside, but it is also easier keeping his temperature cool during our crazy hot and humid summers. If you and your bunny both like having him inside, I say go for it!