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Barnyard Buddies:  Angora Bunnies!  |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 7:37:02 PM
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I'm so excited! We are now the owners of seven french angora bunnies - 3 bucks and 4 does...
Are there any other Angora bunny owners in N. TX? I'm looking for some folks who might be able to share info and, for later on, for buying future stock.
Also, is there anything I need to know about processing their fiber?
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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Edited by - Bluewrenn on Jun 18 2008 7:37:56 PM |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 7:39:36 PM
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AH! Erin.. How cool!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 7:43:39 PM
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That is wonderful!! But I can not help for finding good sources in Tx... sorry...
But I wish you the very very best!!!
Hugz!!
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2008 : 12:17:05 AM
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Oh Erin you will just love angora bunnies. I had up to 28 at one time...when we moved here I downsized the critter population (moving 13 hours away makes you re-think who gets to come and at the time my sheep and dogs were first in line)I had mine for spinning their wool and there are a couple books that are very good..the one called Completly Angora is best. I don't have it right here handy right now but I know it was written by two gals, one named Leslie Samson if I remember right. Just the best all around book about Angora rabbits I have ever found.
I have had German,English and French angoras and the french were always my favorites. I only have one very bad quality (and bad tempered too...which is very unusual for an angora) buck named Toby right now. I hope to someday get some good ones again. I didn't do any rabbit showing or anything ( I am very non-competitive I have decided, when it comes to my critters) but had show quality bunnies.
If you have any questions you can feel free to email me if you want. And congratulations...lucky you!!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2008 : 10:09:52 AM
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Oh good for you Erin! I had English Angoras several years ago and I just LOVED them! They were the SWEETEST rabbits, but boy! were they A LOT OF WORK!!! I don't know about yours, but mine had to be brushed (and plucked!) every single day or else they were a mess! Mine were also on a special diet to prevent "Wool Block." I had to give them cat hairball remedy often (I think I just put a squirt in their food every day), but we never had any problems with them in that department.
Unfortunately we lost ours one by one to the dreaded "Snuffles." At the time, there were no Vets in our area who knew much about Rabbits and none of the "Home" treatments I'd read about worked (the internet wasn't in such use then either). Now, I hear, there is a "Rabbit Specialist" in a town close by. I have thought about getting some mini-rex (the black/gold bunnies are SO cute! Forgot what they are called) or even some Lionheads which I think are absolutely ADORABLE!!!
I do have one Bunny who's just a mutt. He was supposed to be visiting for a short time, but has been with us for almost 5 YEARS now!! He's about 7yrs old I think. I really miss my Angoras though. Now you've got me thinking ..........hmmm........
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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dkelewae
True Blue Farmgirl
1310 Posts
Diana
Saint Peters
MO
USA
1310 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 05:57:29 AM
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Erin
Congrats on getting angora bunnies! If you are looking for other breeders in your area I'd suggest going to the American Rabbit Breeders Association website http://www.arba.net/index.htm and click on the shows icon on the left. You can find rabbit shows in your area that you can attend and meet fellow angora breeders.
I used to raise and show rabbits. I never had angoras, but had netherland dwarfs, mini rex, and holland lops. I am down to 2 pet bunnies..a mini rex and a netherland dwarf. Rabbits are wonderful pets :)
Diana
St. Peters MO
Country Girl trapped in the city! |
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SusieQue
True Blue Farmgirl
603 Posts
Susie
Greenville
Ga
Georgia
603 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 3:07:33 PM
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| Erin I know how excited you are. Recently I got a lionhead bunny and now I want more. I would love to raise them. I have seen pics of the angoras and they are beautiful. Have fun with them. |
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Renee M. in Michigan
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Renee
Allendale
MI
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 7:31:26 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by shepherdgirl
They were the SWEETEST rabbits, but boy! were they A LOT OF WORK!!! I don't know about yours, but mine had to be brushed (and plucked!) every single day or else they were a mess! Mine were also on a special diet to prevent "Wool Block." <
Tracy,
That was my experience too with the two I had. I loved them, but keeping up with their hair / wool was another story. I would buy pineapple for mine to keep them from getting wool block. I think I remember Papayas work as well. If I'm remembering correctly, it's the enzymes in these fruits that help to break down the hair the rabbits naturally ingest while grooming themselves. There's also tablets available to feed them for this too I think. At times, however, I just had to break down and shave them (without saving the wool) because they were so prone to matting. Maybe I wasn't combing them out correctly, plucking them enough, or just had genetically-prone-to-mat rabbits! I don't know. I sure liked their temperaments though, and petting them!
I still have some of the light tan, almost peach-colored wool from them stashed away for when I'm a better spinner (read: I'll never probably use it!) 
-- Renee M. up in the mitten
Farmgirl #211
No woman ever made history by behaving herself.
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2008 : 8:45:46 PM
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Renee-- I did feed my bunnies the Papaya Enzyme pills. It was part of their daily diet. They got a high grade rabbit pellet food mixed with raisins and black oil sunflower seeds along with their papaya pill and a "Ribbon" of hairball remedy for cats! I also fed them a bit of fresh greens and fruit every day. I had to be careful though, 'cause there's not much worse than a looooong haired bunny with diarrhea!!! (YUCK!!)
I tried to be very diligent about keeping up with their coats, but my rabbits would get mats too. It's the nature of the "beast" (lol!) I guess. When I went back to work, it was much harder to keep up with all that fur. I tried clipping them with clippers once, but their fur was so fine it just wouldn't work. I had to use scissors-- they looked like they'd gotten into a fight with the weed-whacker --- and of course, the WEED-WHACKER WON!!! Poor bunnies.
Oh, and I had a BIG girl that looked like a HUGE ball of pink cotton candy! We also had a blue boy (a "smoke pearl" I think it's called) and a blue/cream tortie boy (he was show quality and just GORGEOUS!!) Oh how I miss them, they were just the SWEETEST things!!!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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miraclewelsh
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Samantha
Northern
Wisconsin
USA
138 Posts |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 5:36:54 PM
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Update on the bunnies - the bunnies are doing well although we lost one to heatstroke. Pictures can be seen on my blog. Also some great new angora goat news for those who have been following along with my homesteading efforts.
I was told to give hay (which I have tons of) and to give them a slice of banana (skins included) to prevent wool block. I'm going to try adding papaya tablets and the occasional pineapple to the treats mix now, thanks to everyone's advice.
Additional news - we're getting the final four bunnies in a week or so and I'll be dropping off a pair for Frannie when I stop by to look at her angora goats.
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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Barnyard Buddies: Angora Bunnies! |
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Angora Bunnies!
