Angora rabbits are a wonderful way for spinners to raise a bit of their
own fibers without the cost and time commitment of other types of livestock.
Rabbits are easy and fun to keep but before buying a rabbit, make sure you
have all the needed items in place. It’s amazing how often people will
succumb to that cute little bunny at the fiber show when there is no cage,
no feed and no place for it at home.
The most commonly used type of cage for a rabbit is an all wire cage
that is kept in a building such as a shed or garage. There are many
name brands to choose from. Some have trays to catch the droppings
and some do not. The wire lets all droppings and urine out of the cage
and away from the rabbit’s coat. Stained, soiled angora fiber is no
fun to spin! Even a wooden frame around the bottom of the cage will
cause urine to be splashed back onto the rabbit. Hanging the cage works
very well or using commercially made supports.
Whenever possible, use at least a 24”x36” cage. This gives the angora
rabbit lots of room to move around and not rub their lovely coat around on
the wire sides. Let’s not encourage felting by tight quarters!
There are many types of feeders and water containers for rabbits.
For feeders, the screen
bottomed type with an outside hopper are great. There are
several different brands. They stay clean, are easy to fill and help
prevent upper respiratory problems that can occur from breathing in dusty
feed.
Water is so important to rabbits and angora rabbits in particular.
I personally do not like water bottles for larger breeds of rabbits.
It takes more time and energy for the rabbit to get the water out of the
bottle, and may restrict water intake. I use crocks and find that not
only do the rabbits drink well out of them, but they will cool themselves
in the summer months by putting their front feet in for a soak. You
can almost see the “ahhhhhh” of pleasure on their faces. Heavy pottery
type crocks work better than plastic that rabbits can chew and throw.
Commercial rabbit feed is a fully balanced ration that you do not need
to add anything to for your rabbit’s basic health. If you are one who
loves to give treats, there are a few things you can stock up on that are
healthy choices and good for your pet.
1. black sunflower seeds in the shell
2. whole oats (which have more fiber than rolled
oats)
3. cracked corn *very* small amounts
4. baby carrots
5. apple slices
6. hay cubes
7. fresh grass or timothy hay
If you’re giving sunflower seeds, whole oats or cracked corn, but sure
it’s not more than a heaping teaspoon a day. Too much will discourage
the rabbit from eating the pellets that contain all the necessary vitamins
and minerals, as well as fiber. Hay cubes and fresh hay can be messy
and get into the wool, but can be a nice occasional treat. Avoid greens
with high water content such as lettuce and cabbage. These can cause
digestive upset to rabbits raised on a dry pellet diet.
Life in a cage can be a little boring, so having a couple of toys for
your new rabbit is a good idea. You may want a few different kinds
so that you can change them around for variety. Here are some good
choices:
1. plastic golf balls, the kind with holes in them
2. cleaned tuna or cat food cans, paper removed and
no sharp edges
3. a dog choke chain to hang from the top of the cage
4. clean pop cans, tabs removed
Angora rabbits do need to be groomed. A handy grooming table, something
about waist high, is nice. Attach a piece of carpet for the rabbit
to be able to sink its toenails into and feel secure. Slippery surfaces
are scary to a rabbit. Have on hand a good metal toothed dog comb for
helping to remove mats and a soft, cat styled slicker brush to keep the
coat brushed. Many people use grooming blowers to keep the coats open
and nice, but they are very pricey for one or two pet bunnies.
Now you’re ready to pick out a nice rabbit and start enjoying the benefits
of homegrown fibers and a happy, healthy pet.
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