English Angora Rabbit:
Breed Info & Care
This information may help those researching the English Angora rabbit but it has been written for those who are looking to rehome my English Angora babies. This information is in addition to the general needs of a rabbit (please see Care Plan for Baby Bosworth Bunnies for rabbit diet & care info).
Online breed information for the English Angora is hard to come by and often contradictory, so the following information is based on my own experience. Use the contact me section to contact me if required.
Online breed information for the English Angora is hard to come by and often contradictory, so the following information is based on my own experience. Use the contact me section to contact me if required.
Breed: English Angora
Life Span: 7-10 years
Adult Weight: up to 3kgs+ (parental weight will give you a good guide of offspring size)
Personality: Sociable (with human & rabbit), Loving, Laid Back & easy going, Good Natured, Confident around other household pets.
Coat: Wool, continually growing, requires daily grooming and clipping/sheering three times per year
Time Spent Grooming: half an hour brushing every 2-3 days (time spent dependent on wool length/housing setup), 2 hours sheering wool every three months.
Wool Uses: Save up Angora wool for spinning to use in crafts (felting/needlework etc) or to sell
Sex Differences: Unlike other breeds, I have noticed no difference in temperament of angora bucks or does. Both are very loving and sociable, both sex's seek human attention and neither are phased by being handled. This is unlike my "mini" and "dwarf" breeds of rabbit. The most important aspect of bunny temperament is regular human interaction and handling from birth which is continued through to adulthood. Bunnies will regress into shyness if they are neglected.
Housing Needs: All rabbits, no matter their size, require large living areas with ample exercise opportunities and mental stimulation. The English Angora is no exception. Your bunny will be a much happier pet with more space and time spent with you.
Indoor or Outdoor: Both suitable. However, in my experience indoor bunnies are much more integrated into family life and seem to bond more solidly with their primary care giver. Ultimately, what you put into the relationship is what you get out, but living arrangements can either help or hinder. (I have angoras living outside and inside my home, so experience both sides).
One or Two: Ordinarily, I would recommend two bunnies BUT it is not a simple question to answer. Firstly, single indoor bunnies bond more closely to their human owners. Secondly, for those who are first time bunny parents I really would recommend seeing how you get on with the Angora care before committing to two angoras. For those bunnies living outside (or if indoor bunny owners work full time maybe) I would recommend two bunnies BUT I need to stress that two bunnies means DOUBLE the cost of everything, including neutering (approx. £60 per bunny) and vaccinations (approx. £60 per year per bunny). These are extremely important factors to consider before committing yourself. Leaving a bunny unfixed can affect them long term, it may suit some people not to have to pay out all at once. Due to the work involved with wool maintenance I would consider realistically the spare time you have and your current commitments.
Suitable Substrate: One of my first major angora issues was substrate. I now use cat litter natural wood pellets for toilets and carpet tiles/blankets for comfort items inside the housing area. This reduces mess inside my home and mess sticking to bunnies wool MASSIVELY. See what suits you but you will probably find shavings etc are just too messy for the angoras and your home (and children!!! ha). If you are considering showing your angora bunny and think wired floors are suitable to keep your rabbit clean & “showable”, this is wrong and amounts to cruel treatment of a rabbit... if this doesn’t phase you then please do not purchase my babies.
Life Span: 7-10 years
Adult Weight: up to 3kgs+ (parental weight will give you a good guide of offspring size)
Personality: Sociable (with human & rabbit), Loving, Laid Back & easy going, Good Natured, Confident around other household pets.
Coat: Wool, continually growing, requires daily grooming and clipping/sheering three times per year
Time Spent Grooming: half an hour brushing every 2-3 days (time spent dependent on wool length/housing setup), 2 hours sheering wool every three months.
Wool Uses: Save up Angora wool for spinning to use in crafts (felting/needlework etc) or to sell
Sex Differences: Unlike other breeds, I have noticed no difference in temperament of angora bucks or does. Both are very loving and sociable, both sex's seek human attention and neither are phased by being handled. This is unlike my "mini" and "dwarf" breeds of rabbit. The most important aspect of bunny temperament is regular human interaction and handling from birth which is continued through to adulthood. Bunnies will regress into shyness if they are neglected.
Housing Needs: All rabbits, no matter their size, require large living areas with ample exercise opportunities and mental stimulation. The English Angora is no exception. Your bunny will be a much happier pet with more space and time spent with you.
Indoor or Outdoor: Both suitable. However, in my experience indoor bunnies are much more integrated into family life and seem to bond more solidly with their primary care giver. Ultimately, what you put into the relationship is what you get out, but living arrangements can either help or hinder. (I have angoras living outside and inside my home, so experience both sides).
One or Two: Ordinarily, I would recommend two bunnies BUT it is not a simple question to answer. Firstly, single indoor bunnies bond more closely to their human owners. Secondly, for those who are first time bunny parents I really would recommend seeing how you get on with the Angora care before committing to two angoras. For those bunnies living outside (or if indoor bunny owners work full time maybe) I would recommend two bunnies BUT I need to stress that two bunnies means DOUBLE the cost of everything, including neutering (approx. £60 per bunny) and vaccinations (approx. £60 per year per bunny). These are extremely important factors to consider before committing yourself. Leaving a bunny unfixed can affect them long term, it may suit some people not to have to pay out all at once. Due to the work involved with wool maintenance I would consider realistically the spare time you have and your current commitments.
Suitable Substrate: One of my first major angora issues was substrate. I now use cat litter natural wood pellets for toilets and carpet tiles/blankets for comfort items inside the housing area. This reduces mess inside my home and mess sticking to bunnies wool MASSIVELY. See what suits you but you will probably find shavings etc are just too messy for the angoras and your home (and children!!! ha). If you are considering showing your angora bunny and think wired floors are suitable to keep your rabbit clean & “showable”, this is wrong and amounts to cruel treatment of a rabbit... if this doesn’t phase you then please do not purchase my babies.
How to Groom an English Angora
I haven’t yet made any videos myself (I find it extremely embarrassing being on film 😂) so I have found my favourite YouTube videos to demonstrate to you how it is best done. YouTube is how I learned to groom and sheer my bunnies.
A thorough groom like this shown in the video should be done every 2-3 days to avoid serious matting of the wool.
English Angoras take grooming and sheering very very well so don’t worry about this. It’s like they have been conditioned through the generations to tolerate it, hence their wonderful easy going personalities.
A thorough groom like this shown in the video should be done every 2-3 days to avoid serious matting of the wool.
English Angoras take grooming and sheering very very well so don’t worry about this. It’s like they have been conditioned through the generations to tolerate it, hence their wonderful easy going personalities.
Notice how before the lady starts to groom the bunny there is no noise around and she has all her "station" set up before hand with all her tools to hand (although she seems to be missing her cuppa haha!). This is good practise, esp for your first time when you could be nervous. Using a small table (or even a turntop table when you become a pro!) to groom is ideal, it prevents bunny walking around while you are grooming.
I would also add you could start with blowing air into your Angoras coat first of all; this reduces the amount of extra bits and fibres in the wool before beginning.
If you are going to want to harvest your angora wool for spinning or selling then this grooming routine is essential; the wool will be smooth and sleek free from debris and mats. Your wool is easier to card and spin for using in crafts (I won't go into the details of carding and spinning here, this really is an artform in itself haha).
The youtuber is spot on when she grooms the cute angoras chin... this is a hot spot for huge mats if the area underneath the chin is not combed. Note how she holds bunny to groom certain places like the chin.
I would also add you could start with blowing air into your Angoras coat first of all; this reduces the amount of extra bits and fibres in the wool before beginning.
If you are going to want to harvest your angora wool for spinning or selling then this grooming routine is essential; the wool will be smooth and sleek free from debris and mats. Your wool is easier to card and spin for using in crafts (I won't go into the details of carding and spinning here, this really is an artform in itself haha).
The youtuber is spot on when she grooms the cute angoras chin... this is a hot spot for huge mats if the area underneath the chin is not combed. Note how she holds bunny to groom certain places like the chin.
My Favourite Grooming & Clipping Equipment
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A simple screen shot of all my favourite items that I use regularly when grooming the angoras... (all bought from Amazon)...
The List Includes:
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Grooming Tips
You do NOT need to spend a fortune on any equipment... leave expensive kit to those making a living from it hehe. Start small and sensible I think.
The most important tip is to make sure your scissors are SHARP! This will make your cuts clean and easy.
Remember: The most awkward parts of your Angora to sheer are the neck and groin area. The skin is so very thin here, so easy to snip. To avoid this just take your time and locate the skin before each snip.
Matted Wool? Do not panic. This is totally normal and understandable (especially in the winter when your bunny, like mine, has free roam in the garden and gets muddy). I use my electric clippers to remove mats easily and quickly without cutting skin. The only mats we ever get are on the underside of bunny or neck area. I found it is very easy to concentrate on bunnies head/back and sides and forget the underside/neck.
Section the wool to groom; this will ensure no areas are missed. Mats form and grow quickly.
At first, you may need a helping hand. Below I will post a youtube video of how to properly hold an angora so you can clip the underside of your bunny safely and on your own.
Don’t forget as you are learning this is trial and error! The beauty of angoras is you can always do a total clip and start again 😂 I am always here for help and guidance.
The most important tip is to make sure your scissors are SHARP! This will make your cuts clean and easy.
Remember: The most awkward parts of your Angora to sheer are the neck and groin area. The skin is so very thin here, so easy to snip. To avoid this just take your time and locate the skin before each snip.
Matted Wool? Do not panic. This is totally normal and understandable (especially in the winter when your bunny, like mine, has free roam in the garden and gets muddy). I use my electric clippers to remove mats easily and quickly without cutting skin. The only mats we ever get are on the underside of bunny or neck area. I found it is very easy to concentrate on bunnies head/back and sides and forget the underside/neck.
Section the wool to groom; this will ensure no areas are missed. Mats form and grow quickly.
At first, you may need a helping hand. Below I will post a youtube video of how to properly hold an angora so you can clip the underside of your bunny safely and on your own.
Don’t forget as you are learning this is trial and error! The beauty of angoras is you can always do a total clip and start again 😂 I am always here for help and guidance.
How To Sheer (cut & harvest) Your Angora Rabbits Wool
Here are the you tube videos that taught me how to shear my bunnies wool. Sheering is necessary because if you were to allow your angora rabbit to over grow it would make life impossible for the rabbit. It is much easier to care for a regularly clipped bunny.
“clipping" or "shearing" just means to trim the rabbits wool or to harvest the wool fibres from the bunny exactly as you see sheep being sheared for their wool (but perhaps not so short hehe). Just to make it clear, no rabbit is harmed when you gather their angora wool to use or sell... it's just like a hair cut to the bunny.
How short do you trim the wool? This is up to you and probably depends on the time of year. You do not want to shave your rabbits fur to the skin in the winter, for example.
“clipping" or "shearing" just means to trim the rabbits wool or to harvest the wool fibres from the bunny exactly as you see sheep being sheared for their wool (but perhaps not so short hehe). Just to make it clear, no rabbit is harmed when you gather their angora wool to use or sell... it's just like a hair cut to the bunny.
How short do you trim the wool? This is up to you and probably depends on the time of year. You do not want to shave your rabbits fur to the skin in the winter, for example.
Remember:
- Keep the scissors at an angle to the skin (as seen in the video)
- Locate the skin before you snip
- Don’t try to “pick out” any hay or wood shavings with your hands, just brush it out of the outer wool, it’s much quicker.
Using Electric Clippers to Sheer your Rabbits Wool
If you want to you can use electric clippers. Sometimes, depending on the clippers and the users, this can be a little faster and less chance of skin breaking.
Here is the best video I could find to show how to do it. Take tips from this video but you will likely find your own way if you want to use electric clippers. Please note: I NEVER clip a rabbit down to their skin. This would be a horrible look but most importantly a little in humane to leave a fluffy rabbit bold. The transition would surely affect the rabbits ability to maintain their own temperature, perhaps.
Here is the video...
Here is the best video I could find to show how to do it. Take tips from this video but you will likely find your own way if you want to use electric clippers. Please note: I NEVER clip a rabbit down to their skin. This would be a horrible look but most importantly a little in humane to leave a fluffy rabbit bold. The transition would surely affect the rabbits ability to maintain their own temperature, perhaps.
Here is the video...
When you first sheer away your bunnies wool, avoid trimming the ear and face furnishings on your angora so your angora stays beautiful after her trim.
After your angoras first trim you are likely to step back and think "this looks terrible" haha. Do not worry! After a week the wool grows a little bit and looks much more even. While you are learning the only important factor is that your bunny has been trimmed and is happy.
After your angoras first trim you are likely to step back and think "this looks terrible" haha. Do not worry! After a week the wool grows a little bit and looks much more even. While you are learning the only important factor is that your bunny has been trimmed and is happy.
And Finally...
Please remember, if you’re too nervous to sheer your rabbit for the first time on your own please call me and we can do it together. Similarly, if you get into a mess with regards to grooming I will totally understand and sort out bunny for you, I promise I do not judge!
I am probably making you worry for no reason with all of this information but it’s very important for me as a responsible breeder of an unusual bunny with extra needs to ensure you are not going in blind or under-doing the extra time they require like some breeders. I very much love my angoras and caring for them 💗
I am probably making you worry for no reason with all of this information but it’s very important for me as a responsible breeder of an unusual bunny with extra needs to ensure you are not going in blind or under-doing the extra time they require like some breeders. I very much love my angoras and caring for them 💗