Angora Rabbit Breeds

Choosing an Angora

Angora rabbits are generally raised for their fiber as it is wonderful for spinning into yarn, which is soft and warm. Angora fiber is 7 times warmer than sheep wool without the itch that wool tends to have making it

wonderful for use in baby garments. Angora fiber can be plucked as the rabbit sheds, or clipped with a very sharp set of scissors.

They do need a little extra care from other typical rabbits. Angora rabbits should be brushed at least once a week to keep their coats in optimal condition and matt free. There is no cleaning process of their fiber like there is on other fiber animals making them a very desirable fiber animal to raise.

There are a few breeds from which you can choose depending on your preference or time you have to devote to their care. You have the French Angora which has a shorter coat than the other breeds and is the easiest breed to care for its coat. It has no fur on its ears, face, ears or front feet and looks more like a typical rabbit. It has more guard hair to its undercoat and shorter overall hair than the other angora breeds which is why the hair is easiest to care for.

Your English Angora's have extremely long, heavy fur that covers their entire body including the head, ears and front feet. Kind of resembling an overgrown mop with little guard hair where it will spin tighter than other angora fur. They really are an adorable breed of rabbit worthy of consideration. When you think of an angora rabbit it is usually the English Angora you envision in your mind.

The German Giant is the largest of the Angoras and comes in white, where colored versions are considered cross-breds. At mature weight they come in at 9 to 12 pounds where the other breeds are closer to around 8 pounds of mature weight. They have a double undercoat making them the densest fiber of the angoras.

Satin Angoras have a beautiful shiny sheen to their coat and like the French Angora does not have hair on face or ears. They do require more grooming due to their fur being less dense and an overall lighter fur. Their fiber is a wonderful texture for spinners to work with and adds a wonderful sheen and sparkle to the yarn.

How to Make a Rabbit Trap

1. Step 1

   Locate a sturdy box. The box should be heavy enough that it can hold a wild rabbit. A box made out of wood or metal is the best type to use when making a rabbit trap.

2. Step 2

   Find a stick that is thick and doesn't have any weak spots. The stick should be approximately 6" to 8" inches long. If there are any branches on the stick, remove them with a knife.

3. Step 3

   Get a piece of string or wire that is about 18" long. Tie the piece of string to the stick. The point of connection should be about 2" from the bottom end of the stick.

4. Step 4

   Tie the other end of the stick to a piece of food. It should be something rabbits eat, such as a carrot or a piece of celery.

5. Step 5

   Place the trap in an area with a lot of rabbit tracks. Find a flat surface and remove any rocks or debris that may be in the way.

6. Step 6

   Prop up the box with the stick and place the food item underneath the box. Make sure there is no slack in the string or wire.

7. Step 7

   Test out the rabbit trap by finding a long stick and moving the food item. When you attempt to move the bait, the string or wire should pull the stick and cause the box to fall flat on the ground to trap the rabbit.

How to Recognize Illness in Your Rabbit

1. Step 1

   Take your rabbit to a rabbit-savvy veterinarian for a well-bunny check when he first comes to live with you. Ask your vet to show you how to examine your rabbit at home.

2. Step 2

   Play with your rabbit for at least a few minutes every day. As he bonds with you, he'll let you touch him more often. He may even let you pick him up occasionally.

3. Step 3

   Do a full body check of your rabbit during your daily petting sessions. Gently check his ears, eyes, paws, legs, tummy, back and teeth, based on your veterinarian's instructions.

4. Step 4

   Observe his normal condition so that you will immediately recognize anything out of the ordinary such as lumps, sores, bruises or cuts. Note whether there's something in his ear, if his stomach seems full or tight, or if his teeth seem out of line.

5. Step 5

   Check the color of his urine daily; it can range from orange to yellow to brown. If you're not sure whether the urine looks normal, ask your vet to test a sample. Milky white or sludgy urine (containing a grainy, sandy material) means that your rabbit may be eating foods too high in calcium. The grains are calcified crystals, which can form painful bladder stones.

6. Step 6

   Check your rabbit's feces daily to get familiar with how they look when normal. If his feces are smaller than normal or oddly shaped or colored, his stomach or cecum may be blocked. Dry feces mean your rabbit may be dehydrated and needs subcutaneous fluids immediately. If his feces are too soft, he may have a virus. Bring your rabbit to the vet immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.

7. Step 7

   Take your rabbit to the veterinarian immediately if you suspect he's suffering from a blockage. Most vets will treat a blockage with medication and subcutaneous fluids.

8. Step 8

   Take a lethargic rabbit to the vet immediately. House rabbits are generally very active, unless they are napping. If your rabbit's usual activity level lessens, try to tempt him with his favorite vegetable, treat or toy. If he refuses his favorite treat, take him to the vet.

9. Step 9

   Keep some rabbit-safe supplies in your pet's medicine chest. If he is suffering from gas pain, ask your veterinarian for the correct dosage of Phazyme, based on your rabbit's body weight. Phazyme provides quick relief from gas pain for most rabbits. Also keep styptic powder or baking powder on hand to stop bleeding from broken toenails.

How to Exercise a Pet Rabbit

It's good for a pet rabbit to exercise so that they will be healthy and live longer. Just like us they can get lazy and fat then they have health problems and guess who has to pay for it. That's right it's YOU! If you have a pet rabbit it's in your best interest to make sure that it gets exercise everyday.

1. Step 1
   
   Run bunny run!

   Pet rabbits need exercise and one of the best ways you can do it is to make it a game. They love to play! I found this out by accident when my pet rabbit started running around me in circles. The more excited I got the faster he ran. All you have to do is clap your hands and say silly stuff like, "Look at that bunny go."
   
   As he is doing this you turn in circles and watch him because this is how he knows you're paying attention. They love to show off!

2. Step 2
   
   Bunny's ball

   Another way to exercise your pet rabbit is to get a small ball and roll it toward him. He will start to push it with his nose, stand on it and roll it if you yell and act like it's the greatest trick you've ever seen.
   
   They're kind of like playing with kids, so if you have kids you know what I'm talking about. Like any other pet, the pet rabbit, becomes part of the family.
   
   If you leave the ball lying around he will go get it and push it to you so you will play with him. That's if you give him run of the house, which I do. However, he only gets to run the house when I'm home because he can get destructive if not watched closely.

3. Step 3
   
   Playtime in the snow

   This exercise is really fun because we take the pet rabbit outside to play in the snow. Yes, they love the snow. They jump, run, tunnel and go wacky in it. I found this out by accident too! I thought he wouldn't like it, but wanted to see his reaction. To my surprise when I started running around yelling, like I always do to get him going, he began to run in circles and dig tunnels.

4. Step 4
   
   Bunny hides from the broom

   My pet rabbit loves to play in tunnels which I guess is a natural instinct or something. So, I made make shift tunnels in the basement for him to run through. Some of them I made out of plastic and others I used cardboard. What I do to get this game going is chase him with a broom, he hates the broom, I don't know why, but he does. When he see's the broom he runs into the tunnel and I wait at the other end to get him when he comes out. Then he sees the broom again and runs like crazy back to the other end of the tunnel.

5. Step 5
   
   Bunny will stand for food!

   I use this pet rabbit exercise to settle him down a bit and to stretch him. It's good for rabbit's to stretch out they spend most of their time hunched up. All I do is get a favorite food like a piece of banana, let him smell it, and hold it up high so he's forced to stand on two legs to reach it. I do this several times in a row so he's up down, up down.

6. Step 6
   
   Tired Bunny!

   Finally, the pet rabbit needs his rest. After all that exercise he's ready to call it a day and so am I.

How to Introduce Your Rabbit to People

Rabbits are very sociable creatures. They enjoy interacting with their human companions once they learn to trust them (see the Bond With Your Rabbit eHow). Their social nature makes most rabbits happiest when they have a rabbit companion or another companion. (see Choose a Rabbit Companion for Your Rabbit.

1. Step 1

   Coach the people before they meet your rabbit, so they know not to touch your rabbit, until you give permission to do so.

2. Step 2

   Make sure that visitors keep their voices at a regular speaking decibel or lower, so they won't hurt your rabbit's sensitive hears with all the noise.

3. Step 3

   Ask visitors to approach your rabbit in the same manner you have taught him to accept from you.

4. Step 4

   Hold your rabbit the first few times your visitors approach to make sure your rabbit knows he's safe.

5. Step 5

   Do not ever leave your rabbit alone with a houseguest because your rabbit may panic and bite or scratch when he thinks he's alone with a stranger.

6. Step 6

   Supervise all interactions between your rabbit and any visitors to make sure your rabbit remains calm.

7. Step 7

   If your rabbit panics at any time, stop the introductions and return your rabbit to his room or play area, so he can romp about undisturbed.

How to Buy a Rabbit

Rabbits are highly sociable creatures. They love to interact with their human companions and rabbit buddies once they are bonded. There is nothing sadder or more depressed than a rabbit left in an outdoor hutch with no toys to stimulate his intelligence and no human companion to stimulate his playfulness and feed his desire for interaction. If you want to buy a rabbit, please give him or her a safe, clean home inside your own home where he can become a true companion to you and your family. Rabbits are delicate, sensitive creatures who thrive best in adult homes or homes with older CHILDREN who are sensitive to their care needs. Children under the age of 8 are much too young to correctly handle a rabbit. Parents need to always monitor their children's interaction with their rabbit because if your rabbit gets scared or if a child accidentally hurts him, he may bite your child in self defense.

1. Step 1

   Buy the supplies you will need to provide your rabbit with a comfortable play area in your home before you bring your rabbit home. Set your rabbit's play area up in a corner of the room where there is not a lot of foot traffic, noise from outdoors, or drafts. (see Shopping List)

2. Step 2

   Make your rabbit more a part of your family by placing him in a play area rather than a cage inside your home. Houserabbits can live longer, healthier lives than outdoor hutch rabbits who may be stalked by predators or scared to death by noises or animals.

3. Step 3

   Make sure everything you buy for your rabbit is the correct size for him, such as food dish, water dish or bottle, flea comb (for grooming), litterbox, play area fence (dog fence's work well), and travel case.

4. Step 4

   Select a rabbit breed that is right for your lifestyle and living situation: larger rabbits tend to be more mellow, although this is not always the case; and smaller, dwarf breeds tend to be more high strung and are happiest in quiet, adult households where they can receive individualized attention.

5. Step 5

   Keep in mind that breed information about rabbit temperaments is not as accurate as it is about dog temperaments. Each rabbit is a distinct individual and if you work on bonding with a high-strung rabbit, he may become more mellow over a period of years. One of my rabbits always bit me and drew blood, but today, nearly six years later, he's my most loving rabbit.

6. Step 6

   Keep in mind that lop rabbits (rabbits with floppy ears) often have more ear problems than rabbits with upright ears (although, again, this is not always the case as one of my rabbits with upright ears has had two infections).

7. Step 7

   Keep in mind that rabbits with long fur, such as Angoras and Jersey Wooleys require daily grooming, and sometimes more than once a day during molting (shedding) season to prevent tangled fur and stomach impaction from furballs.

8. Step 8

   Bring your rabbit home in his new travel case and line the case with a soft fleece blanket (in winter) or a flat, flannel-covered, waterproof crib mat (in summer).

How to Feed Baby Cottontail Rabbits

Baby cottontail rabbits are incredibly cute, and it is tempting to want to feed them. You might be doing so because you found an orphaned rabbit, or because you simply enjoy interacting with wildlife. Most people are unfamiliar with the dietary habits of cottontail rabbits, especially BABIES, It is therefore beneficial to familiarize yourself with their favorite foods and eating habits if you wish to feed these animals.

1. Step 1

   If you're considering "adopting" an abandoned baby, first determine if it truly needs human intervention. A well-meaning human can jeopardize the life of a cottontail who, while small, would have been able to successfully survive on its own. Also do not assume that a nest of rabbits has been abandoned. Mother rabbits tend to leave their babies alone for long periods of time, and cannot be seen at the nest during most daylight hours.

2. Step 2

   Mix the formula. Powdered formula is easiest, as you can then add water and Pedialyte according to the rabbit's needs. You can mix this formula each time you need to feed the rabbit, or make an entire day's worth and keep it in the refrigerator. If you decide to refrigerate, make sure to warm it before you feed it to the rabbit. It should come to about the same temperature as the rabbit. Make sure to hold the rabbit with its head upwards while it's eating.

3. Step 3

   When the bunny's eyes open, it's time to start moving them to a more adult diet. Feed them with three parts commercial rabbit food and one part of their natural diet, such as dandelions and clover. You can supplement this with small quantities of things like spinach and carrots.

How to Keep Rabbits out of Your Vegetables

1. Step 1
   

   Surround larger vegetables with a circular cage made of rabbit wire. You can buy it at home stores or HARDWARE STORES. Small rabbits may get through larger openings so you may want to cover the cage with a second layer of chicken wire.

2. Step 2

   If you have solid fencing throughout much of you GARDEN, but there is a gap at the bottom or you have chain link or cast metal fences, you can attach a 2 - 3' roll of chicken wire about a foot up from the bottom. Then bury the bottom like an apron 1 - 2' deep. Rabbits can dig so this will keep them from going under the fence. It will also keep out snakes and many other burrowers like gophers and moles.

3. Step 3

   Build a raised vegetable garden. This will have many additional benefits including ease of reach and better control over soil and water.

4. Step 4

   Fence in a special area with a solid base or a dug-down barrier. You can design your area creatively like a small house or shed. If you add a roof -- even a wire one, you'll keep out all potential animals including birds. Basically, you are constructing a big cage out of wood and chicken wire or hardware cloth, but you can get artistic in how you design it.

5. Step 5

   You can also try some of the organic repellents available in garden centers or online stores. These are processed scents of predators that may discourage rabbits from the area. Other ideas are using pet dogs and cats as hunters, but it depends on whether the animal is good at catching prey or not and whether or not you are in an area that is safe for them to run loose in. Also blood meal may work for you as a deterrent. You can trap your rabbits, but then you're stuck with getting rid of the rabbit. And you can feed your rabbits to dissuade them from your vegetables. This will work only if you have a small, limited population. Otherwise you will be attracting even more rabbits and that's not exactly the solution needed!

6. Step 6

   In short, if you can't fence in your area, then I'd suggest you use as many of the suggestions in step #5 as often as possible. But go for the fencing or cages if you can. And good luck with your vegetable garden!

How to Draw a Lop Rabbit

Lop-eared rabbits are adorable creatures that are among the oldest breeds of domesticated rabbits. They look like regular rabbits except for their long ears, which are relaxed and lop down around their faces. There are five different kinds of lop-eared rabbits, each of which share the distinct ear feature: English lops, French lops, Holland lops, dwarf lops, and the American Fuzzy lop. Drawing a lop-eared rabbit isn't hard if you make sure to keep all the parts of the rabbit properly in portion with each other.

1. Step 1

   Draw out the head and body outline of a rabbit on a piece of paper using a pencil, skipping the ears for now. The body should have a fat, sideways oval shape and the head should connect without an obvious neck. Use the side of your pencil to create soft wisps all over the outside edge of the head and body to create some soft looking fur.

2. Step 2

   Draw feet protruding from the bottom of the body. The lop rabbit's front paws look a little like fuzzier versions of cat paws, and the back legs should have long flat feet that come out of rounded haunches. A small, circular-shaped puff tail resides in the back.

3. Step 3

   Create the rabbit's lop ears. They should be rooted on each side at the top of the rabbit's head and drape down to almost touch the floor. The ends of the ears are rounded.

4. Step 4

   Add any distinct facial features and fur patterns, using a picture of a lop eared rabbit if necessary. The eyes are large and round. Whiskers sprout from the sides of the nose, and the fur can be any color from white to solid to patterned.

5. Step 5

   Use an eraser to remove any overlapping or stray lines to sharpen the drawing.

How to Stop Rabbits from Eating Your Flower Garden

Rabbits eat the tender parts of flowers.

Robert Gyöpös

Rabbits can seem cute, but they can wreak havoc on your flower and vegetable GARDEN. While most people associate rabbits with vegetables like carrots and lettuce they will also eat the tender young parts of most plants. In the flower garden they can destroy seedlings, flower buds, and BULBS like TULIPS. Use repellents, traps, fences and natural predators to keep rabbits out of your flower garden.

1. Step 1

   Make a chicken wire fence. Use chicken wire with openings that are one inch or smaller. The fence should be at least two feet high and extend a few inches below ground. Dig a trench around the flower bed and sink the chicken wire about six inches into the ground.

2. Step 2

   Repel the rabbits with organic materials like bone meal cayenne pepper, or black pepper. This is best scattered around plants just before sun sets, as the rabbits will come out and eat in the evening.

3. Step 3

   Trap the rabbits with a humane trap, like a Hav-a-heart. Consult your local humane society for areas where trapped rabbits may be released.

4. Step 4

   Incorporate plants that rabbits don't like into your landscape. Both lavender and catnip are said to repel rabbits. Some say marigolds keep rabbits away but others report that rabbits eat them like any other tender plant.

5. Step 5

   Plant rabbit resistant flowers. These include daylily, bellflower, autumn crocus, foxglove, sedum, globe flower, aster, red hot poker, iris, and narcissus.

6. Step 6

   Attract animals that will scare away the rabbits. Not only will catnip repel rabbits, but it will also attract cats, which will scare away the rabbits.

7. Step 7

   If the flowers are still seedlings, use floating row covers. These won't be attractive once the plants grow, but they will easily protect plants that are still young and tender-a rabbit's favorite food.

8. Step 8

   Create a barrier that the rabbits don't like stepping into. Stick many sharp sticks in the ground near the plants and they will not want to negotiate the area.

How to Take Care of Dwarf Rabbits

1. Step 1

   Set up your dwarf rabbit's new home. Many people allow their rabbits free run of the house. If this is not an option for you, purchase a large exercise pen or a large cage (the bigger the better) for your new dwarf bunny. Be sure to provide a litter box, with wood stove pellets or non-clumping cat litter acting as litter, as house rabbits can be easily litter trained.

2. Step 2

   Purchase a high quality timothy hay or orchard grass and high quality timothy hay-based pellets for your house rabbit. He should have access to plenty of fresh hay at all times. Dwarf rabbits under six months can have unlimited pellets while those over six months should be given one quarter cup of pellets each day.

3. Step 3

   All house rabbits need fresh, dark, leafy greens, such as parsley and romaine lettuce, in their diet. Dwarf rabbits should be given a minimum of two cups of vegetables per day. A small baby carrot or a small piece of banana or apple may also be given daily as a treat.

4. Step 4

   Provide your house rabbit with plenty of toys, such as old phone books and toilet paper rolls (ideal for chewing) and plastic baby keys.

5. Step 5

   Give your rabbit a box that she can hide in, climb on, and chew. Boxes are an ideal place to hide when a rabbit is scared and they are a great source of entertainment.

6. Step 6

   If your rabbit is confined to a cage or a pen, ensure he has at least four hours of exercise time out of his cage or pen each day. Make sure phone wires, computer wires, and other wires are out of reach before you let your bunny out. Dwarf rabbits, like all rabbits, love to chew.

7. Step 7

   Make an appointment with a rabbit-savvy vet to have your rabbit spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted babies. Even if you only have one rabbit, altering is essential to his or her health.

8. Step 8

   Dwarf rabbits, like all house rabbits, are sociable animals who crave attention, so make sure you spend plenty of time with your rabbit and give him lots of attention.