What I’ve Learned About Angora Rabbits

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of raising both Angora rabbits and alpacas at Alpaca Meadows. While our farm is renowned for its luxurious alpaca fiber and products made from this soft and warm natural fiber, my journey with Angora rabbits has been enriching, offering insights into their unique characteristics and the delightful synergy between these two fiber-producing animals.

A Serendipitous Beginning

My adventure with Angora rabbits began at the Autumn Fiber Festival, where I acquired my first French Angora rabbit, named “Fitzgerald”. Drawn to the idea of diversifying our farm’s fiber offerings, adding Angora rabbits seemed a natural fit alongside our alpacas and Angora goats. The Angora breed of rabbit is known for its sweet, docile, and calm nature, making them a charming addition to our farm.

Companion Rabbits

Feeling like “Fitz” needed a companion, we acquired “Simon and Garfunkel” the following year at the same fiber festival. The three amigos were best of friends.

Bunny Shed

This is the Bunny Shed, located just outside my bedroom window where I enjoy seeing the rabbits peak out the door! Inside, there are cages where I feed and water the them, as well as plenty of space for them to hop around. There’s even room for me to sit, enjoy my morning coffee, and brush the bunnies—something I do often. While some people keep their Angora rabbits indoors and get creative with their setups, it’s essential to remember that these rabbits should not be exposed to direct sunlight or kept outside in temperatures above 75°F. Their ideal temperature range is between 50°F and 75°F to keep them comfortable and healthy.

Though spacious and comfortable, it does get hot in our bunny shed, so we now have summer quarters under a huge shade tree in the back yard for our furry friends. They really need cool, shady and consistent temperatures year-round.

Baby Bunnies

Returning from a family vacation in the Spring, we couldn’t have been more surprised to find baby bunnies in the bunny shed … two little white baby bunnies, already with their fur and their eyes open! Knowing what I know now (and I had to learn fast), I’m guessing they were probably close to three weeks old! Initially, I wasn’t even sure who the mother was, but “Fitz” seemed to be paying more attention to them than the others so we determined she was the mother. Quite surprising, considering we were told Fitz was a male!

Later in the day, I took my not-very-happy husband out to see the babies, and I found three more, two black and another white one. We were shocked … and thrilled (at least I was) all at the same time.

I started reading all I could find about baby bunnies … obviously we were not prepared for this very unexpected pregnancy! One thing I learned is that determining gender is difficult, especially when they are young, and it’s not uncommon for rabbits to be sexed incorrectly! For more information on sexing rabbits, click here.

Remodeling the Bunny Shed

We changed Fitzgerald’s name to Mrs. Fitz, and remodeled the bunny shed in order to keep boy and girl housed separately. I had learned they can be rebred within 24 hours of delivering babies, and there was a good chance she was already pregnant again! They had been together for weeks.

Sure enough, she was pregnant again, and we had a second litter of buns! This is the happy couple (before we knew we had a buck and a doe), with the proud papa, “Simon” below.

Large Litters Often

Soon after learning that Fitzgerald was a female, we learned something else. Rabbits can have lots of babies! There were 11 babies in her second litter, 14 in another!

The gestation period of a rabbit is only 28-32 days! If male and female are not kept separate, there can be another litter born as soon as one month later! So, if you don’t plan on getting into the bunny (funny) business, or you don’t have room for 12+ rabbits, be sure your males and females are kept separate.

Bunnies Develop Quickly

It was amazing to learn and see first-hand how quickly baby bunnies grow! They are born with their eyes closed and no fur, not really very cute at all. In just a few weeks they have fur, open their eyes, and then begin to crawl out of their nesting box looking for adventure.

We were noticing something new nearly every day, from seeing them start to nibble on hay, then rabbit pellets, then finding it comfortable to lay in the hay rack, and trying out the water bottle! They really like fresh veggies!

Friendly Bunnies

Holding and petting our baby bunnies everyday gets them used to people and it really does help form their personalities. Naturally, our grandchildren loved to help with this chore. Once your rabbits trust you and are used to you and your smell, they become quite friendly. Mrs. Fitz will jump right on our laps and is happy to see us. Some people even have their Angora rabbits inside as house pets.

Care and Maintenance

Caring for Angora rabbits requires regular grooming to prevent matting and ensure their health. Some breeds go through a shedding cycle called molting a few times per year, during which the wool can be gently plucked or combed out. This process is therapeutic, both for the rabbit and the caretaker, and provides a steady supply of fiber for spinning into yarn. Similarly, alpacas require annual shearing to maintain their health by keeping them cool and provide fleece. Both animals thrive in environments where they are protected from extreme heat, as high temperatures can be detrimental to their well-being.

Fiber Characteristics and Blending

Angora fiber is incredibly fine and soft, often considered too fine to hold dense knitting stitches on its own. It’s also said to be seven times warmer than sheep’s wool, which is why it’s typically blended with other fibers to balance its warmth and enhance its durability. Blending Angora with fibers such as alpaca, mohair, silk, or cashmere not only adds strength but also imparts a beautiful ‘halo’ effect to the yarn. This combination results in luxurious yarns that are both soft and resilient.

This is some of Simon’s beautiful grey fiber in the comb I use for grooming. In the background, be sure to notice his beautiful ears with tufts of fiber at the top!

Farm Dynamics

Integrating Angora rabbits into our farm has been a delightful experience. Their gentle disposition and the luxurious Angora fiber they produce have made them a favorite among visitors during our farm tours. Observing the interactions between our Angora rabbits, alpacas, and Angora goats has provided valuable insights into the care and management of fiber-producing animals. Each species contributes uniquely to our farm’s diversity, enriching our understanding and appreciation of natural fibers.

Our journey “down the rabbit hole” shall we say, has been quite delightful. This breed of rabbit is charming, and their fiber is wonderful. If you’re wanting to dip your toes into the world of fiber on a smaller scale than alpacas, Angora rabbits just might be a good start!

Conclusion

Raising both Angora rabbits and alpacas has deepened my appreciation for the art of fiber production. The unique qualities of their fibers, when used individually or blended, offer endless possibilities for spinners, knitters, and fiber enthusiasts. Whether you’re considering adding a new fiber animal to your farm or exploring new materials for your projects, the combination of Angora and alpaca fibers is sure to inspire creativity and yield luxurious results.

Some Angora Rabbit Facts

Angora rabbits originated in Turkey. They were first seen in a Turkish port called Angora, now called Ankara.
Angora rabbits are the oldest type of domestic rabbit.
Angora rabbits have super soft and long fur, making them look like big and cuddly fluff balls!
The five popular breeds of Angora rabbits are French, English, Satin, Giant, and German.
Depending on the breed, Angora rabbits weigh from 5-12 pounds, the higher end being the Giant Angora breed.
Angora rabbits are enjoyed by fiber enthusiasts, who enjoy caring and maintaining the Angora fiber in order to spin it into yarn.
Angora wool is known for its softness, silky texture, thin fibers, and what knitters refer to as a halo (fluffiness).
Angora rabbits make great pets. They are docile and sociable. For those wanting Angora rabbits as pets, they must be prepared to brush them 1-3 times weekly. It’s only difficult if you make it so, and can actually be quite enjoyable. Learn How to Groom an Angora Rabbit.
The average lifespan of Angora rabbits is about 7-12 years.
Angora rabbits can be Black, Blue, Chestnut, Chinchilla, Chocolate, Copper, Fawn, Lilac, Lynx, Opal, Pointed White, Red, Sable, Seal, Tortoiseshell, Blue-Eyed White, and Ruby-Eyed White.
Angoras are constantly producing silky soft wool and need a diet higher in protein than your average rabbit. A pellet feed with 18% protein is recommended. Read more about Feeding Wool Rabbits.
Angora rabbits need to eat a lot of hay to help them digest the fur they ingest while grooming themselves. If they don’t eat the hay, the fur while get stuck in their digestive tract and they suffer from something called wool block which can kill them.
Fresh vegetables (and fruits in moderation) should also be part of an Angora rabbit’s daily diet. Be sure to read What Not to Feed Rabbits.
Like alpacas, hot weather is harder for Angora rabbits than cold weather. Frozen water bottles and fans are a must to help keep them cool. For some tips on keeping Angora rabbits cool in the heat, click here.
Angora rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk.
They use their keen senses to hear or smell if danger is near. Did you know they could move their ears independently of each other? They can, to help them hear if danger is approaching.
Angora rabbits range in price from $50 – $250.