Handling

Regular handling results in a friendly rabbit that does not get distressed by grooming, wool clipping or toenail clipping. When you go to pick them up, use both hands and securely hold the young angora rabbit so it feels safe and secure in your hold. 

In order to achieve this, when the babies come out of the nest to feed, stroke the mother and then the babies. After three weeks, they can be lifted out to check for any problems, such as missing tail or limbs, white marks damaged eyes etc. Take them out at least once a week and sit them on a stool, groom carefully behind the ears and make sure they haven’t scoured (diahorrea).

By the time they are eight weeks you should be able to put a BRC ring on those that are intended to be shown, no need to ring Pet or not up to standard babies.  The babies can be separated from their mother at 8 or nine weeks, and from each other . They can have a soft toy and a ball to play with.

The grooming should be done every couple of days for the intended show rabbits, but you still need to check and groom the others. Use a hairdryer on a low speed setting to get them used to the feel and noise.  If you continue in this way, they should be friendly and sociable and easily handled. Babies not intended for show that haven’t got homes can be clipped at ten weeks to save grooming them.

Baby chocolate english angoras