Everyone likes baby rabbits, but they grow up so fast. In the wild, the mother would abandon them at 25 days old, already expecting her next litter. Our rabbits are cared for by their mother for much longer- and have a much better chance of survival!

Should we come out?

Five 3 week old baby English Angoras, thinking about leaving the nest.

Definitely worth emerging! Trying out kale and grass, with their mother Blue Colorado.

Four weeks old

The breeding hutch is fitted with a rabbit shelf, to allow the mother to jump up and get some peace and quiet. In the wild she would only visit the babies for 5 minutes, once a day, to feed them. The 4 week old babies have taken it over! At least she has the rest of the hutch to herself. Here she is wondering where they have all gone.

Seven weeks old

An afternoon out on the lawn with their mother. The babies have just come back from a visit to the vet’s for their vaccinations. They deserve a treat.

Luckily no signs of stress!

Eight weeks old and time to leave their mother

A week later, and it is time for Colorado, their mother, to go back to her own hutch. She doesn’t seem to mind, and is still on extra rations. After feeding 5 babies, she needs building up! The babies are now developing their ear tufts, and their coats need more grooming. These are Classic English Angoras, with short fur around their eyes, fringes between the ears and wool on their cheeks.

This little rabbit is staying, and needs a name. Here she is, enjoying some barley straw, back in the hutch. Skyrack rabbits have Western or James Bond names, but these are running short. Octopussy has been to the vet’s, but is it wise to take a Pussy Galore? And no-one can ever spell Shenandoah! A newer Bond film gives the little rabbit her name. Meet little Blue Jinx!

Time to part

Another sad moment. The last picture before the little does are split up into different hutches, three in one and two in the other. They need the room! They will still go out on the lawn together every day, but in adjacent pens. There are just two still waiting for good homes. Enquiries via the Club website contact page or via www.skyrackangoras.co.uk

This might be of interest to any Angora rabbit owners, John McDougall had an Angora doe, the Champion Princess Elizabeth, christened by the Duchess of York. He sent one of the doe’s litter to the real Princess Elizabeth when the Duchess of York became the Queen.

The Classic English Angora

The classic English Angora comes in one of the standard colours, and has well woolled and tufted ears (tassel tips). The rabbit has a fringe, with wool long and thick between and behind the ears. Wool on the cheeks is long, but wool around the eyes and the rest of the head is short (the clear face).

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The National Angora Club is a non-profit making society which promotes the Angora rabbit and its welfare. Our members are spinners, exhibitors and companion animal owners. We sell the surplus wool of our rabbits to go towards the costs of keeping them. We keep our Angoras ethically, making it an expensive hobby. Vaccination alone can cost £70 per rabbit per year! 

We produce Angora wool ethically by shearing the rabbit every three months. This does not harm the rabbit in any way. Rabbits sit quietly on the owner’s knee to be sheared. Wool is sorted into best quality spinning wool (above 2.5 inch staple) and second quality felting wool (coarser wool from chest and tummy, and shorter lengths.) Spinning and felting wool in White and a variety of colours is available by mail order. We also sell wooden bottom whorl drop spindles at prices suitable for just having a go.

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The National Angora Club is a non-profit making society which promotes the Angora rabbit and its welfare. Our members are spinners, exhibitors and companion animal owners. We sell the surplus wool of our rabbits to go towards the costs of keeping them. We keep our Angoras ethically, making it an expensive hobby. Vaccination alone can cost £70 per rabbit per year! 

We produce Angora wool ethically by shearing the rabbit every three months. This does not harm the rabbit in any way. Rabbits sit quietly on the owner’s knee to be sheared. Wool is sorted into best quality spinning wool (above 2.5 inch staple) and second quality felting wool (coarser wool from chest and tummy, and shorter lengths.) Spinning and felting wool in White and a variety of colours is available by mail order. We also sell wooden bottom whorl drop spindles at prices suitable for just having a go.

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The National Angora Club are often contacted by people who have bought or rescued a fluffy rabbit, and have been told that it is an Angora. Even the Rabbit Welfare Association may be mistaken, as their Winter 2017 magazine shows. Their article on Angora rabbits pictured 1 Angora, 2 Lionheads and a possible Cashmere Lop. The Club are willing to offer help to people struggling with their rabbit’s coats, but please be warned! Crossbreed fluffy rabbits often have coats that are very hard to care for, matting easily. If you wish for a long haired rabbit, think very carefully of the work involved. Obtain your rabbit from a reputable breeder, who will give life long support, and clipping and grooming lessons before you take your rabbit home. YouTube is not enough!

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The National Angora Club had stands at two craft festivals in July and August this year. Fibre-East took place at Redbourne School, Ampthill, Bedford on 27th July, after a very hot week. Thankfully the temperature dropped so it was safe to bring Cheyenne, the Smoke Angora.

Anne demonstrated spinning pure Angora on the wheel, whilst Lesley taught spindle spinning.

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