I hope everyone that entered enjoyed the experience and Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Bunny competition. The pictures of the rabbits were lovely and it made it very difficult to choose between them. There are two winners with the same amount of likes each Jo Ford with Baloo and Kirsty Louise Burns with Indi. I will send the prizes to you both.
Wow, what a lot of bunnies with 37 entries thank you to everyone who submitted a photo or photos of your beautiful Angora bunnies. Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter and hope you enjoy the gallery of Easter bunnies.
Here are the entries and don’t forget to vote via the National Angora Club Facebook page for your favourites by 6pm on Sunday 4th April.
I would really like an Angora…….
An Angora rabbit in full exhibition coat is one of the most attractive sights at a rabbit show. However, before settling on the rabbit of your dreams, it is worthwhile thinking about what rabbit keeping in general involves. Rabbits need a lot of attention and Angora rabbits require extra care.
Here are some of the questions a reputable Angora breeder will ask someone wishing to buy a rabbit, along with some of the questions that a new Angora owner will ask.
A Poem by Yvonne Hobbs-Fothergill
The New Year dawned – 2021
Yvonne Hobbs Fothergill 2021
We all resolved to have some fun!
Show rabbits waiting in the shed
For grooming – after they’d been fed
A lovely day seeing all our friends
The joy of showing never ends!
The rabbits proudly in the car
The hall today is not too far.
We’re hoping for a Best in Show
Or at least a CC with buck or doe.
A tiring but enjoyable day
We spend our weekends in this way
But a few weeks later Covid arrived!
And one cannot imagine how it changed our lives!!
The whole world affected – and many just died!
The virus had to be contained
As the Prime Minister explained –
No more rabbit shows as such,
No gathering of folk.
We had to stay at home instead –
We might as well be ill – or dead!!!!
It did’nt take the Fancy long
To invent a way to right this wrong!
To keep the Fancy on the go
They organised a Virtual show
With three photos to show front, side and below
For each exhibit – buck or doe
So the judges could view it
From above or below.
A Virtual show is not so bad
In lots of ways, but makes me sad
No getting up early to go to a show
No last minute grooming or packing the car
A bit of moult is not a worry
Or cleaning up bottoms in a hurry!
The rabbits were photographed looking their best
So we will have a day to rest
Waiting for judging results on the screen
While we put up our feet
All calm and serene
So we still show our rabbits as the story ends
But we show photos – and don’t see our friends.
It is very important to do your research before buying any Angora rabbits from breeders on the internet with youngsters or preloved sites. You can get into a lot of problems very easily if you don’t. Look at the British Rabbit Council and find your local clubs, or a national club, such as the National Angora Club and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions before you buy.
The fact that a lot of rabbits are called Angora because they have a long fluffy coat does not make them such. Rabbits that are cross bred can produce long coats which are then called “woolies” these might be cute, but the coats can be unmanageable and therefore extremely hard to deal with. So be aware that not all rabbits being sold as ‘Angora’ are actually pure bred Angora or even English Angora rabbits.
The price is a factor too, you can pay an enormous amount for a rabbit which is unnecessary as you can buy a show standard one at half the price from a reputable breeder. Check out an earlier post on the cost of buying an Angora rabbit.
It is important to know that rabbits can breed from the age of three months, so even if you plan to have them neutered at six months, you must keep them separated at all times before that happens. Young bucks can start at eight or nine weeks jumping on their siblings, so it is extremely important to keep them apart. Mating this young will not hurt the buck but the doe will be far to young to cope and it may result in at worst her death and possibly not being able to breed again.
If you want any specific information get in touch and we will be happy to help.
Fortunately I have Angora Rabbits, looking after them is a bit like painting the Forth Road Bridge, and the daily tasks keep me quite busy. As once you have finished the morning feed and water, followed by cleaning out, grooming and or clipping then the evening feeding and water before turning the covers down for the night, you have to start all over again the next day.
Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) is the use of animals in a recreation or visitation setting to help people with specific needs. Providing many opportunities for people of all ages to gain motivation, education and / or recreational enhancement of the quality of our human lives. Animal Assisted Activities are delivered in a range of different environments by specifically trained professionals, paraprofessionals and / or volunteers in association with the animals that meet the criteria.
This year we want to encourage all our members to join us in the virtual world and share your Angora bunnies with everyone.
So what we would like you to do is send in a photo of your Angora bunny, if you want to send us more than one if you have lots of bunnies then please do, there is no limit on how many entries you can put in.
If you are new to keeping Angora Rabbits or have just joined us this post is for you and thank you for joining the National Angora Club and welcome from all of us in 2021.