Angoras, could I manage?

[Millimi]

I've been doing research on angoras since I really want one. Any long haired breed is fine, like Carmen's buns, I don't know what breed they are. A lot of sites say that the rabbit would need to be brushed daily with a slicker brush. I could do that because once I put my mind to do something, I'll follow through. What threw me off was one site saying you need to blow dry the fur daily and not use the slicker brush on the back fur? Any information would be a ppreciated.

[RSbunny]

well I have cashmere lops...but I think you guys might call them american fuzzy's. If you are going to get a long haired bunny my first recommendation would be don't!
But I was desperate for a long haired bunny and no-one was talking me out of it!!! I got shadow and her coat is relatively easy to look after. Molly's is really really really soft and matts constantly. I can not keep the matts out of her. I just have to keep them to a minimum (for a girl who is touchy with her back legs it's kinda hard to cut them out you know...we do it but only when they have grown out enough for there to be no chance of me snipping her).
I've never blow dried my bunny's but angora fur is different. They get slicker brushed every week. I should do it more often but I found that now they are adults weekly is quite sufficient...I can even let shadow go two or three weeks. In molting season I have to do them every day. It's a royal pain in the arse cause there is the two of them. I only ever wanted one cashmere bun but Molly needed a home and she is gorgeous!!

Find yourself a reputable breeder....you should get better coats from a reputable breeder. And don't get a cross!!!! Apparently if you cross breed (or so I've been told) a cashmere with a short haired bun you screw up their coat and it matts 100 times easier. She had a word for it but I can't remember it.
Personally for me angora's are too much work. I don't have to trim Molly and Shadow's fur, which I have read that Angora's fur continues to grow so you need to cut it. Molly and Shadow just need stacks of grooming. And prepare yourself for fur everywhere!!!!!

I can totally understand the desire for a long haired bun. If I'd only ended up with Shadow I would look at getting another one once she was gone. But Molly is a hard one to look after....and in future I'll be sticking to my short haired buns! I just prefer it, it's easier to deal with. And make sure that whoever looks after them when you are away is prepared to maintain their coat for you. Molly won't allow my best friend to groom her and after a month of only quick brushings her coat was a mess! I'm seriosuly considering sedating her and clipping her before we go away this time. It took me forever to get the matts out last time.

[Denise]

Carmen, when you said there is fur everywhere. You mean when you groom them or just in general?

[Millimi]

That sounds tough. I really, really, really, want a long haired bunny, though. What about the ones at the pet stores, would those be the fuzzies? There's also Jersey woolies. What about info on them? How big do they get?

[RSbunny]

in general! Fur everywhere!!!! I have to brush down the outside of their cages every week...their fur sticks to anything. And yet when I brush them out I don't get that much in my brush so it's not like they need the brushing to remove loose fur (it's done just to stop the matting) it's just them!

[RSbunny]

I have to add...I love my girls more than anything. I would never ever ever give them up and I will look after their coats until their dying day. I'm just choosing to not do it again! Just incase anyone thought I didn't love them. I do!

[Millimi]

Since my bunny would be living outside, it wouldn't be as bad, right?

[RSbunny]

it's hard...I don't know natalie. We only see 'cashmere' and 'angoras' here so I can't help you out much.
I think Catherine could help you out a lot more on the specific breeds but prepare yourself for lots of work. Oh and as babies I had to brush their coat daily.

[Millimi]

One question I think you could answer. I am allergic to long haired dogs and cats, does that affect my tolerance to bunny fur? If so I'll probably have to take some medicine.

[RSbunny]

Quote: Originally Posted by Millimi Since my bunny would be living outside, it wouldn't be as bad, right?

You'd still have to remove all the fur around the cage. If they digest too much they'll end up with furballs which need to be removed through surgery. I run around and clean up constantly. I'd fell horrible if they had to have surgery cause I didn't groom them enough or clean the fur from their cages often enough. Granted it won't be all over the house but remember you are going to have to go outside and groom them every day when young, and at least every two weeks when older (that's if the coat is good). I'm not trying to put you off...if you have your heart set then you ave it set but I'm just warning you cause I had no warning!

[RSbunny]

Quote: Originally Posted by Millimi One question I think you could answer. I am allergic to long haired dogs and cats, does that affect my tolerance to bunny fur? If so I'll probably have to take some medicine.

I don't know....their coat is different so maybe not. Maybe go to some breeder's and interact with the bunny's and see how you go there. I'm not an allergy sufferer and I think that in most cases people are more allergic to cats and dgos than bunny's but then look at Christi....she was severly allergic.

[Millimi]

I don't think my parents know how much work it'll be, but I'm letting them slowly. I love brushing animals, so I think it'll be fun to brush a bunny. Caesar had short fur, so I never really got to brush him.

[Millimi]

I don't know if there are any breeders in the area...but even so, would they let me get one of their bunnies if it wasn't going to live inside?

[RSbunny]

That would depend on the individual breeder. They might, they might ask to see the living conditions to make sure it is properly set up to their standard but I don't think you'd get rejected by all. Give me a sec...I have a pic of molly's coat when I first got her...she was four months old and while her previous owners had brushed her they only brushed her over the top. You actually have to pick through the fur and brush right through the whole lot. Also think about the fact that this rabbit could live until it is 8 or 9 years old...are you going to have time to take care of the coat when you are in college? If you can't take the rabbit with you are your p's going to be happy to take over grooming duty?

[Millimi]

Once my parents see the bunny, they'll fall in love with it and take care of it when I can't. They would never let it suffer or give it away if I went to college. If you have a picture, that'd be great!