Maple Goes Home

We found someone who was interested in buying a French angora rabbit for her daughter's birthday.  After several emails back and forth to arrange a time, we settled on Friday afternoon. 

She came by, and we already had Maple out in the living room running around.  My mom printed up an information sheet. We talked about grooming and combs to use.  We talked about transitioning feed and the kind of hay to buy and where to get it.  I showed how to trim nails.  And we talked about 4-H, and that the meetings are only once a month, ten times a year.  I am hoping her daughter will come.  People will see that it really isn't difficult to care for French angoras.  It will also be nice to have more French angora rabbits at the shows.  We talked about the shows and how we learn something new every time. 

Then we showed her some of our kits.  She wished she'd brought her daughter to see and learn.  Today we got an email from her.  Her daughter is so excited to have Maple.  If they send us a picture we will put it up here for you to see. 

Maple in his new home

I know Maple will be so happy in his new home. He will get lots and lots of love. 

Trimming Nails

 A rabbit’s nails need to be trimmed once or twice a month to keep the rabbit healthy.  If the nails are not trimmed, the rabbit will develop sore hocks.  Sore hocks are painful and can become infected.  I use dog nail clippers for my French angoras, but for young rabbits you can use nails clippers for people.  

So here is how you trim a rabbit’s nails, step by step.  You will want a second person to assist you.

First, get your nail clippers and then get your rabbit.  Have your assistant sit down on a couch or chair.  If your assistant sits on the floor your rabbit can easily escape.   Place your rabbit on your assistant’s lap and have her flip it over. Make sure your assistant is holding the rabbit firmly.  As you clip the nails, make sure to keep the hair away from the nails.  If you don’t, you will be able to see clearly and you may cut the quick.  Sometimes, if you get too close to the quick and are about to cut, your rabbit will flip over.  Sometimes, they are a little ticklish.  

Maple getting his nails done

No rabbits were harmed in the making of this blogpost

Keep in mind that rabbit nails can grow at different rates.  Sometimes the back nails won’t need to be trimmed, but the front will.  Sometimes the dew claw needs to be trimmed, and sometimes it doesn’t.  Always check.  Trim the front paws first, and then the back.  After you are done trimming, flip your rabbit over and put him down on the floor to run around.  If he was good, give him a little treat. 

What do you do at shows?

First, check in.  For 4-H shows, check-in lasts about an hour.  For ARBA you can check in whenever, but they are busy, so you will want to arrive earlier rather than later.  If you are late and you miss your show, you miss your show.

After we’ve checked in, we look for the other angora breeders.  We are almost always together.  When you find the others, you always politely ask where you should set up, unless there is some obvious space for you.  It’s nice to have a table to set your cages on so that you don’t have to bend over so much.  

After you’ve located a spot and set up your table, give all your rabbits water and food. Next, find the table where your rabbits will be judged and determine where your rabbits are in the line-up.  Then set up your chair and grooming table.  French angora people usually set up their tables outside because of the blowers and blowing wool.  As soon as you can, start blowing and grooming.  French angoras are normally last, but occasionally the judges switch up the order.  This happened at the Gridley show.  We hadn’t started grooming soon enough, and not all the rabbits were ready when we were called up.  This cost Duchess a leg.  Don’t make the same mistake we did.

After you have blown your rabbits, you can hope it is close to show time.  Use the slicker comb to spruce them up just before taking them to the table.  If there are comment cards already placed on the table, match your rabbit to its card and put your rabbit in its designated space and then turn the card over.  When all your rabbits are at the table, move to the opposite side and let the judging begin.  

Following the judging, give your rabbit a treat while you look at what the vendors have to sell.  You can find cages, water bottles and crocks, treats, hay, feed, cage repair items, brushes, books, nesting boxes, grooming tables, gifts and more.  Breeders will also sell used items, cheaper than retail.  While your rabbit is still on break, also walk around and look at the rabbits for sale.  For yourself, you can usually find sodas and sandwiches at the snack bar.

Whether or not you are participating in the show, you will find some breeders that you can talk to. We have learned so much from going to shows.  We learn from breeders about grooming and feed.  We learn from judges about the disqualifications for French angora.  For example, we thought Blue would be DQ’d for her torn ear.  However, we also thought the judges might not even notice it.  One judge didn’t even notice it; none of them DQ’d her.  I learned about rabbit health from showmanship and about rabbit breeds from preparing for royalty contests.

Plucking Day

We try to delay plucking time until after big shows, because wool counts for 55% of a rabbit’s score in judging.  But when new wool is coming in, it is time to start plucking, or it will be soon.  If rabbits aren’t regularly plucked and groomed, they can get wool block.

Plucking is pulling out the rabbits’ loose wool.  It doesn’t hurt them.  However, make sure not to over pluck.  It is possible to make them bald (we did that with Ninja).  We do it outside when it is not windy, because Dad and my brothers complain about wool on their clothes if we do it inside.

Maple and Stanley got plucked yesterday.  They are a little over 4.5 months old right now—the average age of the first plucking.  Maple yielded .6 ounces of wool and he probably still needs to be plucked a little more.

Stanley, before plucking

Maple, before plucking

Maple, after plucking

A New Blower

We decided to get a blower because we found out that it made the rabbits fluffier so that they do better at shows.  It makes them fluffier because the blower will only blow out little mats and tangles.  The comb will pull out wool that doesn’t need to come out yet.  

My mom didn’t think a blower would make much difference.  But at the Stockton show we watched Julie use it on her rabbits. We were surprised to see the tangles and mats blow steadily out.  

We didn’t get the same blower that the adult angora breeders use.  What they use is larger and more expensive.  We also decided it was a little quieter than what we got.  We got the Quick Draw Portable Pet Dryer by Metro Air Force pictured below.

Metro Air Force Quick Draw Portable Pet Dryer

Maple and Stanley did not like the blower.  It was hard to keep them from jumping around.  Maple was a little scared and cuddled up to me.  My mom suggested that she would use the blower and I would keep the rabbits calm.  Normally, rabbits are used to the blower so it only takes a few minutes for one person to do it.  

Maple, before being blown

We are going to see if our rabbits do better at the Gridley show next week since we now have a blower to use on them.

Maple, after being blown

Combs

There are good and bad combs for angora rabbits.  

Most people recommend a slicker comb and a wide tooth comb with stainless steel teeth.

The slicker comb not only removes any loose hair, but it also fluffs up the coat, making it more airy.  It is great for shows, but not for removing mats.  

Slicker comb

We bought  this poodle comb from Betty Chu for a very reasonable $5.00 at the West Coast Classic Show in May 2014.  This wide tooth comb is used on the sides, chest, and around the tail for any mats.  It is also very nice for fluffing up your rabbits at shows.

Poodle comb

Previously, we had been using a dread comb given to us by a nice breeder.  This comb will remove ALL the hair, whether or not it is ready.  We do not recommend it for general use.  However, if for some reason you need to remove all the wool from your rabbit, like due to heat or wool block, this would be the comb to use. 

Dread comb

The Advantages of Joining 4-H

When I learned what 4-H was, I thought it would be smart to join to learn about the rabbit I was raising.  Joining turned out to be a great idea. 

Why?

First, I had no idea how to actually handle my rabbit.  I obviously did not want to hurt my rabbit, and I didn’t want to scare him, either.  I learned how to support his body properly, how to check for ear mites, and how to check his teeth.

My first rabbit, Indy.  My sweetest rabbit unfortunately had a heart condition.  He passed away in June.

Because he was a French angora, I learned about wool block and how to treat it.  At one of the 4-H shows, I learned I was feeding him and my other rabbit the wrong feed.  Contrary to what a 4-H member told us, French angoras actually need a lower protein feed, about 15-16%, rather than the 18% I was feeding them.  

I also learned that I was over-plucking my rabbits.  

Ninja joined the rabbitry in November 2013, two days before Thanksgiving.

There are great opportunities for leadership, though I have not yet run for office.  I probably will next time elections are held.

In showmanship, which I was really afraid of, I learned how to show my rabbit properly and that it was really a lot of fun.  It is actually a health check that also helps me to identify better rabbits.    

Finally, I also really learn a lot at shows.  I get advice on feed and care.  If I have a new rabbit, I can take it and ask a 4-H leader to judge it, which has been really successful.