Wild bird seed for an angora? That doesn’t seem right…

[Lion_Lop_Lover]

I adopted a 7-8 month old English angora off of Kijiji today – was a ‘free’ girl who needed a home where she could ‘run around with other rabbits’ – well, I’m thinking that’s a bad idea…lol…since she’s not spayed.

Anyway, while the owner was somewhat savvy, she said Corona needs wild bird seed to eat in addition to pellets…and this strikes me as odd.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

[bunnytowne]

Never heard of that b4.  I do know angora’s need extra fiber and protein more than a non angora type rabbit. Cause of all the hair

There are angora rabbit groups on yahoo groups that could help you out with that.  Maybe the prev owner thought that cause of their extra need for those particular nutrients that I put above there.

We did have an angora owner here who goes by angora girl.  Haven’t heard from her in a while but she is around.

 

[Beka27]

i believe you can supplement with some alfalfa hay in addition to timothy. the added calories can help them since they expend more energy (i’m guessing?) producing the wool. i would absolutely not do any seeds. those can cause impactions.

[Scarlet_Rose]

I agree with Beka 100%, no nuts or seeds for the rabbit, they can cause an impaction. I know there are some special dietary things that need to be done and I *believe* it is that they need additional nutrients like from alfalfa hay and also more fiber period to help pass fur. They also need to be groomed daily to prevent the ingestion of too much fur.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ditto-she may have heard that from the breeder she got her from, and breeders do supplement with seeds and stuff…but I don’t think it’s safe

[jerseygirl]

Could the breeder>or previous owner fed bird seed for the oils. Totally guessing, but I’m thinking the oils would make the coat shinier for showing or improve wool quality if they are selling the angora wool?

Edit to add: Congrats of your new furbie!  I won’t ask how you’ll manage as I figure you just will! lol

Also, could owner have let her “run around with other rabbits” at some time?  Not now, but she wants her to have company again?  Be prepared her already being pregnant!……….itty bitty baby angoras etc……..sheesh!

[Lion_Lop_Lover]

Yeah, I knew the bird seed thing must be false; because I have never ever heard of that…

I’m hoping she hasn’t been around other bunnies….oy. lol.

I shall post pics sometime today lol.

[wendyzski]

I seem to recall reading that angoras need additional protein in their diets to produce all that hair, but I don’t remember how it was recommended that they get it.

[clevername]

birdseeds, like oats and barley are high in fiber and fat content. They are a necessary supplement for angora rabbits because it causes them to release their coat for harvest. Some angora exhibitors like feeding them to their rabbits also because it thicken the coat and keeps the fiber moving continuously through a molt.

I have never heard of or experienced impactions due to seed supplements. They CAN be quite fattening though, so keep an eye out.

[jerseygirl]

Yay, a knowlegable Angora owner! Good to know the reason regarding the seeds etc. So ‘releasing their coat’ is for the wool to spin? Do they also need to do this for their health? I remember reading something about them overheating with such a thick coat……..but could be way off!
By the way clevername, is that and English Angora on your website emblem? I really like the image!

[msarro]

Just curious, if oats and barley have high fiber and fat content, why not use them instead of seeds? Both of my bunny vets (reccomended by the house rabbit society) have warned to NOT feed rabbits seeds under any circumstances…

[clevername]

Yep birdseed and oats will trigger a natural molt. When a molt is established the fur can be plucked without harming the rabbit. I actually have a guide on my blog for angora owners.

http://heorotrabbitslog.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-pluck-angora.html

 

People who show angora also try to  “move the coat” by feeding these items. Doing so amplifies the feeling of density in their coat. When a rabbit molts, it’s new coat will push the old out of the hair foilcle. If you refrain from plucking right away the two coats will exist together and will feel very thick.

 

Angora rabbits do need to be taken out of coat periodically for health reasons. When they molt the fur is easy to ingest, so angora raisers need to provide their rabbits with tons of fiber ( hay, birdseed, oats, barley) before harvests. Whenever I think a rabbit could use a break I collect  the fiber (through plucking or shearing) and then replace their entire meal for the day with a mess of hay and oats to clean their system of any stuck hair.

 

The angora wool is actually 7 times warmer than sheep’s wool so in the summer months its best to keep them in an air conditioned environment or shear them down.

 

My avatar is of a Satin Angora kit (a rarer breed), but I keep English Angora as well. I just love them!

[clevername]

Posted By msarro on 01/02/2009 6:46 AM
“Just curious, if oats and barley have high fiber and fat content, why not use them instead of seeds? Both of my bunny vets (reccomended by the house rabbit society) have warned to NOT feed rabbits seeds under any circumstances…”

Because for the same reasons oats and barley are just as bad as seeds. They are very fatty but are fine in moderation. Seeds in bulk can inhibite protein absorbtion too, but  (like oats and barley) you shouldn’t be providing them all the time.

 

I have several rabbit textbooks (including a veternary textbook)  that all state that seeds are fine in moderation. I use a bunny trail mix (1 part sunflower seeds, 1 part barley, 1 part oats) that really does the trick to trigger that molt. It is also a very good thing to have on hand if your bunny gets wool block and goes off pellets.

[jerseygirl]

Thanks clevername! Oh, i meant the drawing on your blog I guess. I never would have guessed your avatar rabbit was and angora breed but as you can probably tell, I don’t know much about them – lol.

[clevername]

Posted By jerseygirl on 01/02/2009 7:15 AM
“Thanks clevername! Oh, i meant the drawing on your blog I guess. I never would have guessed your avatar rabbit was and angora breed but as you can probably tell, I don’t know much about them – lol.”

 

Oh yea, my bad. Yes the  angora on my blog is an English. They are one of the fluffier varieties.

 

[BinkyBunny]

I have no idea when it comes to angoras specifically, but I do know they may need specific dietery requirements that are slightly different than the normal spayed/neutered house rabbit. As far as what our site recommends for those, of course you can find in the diet page and seeds and nuts are discouraged for the average house rabbit.

I am sure we can all find sites and books that will support what we encourage or discourage for care. It will be up to you to decide this about the seeds. And since again, I have no idea about Angoras, you may need to seek out sites the specifically cater to that breed to find the right information for them.  

[KatnipCrzy]

I have tried to look into this also- there is no info in the textbooks that I have that address the specific needs of Angoras.  All of the information that I was able to find online was breeders recommendations of what they do for their personal rabbits, I really was not able to find a veterinary or veterinary nutritionist source that suggests how the Angora’s diet should be supplemented.  And what I am also wondering is if you are going to follow a wool production schedule for Corona?  If not, some of the exacting dietary needs to maintain body temp, regrow hair, etc may not factor into Corona’s daily routine.  Does an owner have to have a schedule for wool production?  Can the rabbit just be maintained as a pet without harvesting the wool as often?  I couldn’t really find the answer to that easily- as the websites were focused on breeding, raising, harvesting wool, and maybe not so much to the owner of a single Angora.

 

[clevername]

http://home.pacbell.net/bettychu/care.html

This is Betty Chu’s site one of the best angora exhibitors in the country. I like a lot of the advice she has to give.

I’ve been looking through my rabbit care library and my major books (stuff reserved for vets and serious rabbit keepers) back up the oats and “sunflower seeds are okay and even good in moderation” thing. However my pet bunny guides are listing these things as “never feed” items. My gut says these books are playing it safe and counting on the fact that some rabbit owners have no idea what moderation is—but that’s just my theory.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Its definitiely hard to know for sure! When one good source says it’s OK/good and one good source says No way! That’s one of the hardest things I find about keeping rabbits=the mishmash of info out there.

I think the seeds and stuff probably have excellent oils etc and would be healthy-however they can occaisionally cause impaction-probably the reason for one source saying they are great and one saying no way….and honestly at the end of the day-it’s a tough decision to make!

So yes, no help from me! I’m on the ‘fence’ so to speak I guess! I don’t feed mine seeds because of said risk of impaction though

[clevername]

Posted By KatnipCrzy on 01/02/2009 10:21 PM

“And what I am also wondering is if you are going to follow a wool production schedule for Corona?  If not, some of the exacting dietary needs to maintain body temp, regrow hair, etc may not factor into Corona’s daily routine.  Does an owner have to have a schedule for wool production?“

Yes and no. Since you may not be interested in  the fiber there is no reason to wait for an angora’s coat to reach a certain length. However that coat will just keep growing if you don’t cut or pluck it back and angora rabbits NEED to be taken out of coat periodically.

If you choose to pluck, you will need to be in control of the fur growth cycles. If you shear, you won’t.

Plucking has the benefit of leaving a new coat behind so the rabbit isn’t without a barrier from the cold. It generally looks nicer and the new coat from plucked rabbits will contain more guard hairs….not good for showing, but nice for pet owners because the coat will mat less and be easier to groom between pluckings.

Shearing leaves less coat behind and requires a steady hand. Angora skin is thin and delicate, so do be careful (maybe keep steptic powder on hand). You will not need to control molt cycled for this method, however.

  “Can the rabbit just be maintained as a pet without harvesting the wool as often? “

nope. the wool will grow at the same rate, if anything she may need to take the bunny out of coat more often, because a short coat is the easier to groom.

“I couldn’t really find the answer to that easily- as the websites were focused on breeding, raising, harvesting wool, and maybe not so much to the owner of a single Angora.”

I hear ya. However, most angora raisers/breeders are quite outspoken about angora care. Sometimes you just need to ask one directly.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

LOL Wow that’s informative! I have to say sounds like a lot of work to me, think I’ll be sticking to short haired buns! Although, they are soooo cute!

Saw this one on disapproving rabbits,
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GU66E0eJoyA/SSTLgbrKk7I/AAAAAAAACJY/_9fGS7tMHt4/s1600-h/DSCI0260.jpg
(And that’s the last time you mistake her for a throw pillow!)

[jerseygirl]

Posted By clevername on 01/02/2009 7:01 AM

Yep birdseed and oats will trigger a natural molt. When a molt is established the fur can be plucked without harming the rabbit. I actually have a guide on my blog for angora owners.

Just a Qu on this.  This would cause a natural molt in all rabbits?  Or just Angoras?  I give my rabbit a small portion of rolled oats, sunflower seeds and pepitas as a treat everyday.  Probably a pinch of oats, 5-7 sunflower seeds and 3-5 pepitas on average.  I do notice my rabbits molting never quite ends.  It seems to lessen then turns into a light molt again very quickly.  Could I be contributing to this?

[bunnytowne]

OH great thanks for the sites.  One day I will have my Angora.   Right now I think my 2 are enuf. 

Ruby looks more like a jersey wooley than a lionhead.  I groom her nearly every day.

I see hair sticking out on her like that pic on the websites of a rabbit ready to pluck.  I have pulled out lots of loose hair from her the other day.

Can’t wait for that hairbuster come to get here. Hope it works.

 

[clevername]

Posted By jerseygirl on 01/06/2009 9:55 PM

Posted By clevername on 01/02/2009 7:01 AM

Yep birdseed and oats will trigger a natural molt. When a molt is established the fur can be plucked without harming the rabbit. I actually have a guide on my blog for angora owners.

Just a Qu on this.  This would cause a natural molt in all rabbits?  Or just Angoras?  I give my rabbit a small portion of rolled oats, sunflower seeds and pepitas as a treat everyday.  Probably a pinch of oats, 5-7 sunflower seeds and 3-5 pepitas on average.  I do notice my rabbits molting never quite ends.  It seems to lessen then turns into a light molt again very quickly.  Could I be contributing to this?

Yes this mixture can cause a molt in all rabbits. So there is a possibliity your small amount of daily oats and seeds are keeping your rabbits in a continuos molt.

I keep a couple Silver Fox rabbits as well and I have to be careful about giving these items as a treat. Sunflower oil makes the coat look and feel wonderful but if I trigger a molt all their “silvering” falls out.

[jerseygirl]

Ah-ha! Well I may have to find alternative treats and observe what happens. Thing is, she ASKS for them all the time! I will have to be strong.

[clevername]

I don’t see any harm in providing these items once in awhile. If a rabbit is already in a molt I’ll give a good bit of these things to speed up the process. Besides, as I already said, the oil in the sunflower seeds is great for the new coat.

[Author]

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