ANGORA CARE
	Angoras are not just a rabbit for anyone. They require more care than the  
regular fur breeds. The main difference between a wool rabbit and 
a fur rabbit is that the wool rabbit needs grooming.

GROOMING
	The Angora rabbit needs groomed at least once a week. How often you groom the 
rabbit depends on the size of the coat (length), age of the rabbit, and the type of 
coat it has. 
	If the coat is long it needs more often grooming. The baby bunnies at just a 
month to a few months old usually need groomed more often than a 2 year old rabbit.
If the wool is soft and has very few guard hairs you will probably need to groom it 
more than once a week. If the wool is course and has a lot of guard hairs it may only
need to be groomed once a week.
	The tools I use for grooming are a slicker brush (same kind used for dogs and 
cats), a steel tooth comb, and a dog blower. The blower helps to keep the long show 
coats unmatted but does not replace brushing. The blower is not a necessity for 
grooming your rabbits. To replace an expensive dog blower you may
use a blow dryer on cool setting. Again you do not absolutely need a blower or 
blow dryer to groom an angora.
	WOOL BLOCK
	Wool block can kill even the healthiest rabbit. Woolblock is when the rabbit 
has injested wool that has not passed through the digestion system and causes a block 
in the stomach or the small intestine. To prevent this the rabbit should be groomed at
 least once a week. If you do have a blow dryer it will help to remove the
loose wool that causes woolblock. 
	Foods that contain enzymes sill help prevent and treat wool block. The enzymes 
will help break down the wool in the stomach or intestine. Do not use any canned or 
heated foods to treat wool block. Heating kills the enzymes. 
Here is a list of foods:
Pineapple: fresh Pineapple (not canned) or frozen pineapple juice . The pineapple 
juice can be diluted with some water and put in the water bottle or dish. Change the 	
water at least every 24 hours.
Papaya: Papaya tablets are sold in health food stores, and drug stores. You may also 	
give them fresh Papaya. I think the fresh papaya works better. I give them a 1 to 	
2” square piece at least once a week-sometimes twice a week. I don’t use the tablets 
because I don’t think they work as well.
Bananas: You can give the rabbit fresh bananas or even the peel.
Broccolli: The tops of the broccolli not the stem or leaves (just the floweretts).
Alfalfa hay:  You can also give them timothy hay 
Petromault: this is used for cat hairballs. Give them about an inch. They will get use 
to it and eat it right of the tube (and then beg for more!).
-- never give to much of these foods (if any at all) to babies under 3 months old.

Angora Information Books

The National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club guidebook.  If you join the NARBC you will 
recieve their angora guidebook and a quarterly newsletter. Both have lots 
of informaiton and are very helpful.

Completely Angora.   Written by Kilfoyle & Samson. Has lots of information on 
everything dealing with angoras. It is also very helpful to the experienced angora 
breeder or an angora pet owner.

Other books that are also helpful are:

The American Rabbit Breeders Club guidebook:   This is an all rabbit breed book. One 
of the most important things I find in this book is the easy to use list of almost 
every medical problem you could have with a rabbit, what causes the problem, 
prevention, and treatment. There is tons of info in it.
	If you join ARBA you get a Bi-monthly magazine with a complete list of shows, 
a year book that lists ARBA members and the breeds they raise, and the guidebook.

The House Rabbit Handbook, How to live with an Urban Rabbit: by Marinell   Harriman   
This book is helpful if you are looking foward to house training your rabbit.
	


Maple Leaf Rabbitry
JC’s Angoras
Jackie Carey
ed@epix.net