American Fuzzy Lop

[OctoberKitty]

A few weeks ago I was looking to purchase a new rabbit to fill the spot my lionhead girls left (died of old age). I ended up getting two bucks from the same seller. One was an American Fuzzy Lop that she no longer wanted and offered for free.

I was told she would shave him before we picked him up since she hadn't brushed him in awhile. When we arrived he was horribly matted and very scared. I let him settle in for a few days before taking scissors to him. He looks like his fur was styled by a two year old, but he's much more relaxed and happy now.

When his fur grows back and it's properly maintained can I use it for anything or should I just toss it to the birds?

 

[DutchBunny03]

Have fun with your new rabbits!! But be VERY CAREFUL. Your bucks will probably end up fighting, maybe to the death if you do not either bond or separate them(your best option is separating them. Bucks will most likely not be able to be bonded). For preventing more fur matts, you may want to invest in a couple good brushes. You can find some at Tractor Supply or Petsmart, or you could order them online. If you want to use the fur, you will have to pluck it. Cut fur has HORRIBLE ends. Plucking if done incorrectly can hurt the rabbit, so research a couple techniques before trying on your rabbit. But if plucked, you can definately use it for something.

 

[Bunnylady]

The Fuzzy Lop is like the Jersey Wooly - long haired for looks, rather than for utility. The ideal coat has enough guard hairs in it that it feels more like hair than like wool, and it really doesn't mat unless the animal is molting. Of course, bucks spraying urine all over the place means a certain amount will get back on them, and even a Rex can get matted if the hairs are glued together by dried urine.

The minimum length for wool on an AFL is 2 inches, which is awfully short for spinning. As long as it meets the minimum, that's all that matters, so you are unlikely to meet anybody that is working with anything longer than that. Of course, there are animals with really fluffy, cottony, "bad" coats; they still pop up.

If you want to try spinning it, you can; it is angora wool, after all. But chances are, it's going to be a bit on the short side; you may have to combine it with another type of fiber to get any kind of usable yarn from it.

 

[OctoberKitty]

@DutchBunny03 Thanks. I already had them in separate cages. I told my husband as soon as I arranged to pick them up that they could not be caged together. The second buck was an English Lop so the size difference would have been stressful enough without potential fights. Unfortunately, I just found the English dead the other day. He was under a year old and healthy so I'm assuming it was a heart attack.

I have brushes from my previous rabbits. They were cleaned and stored after my lionhead girls passed on. I actually said I wasn't going to get another long haired breed, but here I am. When I'm told the rabbit is free and unwanted and/or they'll be taken to be processed if I don't take them I crumble.

@Bunnylady I don't think he had been brushed since the previous owner shaved him earlier this year. He had a knot on his back large enough to rival a 2 week old kitten in size and dreadlock-like tangles hanging from his neck and belly.

His fur is really cottony and soft. It's really similar to what my lionheads' manes felt like.

I've never spun yarn. It sounds like it would be a headache to try with his fur so I might use it for mix media projects instead or leave it out for the birds.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Your English lop could have died from a heart attack, but there are other possibilities. Quarentine your other rabbit until you are absolutely sure what killed your English lop. Some diseases do not have visible symptoms.

 

[OctoberKitty]

I don't have any other rabbits and he has his own cage so that's no problem. I've been keeping an eye on him just in case.

 

[promiseacres]

sounds like he found a great home hope it works out.

 

[OctoberKitty]

Thanks

 

[DutchBunny03]

Germs can travel from the possibly infected rabbit to your fuzzy lop very easily if you do not wash your hands between handling things that touched your dead rabbit and touching your live rabbit. If your rabbit died from infection, that is. It may have been a genetic disorder, or a heart attack like you said before.

 

[OctoberKitty]

I had had them for three weeks without any issues. He was found dead the morning after my dogs went crazy in the kitchen. We've had the dogs in the kitchen with rabbits (in their cages) before without an issue, but they were unexpectedly crazy that night. He was the definition of health prior to that: active, playful, friendly, healthy appetite, clean face, bright eyes, easy breathing, healthy stool, etc.

I removed his body immediately after looking it over for any injuries or obvious infections, examined his cage for anything that may have killed him and checked his droppings. Then I removed my gloves, bagged them and put them in the bin outside, washed my hands and disinfected everything. As you said, you can't see everything that can kill a rabbit, but I did the best I could.

I've been watching the Fuzzy for a week now without signs of any possible illness. He's actually become more friendly and playful since I cleaned him up and he's always appeared healthy. Is there anything else I should do?