Just sharing ...

[dbunni]

Yesterday was grooming day ... my current BIS doe has decided to pop her coat ... time to pull and spin. But before letting go, i grabbed the camera and played. The background is a handmade rug (my Grandmother and I did it some 35+ years ago ... all the parts came from Sweden and it was hand worked and cut. Took us months to do).

Hope you enjoy ... not sure the coat is going to make it to the NYE show on Friday ... Bugger!

Little funny shot to start... couldn't resist!

now the wishes for motherhood! If she produces half of what she is ... OH Boy!!!

 

[DianeS]

Awesome photos! Talk about your original "pillow pet"...

Do you have plans for the fiber you spin? Anything special?

 

[dbunni]

Because of the awsome texture, I may save a couple ounces for the wool judgings at Nationals! Have won a competitions with the animals after pluck.. a neat way to prove they are not just pretty faces! she may give 6-8 ounces. have thought about carding with a nice fawn or black ...

 

[DianeS]

6-8 ounces from a single rabbit? Is that typical? I had no idea they could give that much at one time.

 

[KellyHM]

All I can say is wow. I didn't even know those existed. What is the name of the breed?

 

[tortoise]

Very nice!

@ Diane - wool weight is a measure of density (and length) but mostly density. It is a trait that can be (and is) selected in breeding.

My first generation French Angoras had wool weight on 1.75 - 2 ounces. My second generation is producing 4.0 - 4.5 ounces. I'm hoping to get even higher density and wool weights on my 2011 babies. Her rabbit has A LOT more wool than my second generations, so yup - 6 to 8 oz looks about right.

... that is the wool per shearing/plucking, which is done every 3 - 4 months.

Here is my 4.25 ounce wool weight @ 5 months old. It's a different breed (French) and has a little different coat texture. But you can see how much MORE wool her rabbit has than mine!


Penelope's Polly by Penelope's Rabbitry, on Flickr

 

[dbunni]

She is an English Angora. They are the softest of the Angoras. Very little guard hair in the texture. The average growth is 1/2 - 1" a month (with proper diet). This will be her first shearing... she has not had a set of scissors (or in this case a set of fingers for plucking) put to her yet .. she is 10 months old. The staple length of the coat, in the longest regions, is over 10"! Such an awsome coat ... and a body that is just lovely to match. She has been shown 6 times ... 6 BOBs, 1 BIS, 1 RBIS ... 2 honerable mentions. But mother natures says ... time to be a mommy! Actually her timing is great ... ARBA is in Indy next year! WhooHooo!

Side note ... the fawn EA doe in my avitar produces more in a shearing than a Giant Angora ... she is truly amazing!

 

[KellyHM]

She is an English Angora. They are the softest of the Angoras. Very little guard hair in the texture. The average growth is 1/2 - 1" a month (with proper diet). This will be her first shearing... she has not had a set of scissors (or in this case a set of fingers for plucking) put to her yet .. she is 10 months old. The staple length of the coat, in the longest regions, is over 10"! Such an awsome coat ... and a body that is just lovely to match. She has been shown 6 times ... 6 BOBs, 1 BIS, 1 RBIS ... 2 honerable mentions. But mother natures says ... time to be a mommy! Actually her timing is great ... ARBA is in Indy next year! WhooHooo!

Side note ... the fawn EA doe in my avitar produces more in a shearing than a Giant Angora ... she is truly amazing!

What does EA stand for?

Edit: Never mind, English Angora, duh.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

awe love her she is totally adorable!! love the french too!!

i have a doe and a buck english angora.

 

[savingdogs]

What would you consider to be the proper diet to grow a coat like that?
How much can you sell the fur for?