French Angora Rabbit 101: Part 2

Aside from our previous video, there is still some information you need to know about French Angora.


Housing.

It’s important to make sure that the base of the hutch is solid and not made out of wire to prevent sore hocks. Add a thick layer of bedding on the floor and spot clean as necessary with a complete weekly replacement.

In most cases, keeping one rabbit per hutch is the easiest way to avoid fights, unless they’ve been bonded at a young age. With wool breeds, such as French Angoras, housing them together can cause static when their wool rubs against each other, causing matting.

French Angoras can also be pastured on the ground in pens. However, if you’re keeping multiple rabbits, your space will have to be quite large to accommodate individual pens as this is the only way you can keep your rabbits from fighting. Furthermore, allowing French Angoras to come in contact with dirt and grass can lead to difficult grooming issues, making their coat useless.

Whether you decide to keep your rabbit indoors or out, make sure it has plenty of time outside its enclosure to play freely and interact. Your yard should be fenced and protected from other animals and neighborhood pets if you’re letting your rabbit roam around outside.


Health.

French Angoras need plenty of time outside of their enclosures with their human family to become well-socialized bunnies. Due to their thick, dense fur, French Angoras are most susceptible to wool block. Rabbits are clean creatures and as such, they groom themselves often. Rabbits tend to swallow a small amount of fur every time they groom themselves however unlike cats, they cannot regurgitate their wool.

The wool grows and grows inside their bellies, making them feel full or unable to eat. Symptoms of wool block include a loss of appetite, fewer droppings, and an overall less energetic bunny. Always keep an eye on how much your rabbit is eating and if you suspect your rabbit is experiencing a wool block, take them to your local veterinarian immediately.

Like other rabbits, Angoras also are at-risk for overgrown teeth, which can grow into their jaws and face, causing immense pain. A balanced diet consisting mostly of hay should be enough to prevent wool block, as well as overgrown teeth.

Does can be spayed when they are as young as 4 months, however, veterinarians tend to wait until the female rabbit is six months old just to be safe, the older they are, the less risk the surgery poses. Bucks can be neutered as young as 3 1/2 months old.

French Angoras can live up to an average of 7 to 12 years. You can expand your rabbit’s lifespan and improve its quality of life by neutering or spaying it. This reduces its risk of reproductive system complications.


Overheating.

French Angoras have stunning, dense wooly coats that help keep them and humans warm. However, this increases their risk of overheating in warmer months. Your rabbit may be overheating if it lays sprawled and is breathing rapidly. Its ears may also be red and warm. According to the Food and Agriculture of the United Nations, rabbit ears have a radiator effect.

The ideal temperature range for a French Angora is 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Never keep French Angoras in the hot sun. House your Angora indoors if temperatures go above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. You must also provide access to cool, shady areas for your rabbit to rest in.

It’s important to keep your French Angora well-groomed. The more wool they have on their bodies, the more likely they are to overheat in the summer. You can keep your rabbit cool by placing frozen bottles of water near its resting area.

French Angoras make good pets for people with some rabbit-keeping experience. They can also be used for breeding, showing, and wool production. Their calm and friendly nature, combined with their love for being handled and petted, makes them an excellent breed for people looking for an animal companion.


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