Snow and Holly
This page is desiged to assist other first time bunny owners. It’s under development- check back frequently for updates!
FAQ*
Do you clean a bunny? How so?
You don’t need to bathe rabbits, just trim soiled wool off, but
they can get messy in their vent area, and besides trimming them
close down there, you can keep peroxide in a spray bottle, spray
the soiled area and then blot with a white (not colored) paper towel.
Than, after blotting as much as possible, douse the area with cornstarch
baby powder, let it dry, then brush it out. This should remove most
of the stain and odor. Bucks always smell a little, it’s just their
nature.
Do they need veterinary care? Shots? Do we need to worry about fleas,
ticks, etc?
Bunnies don’t need shots, they can get fleas, in which case cat flea
powder or Advantage works well. They do get wool mites, or you can use
Ivermectin (for cattle, available at your local feed store) at .15 cc
per 5 pounds of weight, given it orally.
What kind of treats can you give the bunny?
The best treats for bunnies are dandelion leaves, parsley, cilantro,
carrot tops, plantain, clover, or grass, so long as they have not
been treated with chemicals. Lettuce is not the best thing for them,
actually, too watery and can cause loose stools. There are other good
treats as well, like fruit or rolled oats, just keep in mind to only
give a little bit of them. It is not best to hand-feed, as this could
encourage biting. Just put their treats on the floor of their cage or in their bowls.
What kind of food is best? Hay, pellets, greens?
Hay and pellets (rabbit pellets bought from a good feed store, not
the kind you get at a pet store) should be the staples of your
bunnies’ diet. Your bunns should eat about 3/4 cup of pellets and a
handful of hay per day. You can give the pellets at night and the hay
during the day. The best hay is grass based, with maybe a bit of
alfalfa or clover. Orchardgrass is q favorite, timothy is also a
good choice.
What is the best way to absorb urine? Cedar/pine shavings like a hamster?
Wood pellets seem to make the best bedding. They expand and drink
up something like 10 times their volume in moisture.
How do you process the wool to spin?
Processing the wool is an individual thing, some like to spin it
straight from the rabbit, some like to card it lightly or blend it with
wool.
What is the best weight to spin?
As far as weight goes, I (Jan) like to spin my singles thin, and then make as many
plies as will bring the yarn to the weight I want. But this is
something that’s easier to demonstrate than to explain.
Is there a wheel that is more useful with Angora?
It’s probably a matter of personal preference.
Do they need any tooth care?
They don’t need tooth care unless they’re having a problem. Their
teeth wear and grow continually.
Do they bite? Should you hand feed and if so what is the best way (open hand or in fingers)?
Hand feeding can encourage biting. They probably won’t bite unless being protective of the babies or uncomfortable.
How do you know if they are dehydrated?
If you pinch the skin at the nape of their neck, it will stay that way instead of bouncing right back if the bunny is dehydrated.
*Thanks to Janet Gruber of Jan’s Giants for the answers!
[...] Angora Bunnies [...]
I have a question, and this is the only way I found to ask you:
You say:
Then there is my faux entralac sock in leftovers from the baby sweater (not pictured on the blog yet). I actually finished that sock last night. It’s
Where can I get an entrelac sock pattern?
Christine