Angoras are intoxicating- most people want one when they see one. I have wanted one since I learned to knit and spin. I however was uneducated about them and didn't know what I was getting myself into. I read a bit about the different breeds but without the animals sitting in front of me I had a hard time understanding what the difference was.
I was lucky in finding Benzo. He came from a good breeder and his coat was in good condition when I got him. I made the mistake of putting him in a cage with open shavings. The shavings got in his coat and messed it up. I groomed him regularly because I enjoyed it- but I didn't have the right tools. A friend of mine who used to show angoras told me about a blower and I purchased hers because it was cheap and I figured she must have known what she was talking about. Blowing out his coat made a huge difference. The fibber was easier to spin and cleaner.
I wanted to add another Rabbit and I found Zany. I am guessing she was some sort of french or german mix. A family advertised her on CL and said that they and been offered her at a fair for free. They were very nice and attempting to take care of her- but they were not. When I first picked her up she felt fat- when I got her home I realized that her coat had matted to her skin. She did not just have a couple of mats- she was a sweater. The piece started to fall together to me. They had given me a bag of her stuff- in it was slicker brush. That is all they used to groom her- and the slicker brush didn't get into her fur - thus the sweater.
It took me several weeks to get her shaved down. It took multiple grooming sessions with various tools. I had to in list people to help me hold her where I got to some of her bad spots. It was a learning process for both of us. She got cut a bit- I got cut a bit. When her coat grew back in it was a lovely dense coat.
I think the only thing that saved me for making more mistakes- was knowing what I wanted in spinning fibber. I don't think that unless you spin you can understand what the fibber should look like and feel like.
This web page clearly ilustrates what can happen to angoras that are not take care of.
After experimenting with french, satin and giants the english angoras are the breed for me.
I was lucky in finding Benzo. He came from a good breeder and his coat was in good condition when I got him. I made the mistake of putting him in a cage with open shavings. The shavings got in his coat and messed it up. I groomed him regularly because I enjoyed it- but I didn't have the right tools. A friend of mine who used to show angoras told me about a blower and I purchased hers because it was cheap and I figured she must have known what she was talking about. Blowing out his coat made a huge difference. The fibber was easier to spin and cleaner.
I wanted to add another Rabbit and I found Zany. I am guessing she was some sort of french or german mix. A family advertised her on CL and said that they and been offered her at a fair for free. They were very nice and attempting to take care of her- but they were not. When I first picked her up she felt fat- when I got her home I realized that her coat had matted to her skin. She did not just have a couple of mats- she was a sweater. The piece started to fall together to me. They had given me a bag of her stuff- in it was slicker brush. That is all they used to groom her- and the slicker brush didn't get into her fur - thus the sweater.
It took me several weeks to get her shaved down. It took multiple grooming sessions with various tools. I had to in list people to help me hold her where I got to some of her bad spots. It was a learning process for both of us. She got cut a bit- I got cut a bit. When her coat grew back in it was a lovely dense coat.
I think the only thing that saved me for making more mistakes- was knowing what I wanted in spinning fibber. I don't think that unless you spin you can understand what the fibber should look like and feel like.
This web page clearly ilustrates what can happen to angoras that are not take care of.
After experimenting with french, satin and giants the english angoras are the breed for me.
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