[nans31]

I have two angoras that I use for fiber. One is English/Satin, the other is French. I have had them for 4 and 2 months, respectively.

I ran out of the timothy hay that I had been feeding them last week, and went to buy more from the feed store. All the feed store carries are the "mini-bales" which only last my two bunnies about 1.5 weeks, and they cost $4.99 each!!! Where do I find larger amounts of timothy hay, or can I just give them any kind of hay?

Marcy

PS~For various reasons, I can't obtain timothy hay from the person that I got my last bale from.

Hi Laci! I have 3 Angora's now, so I know what you are going through! I understand that grass and oat hay are the ones that provide the roughage that is necessary to prevent woolblock. I get bales at a local ranch supply place. They have a wonderful variety. I'm not sure where you are, but I buy the hay at K Bar T Ranch in Cathlamet, WA. The normal "feed stores" don't carry the quality hay I look for.

Nan

 

[nans31]

We use regular grass hay with our angora's. We have never had any problems with woolblock. We do feed 18% too.

Nan-you must be pretty close to me. I'm in Rainier OR, across the border from Longview.

mljjranch

Hello! Yep, I'm in Rosburg, we are very close!! How many Angora's do you have? I'm new to them, have 3 now. One is 9 months, gentle as any rabbit I've seen. The other are 2 sisters just 10 weeks old, and are very skiddish. Do you notice that they mellow with age and handling, or is it just the temperments?

 

[nans31]

We should get together, so you fellow Oregonians can show me how to properly handle a bunny. My two bunnies are the first ones that I have had. I am kind of leery of them, which I know is BAD. One of my bunnies, they French Angora, the lady that bred and raised her (she is 11 mo old) said that she was bottle fed, and very tame and sweet, and she seemed to be, when I picked her up. The lady had me help her to shear the bunny. But, now, when I groom her, she won't hold still, she tries to hop away, and about a month ago, she actually BIT me (though I admit that she could have been mistaking a green logo on my shirt as lettuce, <grin>). Now, I am actually kind of scared of her. The other bunny, the English/Satin boy, is very sweet, but I can't seem to get his tummy groomed. He flips back over every time that I try to get him upside down to brush. I do, eventually get him groomed on his tummy, but it takes my hubby holding him, and me brushing, which is kind of a pain.

Marcy

I felt this way the first time I handled rabbits. I was afraid I would do something wrong. But, they are smart-- if you let them get away with something once, they'll try it again and again. You have to be firm, if she hops away from you, put her back on her carpet, or where ever she was at. I bunch them up a little, like with my hand on the face, and on the rump. They'll learn.
I am just starting to use the blower on my yound ones.They hop around and wont sit still, but I keep putting them back on the carpet.
Is there a 4-H program around you? I learned tons from a 4-H group when I got my first rabbit (mini-rex). maybe you could sit in on a class.
Nan