Shearing rabbits…
If you ever come by at Waitomo don’t miss the Shearing Shed. Three lovely ladies showed us how angora rabbits get sheared. They acually get strapped up and turned around as you see on the picture. I really enjoyed this presentation – it was kind of funny as well as quite interesting, especially since I like working with wool… maybe you will later find some stoffres.de made of wool from the Shearing Shed in Waitomo!?
For more information on the Shearing Shed check:
http://www.waitomo-museum.co.nz/newwebpages/isshed.htm
February 16th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
I have anangorarabbit myself at11 months old. This shearing looks scary. I wouldn’t like to have my rabbit strapped down on a table.
Regards,
Fliss
March 30th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
i dont think the rabbits would like this very much, i hope they are gentle with them as the picture looks quite rough
April 1st, 2007 at 10:35 am
THIS IS A DISGRACE!!!!YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED!!THIS IS ANIMAL CRUELTY, I MEAN, TIEING UP A LIVING THING AND ROTATING IT JUST TO GET ITS FUR IS CRUEL AND DISGUSTING!!IT LOOKS LIKE A LAMB ON A SPIT BUT ITS WORSE BECAUSE IT IS ALIVE.MAYBE SOMEONE SHOULD TIE YOU UP LIKE THAT AND SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT!!!YOU CRUEL PEOPLE!!!! =(
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:35 am
To Fliss, Laura and bron and everyone else being upset about this picture: I have to admit that I was a bit shocked myself when the Ladies of the Sharing Shed in Waitomo started to strap them – but as I was right there and could even touch the rabbits I really can say that the rabbits seemed not to be afraid so much. The Ladies care very much and are gentle with the rabbits. In fact, angora rabbits HAVE TO BE SHARED 3-4 times a year (see for example: http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/angora-care.shtml).
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:57 pm
calm down everyone
Do you have a feather pillow? down coat? down conforter???
do you use leather for shoes, belts, purses, coats?
Do you use wool? have you ever seen a sheep being shorn? it gets done, some people are better at sheering than others, some animals tolerate it better than others, and when they get too old to make “good ” wool they are used for ‘other’ things. It’s all kind of cruel–there is no twinkle dust that makes the use of animals Perfedt and guilt free.
April 3rd, 2007 at 7:03 pm
this looks pretty reasonable to me! How else to you get a rabbit to stay stil,l to be shorn without getting slashed up? ? have you ever tried to handle a rabbit???? would you guys rather they kill it to get it to stay still?
July 17th, 2007 at 3:49 am
IT IS CRUEL TO ANIMALS (RABBITS) WHY DO YOU BUY THIS RABBIT IF YOU DON’T LIKE ALL THE HAIR ON IT THEN DON’T GET 1 GET A RABBIT WITH HAIR THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CUT!!!!! IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND HAVE AN ANGORA RABBIT AND ARE THINKING OF DOING THIS WELL DON’T IT IS CRUEL TO THEM AND MAY HURT SOMTIMES!!! IF YOU DISAGREE ITH ME WELL THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM BUT NEXT TIME YOU DO THIS THINK HOW MUCH IT WILL HURT YOUR RABBIT!!!!
August 26th, 2007 at 1:51 am
My wif and I sheer our angora. She got so matted up that she was miserable and over heated.. We are doing small parts each week to get the mat out and she is already a happier bunny. For those of you whining above, please tell us if you actually own an angora and understand the upkeep they require to be healthy.. Did you know that if you do not sheer and maintain thier hair they can die from ingesting it? Do you actually own rabbits or are you just one of those mindless robots from the terrorist organization called PETA?
September 5th, 2007 at 2:15 am
I have angora rabbits that i shear and all of my rabbits sit quietly while i do it. True, angora rabbits do need to be sheared as they do not shed and the fur tends to irritate them. However, the best way to do this is to establish a good relationship with your rabbits so they feel comfortable with you and do not try to run away when you get out the clippers. Animals should all be treated as wonderful, feeling, thinking, creatures and not as a pure source of profit.
October 13th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Darleen don’t be so harsh no one would ever be so cruel as to kill a rabbit for fur and its illegal anyway. I’ve got a rabbit and he stays perfectly still while i clip his nails and is quite easy to handle. Fliss, Laura and bron i agree with you it looks really mean to strap down a rabbit but if they didnt do it then the rabbit might get overheated and ill.
Angel
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:32 am
You need to clip your rabbits it’s true besides wool block heat stroke is another threat to an angoras health therefore they must be shorn. Theese animal rights perople can mind their own buissness it is cruel! and If you dan’t strap they run off the table and get cut up.
December 4th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Dude, they’er shaving it, not killing it.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
to bron: your comments are EXTREMELY ignorant! animals that produce fiber MUST be shorn. not shearing a fiber animal is neglect and cruelty. using restraints is one of the safest ways to shear an animal as they are immobilized and cannot make any sudden movements and accidentally be cut!
December 17th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
It is irresponsible to buy any animal fibres from an unknown source, as many animals are handled overly roughly during shearing, given poor housing/hygiene, and otherwise abused or neglected. HOWEVER, it is also irresponisble to keep such an animal without shearing him (or her) for his own health. We often have to put our pets through seeming torture (injections, anal thermometers) to ensure their well-being, and yet these things are truly for their good. The key is to maximize the animal’s comfort and overall wellness, and minimize his discomfort. To me, what is being done in that photo doesn’t seem terribly cruel, if it is in the context of an otherwise comfortable, well-attended life.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
I do, however, contest the idea that PETA is a terrorist organisation, or its members are mindless. In fact, it is those who thoughtlessly consume who seem mindless to me. I have never sought to cause trouble for another; in fact, I feel that it is very important to be aware of the full and far-reaching consequences of one’s actions, and to be mindful that those actions do not cause undue or avoidable harm to anything in our complex world. I challenge you to find the wrong in that.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:29 am
I have just finished clipping my two angora rabbits. Salt and Pepper have been members of my household for almost 9 months this is their second shearing. Unfortunately I let pepper go 6 months between His first and second shearing so that his coat was quite a bit longer than it should have been allowed to get. His silver grey fur is gorgeous but it was matted in places and he was terrified. I got scratched up and bitten by this ordinairily sweet, calm creature who lives in my home. I want to care for my rabbits the best way possible for their health and comfort. If I had had an alternative to the trauma pepper and I went through I would have used it. A wrestling match with a rabbit is losing proposition. Will some one please tell me how to humanely restrain a rabbit for shearing ?
August 15th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I am a handspinner and have raised angoras for 20+ years. If the wool is not removed every 18-24 weeks the rabbit will eventually die from ingesting loose hair. Rabbits can only groom themselves by licking. Rabbits are also physiologically incapable of vomiting, i.e., what goes in their mouth better go out the other end, or else the rabbit becomes impacted with all that hair and dies a slow miserable death.
Certainly more ‘inhumane’ than a ‘haircut’, restrained or otherwise!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Wow someone needs to calm down. First of all look at the rabbits face its not difficult to see when they are terrified. The rabbits eyes are not wide showing the whites. Also if you restrain the rabbit properly it won’t hurt and prevent injury. We all know that some animals can be more touchy when its time to groom. Like my poodle when she goes to the groomers she is such a ninny despite knowing the people very well and needs to be held so that the clippers don’t nick her. Don’t get me started at bath time we do not know why she doesn’t like water we were very careful at a young age to get her to like baths but she hates them. I can understand how this picture may shock some but really I see it no crueler than a shot or expressing a dogs anal glands. As some angora rabbit owners stated it is needed to shear the rabbit for its health. I work at a rescue ranch and have worked with abused animals do not fear for these pampered rabbits.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
My daughter is raising angora rabbits. She brushed them at least twice a week. This removes their loose hair. What can she do with this hair that is collecting in ziplock bags? Is brushing them enough or should we consider trimming them?
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:35 am
I agree that the restraints are somewhat alarming in appearance, namely because it does look similar to a certain medieval torture device known as “the rack”. However, this restraint is clearly not being used to pull the animal’s joints out of socket. It is being used to keep it from hopping around while it is being shorn. I agree that it does look bad, but if it was actually harmful to the rabbit, I can’t imagine they would be doing it, much less in front of tourists. Don’t rabbits squeal when they are really upset? Who would gather around to watch a rabbit “strung up” and squealing while it’s hair gets cut off? No one in that room would ever buy angora wool again, and that’s certainly not the Shearing Shed’s goal.
It is true that one should check one’s sources carefully when buying animal products, but with an animal as small as a rabbit, and considering how much angora wool actually costs, wouldn’t it also be bad business sense for a company to hire workers who would handle their animals roughly, taking a risk of injuring them? I agree that sometimes businesses make bad decisions regarding things like these, but I should think that a well-to-do farm would want their shearers to handle these animals as delicately as possible, for financial, if not ethical, purposes.
I’m not saying there aren’t places where animals such as these are abused, and I think it’s horrible that it happens. These are just my own musings on the topic.
October 6th, 2008 at 4:48 am
to kevin!!!
yeah i have a angora rabbit and i have to brush him every day almost just to keep his hair from matting, but it still mats! and i dont have to tie him up to cut his fur! do you tie up your rabbit to cut his fur? and also when you said PETA is a terrorist organization you are very uneducated and maybe you shouldnt own animals if you think that ,because all PETA is trying to do is stop the abuse of animals!!! is that so wrong!!!!!!! PETA is NOT A TERORIST ORGANISATION SO DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE YOU START BASHING!
sincerly,
dedicated animal rights activist!!!!
November 15th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Poor Bunny! However, if that’s the only way to restrain the rabbits without cutting them… I don’t think PETA is a terrorist organization, I think they often bring to light acts of cruelty that no empathic person would want another living being to go through. That being said, I don’t have any problem with eating meat, using wool or angora hair, etc., as long as the animals are treated with compassion. For example, I only buy my dairy from a local farmer who treats the animals well. We’ve visited the farm, and the animals graze in local meadows and seem very healthy. However, inherent in farming is a certain level of cruelty – when you kill a chicken, for example, to eat it. At least we have standards to try to minimize their suffering, whereas in the wild often animals suffer a great deal more.
If I had an angora rabbit, I would try to form a relationship with the animal so it would allow me to shear it without having to restrain it. However, if a particular animal was too shy, etc., I think it would be better to restrain it than to let it get sick and die. I suppose in a commercial operation they have too many rabbits to form a bond with them, which is sad, but as long as they take good care of them – keep them in clean conditions with enough room for them and give them quality food – then there is no basis for complaints. They are such cute little things, I would imagine no would want to make them suffer unnecessarily.
November 21st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I used to have an angora bunny myself, as well as many other breeds…from the picture, the rabbit looks very calm and not bothered by the shearing at all. I wouldn’t know, because I wasn’t there, but his expression doesn’t look afraid.
The best way to take care of your angora’s fur is to brush it in the first place so you won’t have to shear off the matts, but I’ve heard that they also shed their fur naturally every 4 months – so you can just pluck it out rather than shearing.
I’m unsure of the conditions on commercial angora wool farms, but the one pictured hardly looks cruel to me.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
Wow….I actually thought that was a pelt at first! But, after reading the article, I can understand both sides.
It is true that there are some people who are able to form bonds with their animals that are strong enough to allow complete and total trust. This is very true. However, one must also take into consideration the idea that all animals are different too. Angora rabbits have the same basic instincts, but each one has its own unique-ness about him or her. This is the same for all other animals. Take my bird, a nanday conjure by the name of Zach. Zach, wrongfully named by her previous owners due to a gender-identity mistake, is a rescue bird. Although she has an extremely close bond with me, and there is a deep sense of trust between the two of us, when we take her in to get trimmed and clipped, old, unfortunate experiences are remembered, and she reacts to those memories.
I am not saying that a rabit has to be restrained due to abuse or neglect earlier in its life. What I AM saying is that, due to one instance or another, some animals need to be physically restrained while procedures like shearing are done. It simply depends on the individual animal.
And as for PETA, I don’t think their WHOLE organization is bad. However, I live in South Dakota, and on a State level, PETA has done some horrible things in order to “see progress”. They have planted evidence, raised false alarms, stolen, and assaulted some of the local farmers here, among other things. I am not saying that the entire organization is like this, but on a State level, what they have done has ruined the livelihoods of some of the locals.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
this is how we shear alpacas on a table also. it may look bad, but i have tryed to shear them standing up and that is not good for the aminal or me.
i have also tryed to shear alpaca on the ground and i does work but it takes much longer and when i takes longer it puts more stress on the animal.
i sheared with a shearing table last year and it is wonderful as the animal is secure and safe.this let me shear in a minimal amount of time and do nails ,shots and teeth.
i also have angora and would like to know more about this table.
thanks
terra
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Hi Terra, I do not know about this table, but you might want to contact the Sharing Shed and you could try it here: http://www.waitomoinfo.co.nz/newwebpages/isshed.htm or here: http://www.weblognz.com/20030412054755743.htm. Good luck!
December 1st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Even if the animal was being exploited solely to get wool, why would they string it up if the detriments outweighed the benefits? This would put the animal under stress and possibly harm it. Animals which are stressed produce less. Harmed animals may die, and therefore produce nothing. By hurting the animal they would be hurting themselves. Further, these women don’t sound like they’re straight up business types – they seem like rabbit fanciers who happen to shear their buns this way. As a rabbit owner myself, you can tell when rabbits are terrified. Plus, they rarely sit still. They are prey animals – hardwired to take off the second something alarms them. Even a well domesticated bun is rarely a cuddly animal, let alone an animal that will sit perfectly still while being sheared. Its better they be slightly uncomfortable to keep from getting cut than bolt off of a table, potentially breaking bones or gouge themself on the razor.
The reason why many people insinuate that PETA members are mindless is because they just see farmers as evil without considering the matter further. They don’t realize that certain things must be done to promote the animals health and well being – kind of like the ones who say milking cows is evil and then never do any research on mastosis.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:55 am
This is appalling! You people should be ashamed of yourselves! I mean seriously, I have seen some terrible things, but this takes the cake! Doesn’t anyone know how to spell anymore? Penny- it’s not “organisation” it’s organization, Kelly- it’s not “ith” it’s with, WITH!!!!!!! Don’t you people have spell check?!
January 27th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
omg ! i dont know but this realli upsets me rabbits arnt sheep and should be left alone !!! this is horable
its so mean =’[
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 am
Oh my god I can’t believe people do this …all of this is cruelty … you could do it from a different wAY not like that …. Put yourself in the rabbit’s shoes ugh!! it’s a living thing …it’s like a human tide up on a table…
March 5th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Hi, I have been interested in Angora rabbits for a couple of years now because I am a hand spinner, knitter, and crocheter, and looking into weaving. Okay, to address the main topic of discussion, yes this looks horrible at first glance. I consider it extremely important to treat animals with the same respect I treat my children and get nauseous when I hear about someone being cruel to an animal. This is not cruelty. This is basic maintenance of an animal’s health in the safest way possible for the animal.
For Natalie: So it’s okay to shear a sheep, but not a rabbit? What’s the difference?
For Jessy: I have had to put my son in that rabbits shoes. He fell down at the park and had to get two stitches in his chin when he was 2 years old. Ever try to give stitches to a two-year-old? Two nurses and I had to hold him down on the table so the doctor could put the stitches in. I cried more than he did. What else should I have done? If that rabbit isn’t shaved it WILL die. Bottom line.
March 13th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Ok you guys are gonna hate me but here goes. I raise several types of rabbits for fur and food (my angoras exculded from the food part) my 8 breeders are pets that are loved, fed , and housed very well. To anyone that is upset over a rabbit being shorn I would ask : Where does your clothing come from ? did you make it ? where does your food come from ? did you raise it ? Do you know anything about how it got to your supermarket? Or how it was treated and what chemicals/enhancers were used ? No you dont , but you baught it anyway. I am so tired of all these people who do nothing to produce what they consume and yet still have the gaul to critcize those who produce food and cloths for them. To all those who do nothing but consume (yea thats means you bron and kelly) I say step up or butt out. These things need to happen. They are part of the natural progression of life and stopping it is true cruelty. If everyone had to be self sufficent there would be no false cries of “animal cruelty” and we would not be having this discusion!
March 26th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
omg i was looking at wierd and random animals as im bored doing revision and i found this rabbit its the coolest thing i have ever seen seriously dont shave the animal its part of the animals nature it didnt need to be shaved when we did own them so why should it be shaved now.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:56 am
I don’t understand why they shave them to harvest; they could just “pluck” their molting fur, and does not hurt them at all. and it wouldnt take as long to grow all that fur back.
(but ppl do get their angoras shaved in the summer b/c they tend to overheat with all that wool)
April 21st, 2009 at 4:00 am
to everyone who’s been freaking out over a rabbit being shaved:
you use shampoo?? soap? nail polish? wear leather, eat rice, eat food??? all these things are made and processed WITH HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS DYING IN THE PROCESS. Many cosmetics use animal by-pass products or derived products, many products use animals as testing subjects ( about 90% of the industry) where they basically torture animals just to make YOUR everyday products ‘people friendly’. So before you start bashing a rabbit being shaved (and forgetting if you dont shave or clip them the hair becomes matted and painful for the rabbit), remember you are participating in a much more gruesome role.
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:22 am
How much you wanna bet that the ppl saying shearing rabbits is cruel are vegetarians??
I had an angora rabbit and he had so many mats, I wish I could of sheared him. Since it’s getting to be summer, I’m sure they’re more comfortable without all that wool on. Imagine wearing a wool coat in the summer, then you’ll be in their shoes.
The picture looks scary because the rabbit is all curled up, not necessarily because he’s in pain. I’m sure being tied up is uncomfortable, but dying of heat stroke is even worse.
See what I’m saying?
April 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Shearing is obviously cruel. It distresses the rabbit, and I’m sure no shearer can say they have never nicked a rabbit while shearing. (I certainly nick myself while shaving enough!) To alleviate the problem of matting, the fur could be pulled out by hand, or in more severe cases, cut carefully with scissors. Why are they sheared? Because Angora rabbits are an industry. The people at the Shearing Shed need all the hair they can get off their rabbits, so they use the method that gets the most hair off the rabbit. They want the quickest, most effective method- not the best method for the rabbit
But I my argument is not that the rabbits should not be sheared, but that people should not use them for their purposes at all. Angora rabbits only exist because there are consumers who are willing to buy animal products. If this market did not exist, humans would not have bred rabbits with such excessive fur that needs such intense care. There would be no problem with animal cruelty!
Animal cruelty is not part of the “natural progression” of life. Yes, I am a consumer, but a compassionate, educated one. I understand that someone slaughters the pig that becomes the bacon in my supermarket, and that is why I do not buy it.
To Cassandra: No, it’s not ok to shear a sheep. They have it even worse off than the rabbits!
To Mia: No, I do not own any items with leather, feathers, or wool.
I agree there is no magic dust to make the use of animals completely cruelty free… so let’s stop using animals!!
And on an unrelated note, To Jpo: not everyone uses the American spelling of “organization!”
August 2nd, 2009 at 7:57 am
That is the best read i have had in a long time. Some very funny ideas there. But what next – distressed cows from milking, emotionally scared chickens from egg thefts, The horror of bug breeding for chickens food. Come on – have a look in Nature – most predators are not worried about killing their prey before eating it! By advice use things in their rawest form – unprocessed milk, fruits, fish, vegetables and hay just skin the rabbit and wear it! Pick on people who are cruel to animals – shearing a rabbit give me a break – where are you from, a city in the USA – go live on a farm if you really care – then you may find yourself getting the job done.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I think this video does a better job of explaining the process than the posted picture. After watching this, I felt that the rabbits in question were being treated very well. The picture is quite shocking, but the process is really much more humane than it looks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4Z2PJZ21Y
However, if you prefer to hand shear, then this video may be a better resource.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8Ba5e9qf
Regards,
Jason
October 25th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I am astounded at the naivete of those of you who think you are all-intelligent and all-compassionate about the well being of these animals. So it is true these animals (sheep, rabbits, goats, etc) have been bred to have more fiber and wool to supply us with necessary fabric but did you ever consider how cruel it would be to leave the fiber on them? I dare you to wear your winter clothing- hat, gloves, boots, clothing and coat in the heat of the summer. Would you enjoy that? I wouldn’t guess so. Also, to those of you who are crying cruelty about the people who tether their bunnies to shear, did you know that if that wasn’t done it is a possibility the bunny could panic and break its own back? Even though it looks barbaric it is for the animal’s safety and I can just bet the animal feels a heck of a lot better naked. Make sure if you say you are educated, you are so. And if you say if you are compassionate, be so. Honestly people! If you want to stand for a cause, make sure it is a cause that needs support… go after the breeders who don’t correctly handle their animals, the owners who neglect their animals, who abuse their animals, who don’t correctly care for their animals. Let us be for education and empowerment, as well as empathy and support. Not yelling and complaining because others may have a different purpose than you do. We each play a part. Which part are you, what is your purpose?
November 28th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I have several Angora rabbits and am currently a year away from receiving my LVT, and I can tell you with upmost certainty that Angoras can easily be sheared without strapping them down, and I agree that this method of harvesting their wool is shocking and cruel.
Yes, Angoras need to be sheared or plucked 3 or 4 times a year, however this can easily be achieved by simply letting the rabbit lay on a table or in your lap. Shearing alone poses a risk of injury; plucking, however, is simply pulling tufts of already loose fur out of the rabbit’s coat, which does not harm the animal at all, nor poses any uncomfort. However, rabbits are extremely delicate animals, and by tying them up as such just to shear them, they could easily dislocate or break a limb, or worse.
I currently own a 1 and a half year old French Angora who still has all the energy he had when I first got him at 8 weeks. With a few treats and some much deserved forehead-rubs, even he lays calmly on a table while he receives his haircuts.
Yes, there is much animal cruelty in our world today, however, my point in this reply is simply to, hopefully, let everyone know that there are easier, humane ways to harvest an Angora’s wool.
December 24th, 2009 at 7:12 am
I have 2 Angora rabbits and use them for wool. They LOVE to be brushed and cliped, but I have to say, I don’t do it like this!! This looks a bit on the mean side. May want to take this pic down, or PETA may haunt you FOREVER!
February 12th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Yes, the wool needs to be removed to keep the animal healthy, however an angora has several layers growing at the same time. The longest wool becomes loose and sheds naturally. If you groomregularly and “pluck” the loose wool off it does not hurt, scare or abuse the animal. The bonus is top quality wool that does not have the short pieces mixed with it. Rabbit skin is delicate and is cut easily. By plucking you need not worry about injury.
April 15th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
For all of you making uneducated comments, including, so far, all of the angora (pet) owners:
There are many varieties of Angora rabbits. Some are the molting variety, and some are non-molting. Non-molting varieties (Germans, German-hybrids, some English lines and recently, some French lines) MUST BE SHEARED! They may not be plucked, as their wool does not release. The only other option is to feed them a depilatory drug (similar to those used in chemotherapy), which I feel is outrageous. And before you suggest that we eliminate the non-molting varieties to get rid of this ‘cruelty’: it has been shown that matting and wool-block are due, in the majority, to molting. My non-molting Germans and German/hybrids do not have excessive matts, and do not suffer from excessive wool in their digestion.
Angoras must be plucked or sheared regularly to prevent wool-block and/or heat stroke, both of which are fatal. Also, an Angora in full coat eats less food, so allowing one to remain in full coat could potentially lead to long-term malnutrition. An Angora in full coat is often unable to reach it’s back-end. This is important because rabbits produce, from their back ends, cecotropes, which are critical to their nutrition. An Angora that cannot eat it’s cecotropes will eventually die. In addition, an Angora that is unable to reach it’s back end for cleaning will become vulnerable to fly-strike, where flys lay their eggs on the rabbit, and it becomes infested with maggots, eating it alive. Finally, an angora who is not sheared or at the least, groomed, can become so entangled in it’s own matts that it is no longer able to hop.
As far as shearing a rabbit, I have some that are completely cooperative, even laying calmly on their backs while I scissor away. I have others that are calm except when it comes time to do their underside, and I have others that won’t sit still for a grooming, let alone the HOURS it takes to do scissor shearing. This has nothing to do with how well socialized they are. Each of my Angoras is socialized, and allowed out to exercise. I groom them every couple of weeks, whether they need it or not (usually not), just to keep them used to it.
I would love one of these pieces of equipment. It would allow me to cut my shearing time down from 6 hours (with breaks for bunny and me) to less than 20 minutes. It would prevent the rabbit from struggling when it is on it’s back, thus lessening the potential for spinal injuries (rabbits have surprisingly fragile spines). Finally, it would give me more control over the shearing process, making nicks and cuts very unlikely.
For those of you with one or two bunnies who use them for spinning or other fiber arts, it is wonderful that you have the time to spend with your rabbits, and are able to groom them daily. This is entirely unreasonable for even a small commercial operation, and, despite their ‘cuteness,’ Angoras are intended as an agricultural animal, not a pet breed.
For those of you who contend that we should allow the Angora breed to go extinct, and not use animal fibers at all…well…it’s not going to happen any time in the foreseeable future. Sorry.
I would much rather use animal fibers for warmth (Angora is 8-10x warmer than wool, and relatively non-itchy in comparison), than the chemical soups used to create synthetic fibers. And, to my knowledge, there are no plant fibers that can even begin to compare to the warmth and water resistance of the animal fibers. So, if you want to go through a New England winter with cotton as the only barrier between you and the elements, be my guest. I’ll be wearing my Angora.