Learn more about the French Angora Rabbit Breed. Discover cool facts, pictures, resources and find information about caring for French Angora Rabbits.
This rabbit breed information page is part of our rabbit breeds article series.
French Angora Rabbit Resource Links: Free Rabbit Breeders Newsletter | French Angora Rabbit Breed Info | French Angora Rabbit Information and History | French Angora Rabbit Care | French Angora Rabbit Resources
French Angora Rabbit Breed Info
Recognized colors: Many. Shown in white and colored classes
Size: 9-10.5 pounds
National Specialty Club:
nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com
French Angora Rabbit Breed Photo Credit:
www.drcba.ca
French Angora Rabbit Information and History
There are five breeds of Angoras generally found in the United States, though only four of them are recognized by the ARBA. (The fifth is the German Angora.) The French Angora stands out because of its lack of furnishings on the ears and face and its relatively coarse wool.
The French is probably the nearest in type to the original angora rabbits, all other breeds coming from it. France was certainly the first European country to widely raise Angora rabbits for their wool. The story goes that French sailors brought these longhaired rabbits back from Ankara (Angora) Turkey in 1723. The first wooled rabbit found in an American standards book was the “Angora Wooler,” which was split into the English and French breeds in 1944. Today the French is the second most popular Angora breed, slightly behind the English.
The French Angora may show small tufts on the tips of the ears, but generally the ears, face, and lower legs are free of wool. In fact, heavy furnishings on the face and wool below the ankle (front feet) or hock (back feet) are disqualifications. These DQ’s help keep the angora breeds separate, discouraging the practice of crossbreeding any wooled bunnies that are available then showing the offspring as whichever breed they most resemble. The wool of the French Angora is characterized by a high quantity of guard hairs – the straight, strong hairs that protect the softer underwool. This gives the wool its coarse texture as compared to the English Angora, which should also have guard hairs but fewer of them. A coarse texture makes French Angora wool easier to groom, but frequent brushing and/or blowing is still necessary to keep a coat in good condition. The French has commercial body type and is the only Angora breed (currently) to recognized broken pattern colors.
Like all wooled breeds, care must be taken to keep a French Angora’s environment clean and debris-free to prevent stained and matted wool. Pineapple, papaya, or enzyme tablets containing Bromelain or Papain are important supplements to prevent wool block. They also need to eat plenty of roughage (fiber), usually accomplished by feeding free-choice hay. It is more work to raise Angoras than other breeds, but the payoff is an abundance of wool you can spin into soft yarn.
French Angora Rabbit Care
Here is a list of resources to help you care for your french angora rabbits…
- How to Raise Rabbits – information and resources on the subject of raising rabbits
- Breeding Rabbits – learn more about how to breed rabbits for show, meat or profit
- Rabbit Supplies for Sale – find rabbit supplies for sale
- Feeding Rabbits – information and resources on the topic of feeding your rabbits
- Rabbit Health – learn more about rabbit health and care
French Angora Rabbit Resources
Here is a listing of french angora rabbit resources to help you out with your rabbit project…
- Rabbit Breeders Newsletter – be sure to claim your free subscription to our rabbit breeders newsletter in order to start receiving free rabbit information and resources via email
- French Angora Rabbits for Sale – use our rabbit classifieds to find french angora rabbits for sale
- French Angora Rabbit Breeders – locate french angora rabbit breeders using our huge rabbit breeders directory
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