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What is the difference between "German" and "Giant" angoras?
"German" refers to the breed painstakingly produced over a period of 60+ years in Germany by a strict breeding program. "Giant" refers to an ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association) sanctioned breed that was produced by crossing the incredible imported Germans with North American breeds - some of them non-wool producing short hair breeds such as Flemish Giants. I found Giants to be disappointing. I missed the consistency in wool production, size, and temperament that I found in German Angoras descended exclusively from imported breeding stock. That's why at Windsor Farms Rabbitry we raise Germans and do our own "crossing" with North American angoras, so that we know exactly what their heritage is. Our Hybrids are all identified by percentage of German in their bloodline.
If German Angoras are so wonderful, why have Hybrids?
German Angora rabbits are all albinos and while the white is great, the colors are just too terrific to eliminate from your spinning diet. When I dye Angora, I use white for light and pastel colors - but for vivid and dark colors I always prefer to overdye the natural colored Angora. When you dye black Angora royal blue or blood red or a rich teal, you get a very classy looking yarn with vivid color surrounded by a black halo (or nap). Trust me: it's stunning! German Hybrids allow me to get better wool production from my colored rabbits than from French Angoras alone.
What is so great about angora?
Angora is very warm - reportedly 7 times the insulating factor of sheep's wool. It is so wonderfully soft it could be worn next to a baby's skin without irritation. Also, you can have a garment that is the height of luxury - and the rabbit it came from is still hopping happily around your rabbit cage.
Is angora hard to spin?
Every fiber is somewhat different and as a spinner you need to give yourself a little time to learn a new fiber. 100% angora is a little bit "slippery", especially if the tension on your wheel is set for sheep's wool, since straight angora is best spun with almost no tension. Windsor Farms Rabbitry blends usually consist of at least 30% Merino sheep's wool in them, which makes them exceptionally easy to spin, even for the relatively new spinner.
Which is the better way to harvest wool: plucking? or shearing?
I shear my rabbits using hairdresser's scissors. German Angoras were bred to be shorn, so that the breeder could choose the length of the fiber. It is faster than plucking, especially when your rabbit will have more than half a pound of wool on it.
Do you eat rabbit?
No - I don't eat rabbit meat. The Germans were bred to be "dual purpose" and have a meat rabbit body, but all my rabbits have names, and it would be like eating a pet. Besides, why lose all that great wool production?
Does it cost a lot to keep a rabbit?
Actually, very little. Your biggest expense is the cage set-up, but even that can be reduced dramatically if you make your own. Food is quite inexpensive, and rabbits don't eat much - I feed one measuring cup per day to each adult bunny.
Well, commercial recommendations are to replace one quarter (1/4th) of your rabbitry each year - with the implication that any rabbit's life expectancy beyond four years is a gift. I've had a lot of rabbits that didn't read that book (or at least didn't subscribe to that theory), but as a general rule of thumb rabbits are not long-lived animals. I guess Mother Nature wouldn't have made any animal that prolific if it was.
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