A fluffy white Angora rabbit sitting on the grass

Angora Rabbit Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Angora rabbit breed originated in England and is seen in all sorts of varieties, colours and sizes. There’s the English Angora, French Angora, Giant Angora and Satin Angora. There are others, but the English Angora Rabbit is the most common variety that we’ll focus on in this breed guide.

Angora Rabbit Facts

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Type
Standard
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Lifespan
7 - 10 years
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Size
Medium
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Weight
2.5 - 3.5 kg
Everypaw's breed temperament icon
Temperament
Sweet, alert, intelligent
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Exercise
2 hours 2x a day
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Grooming
High maintenance

Is an Angora Rabbit Right for Me?

The Angora is very well known for their Angora wool In fact it’s the only breed of rabbit that has wool that can be used for spinning. As you can imagine this means they need a lot of grooming to keep their coats in a healthy condition.

Angoras aren’t really the best breed choice for the first-time rabbit owner because they’re pretty high maintenance. If you’re a seasoned bunny owner, then Angoras do make great pets as they have lovely, sweet temperaments making them perfect pet rabbits.

A black and a white Angora rabbit sitting on a table

Life with an Angora Rabbit

Living with an Angora is a big commitment. They may be pretty to look at with their impressive fluffy coats but grooming them every day is time consuming. You’ll need to have lots of spare time to ensure they’re kept happy and healthy. They’re a sweet, gentle breed that love people and will soon bond with you, especially with all that grooming!

Caring for Your Angora

The Angora has the same dietary needs as all rabbit breeds. They need a constant supply of hay to keep their digestive system working properly and love grazing on fresh grass and vegetables. You can feed your rabbit a commercial rabbit food too, but make sure you don’t over feed them.

Make sure you keep an eye on your rabbit’s weight. It’s easy to over feed which can lead to weight and health problems. Most importantly, your rabbit should always have a constant supply of hay and fresh water.

This breed has a long fur coat that needs a lot of regular grooming. They have long wool all over their body and paws, and even have tassels of wool on the ends of their face and ears. Their coat grows constantly and is usually around 8 or 9 cm long. Daily grooming will prevent knots and matting, and will keep the coat clean, shiny and healthy.

You’ll need to be extra vigilant during the shedding seasons in spring and autumn. Because their wool constantly grows, you might need to take them for a professional rabbit groom a few times a year to get their coat trimmed. It makes grooming easier and helps prevent any health problems.

Angoras are an intelligent breed, so with positive reinforcement and rewards you could easily train your bunny to use a litter tray. You could also teach them to come when you call them and fetch toys.

All rabbit breeds need plenty of exercise to keep them happy and healthy. Exercise is important for your rabbit’s muscles and to work off any extra pounds! Exercise will also stop your bunny from getting bored and up to mischief. Rabbits love to play with toys and the Angora is no exception.

They’ll want to spend lots of time with you playing and enjoying games together. If you can, let them have a couple of hours every day outside in a safe enclosure so they can run and jump and graze on some fresh grass.

Three Angora Rabbits sitting on the grass

Angora Rabbit Insurance

Oh so fluffy and oh so cute, we totally understand why you’d be thinking about having an Angora rabbit as a pet. If it’s a done deal, Everypaw can be there to help when it comes to your Angora’s insurance. Everypaw’s Lifetime Rabbit Insurance has three levels of cover to choose from, and every policy comes with a range of additional benefits that can help you and your Angora when you need it most.

From little bunny all the way up to becoming an adult rabbit, Everypaw can be there for you and your rabbit.

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Common Angora Rabbit Health Problems by Vetstream

Because of their long coat the Angora is prone to some health problems. Everypaw has teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream to give you an idea of what to look out for in your Angora.

Rabbits are very good at cleaning themselves. Long-haired breeds like Angoras may suffer from hairballs as they can swallow more hair when licking their long coats unlike short-coated breeds. Hairballs can slow down your rabbit’s digestive system and can also cause blockages.

Rabbits with blockages often deteriorate rapidly, produce no droppings at all, are anorexic, may collapse and be in a lot of pain. This is an emergency, so you must take your rabbit to your vet immediately. Preventing hairballs by grooming your rabbit regularly is very important. Grooming every day all year round removes dead hair which means your rabbit won’t ingest anywhere near as much hair.

Angoras are prone to hyperthermia because of their thick woolly coats. Rabbits can control their body temperature using their ears. Increasing blood flow to the ears allows the heat to be lost to the environment.

But, unlike dogs for example, rabbits can’t pant to control their body temperature. If the rabbit’s body temperature goes above 40°C, they’re likely to overheat. Don’t leave your rabbit outside on a hot sunny day without plenty of shade and fresh water.

Also, don’t let your Angora do too much exercise on hot days and avoid taking them out in a carry box or car when it’s hot. Common signs of overheating are rapid or open mouth breathing, restlessness and incoordination. Overheating is an emergency - in severe cases they may collapse and die. Call your vet immediately if you think your bunny may be suffering from hyperthermia.

Rabbit’s teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. To prevent overgrown teeth they need a high fibre, abrasive diet to help ensure sufficient dental wear. If your rabbit has overgrown teeth, they’ll struggle to eat or drink properly and will need to see your vet for some dental treatment.

Your vet can gently file down the overgrown teeth. In severe cases, this might need to be done every few weeks.

Overgrown teeth can cause other problems like abscesses which can be difficult to treat. Common signs to keep an eye out for include reduced appetite, excessive salivation, weight loss, depression and ocular discharge.

Injury to the spine is often related to struggling and kicking when being picked up or being dropped. It’s very important to know how to pick up and handle your bunny safely. Angoras aren’t that keen on being picked up and can struggle if they panic. It’s best not to lift them up unless necessary and don’t allow small children to handle them.

Spinal injury is complex, and the prognosis often isn’t good. Related medical issues are common following spinal injury which could prevent your rabbit from having a good quality of life. In these cases, the kindest option may be to have your rabbit put to sleep.

Quick Angora Q&A

Angora rabbits are a medium sized rabbit and usually weigh around 3 kg.

This breed needs the same general care as most rabbits, apart from their grooming requirements. Due to their long woolly coat, they need daily grooming all year round. They’ll also benefit from having a trim by a professional groomer a few times a year.

Start with a wide toothed comb to tease out any knots. Then use a finer-toothed comb. Never pull roughly on their wool, they have sensitive skin that can easily tear. To groom their tummy and legs, sit on the floor and pop your rabbit on his back on your lap.

Do this gently and carefully so you don’t injure their back. If they stay still for long enough, you can also groom your rabbit while they’re lying outstretched on the floor.

Angoras are best suited to living indoors. They can live outside but will need extra special care. Their coat must be clipped in the summertime. And their enclosure must be positioned out of direct sunlight in a cool shaded area, so they don’t overheat.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/lapis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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