Satin angora rabbit
The Satin Angora rabbit is a medium-sized, long-haired breed of rabbit weighing around 3.5-5.0 kilograms.
Breed standards
The German Rabbit Breeding Association does not recognize the Satinangora rabbit as a breed because it is not bred in a pure color. In the US there has been an official breed standard, shows and breeding evaluations since 1987.
features
Satin angoras tend to be calm and gentle and do not usually bite. They usually allow themselves to take care of their fur.
Satin angoras have a cylindrical body and usually a rather elongated head. The fur is always short on the face, ears and legs. They don't have pompoms on their ears like angoras. The hair only grows very long around the body, especially on the back. The fall shines, the texture of her hair refracts the light similar to glass. Satin angoras are available in colors and variations such as wild, black, red, white, chinchilla, brown, blue, thuringian, siam, russian, awn.
Change of coat and yield
The fur of the satin angoras consists of fibers that can be up to 10 centimeters long. Satin angoras do not have endless hair like angoras, but a natural change of coat and therefore do not have to be shorn. This is not seasonal and takes place around four times a year. The new hair pushes out the old, now lifeless hair as it grows, but it does not fall off by itself. The rabbit needs human help to remove the loose hair, otherwise it will become matted. If the new hair is about one to two centimeters long, the old hair can be carefully plucked off.
Satin angoras produce several hundred grams of hair a year. They are comparable to cashmere in price and quality . Satin angora fibers are popular with amateur spinners and are often used for handicrafts.
history
Satin angora rabbits are descended from the French angora rabbits and are the result of a mutation. They were first bred in Canada and from there came to the USA, where they have been recognized as an independent breed since 1987. They are now also common in Europe.
literature
- Heidrun Eknigk: Rabbit inheritance . Oertel + Spörer Verlag, Reutlingen 2004, ISBN 3-88627-715-1
