I’ve long wanted to see Angora rabbits. Where are they bred? Where are those fluffy “tufts” on their ears and paws, those adorable little bangs, and those magnificent “collars”? I’ve heard there are even a few at VDNH (the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy). And now, luck is on my side—I’m off to meet Dymka and her Angora companions. The owner of these rabbits, Tatyana Vasilyevna Alexeeva, laughs, saying, “The ones who will definitely survive the winter in this Moscow apartment are the ‘bunnies,'” as she points to boxes of hay on the balcony.
I gaze at Dymka with wide eyes. She’s a stunning creature—a fluffy young doe with the softest, most beautiful blue coat. The fur is long and fine, with individual strands curling delicately, almost as if permed. Such long fur (15 cm or more) can be spun without any additional thread. It’s cleaner than goat’s wool since it doesn’t need to be washed of grease like goat’s does; it’s pure without any washing.
Dymka’s mother is white, naturally also with long fur, while her father, or “daddy,” as the owners call him, is blue. So, Dymka takes after her father. Now, the challenge is finding a blue male for Dymka! An interesting observation from the owner: blue and gray Angora rabbits tend to be more affectionate and become tame faster than white ones. However, the advantage of white fur is that it can be easily dyed any color.
Each of these “ear-flappers” has its own charm. The gray fluffy favorite of the owner’s daughter Natasha (Dymka’s brother) can “perform” like a dog, drumming with his paws. I was treated to a demonstration of this circus act. In general, I noticed that the owners are always interacting with the rabbits—holding them, grooming them. This isn’t just because they love their pets; fluffy rabbits need to be tame, allowing themselves to be groomed without panicking and hiding in their cages when someone tries to pick them up. Otherwise, their delicate fur can become matted. To tame young rabbits, the owners bring them from their summer house to Moscow. Tatyana Vasilyevna explains that she picks up the newborn kits, counts them, checks their health, and ensures their bellies are full, without fearing that the mother will stop feeding them afterward. The tame doe calmly observes all these actions, fully trusting her babies to the kind hands of her owner.
So, where do these Angora rabbits live after moving from the summer house to Moscow? In a glassed-in balcony, where double frames are installed, there are six cages stacked in three tiers. At the top, two cages made of plywood are lightweight and can be moved to the kitchen for the babies to be born in warmth. They are delicate creatures, afraid of the cold. The floors of all the cages are made of wooden slats, which can be removed and cleaned. The gaps between the slats are narrow, just enough for droppings to fall through. It’s crucial for these fluffy animals that the floor remains dry. Another clever device helps keep the floor dry. It’s been observed that rabbits always choose a specific corner for their “toilet.” The owner designates this corner by installing a narrow feeder along one wall, about 2 inches wide. This means the “toilet” will be on the opposite wall. Along this wall, the owner nails wide baseboards, allowing waste to drain only under the slats into a metal tray that can be removed and cleaned, just like the slats. By the way, Tatyana Vasilyevna makes these cages herself. It’s worth noting that cages for fluffy rabbits should only be made from welded wire, as using chain-link fencing would allow long rabbit fur to get caught in the gaps.
The hay feeders in these cages are placed outside for a reason. The fluffy rabbit’s coat shouldn’t be contaminated with bits of hay. That’s why the rabbits live on a wooden floor instead of wire, and without bedding, which would also dirty their fur.
Before the kits are born, the owner places a nesting box about 4 inches high in the plywood cage moved to the kitchen. It’s open at the top, and the bottom is made of mesh, but the mesh is fine enough to let droppings through while keeping the kits from falling out.
I ask the owner a question that many rabbit breeders are curious about: What can be done to prevent does from eating their young? Here’s her answer: Always keep water in the drinking bowl. Additionally, the fluffy doe must be completely tame. Until the kits grow up, the owner should avoid using scented creams, deodorants, or perfumes, as these can irritate the mother. Even small things, like the creaking of a gate or the sound of a falling object, can startle her and cause her to harm her young. It’s recommended to isolate such a doe from males, as if a male is nearby and thumping his paws, the stressed doe might eat her offspring. If she cannot be isolated with her young, she can be bred with a male to help calm her down.
The owner always provides milk for the nursing doe. The kits stay under their mother’s care for about a month to a month and a half, but even so, the owners have a lot of responsibilities. As soon as the kits are born, they check on them even at night—making sure everyone has eaten and that none of their bellies are drawn in. Why at night? Because rabbits have their biggest appetite during this time; they are nocturnal animals. If the kits are calm, not scattered around the nest, their fur is shiny, and their bellies are full of milk, then the owners can sleep soundly.
How should Angora kits be fed later when their mother is no longer around? We discussed this with the owner. The feed must be rich in protein to promote better fur growth. The most important thing, warns Tatyana Vasilyevna, is to avoid feeds with a laxative effect. If droppings are soft in a fur rabbit, it won’t be a disaster. However, if such droppings stick to Angora fur, the strands will mat, and they’ll have to be sheared, which reduces the yield. So, it’s essential to choose feed for these animals carefully. The best food, according to the owner, is compound feed (if it’s intended for cattle or pigs, it should be sifted, as it often contains too much salt). The rabbits particularly enjoy potato peels. Tatyana Vasilyevna washes them thoroughly, cooks them, and serves them, remembering to add a bit of salt. When they see the peels, the rabbits turn their noses up at the compound feed. They also enjoy zucchini, which can be given cooked. Beets can cause loose stools, so they should be given in small amounts and also cooked.
The feed is sprinkled with crushed calcium gluconate, which they need. When the doe has kits, she will grab a tablet straight from the owner’s hand. It’s also beneficial to give carrots and cabbage. “The neighbors at the vegetable store already know me,” Tatyana Vasilyevna shares, “I collect leftover, non-moldy cabbage leaves from the containers for the rabbits.” Dymka’s family also enjoys dry bread, but fresh bread should be avoided as it can cause fermentation in the intestines and bloat. Grains like oats and barley are also good. If soaked in warm water, they make an excellent vitamin-rich feed.
In winter, the owners stock up on a lot of hay and store it in boxes on the balcony. They also dry nettles in bundles on a string. In early spring, they give them dandelion greens, and when they go to the summer house, they feed them plenty of fresh grass. However, they need to be gradually accustomed to it, and the grass should be slightly wilted before feeding. The same goes for acclimating the rabbits to rural water; otherwise, their stomachs may get upset. After moving from Moscow, the owner gives the rabbits boiled water for a week, and then she still fills their bowls not with surface water from the well but with water from an artesian well—it’s safer.
Now, let’s find out how to obtain the luxurious product that makes all these tricks and efforts worthwhile—rabbit fur. Tatyana Vasilyevna does not shear the rabbits. She says that old fur remains, which hinders the growth of new fur. She only uses scissors (with blunt ends) if the fur has matted in some area. This often happens under the males’ armpits. She carefully cuts (not snips) the tuft and gently pulls it apart by hand.
The owners groom the rabbits once a day, and the animals enjoy this process. Interestingly, gray rabbits shed their fur faster than white ones. There is no seasonality in fur production, and its quality does not depend on the animal’s sex, according to Tatyana Vasilyevna. With gentle handling, she collects 70-100 grams of fur from each rabbit per plucking, doing this about three times a year. According to specialists, one adult Angora rabbit can yield 150-300 grams of fur per year, with the best animals producing up to 400-500 grams.
When should one start serious plucking? Does can remove their fluffy collars with their hind legs to make a nest during mating, so they need to be watched closely. If no fur remains on the skin when combed, it’s still too early to pluck. For gray rabbits, the time for collection can be determined by fluffing the fur; if it appears dark against the skin, it’s time to groom. It’s important to remember that the skin of fluffy rabbits is very delicate, so plucking should be done carefully, holding the rabbit with one hand. The rabbit is placed on the lap and lightly brushed with a massage brush, then a small tuft is pressed against the brush with the thumb of the right hand and plucked gently in the direction of hair growth.
How should fur be stored? The owner says it can be kept in boxes or jars. In plastic or even cloth bags, the fur will mat immediately.
And so, my visit to Dymka and her relatives comes to an end. The owner and I walk through the first frost to the metro, past the boxy buildings and “ants’ nests” of the Moscow outskirts. It’s heartening to realize that city dwellers in these “ants’ nests” have an interest in nature, that they even sacrifice their balconies for rabbits, care for them, and look forward to summer, striving to support the animals so they can survive the winter and return to the summer house in spring. And it’s wonderful that this “living nature” is of interest to a Muscovite who is not a biologist but an engineer. Tatyana Vasilyevna is a designer.