I have learned how to clip a bunn that has been neglected and has become very badly matted; I can clean the scent glads, the ears, check the teeth, clip the nails, and even out an uneven coat, but I feel ready to go a few steps further for different applications.
I notice the younger angora has a particular wool that is more prone to tangles, at least in my rabbits, than the adults; I have been asked at what age I trim this coat off, and I was surprised, because I was under the impression that the BOS and BOB were usually 8-10 months old does coming into prime for the first time. Were they clipped early or is it the virgin coat? Is clipping the virgin coat a move for wool production but adverse for showing?is it a common practice for both, or is it relatively unheard of??
So that brings me to questions about grooming for show and grooming for wool-- and ideally, grooming in such a manner as to preserve and identify a rabbit for the table. My first show experiences were pretty humiliating, but I learned a bit and used the information I gained to upgrade my feed, inform my breeding program and stop OVER-grooming, but there is still so much I'd like to do without trying to figure it out on my own.
I have seen people whose rabbits go from horrible to show condition with a swing of the magic wand-- how do they do that? When I try to groom, the more I groom, the worse my rabbits look!!
Records are in a ring binder usually by day right now, with lists of rabbits and notes on condition for each month, but after my last out break of mites, I find that my record keeping needs to change to accommodate ivermectin schedules, and grooming-- with wool weights and notes on texture, etc. And I am wondering if someone would like to share their spreadsheet or layout they find successful.
I have questions on breeding next LOL
Grooming English Angoras
<b>2/10/10</b>