Clipping
WE DO PREFER PEOPLE OFFER HANDS ON TRAINING, AS HANDLING THE ANGORA AND GAINING CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE TAUGHT IN A VIDEO .. WE ALWAYS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO HANDLE AND CLIP OUR ADULT ANGORAS UNTIL HAPPY YOU CAN DO SO AT HOME - A VALUABLE LESSON THAT HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AND CHANGED THE LIVES OF NERVOUS GROOMERS!
Important note .. Angoras can die from being stressed and have to avoid becoming too hot ... look out for movement of legs becoming restricted when wool behind the elbows matt together . Also watch out for fly strike around the tail area keep clean and clip short to help avoid ( non show rabbits). Angoras cannot die form the cold - but heat kills - keep a good air flow around at all times.
HOW TO CLIP FOR BEGINNERS
by Katt Lawrence - copyright 2013
A pair of fiskar needlework scissors is the best tool for this job ! Available on ebay (see what to buy page)
The rabbit should have a clean dry coat and you need a quiet covered area away from drafts ( I often work outside where there are no facilities in the wind, in this case wear overalls or a tabard - as you will end up looking like the rabbit with the amount of wool over you when finished ! )
Place rabbit on a non slip surface on table in front of you or on your lap on a towel - whichever you feel more comfortable with. Blow coat through and remove any straw or loose matter.
With a short round ended pair of scissors (If not comfortable with fiskar) start behind the neck and clip off the wool. This will then clear you a starting place.
Keeping your scissors flat to the the rabbits skin cut small half inch sections to start. Placing wool long enough for spinning ( 3 inches) flat onto newspaper or kitchen towel on the table (with the cut ends the same way round these sections can also be collected and wrapped for competition at angora stock show.) Keep in clip seal bags or air tight containers. Shorter wool and wool to be spun from can just be bagged immediately and can be placed in a bag or box as you clip.
Work your way down the spine clearing an inch line. If you are nervous about cutting the rabbit then raise the scissors a few millimeters then angle the blades to 45 degrees before cutting, this will help avoid nicking the skin. Alternatively use a comb and place the comb between the rabbit and your scissors and cut over the teeth of the comb - as a combing method in hairdressing would use. However once you have gained confidence you will be able to just follow the rabbits outline close to the skin. You really do have to clip within a couple of millimetres of the skin to ensure all matts have been removed.
NB. If the wool is felted onto the rabbits body or too dense, this needs to be dealt with differently - and may need an experienced person to clip off ... do not attempt to tackle a rabbit in this state if you have not clipped before !! If no experienced person is available to help you then take to a dog groomers who will be able to use professional clippers to shave to the skin. This is not a common occurrence and only happens when the wool has got wet, or from inexperienced persons not caring for the rabbit or not grooming regularly enough - or an overly dense rabbit or overdue clipping resulting in these more extreme cases.
A rabbit that moves, can easily have its skin nicked or cut due to it being thin, it also tears if manhandled .. if this occurs you can spray with an antibacterial insecticide suitable for rabbits, or germolene spray .. or just leave alone.. and it should heal itself over the next few days. If the rabbit is stressed or will not settle then do clips over a few days to avoid risk of injury. I don't use any spray as the rabbit skin heals itself very quickly and dry air is better than moist sprays or creams.
Once the back guide line is clipped then work in parallel lines down each side of the rabbits body, to top of legs and top edge of tail - making sure you don't cut the tail off in the process!
Then work your way around and under the neck - above the tail tops of legs and under neck tend to be a lot thicker and will need to take more time. If need be, go back and clip off shorter later. The head and cheeks can also be trimmed - try to leave the whiskers intact. (I will show how to hold the rabbit during my in house demos)
All the wool from this area is best grade ... the underside and belly wool should be bagged separately as second grade, any soiled wool being discarded or put out for birds to collect for their nests.
To do the underside of the rabbit, lie on its back with ears between your knees or if not used to this, then ask someone to help hold whilst you trim the tummy, down the legs, by stretching them out. Then turn bunny around and place head under armpit and trim around the tail, by feeling for the tail bone and holding it between your fingers and clipping around it, then around genitals (very carefully for boys !) At this point the toenails can also be clipped.
Turn bunny right way up and go over again to tidy up - the furnishings on top of ears are usually left and the tops and sides of feet can now be tidied up also. As you get more practiced closer cuts can be done around the neck and chest and throat area, but as long as you have cleared most of the length and matts you can now release your - apparently shrunken bunny and watch it as it jumps around like a spring lamb.
I also tend to ivormec my rabbits at this time. If you find mites in the coat when clipping ( looks like dandruff) then it should be discarded / burnt.
The National Angora club can advise and sell your wool for spinning on your behalf. Alternative sell to local crafts persons or use the wool in your garden compost heap or offer in nets to the birds - nothing should be wasted !
A full clip should take approximately an hour per rabbit - with scissors. When more experienced clippers may be used to lessen this time and give a shorter clip.
Complications - Clipping a felted coat
This is done in same method as above but the clip must be done close to the skin. It will take approximately 2 to 4 hours to complete depending on severity.
You will need to put the scissor point in to where the skin meets the wool coat and nip thru a few millimeters at a time and work around as the coat comes off in on complete unit. When you get to the legs cut the large areas off before tackling them, so that you can work around the delicate areas without the coat dragging and tearing the skin with its weight.
This job is not for the fainthearted or impatient, however I have detailed on here to prove it can be dealt with.. and must be done as an urgent case as the rabbit will be uncomfortable, restricted and overheated.
Important - be responsible !
Never leave a matted rabbit longer than necessary. When you are grooming with a blower or hairdryer you should be able to blow right to the skin - if you see wool or matts not skin then get it clipped off asap ,as these rabbits need you to look after them and will die from wool block, or will end up matting their legs so they cant walk, tearing their skin as it pulls, getting infection that are seen resulting in illness and even death !
No rabbit should be sold to a beginner un clipped or without being shown how to, be a responsible angora owner and make sure you are aware of how to care for one before purchase ! Before breeding or mating a full clip should also be done - otherwise the kits will be unable to get to the milk and if doe is matted then they will die. Be vigilant and remember an angora is high maintenance. If you are not prepared to put the time into clipping then get a different breed !
Good luck :)