Church Bunnies

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Rabbit Breeds A–Z
Rabbit Breeds A–Z · E

English Angora

A compact Angora with silky wool, tasseled ears and a heavily furnished face.

English Angora rabbit with a long fawn and gray wool coat, woolly face and tasseled ears

Origin

Angora rabbits are often said to come from Ankara (once called Angora) in Turkey, but the evidence is thin. One of the earliest records describes "Angora rabbits" sent from England to France in 1723. The compact, heavily furnished English type was refined by British breeders. In the United States, all Angoras were shown as a single breed until 1939, when English-type and French-type Angoras were recognized; they became separate breeds, the English Angora and the French Angora, in 1944.

Typical Adult Size

The smallest of ARBA’s four Angora breeds. Under the show standard, senior adults weigh between 5 and 7½ pounds (about 2.3 to 3.4 kg), with ideal weights of about 6 pounds for bucks and 6½ pounds for does. Under all that wool, the body is short, compact and rounded.

Coat Type

Long, silky Angora wool, with guard hairs that help support the crimped underwool. The wool should be dense and fall free rather than parting flat over the back.

Colors

English Angoras are accepted in a broad range of colors, from ruby-eyed white to many colored varieties grouped under headings such as agouti, self, shaded and pointed white. The breed club can confirm the current list of showable varieties.

Temperament

Typically gentle and placid, and many accept the frequent handling their coat requires very well. A calm, patient routine makes grooming a pleasant part of the day for rabbit and owner alike.

Grooming and Care

This is one of the most demanding breeds to keep well groomed. The wool needs regular, thorough attention, and the face furnishings and ear tassels need gentle combing so mats do not form or irritate the eyes. English Angoras generally molt naturally, so wool is usually harvested every few months by gently plucking loose fiber during a molt, or by clipping. A clean, mat-free coat and plenty of hay help reduce the risk of swallowed wool causing digestive trouble.

Distinctive Features

Abundant "furnishings": dense bangs on the forehead, wool on the cheeks, and long tassels on short, V-shaped ears that can almost hide the face. Properly posed, it resembles what the national Angora club calls a "round ball of fluff".

What Makes It Notable

The English Angora is the only Angora breed that ARBA classifies as compact, and its silky wool is prized by hand-spinners. It is also one of the most striking rabbits at any show.

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