# Crossbreeding...



## Skybunny11 (Nov 6, 2010)

Well, I don't really show my Angora rabbits, they are just for there fur for spinning. I know someone who breeds Lionheads does with a Netherland buck to get smaller lionheads. I am thinking what if I bred a Lionhead buck to a French Angora doe, would I possibly get a smaller, but equally as fuzzy Angora? I am not looking for Jersey Wollies, there fur is not as good for spinning as the Angora rabbits. What do you guys think about this idea? I am going to be doing a bit more research but I want to hear your guys thoughts. 



Lionhead X French Angora = ?


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Nov 7, 2010)

Personally, if I were to cross something with an Angora to make it smaller, I'd do JW. I don't know much about Angora wool but JW wool varies a lot, so I think you'd be able to pretty easily find close to what you want and breed for that.

LH are not something I'd mess with because, as of right now, they are much less genetically consistent than other breeds as far as side, wool, wool pattern, wool consistency. If you're cross breeding with a purpose in mind (which you are), I think I'd personally just go with a more genetically stable breed. I also don't mean to put LH breeders down by saying that because many now have more consistent lines. I'm just saying that on the whole, my first choice would be the JW for this purpose.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Nov 7, 2010)

I agree with the EVERYTHING in the above post. and thank you for having a purpose with it.

Lionheads don't really have much wool to start with, and I think crossing it, is just taking the wool away from the angoras. Work with like a JW like she said or even the Fuzzy lops that have more wool.

But honestly if you're using the wool for spinning anyway, I don't understand why you'd want something with less wool to work with? It would be more mouths to feed to get the same amount of wool you're getting with an angora.


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 7, 2010)

I am thinking along the lines of smaller angora, my angoras are big, which I don't mind, but if they decide to kick Ive had one German Giant who literally kicked me in the chest so hard when I picked her up I almost fell over. I love Angoras don't get me wrong but I am thinking something easier for me to handle. 

Okay well I am thinking more JW now what you guys said and I am reading about both the rabbit breeds.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Nov 7, 2010)

Why not Satin Angoras? They are smaller, but still an Angora breed. 

Any rabbit can kick really hard. If you don't want to be kicked by a large breed, then get a small breed; but keep in mind that all rabbits will kick. And even small rabbits can emit a lot of force with those hind legs.  

Emily


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 7, 2010)

Satin and French Angoras are generally the same size. I thought about English because they are smaller, but my mother is the one who runs a buisness of spinning and she thinks that English wool is too cotton like, I don't know though Ive never spun english. She insists she wants French OR german Giant fur, and no way im going with german giants because they get huge, and the fur is so hard to manage. My goal is pretty much a smaller French angora, which I am thinking might be possible with breeding a JW to my french doe.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Nov 7, 2010)

or watch how you pick them up. I was always taught to cradel those back legs because a rabbit kicking in the air can easily break its back. I always grab mine with the left hand grabbing the ears and scruff of the neck... the ears arn't really touched they're just back with all of that scruff skin where the head stays pretty still.... and use my good hand to scoup the butt. I've just always been too afraid to have those back legs loose.


I don't mean to type and make it sound like you're ignorant, theres no way for me to type it out to where I don't sound like that to you. I just wasn't sure how your bunny kicked was all.


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 7, 2010)

That kick was just an example, usually they don't kick me that often.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Nov 7, 2010)

ohok. I had never gotten that done and just thought it was odd. And I appologize if I've been coming off as rude on my posts.


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## Jaded (Nov 7, 2010)

Try Mini Angoras.


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 7, 2010)

I have never heard of that


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## Jaded (Nov 7, 2010)

Its a Netherland Dwarf X English Angora, I'm not sure if yous have them over there but I know a breeder over here invented them It took 10 years for them to get perfect, there was only 3 lines and they eventruly died out.


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 7, 2010)

Yah I have never heard anything about Mini Angoras. They sound adorable though


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## Jaded (Nov 7, 2010)

*Skybunny11 wrote: *


> Yah I have never heard anything about Mini Angoras. They sound adorable though


Mini Angoras have there own RCNZ standards www.rabbits-nz.co.nz/breeds/index.asp


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## mistyjr (Nov 8, 2010)

When the breeding of Lion head to a Jersey Wooly.. My babies didnt have the wooly on there backs at all.. But I raise Lion head's and jersey wooly my self.. But a lot of breeders do cross breeding with Jersey Woolies, Lion heads and other breeds.


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## wooly_queen (Nov 8, 2010)

> When the breeding of Lion head to a Jersey Wooly.. My babies didnt have the wooly on there backs at all.. But I raise Lion head's and jersey wooly my self.. But a lot of breeders do cross breeding with Jersey Woolies, Lion heads and other breeds.


Crossbreeding of lionheads and woolies = teddy lionheads, not normal ones. Teddy lionheads are wooly all over their bodies like a jersey wooly.

And I would agree with the people above. A jersey wooly would be my first pick to cross it to.



> Its a Netherland Dwarf X English Angora, I'm not sure if yous have them over there but I know a breeder over here invented them It took 10 years for them to get perfect, there was only 3 lines and they eventruly died out


That, in my opinion, is like a jersey wooly anyway... lol I'm pretty sure that's how they were invented here in New Jersey. Maybe not an english, but some type of angora anyway. Maybe a french.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Nov 8, 2010)

*Skybunny11 wrote: *


> Satin and French Angoras are generally the same size. I thought about English because they are smaller, but my mother is the one who runs a buisness of spinning and she thinks that English wool is too cotton like, I don't know though Ive never spun english. She insists she wants French OR german Giant fur, and no way im going with german giants because they get huge, and the fur is so hard to manage. My goal is pretty much a smaller French angora, which I am thinking might be possible with breeding a JW to my french doe.



Oi. Sorry about that. Didn't have my standard with me so I couldn't look up their weights. :/ 

Anyway, would your smaller French Angora still fit it's Standard as far as showing and weights go? I mean, it'd be a waste, I think, to breed smaller, but then only be able to use the smaller rabbits for wool production. 

Do you JW breeders spin? Perhaps if you can spin JW wool, you could switch to JW? 

Emily


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## wooly_queen (Nov 8, 2010)

I think only some JW wool can be spun... with some colors, like agouti colors, usually have shorter and less dense wool, while with other colors you'll find a thinker and more dense wool. I guess more "cottony"...? I can't think of another word to use. lol Length wise I'm not sure how long it has to be to be spun.

I have heard of people doing it though.


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## Jaded (Nov 8, 2010)

*wooly_queen wrote: *


> > Its a Netherland Dwarf X English Angora, I'm not sure if yous have them over there but I know a breeder over here invented them It took 10 years for them to get perfect, there was only 3 lines and they eventruly died out
> 
> 
> That, in my opinion, is like a jersey wooly anyway... lol I'm pretty sure that's how they were invented here in New Jersey. Maybe not an english, but some type of angora anyway. Maybe a french.


Jersey wooly isNetherland Dwarf X French Angora.


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 8, 2010)

Jersey wooly coats are less dense then Angoras.


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## tamsin (Nov 9, 2010)

If the issue is temperament then perhaps just a different lines of Angoras. I've found the angoras I've handled to be generally quite docile. Did you breed your own, if not finding a breeder that handles more during the baby stage may also help handling as adults.

I don't think smaller necessarily means easier to handle. A kick on a medium size rabbit can still pack quite a punch lol!


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## Skybunny11 (Nov 9, 2010)

Its not just temperment that is the issue.


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