What should I feed my Angora rabbit?
The simple answer: commercially prepared rabbit pellets with at least a 15% min. protein content (available at your local Tractor Supply Co. or Farm and Fleet store) and a daily ration of grass and/or timothy hay.
A more in-depth answer: If you look at rabbits in the wild, they are grazers. The GI tract of the domestic rabbit (a descendant of the wild variety native to Europe-- not the Eastern Cottontails that raid our gardens in North America) evolved in such a way as to allow it to 'eat and run' and digest high fiber green foods. Peristalsis (fancy term for the bowels moving food along the digestive tract) in rabbits relies on the fiber in the foods it consumes to work properly. The rabbit GI tract is not well-muscled like our own. Feeding a diet only of commercially prepared rabbit pellets can lead to "wool block"-- GI stasis. Basically, without enough crude fiber in their diet, the rabbit digestion process can slow down to a stop and cause an impaction. This can lead to the death of the rabbit. Luckily, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Feed a commercially prepared rabbit pellet that has a high crude fiber content, offer your angora rabbit a daily handful of hay, harvest their wool regularly and you will most likely never have to deal with the likes of wool block.
How I feed my rabbits: Rabbits metabolize calcium differently than most other mammals, therefore large amounts of this mineral in their diet can lead to urinary tract issues. Commercially prepared pellets tend to provide more calcium than is needed, as well as unnecessary simple carbohydrates (like corn!). I prefer to feed my Angora rabbits a hay-based diet. I free feed a nice green grass/alfalfa mix, and offer a supplemental ration of commercial pellets on a daily basis. My Angoras much prefer their hay to any pelleted food... although pregnant and lactating does seem to know they require more concentrated nutrition and eat more pellets accordingly. I also offer certain green foods seasonally... plantain, dandelion greens, clover, etc.
One thing to remember-- Misinformation runs rampant on the internet.... my favorite saying goes "opinions are like assholes... everyone's got one!" The nutritional needs of Angora rabbits differ from that of normal coated rabbits. They require additional calories for wool production. A lot of Angora raisers believe that their rabbits require a higher protein diet for optimum wool production. More recent research, especially that of Dr. P.R. Cheeke of the Rabbit Research Center at Oregon State University, have found that large amounts of dietary protein do not necessarily translate into increased wool production. Above all, talk to other angora rabbit owners, read everything with a grain of salt, and follow a nutrition program that works for you and your rabbits!
Rabbit Nutrition Links
(not necessarily Angora rabbit nutrition... still useful though)
