Middle Tennessee Rabbitry

JERSEY WOOLY

The Jersey Wooly is sometimes called the Dwarf Angora.  They have a bold head with small up-right ears about 2 to 3 inches in length and wool fur.  Their high intelligence, gentle disposition, and docile nature make them a wonderful house pet for children and adults alike.  They require only about 4 ozs. of good quality pellets a day supplemented with grass hay.

A full grown Jersey Wooly (6 months or older) weighs about 2.5 to 3.5 pounds.  If it is a non-dwarf Jersey Wooly it may weigh more but will generally not weigh more than 4.5 pounds.  A Jersey Wooly's coat is sometimes referred to as "easy-care", this is due to the high ratio of guard hairs in the coat.  It requires minimal brushing (about once a month) as an adult.  Juveniles (under 6 months old)require more frequent groomings (about once a week)because they have a more cotton like coat.  With all wool breed rabbits, a main concern is wool block (similar to hair ball in cats).  Wool block is caused by rabbits ingesting hair while grooming themselves.  Feeding high quality grass hay daily will help to prevent wool block.  A rabbit that is suffering from wool block will quit eating pellets and be come sluggish and inactive.

HISTORY

The Jersey Wooly was originally bred as a pet by Bonnie Seeley of Highbridge, New Jersey in the late 1970's.  As a dare from other Jersey Wooly owners in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Jersey Wooly was introduced at the National Convention in 1984, it attracted a lot of attention from other breeders and judges.  The Jersey Wooly was accepted into the ARBA in 1988.  Today the Jersey Wooly is a popular pet and also one of the most widely exhibited breeds at local and national shows in the United States.