48 



i HE GliDE TO NATURE 



variety of sizes that one can almosl 

 always fit his box. On these trays a 

 liberal coat of sawdust and a bunch 

 of hay make the cavies' home comfort- 

 able. The food cups may be of vari- 

 ous types from the odd house saucers 

 to the galvanized cup that hangs on the 

 wire door and which we find the most 

 satisfactory. They are easily gotten 

 at about a dollar and a half a dozen 

 in all poultry supply stores, or a size 

 more adaptable for cavies is made by 

 one of the members of the American 

 Fur Fanciers' Association. A water cup 

 should also be provided unless you 

 are liberal with succulent green food. 



a year ami clean out twice a week, 

 renewing the sawdust that is soiled. 

 Handle your stock gently and as often 

 as you can s< , that they get accustomed 

 to it and so will be quid when they 

 come up for judgment at any of the 

 exhibitions to which you will of course 

 send them. 



FEEDING. 

 Next the feeding problem is to be 

 considered. Jn this good common sense 

 will help considerably. Every animal 

 appreciates a variety in its food and 

 so it is with cavies. They are always 

 fond of hay and some of the breeders 

 who keep large numbers to supply 



AGOUTI CAVIES ARK LOVABLE PETS. 



These hutches are of course for use in- 

 side a building. For out-of-door hutches 

 any style of portable building divided 

 off into compartments and provided 

 with shutters or some sort of screen 

 at the front to break the wind and keep 

 out the rain will be satisfactory, but 

 Peruvians had best be kept indoors in 

 locations north of ^Yashington. The 

 other varieties are as well off outside 

 if protected from draft and damp, but 

 these with poor feeding will ruin all 

 chances of success for anybody. In 

 building outside hutches face them 

 south or southwest, and use either 

 tongue and groove or ship lap boards, 

 and it would be wise to cover root 

 and sides except the front with a good 

 tar or asphalt paper. 



Whitewash the interior at least twice 



laboratories for scientific research feed 

 them little else, but they need other 

 food. Grass and almost all the suc- 

 culent herbs are good food material. 

 Clover, plantain, lettuce, chicory, al- 

 falfa, beet tops and all the root crops 

 can be used as part of the bill of fare ; 

 and if these substances containing con- 

 siderable moisture, as they do, are used 

 freely the need of supplying water is 

 minimized ; but should this green food 

 supply be short or not succulent, water 

 should also be given and care used to 

 keep it clean. The main food should 

 be good whole oats with an occasional 

 change to wheat or a mixture of wheat 

 and oats. They also like bread and the 

 various farinaceous materials that can 

 be classed as "breakfast foods," also 

 even Indian meal, scalded and crumbly. 



