254 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



some four or five inches. Those that are kept 

 in the open air must face the sun. Casks or 

 barrels, especially kerosene barrels, may also 

 be used. These should be laid on low trestles, 



A BLUE-Axn-T.AN Rabbit 



with the bung on the under side, so that liquids 

 may run off easily ; and an opening, with a door 

 of slats covered with netting, to prevent the 

 incursions of rats and mice, should be made at 

 one end of the barrel. If a kerosene barrel is 

 used the inside must be burned out to remove 



the smell. The scheme of 



using barrels, which is con- 

 venient and pretty, is frequent 

 in France. 



Rabbits used for breeding- 

 must be at least seven months 

 old. The male and female 

 should never be left alone 

 together for a day and night, 

 or they will fight. The 

 mother rabbit gives birth to 

 eight or nine young ones at 

 the end of thirty days. A few 

 days before the birth the 

 hutch should be thoroughly 

 cleansed and furnished with 

 soft oat straw and hay. The mother will then 

 be seen to make her nest with extreme care. 

 She begins by carrying into one corner all the 

 hay and straw ; she then makes a hollow in this 



and lines it with fur pulled from her breast, to 

 make a soft, warm bed for her progeny. When 

 the young rabbits have arrived the mother 

 should be given something juicy, — a carrot or 

 turnip, or perhaps a little 

 warm milk and water, — to 

 prevent her from de\ouring 

 the little ones, which very 

 often happens if she is fever- 

 ish and thirsty and does not 

 know what she is about. 

 Thirst tortures her, but if she 

 gets something to allay it all 

 goes well. 



The day after the birth the 

 nest should be examined. If 

 some of the young ones are 

 dead they should, of course, be 

 taken away. Sometimes the 

 mother gives birth to ten or 

 a dozen, which are more than 

 she can comfortably feed. In 

 that case some of them should be killed, leav- 

 ing at most si.x of the largest with the mother. 

 These will thrive better and bring more profit 

 than if all had been left alive. 



When the young rabbits are six weeks old 

 it is well to begin to wean them, but not all at 



A Giant Flanders Rabbit (Female) 



the same time, as this would injure the mother. 

 The strongest and best developed should be 

 taken away first, and then the others at inter- 

 vals of a day or two. After this the mother 



