DOMESTIC RABBITS 21 



wet nor wilted, as either condition will cause dangerous 

 digestive disturbances. 



Many breeders make use of mashes containing bran, 

 barley meal, middlings, oil meal, etc., and prepared meals 

 may be purchased from dealers. Such mashes, if used, 

 should always be thoroughly scalded and allowed to cool 

 before feeding. 



Two meals per day are sufficient for adult rabbits under 

 ordinary circumstances. Fresh water should be in the 

 hutches at all times, although rabbits are among the unfortu- 

 nate animals which are popularly supposed to thrive best 

 without it. It is true that when green food is abundant 

 little water is consumed. But when the use of drier foods 

 is necessitated water is indispensable, and it is therefore 

 best kept in the hutches at all times. 



Adult bucks and does usually are run in separate com- 

 partments, although non-breeding does may be kept together. 

 No animal should be used for breeding until well matured, 

 and at least six to eight months old. The usual precau- 

 tions, of course, should be taken to select for reproduction 

 only healthy individuals. 



When a pair has been selected for breeding, the buck 

 may be introduced to the doe's hutch, allowed to remain for 

 a few hours and then removed. The period of gestation 

 in rabbits is thirty days. During this period, the doe should 

 be kept as quiet as possible and provided with plenty of 

 nourishing food. Bread and milk should be given freely 

 throughout the nursing period, and water should always 

 be before the mother. 



When the young are expected, the doe will arrange a 



nest in the box, and line and cover it with soft fur plucked 



from her own coat. The young are blind and nearly bare, 



[SO the breeder does not feel that it is a great tribulation to 



.forego an inspection for the first few days. 



