THE RABBIT IN HEALTH 13 



Water 



There is a persistent idea that rabbits should 

 not have access to water; this is a mistake, 

 and a pan of water should always be kept in 

 the hutch. It should be needless to point out 

 that only pure water should be used as para- 

 sitisms and contagious diseases may be spread 

 by contaminated water. 



Hygiene 



To keep rabbits healthy, their hutches must 

 be kept scrupulously clean, remove soiled Ut- 

 ter daily and clean the hutches themselves, 

 thoroughly at least three times a week. If 

 this is done much is accomplished in preventing 

 the infection of the inmates with the ova of 

 the Eimeria cuniculi. Rabbits should be kept 

 dry, and should not be exposed to draughts. 

 They should receive a plentiful supply of fresh 

 air, from over head ventilation. They should 

 be protected from strong winds and from the 

 full glare of the summer sun. Rats and mice 

 should be excluded from the rabbitry as they 

 are potential carriers of disease. 



The purchase of old or second hand hutches 

 is undesirable, because of the danger of intro- 

 ducing disease into the rabbitry, and in any 

 case these if they are bought should be thor- 

 oughly disinfected before use. 



The ova of the Eimeria cuniculi are extreme- 

 ly resistant to ordinary disinfectants and tl^ 



