Chapter VIII. 



THE GENERAL CARE OF RABBITS 



IT is of the greatest importance to keep the 

 rabbits free from dampness and drafts. 

 Every poultry keeper knows that he is 

 certain to have trouble with his hens if he 

 houses them in damp, drafty quarters. It is 

 the same with rabbits, whatever the breed may 

 be. Like poultry, most breeds can endure a 

 low temperature, providing the air is dry and 

 enters the house only at the front or through 

 special ventilating devices. It is much better 

 to have the animals in an open hutch out of 

 doors, with a plentiful supply of hay or straw 

 to burrow in than in a shed or other building 

 where the sun-does not enter, and a feeling of 

 dampness prevails. At the same time, a cer- 

 tain amount of shelter is desirable. Various 

 arrangements of hutches to make this possible, 

 where there is no special rabbit house, will be 

 described in a succeeding chapter. 



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